August 20, 2014 Article

The Old Coot goes the wrong way.

By Merlin Lessler

I’m a criminal! I’m socially incorrect! A criminal, because I ride my bike on the wrong side of the road. Socially incorrect, because I don’t wear a helmet. Half the pleasure of riding a bike is being outside with nature and moseying along at a pace slow enough to enjoy the scenery with the wind blowing through your hair, or what’s left of it. I grew up in a helmetless world – climbing trees, playing football, baseball and yes, riding bikes and soap box racers down hills and through sharp curves without head protection. All kids did. Our mothers said good-bye as we charged out the back door to play and then added, “Watch your head.” And, we did! We learned to duck; we learned to take the brunt of a fall on our shoulder, not our head. Besides, protecting one’s head is a survival instinct built into the human genetic code. It’s one of the reasons our species has survived for eons. 

I don’t, or quite often don’t, ride with traffic, as required by Section 1234 (A) of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic law. I ride facing traffic. It’s criminal behavior. But. I stand a chance of surviving, to jump to safety when a distracted driver wanders into the bike lane. I was taught, my whole generation was taught, to face traffic when walking or biking. And for good reason! You can see what’s coming at you and save your life. But bikers and in-line skaters are not allowed to do this in New York State. The authors of the vehicle and traffic law claim that bicycling and skating against traffic are the leading cause of crashes. Pure hogwash! Nearly all bicyclers and pedestrians hit by vehicles, get it from behind. These cockamamie laws and opinions come from state bureaucrats and legislators that haven’t ridden a bike along a public road in decades, if ever. Most of them grew up in New York City. Us outlaw bikers know better. Facing traffic saves lives. It’s the cyclists that follow the rules that get run down by errant drivers.

My crowd, of criminal and socially incorrect bicycle riders are easy to spot. We’re the people in street clothes, not spandex ballet outfits, bareheaded, making our way at a leisurely pace on inexpensive bikes, enjoying the fresh air, the scenery and low level exercise on a vehicle that weighs three times as much as true (law abiding) biking enthusiasts. We go through red lights. We ride on sidewalks when the road is too dangerous (carefully) and follow our survival instincts, rather than the vehicle and traffic laws. Join us in our civil disobedience. You’ll be a lot safer! And, have more fun! (You don’t even have to be an old coot.)