The Tar HeelThursday, July 16, 198711
One off si Med
The Rathskeller
By USA LORENTZ
News Editor
It's a tradition.
It's a UNC tradition.
It's a Chapel Hill tradition.
It's The Rams Head Rath
skeller, more commonly referred
to as "The Rat."
The Rat, a restaurant with a
dark, earthy atmosphere, opens at
a heavy wooden door in Amber
Alley off of Franklin Street. The
restaurant is as much a part of
Chapel Hill as the Old Well or
Silent Sam.
Since 1948, people have been
coming to The Rat to leave their
initials in the solid wooden picnic
type tables, see 'their' waiter and
to sink their teeth into The Rat's
specialty, the "Double Gambler,"
a tender, sizzling steak served on
a skillet at 500 degrees.
With its famous Carolina blue
bordered paper menu, The Rat
also offers a patron anything from
a bowl of soup to a double roast
beef dinner, ranging in price from
$2.50 to $8.75. Lasagna, ribs and
barbeque chicken are also popular
items. The Rat's iced tea is a
delightful thirst quencher, and
each table gets its own pitcher, so
waiting for a refill is never a
concern.
The most expensive item on the
menu is an around-the-world
pizza at $14.75, containing ham
burger, sausage, onions and sev
eral other delightful toppings. This
is not just any pizza, though, said
Charles Smith, general manager of
The Rat since 1981. "This is the
same pizza served when The Rat
first introduced pizza to the people
of North Carolina."
Although Smith admitted that
there has been some question as
to whether The Rat did serve pizza
first, he says, "As far as we know,
it was fust, but if anyone knows
another restaurant that served
pizza earlier, let us know, and we
will gladly concede."
Smith said there are two major
characteristics about The Rat that
make it so unique. "The first is
the staff. Most of the people have
been here for an average of 20 to
25 years. These workers are pro
fessionals. They know what their
job is, and they do it. It makes
my job a lot easier when I don't
have to go behind someone and
Tar Heel Steve Matteson
Bike theft it could happen to you
II
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Tar Heel Laura Patterson
Customers enjoy the atmosphere at The Rat
tell them what to do.'Most of the
waiters have their own following.'
Some customers will come in and
ask for 'their waiter.' "
Caricatures of each of these
waiters can be found behind the
fireplace, on the back wall.
The customer, Smith said, is the
next unique characteristic. "There
are so many people that frequent
The Rat three, four and sometimes
five days a week," he said. "These
are the people, along with the
faithful alumni, that have kept The
Rat rolling along for almost 40
years. It's special to me when I can
build friendships with the custo
mers. You get to know them on
a first-name basis and try to make
See THE RAT page 40
Avoid the parking problem;
get there on Moped or bike
By JUDY WILSON
Staff Writer
The most efficient way to get
around campus is either by Moped
or 10-speed bicycle, according to
University Police Sgt. Ned Comar.
"These vehicles offer local
students more freedom of effort
than cars do," he said. "If I were
a student residing on campus or
nearby, I would use a Moped or
bicycle so I wouldn't need to worry
about parking, slashed tires,
broken windows, stereo theft and
outlandish insurance. It's also
cheaper to operate a bicycle or
Moped than it is to operate a car.
"You don't need a permit to use
a bicycle or Moped on campus,"
he said. "We'd rather have these
vehicles to deal with than cars."
Comar said a vehicle is consi
dered a Moped if it has pedals that
will move it and if it has a certain
amount of horsepower. "If it can't
be pedaled, it's a motorcycle," he
said, adding vthat a motorcycle
driver must have a special driver's
( license, wear a helmet, shine a
headlight, abide by insurance laws
and have a license tag.
Students who ride Mopeds and
bikes must follow certain rules of
the road. Comar said the rules are
simple; just think as if you're
.driving a car. "Ridersof Mopeds
and bikes in any public areas must
obey all rules of all other vehicles,
such as cars," he said.
These rules include those per
taining to speed limits, stop signs,
turn signals, reckless driving and
DWI. The driver of a Moped or
bicycle can be charged with driving
while impaired by alcoholic
beverages.
"Violations of these rules are not
misdemeanors, but they are infrac
tions, and violators must pay
fines," said Comar. "You have to
go to court for reckless riding,
though.
"There is a University policy
against riding Mopeds on side
walks," he said. "If you violate this
law and then hit a pedestrian, you
will have a terrific, large lawsuit
to deal with.
"Most people would sue, and
since Moped drivers are not
required to have insurance, you
would really drain your personal
resources. From a legal stand
point, yoa don't have a legal leg
to stand on."
Except for a few restricted
areas, bicyclists are allowed to ride
on sidewalks. "There are four
blocks where bikes are not
allowed," said Comar, "and they
are the blocks on Franklin and
Rosemary, Streets- -4 between
Columbia and Henderson
Streets."
Students can park on campus
at any place where there is a bike
rack. "Fastening bikes to wheel
chair ramp railings, stair railings
and trees is prohibited," said
Comar. "We might cut them loose
if they're parked in one of these
places."
There are bike paths going from
campus to all directions out of
town. Comar said these are desig
nated bike paths, and students are
encouraged to use them.
Comar said bicyclists were
relatively safe in Chapel Hill.
"There is an average of two
accidents per year in which a
bicyclist is involved," he said.
"This is low, considering that
many bicyclists cut through heavy
traffic and generally drive
unsafely. Someone must be look
ing out for them.r
However, Comar said, both
bicycles and Mopeds are highly
subject to theft. "They should be
secured with something stronger
than a light chain or padlock," he
said.
As a further precaution against
theft, Comar said, students should
register Mopeds and bicycles
through the Chapel Hill Police
Department.
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