Pennsylvania Avenue in 1939

Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, FSA/OWI Collection, LC-DIG-fsa-8a31563.  David Myers.

"Washington, D.C. Aerial view of a street corner, in front of the Willard Hotel, at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue showing pedestrians and rather dense traffic in autos and street cars"

 

I noticed a cyclist at the top of this image, riding on the dotted line and it struck me that this is in the center of the street where the protected bike lanes are now (and where the streetcars ran in this photo), not all the way to the right. I'm guessing the dotted line is the "edge" of the streetcar space and the sign the cyclist is stopped at is the sign for a streetcar stop?

Comments

[michael n]

There appears to be second cyclist positioned on the same dotted line between the car turning right and the bus-like vehicle proceeding straight. Pretty gutsy, or perhaps foolhardy is more like it. Although the second cyclist is on that same dotted line, I don't think he is following it but is proceeding straight ahead.

You can see the image much more clearly here; it is much lighter and higher resolution: http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a31000/8a31500/8a31563v.jpg

It looks like the guy you are describing is standing next to his bike near the streetcar, but one assumes he wouldn't be able to take it on.

There seems to be a police officer near the center of the intersection, so perhaps he keeps things in order.

[michael n]

http://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/fsa/8a31000/8a31500/8a31564v.jpg a different photo of the same intersection; same set of photographs - another bicycle is visible, readily recognized by the shadow of its front wheel on the roadway.

Note again the police officer in the intersection maintaining order. The cyclist is the only man visible not wearing a hat. At this time men wore hats, but not a cyclist.

[contrarian]

At that time it was considered inappropriate for a gentleman to appear in public without a hat. Even then cyclists were scofflaws!