photo from Holland
bike tour in Holland, Belgium, France 1990
bike tour in Holland, Belgium, France 1990
it is hard to believe... but yes... I was once a hair farmer
but now my scalp is barren soil
yet once it was fertile
beardless then and bald now
in college I played varsity soccer
St. Mary's College of Maryland was a sleepy little school with a less than competitive Division III squad
there was some talent... but I do not think that we were ever strong enough to have a winning season
one year there was some chatter
some of the team leaders of the team brought of the notion of having everyone on the team shave their head
this is not an entirely original soccer\football\lacrosse type of tradition
I agreed to it... but not without discussion
in short... I was game
but... I was smart enough not to offer myself up first
I would shave my head last... only after each and every member of the team shaved their heads
not just the starters
the whole team including the bench
there was no more discussion
I feel that compliance on the bicycle is sort of the same way
there is all this talk about having the bicycle follow the letter of the law
well... it is really quite similar
if I obey the law first before anyone else... I will be a sucker
everyone else around me will go along their merry way laughing all the way
it just is not practical
the trajectory of the bicycle is interesting
I am not ALWAYS breaking the law
in fact... for the most part I am within the limits of the law
but really
I do not feel that I am any more safe or given any more respect when I obey the law
it is my responsibility to put myself where I am most safe
riding to the letter of the law would put me in danger
the cyclist needs to be creative
the cyclist needs to be alert and avoid danger
to pedal clear of the worst case scenario
to avoid a potential situation before the last second
obeying the law and dying does not make as much sense as disobeying the law and living