Scooters and Skates

Europe is interesting in the fact that essentially every type of transportation is used.  The Geneve is a prime example of all of those modes, as people often use their cars, public transportation (buses, trains, etc), and boats to get around.  However, with the good there is always the bad.  The bad, which includes rampant use of scooters, roller blades, and even roller skates is for a lack of a better term, totally Euro.

With the exception of T-Chan, scooters are a non-factor in terms of transportation in the United States.  Yes Miami, think back two years ago and you all probably thought to yourself, “That kid is a totally hipster” or “man, what a goon” when seeing Mr. Chan scoot around Oxford, weaving in and out of throngs of people.  Well guess what? Maybe T-Chan was ahead of the times, or he just belonged in Europe from the start.   Clearly the man below is someone who rides scooters.

Scooters in Europe are annoying.  At first, it was interesting to see people cross through heavy traffic with scooters, but now it’s just a hindrance.  While, I may be a close-minded, lover of all things American, I do respect the comedic value that scooters bring to the table.  Just the other day, I had to pleasure of witness a complete and total wipeout.  Scooter vs. Car doesn’t exactly have the David vs. Goliath aura about it but it provided me with my good chuckle for the day. 

Note to those riding scooters around Geneve: you can’t jump over a car.  When you hit the car and go flying over the front hood, you will be in some pain.  Don’t get up and yell at the car for ‘being in the way’, instead maintain what fragment of dignity you have left and scoot as fast as you can away before the owner of the Bentley you just hit, lays down the iron fist of justice. 

Before I get too disgusted and throw my computer out the window at the exhibitionist couple that lives across the street from us on the Du Lac, I’ll move on the even more enjoyable topic of roller skates.  My philosophy on roller skates is that if you don’t work for Sonic and you’re like the rest of us and not stuck in the disco era, there’s no reason ever to wear roller skates. 

There has been one time on this trip so far that I have cracked and just lost in the middle of the boardwalk, dying of laughter.  This man, Gustav as we call him, not only shared his love for rollerdancing with us but also his love for leopard skin leotards.  This man-thing, graced us with his presence on one fine Wednesday afternoon.  I couldn’t possibly be angry at a man-thing named Gustav struttin’ his stuff in a leopard skin leotard on roller skates.  Why?  I was too busy taking pictures and laughing.  Only afterwards could I really embrace the atrocity that I had just witnessed.  His green fanny-man-pack, and his Jim McMahon headband only added to this horrifying image.  I pray that you someday can see something so enjoyable and awful as I witnessed.

Side note, as I let you get on with living your lives: Notre Dame will beat Michigan this weekend 35-24.  All will be good with the world. (Sorry LP, truth hurts).

Deuces,

CM