The bike versus car debate

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Ever heard of the California Cycleway? We hadn’t but were surprised to read about the nine-mile-long elevated wooden toll road intended for bicycle traffic from Pasadena to Los Angeles, California. The first part of it was opened officially on 1 January 1900, when nearly 1,000 people rode the path without accidents or complaints.

But then the car came along and the cycleway was soon forgotten. Not long after the invention of the automobile, Los Angeles became the car capital of the world. It also became the focal point of urban development. This can to a large degree be attributed to the prestige, and indeed comfort, of having a car.

Today’s Friday Lady seems to have made up her mind in choosing between a bicycle and a car. The picture was probably taken in Los Angeles, it shows Hollywood actress Gwen Lee in 1928. That car looks to be a Chevrolet. The penny-farthing or high-wheeler must have been a classic at the time and we wonder if it was used for filming purposes? That's a Victorian outfit she’s wearing, isn’t it?

Words by Jeroen Booij. Picture MGM.

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