Soft Rain: Detroit goes Feral

The photographer James Griffioen has been documenting the beautiful waste that is Detroit: abandoned homes and workplaces being reclaimed by vegetation.


This photo in particular reminded me of Sarah Teasdale's poem, "There will come soft rain":

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly.
And Spring herself when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

What has this got to do with biking? Nothing. Oh wait, there's a biker in one of the photos.

Road Rage Redux

Another place not to go riding: Naperville, IL.

A 67-year-old tried to run over a kid on a BMX bike, got the bike wedged onto her car, and fled the scene. Just look at those dead eyes -- this lady would as soon kill you as look at you.

I love the air-quotes around 'intentionally', as though the editor were audibly sneering at the kid's version of the story.

Driver Shoots Bicyclist, Film At 11

A guy is out bicycling with his wife, and their three-year-old kid in a child seat. A driver argues with him about "child safety," and SHOOTS HIM IN THE HEAD. Well, that's showing him!

After three readings, I'm still puzzled by this story. If you actually care about a guy keeping his kid safe, how do you end up deciding that shooting him is the thing to do? It doesn't make sense. So I think it's basically all bullshit.

This is what I think actually happened. The bicyclist did something that pissed off the driver. The driver went berserk and shot him in a fit of road rage. Then the newspaper BENT OVER BACKWARD trying to justify it:

• He's a firefighter! Those guys are HEROES! 9/11!
  
• He was concerned about the child's safety!
• Hey, it was a busy street!
• And anyway, he didn't kill the guy -- his helmet stopped the bullet! Maybe it was just a warning shot!
  

So he was arrested for attempted murder, and is now out on bail, enjoying "paid administrative leave" (i.e., vacation).

What did I learn? Never, ever try to go on a family bike ride in Asheville, NC.

Oh, and WEAR YOUR HELMET!