{"id":106927,"date":"2025-07-09T06:24:55","date_gmt":"2025-07-09T10:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/?p=106927"},"modified":"2025-07-09T06:24:55","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T10:24:55","slug":"the-old-coot-goes-the-wrong-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2025\/07\/09\/the-old-coot-goes-the-wrong-way\/","title":{"rendered":"The Old Coot Goes the Wrong Way\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Merlin Lessler —<\/span><\/p>\n

I first aired this confession nearly 15 years ago. Nothing has changed. I\u2019m still a criminal! Still socially incorrect! A criminal because I often ride my bike on the wrong side of the road or on the sidewalk. Socially incorrect because I don\u2019t wear a helmet. <\/span><\/p>\n

Half the pleasure of riding a bike is to be outside with nature, moseying along, enjoying the scenery with the wind blowing through your hair, or what\u2019s left of it. I grew up in a helmet-less world \u2013 climbing trees, playing football, baseball, and yes, riding bikes and soapbox racers down hills and through sharp curves without head protection. <\/span><\/p>\n

All the kids did. Our mothers said good-bye as we charged out the back door to play and then added, \u201cWatch your head.\u201d 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\u2019s head is a survival instinct built into the human genetic code. It\u2019s one of the reasons our species has survived for eons.  <\/span><\/p>\n

I often don\u2019t ride with the flow of traffic as required by Section 1234 (A) of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law. I ride facing traffic when the chances of a sneak attack from the rear by a distracted driver are likely. It\u2019s criminal behavior today, but my whole generation was taught to face traffic when walking or biking. And for good reason! You can see what\u2019s coming and save your life.<\/span><\/p>\n

But bikers and in-line skaters are no longer 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

Pure hogwash! Nearly all bicyclists and pedestrians hit by vehicles get it from behind. These cockamamie laws and opinions come from state bureaucrats and legislators who haven\u2019t 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\u2019s the cyclists who follow the rules that get run down by errant drivers. <\/span><\/p>\n

My crowd of criminal and socially incorrect bicycle riders is easy to spot. We\u2019re the people in street clothes, not spandex ballet outfits. We are 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 the helmeted speedsters on two wheels who pass us. <\/span><\/p>\n

They stop for red lights, even with no cars in sight. We look both ways and go through red lights. We ride on sidewalks when the road is too dangerous (mindful of pedestrians) and follow our survival instincts rather than the vehicle and traffic laws. <\/span><\/p>\n

Join us in our civil disobedience. You\u2019ll be a lot safer! And have more fun! (You don\u2019t even have to be an old coot.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Comments? Complaints? Send to mlessler7@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Merlin Lessler — I first aired this confession nearly 15 years ago. Nothing has changed. I\u2019m still a criminal! Still socially incorrect! A criminal…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":82349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Old Coot Goes the Wrong Way\u00a0 - Owego Pennysaver Press<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.owegopennysaver.com\/PS\/2025\/07\/09\/the-old-coot-goes-the-wrong-way\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Old Coot Goes the Wrong Way\u00a0 - Owego Pennysaver Press\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Merlin Lessler — I first aired this confession nearly 15 years ago. 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