Being flat it is possibly of no surprise that Spalding was very popular for cyclists from the 1880’s onwards. However the death of Mrs Wherry, the wife of a local J.P. after being hit by a speeding female cyclist whilst she was on a trip to Hunstanton provoked an outcry. What made the situation worse was that the cyclist did not stop and road off despite Mrs Wherry’s daughter pointing out the seriousness of her condition. It promoted this outcry:
“Of our country roads are to be invaded thus, without notice, at all times of day and night, with a number of reckless cyclists going at 25 miles an hour timid folk will soon be afraid to use our roads for driving purposes, so serious will be the dangers.”
However, in 1904 we saw Spalding’s first motor vs. cyclist accident that made the national press of the time. “ Mrs England, wife of Dr. England, of Moulton while crossing Fulney Bridge on her machine was jammed against the parapet by a passing vehicle. She promptly had the driver arrested, and he was fined forty-three shillings and sixpence for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.”
In true Daily Mail style further down the same page was an article questioning whether women should be allowed to ride bicycles.
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