Have they engaged with you? As I said, I was in the same spot with them for a few minutes, and no one was rude. I'm advocating for perspective and for moderation, because they're kids, but not tolerance of illegal and dangerous behavior. As I said, the police should be called, and I support addressing the negligence of parents, too, if that is a factor. When it comes to adults, however, I think we should be much less moderate and tolerate far less. As a society, we shouldn't tolerate unprovoked vulgarity and cruelty, and crimes should be prosecuted. I am very glad we are setting an example with prosecuting Donald Trump, as anyone else would be, demonstrating that no one is above the law.
The whole concept of wokeness is part of the culture war, which didn't start with Trump but has been turbo-charged by him. That was your reaction, to classify my post as extreme wokeness and to say it is a microcosm of what is wrong with our country. I think you and the others here who have differed with my characterization make good points. These kids' activities don't amount to a crime wave, but they are a quality of life concern. We should be able to eat at a table on the sidewalk unmolested. The Trumpist movement, too, is a quality of life concern, but a much larger and more important one. The example he sets undermines the underpinnings of our society -- trust in each other and our political leaders, belief in doing the right thing and the rule of law. I am preoccupied with what is happening in our country now. I do think about it all the time and worry that the divisions will become violent.
What choice do the teens have for where they ride their bikes? There are very few bike lanes around town and in fact the area promotes riding in the streets by using sharrows (indicating that you should ride in the streets). Perhaps we should support their healthy habit by giving them the safe infrastructure they, we all, require.
Thanks Will, for a dose of "grown-Up' remembering......however, the recent Queensbury incident needs to be addressed and followed up on.
You might also want to add, last years incidents ended up with at least 2 sets of parents being arrested for negligence I believe...so, this behavior is definitely a family issue today. When we were kids, if we were caught harassing cars, we'd be grounded "forever"...rights?
The incidents with the bikers is much more complicated than the papers have described and I'm sure that is due to confidentiality issues. Their behavior in a variety of environments is not appropriate and needs to be reigned in before someone gets hurt. Because they are 13-14 they aren't addressed as seriously and the kids know that so they continue. By the time they can be addressed by the police at 16-17 they are very entitled and have learned that they may not be held accountable. I'm not ignoring the adults behavior. That certainly shouldn't be ignored. Riding bikes through the mall, through stores, threatening people outside of restaurants, etc. is indicative of how bold they are. That isn't even mentioning the language in threatening behavior. Everyone does silly things when they are teens but acting like little gang members is not acceptable.
That lovely little wildflower that dares cold weather is Hepatica. Join me for a walk along the Feeder Canal trail starting at the parking lot at the bottom of Richardson St right here in Glens Falls to see more.
(Tuesday afternoons at 1:30 - 2:30.) The name Hepatica comes from their 3-lobed leaves resembling our own lobed livers.
I think the issue of kids behaving badly, on bikes or anywhere, in large part comes back to parents. In some cases, the parents don’t care. They may not be the most law-abiding themselves, and children learn what they’re taught. Sometimes the parents are of the mind that their little darling couldn’t possibly be at fault. By the time their kid is a teenager and old enough to ride a bike around, they’ve already had years of not being held accountable for bad behavior in school, with other kids, at other people’s houses…And sometimes the parents just aren’t aware, whether because of busy schedules or misplaced trust. The nature of the adolescent beast is to test limits and push boundaries, and when they don’t find a boundary, they just keep pushing. And don’t forget the power of peer pressure. It’s been my experience that bad behavior rubs off on kids much easier than good behavior, and the thrill of getting away with it is addictive. Often even “good” kids will get swept along if there is a strong leader heading in the wrong direction. It’s a real pickle for sure, and I hope the police can start tracking down who the parents are and making them aware and accountable. Glens Falls is a small enough town. Someone must know something about where at least some of these kids live.
Ive seen some of them near my street, hope they listen and just enjoy riding their bikes, crazy but almost had two accidents with bikes while walking, one came around a corner and the other was me not paying attention
I see some of those punks riding wheelies down the street, sometimes a block at a time! Sometimes 2 or 3 of them are riding wheelies side by side at the same time!
Am I jealous of their wheelie riding skilz?
You bet I am! I could never ride a wheelie with that much panache.
Thanks for continuing your comments about the outrageous behavior of Elise Stefanik. It is just incredible that she did not vote for the aid to Ukraine!
If kids (or old kids) on a 10 lb bike are harassing folks driving a 2000 lb car i cannot believe someone won’t be hurt. There are plenty of seniors driving in our area, even some who probably shouldn’t be. Some day, some how one of these kids (probably a good kid individually) is GOING to be badly hurt or killed by someone who is being bothered by the group of bikers. Maybe by one of our seniors who is frightened & mistakenly hits a gas pedal instead of the brake, or by some hot head they’ve angered. It’s going to happen.
Spinelessness is definitely a job criterion for Trump VP but unfortunately Elise doesn’t meet the main criteria for the job, a quality which used to be referred to by mens’ magazines as being “pulchritudinous”.
I’m sure Elise is “not his type” and that the main qualification for the job is looks, preferably looks like a cocktail waitress, Playboy bunny or Melania. I’d bet that Elise’s numerical rating on a scale of ten and ambition in this regard are the subject of “locker room jokes”.
NYS Law requires all children under the age of 14 to wear approved helmets when bicycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, or scooter riding. Parents could face a $50 fine if their child is riding without a helmet.
Why isn't this law being enforced by the police dept. who claim they can't do anything about these kids that are endangering themselves as well as other people?
Have they engaged with you? As I said, I was in the same spot with them for a few minutes, and no one was rude. I'm advocating for perspective and for moderation, because they're kids, but not tolerance of illegal and dangerous behavior. As I said, the police should be called, and I support addressing the negligence of parents, too, if that is a factor. When it comes to adults, however, I think we should be much less moderate and tolerate far less. As a society, we shouldn't tolerate unprovoked vulgarity and cruelty, and crimes should be prosecuted. I am very glad we are setting an example with prosecuting Donald Trump, as anyone else would be, demonstrating that no one is above the law.
The whole concept of wokeness is part of the culture war, which didn't start with Trump but has been turbo-charged by him. That was your reaction, to classify my post as extreme wokeness and to say it is a microcosm of what is wrong with our country. I think you and the others here who have differed with my characterization make good points. These kids' activities don't amount to a crime wave, but they are a quality of life concern. We should be able to eat at a table on the sidewalk unmolested. The Trumpist movement, too, is a quality of life concern, but a much larger and more important one. The example he sets undermines the underpinnings of our society -- trust in each other and our political leaders, belief in doing the right thing and the rule of law. I am preoccupied with what is happening in our country now. I do think about it all the time and worry that the divisions will become violent.
What choice do the teens have for where they ride their bikes? There are very few bike lanes around town and in fact the area promotes riding in the streets by using sharrows (indicating that you should ride in the streets). Perhaps we should support their healthy habit by giving them the safe infrastructure they, we all, require.
Amen.....
Barbara a bicycle is not something new, were did teenagers ride them in the past? So, what has changed?
Thanks Will, for a dose of "grown-Up' remembering......however, the recent Queensbury incident needs to be addressed and followed up on.
You might also want to add, last years incidents ended up with at least 2 sets of parents being arrested for negligence I believe...so, this behavior is definitely a family issue today. When we were kids, if we were caught harassing cars, we'd be grounded "forever"...rights?
The incidents with the bikers is much more complicated than the papers have described and I'm sure that is due to confidentiality issues. Their behavior in a variety of environments is not appropriate and needs to be reigned in before someone gets hurt. Because they are 13-14 they aren't addressed as seriously and the kids know that so they continue. By the time they can be addressed by the police at 16-17 they are very entitled and have learned that they may not be held accountable. I'm not ignoring the adults behavior. That certainly shouldn't be ignored. Riding bikes through the mall, through stores, threatening people outside of restaurants, etc. is indicative of how bold they are. That isn't even mentioning the language in threatening behavior. Everyone does silly things when they are teens but acting like little gang members is not acceptable.
That lovely little wildflower that dares cold weather is Hepatica. Join me for a walk along the Feeder Canal trail starting at the parking lot at the bottom of Richardson St right here in Glens Falls to see more.
(Tuesday afternoons at 1:30 - 2:30.) The name Hepatica comes from their 3-lobed leaves resembling our own lobed livers.
Diane Collins
Every week? We can't go this week, but that sounds like something we'd love to do.
I think the issue of kids behaving badly, on bikes or anywhere, in large part comes back to parents. In some cases, the parents don’t care. They may not be the most law-abiding themselves, and children learn what they’re taught. Sometimes the parents are of the mind that their little darling couldn’t possibly be at fault. By the time their kid is a teenager and old enough to ride a bike around, they’ve already had years of not being held accountable for bad behavior in school, with other kids, at other people’s houses…And sometimes the parents just aren’t aware, whether because of busy schedules or misplaced trust. The nature of the adolescent beast is to test limits and push boundaries, and when they don’t find a boundary, they just keep pushing. And don’t forget the power of peer pressure. It’s been my experience that bad behavior rubs off on kids much easier than good behavior, and the thrill of getting away with it is addictive. Often even “good” kids will get swept along if there is a strong leader heading in the wrong direction. It’s a real pickle for sure, and I hope the police can start tracking down who the parents are and making them aware and accountable. Glens Falls is a small enough town. Someone must know something about where at least some of these kids live.
Ive seen some of them near my street, hope they listen and just enjoy riding their bikes, crazy but almost had two accidents with bikes while walking, one came around a corner and the other was me not paying attention
I see some of those punks riding wheelies down the street, sometimes a block at a time! Sometimes 2 or 3 of them are riding wheelies side by side at the same time!
Am I jealous of their wheelie riding skilz?
You bet I am! I could never ride a wheelie with that much panache.
Enjoyed your article.
Usually the truth lies somewhere in the middle on most occasions.
Nice photos too.
Thanks for continuing your comments about the outrageous behavior of Elise Stefanik. It is just incredible that she did not vote for the aid to Ukraine!
If kids (or old kids) on a 10 lb bike are harassing folks driving a 2000 lb car i cannot believe someone won’t be hurt. There are plenty of seniors driving in our area, even some who probably shouldn’t be. Some day, some how one of these kids (probably a good kid individually) is GOING to be badly hurt or killed by someone who is being bothered by the group of bikers. Maybe by one of our seniors who is frightened & mistakenly hits a gas pedal instead of the brake, or by some hot head they’ve angered. It’s going to happen.
It will be a very sad day for our city.
Purple flower? I believe it is a hepatica-- Lovely -- and come in pinks and whites as well.
Moreau is a beautiful hike but beware of ticks right now! I recommend a safe fragrant spray for both people and pets called Wondercide.
Love the dystopian name.
Spinelessness is definitely a job criterion for Trump VP but unfortunately Elise doesn’t meet the main criteria for the job, a quality which used to be referred to by mens’ magazines as being “pulchritudinous”.
I’m sure Elise is “not his type” and that the main qualification for the job is looks, preferably looks like a cocktail waitress, Playboy bunny or Melania. I’d bet that Elise’s numerical rating on a scale of ten and ambition in this regard are the subject of “locker room jokes”.
NYS Law requires all children under the age of 14 to wear approved helmets when bicycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, or scooter riding. Parents could face a $50 fine if their child is riding without a helmet.
Why isn't this law being enforced by the police dept. who claim they can't do anything about these kids that are endangering themselves as well as other people?