Here is New York

I know, I know, it’s hard to believe. Why would a reasonably intelligent guy like me ride on the outside of a subway car and risk my life?

The answer is that I did it when I was a young teenager and, on that particular day, I was obviously not thinking clearly. I still think of it as one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done.

I had more or less forgotten the episode until the now-infamous subway surfer video popped up on the internet last week. Usually, it’s listed under “idiot rides on outside of subway car.” That’s about right.

To this day, I couldn’t tell you why I did it. My only excuse is that I was a city kid who specialized in death-defying feats. This one happened on the St. Lawrence Avenue stop of the #6 train in the Bronx. I had just gotten off the train with some friends and, in a moment of sheer insanity, I thought it would be fun to ride on the outside of the train.

The small lip where the doors close beckoned me and I stepped aboard, holding on for dear life to the lip above the doors. The train pulled out with me on the side. We traveled together for about 10 to 15 feet when I thought the better of it and hopped off.

I had the presence of mind to know that I should hit the ground running so I wouldn’t fall but it didn’t matter. I went down flat on the face, barely missing an iron pillar.

I don’t remember being hurt other than a few bruises and my friends didn’t seem to concerned either — they all laughed. In fact, when I saw one of them recently, he reminded me of that day and was still laughing. I never bothered telling my parents.

That’s the scary thing to me about having kids — knowing all the dumb things you did and barely got away with. So when it comes to subway surfing, here’s my advice — don’t do it.