June 10, 2008
D.C. Scooter Owner Tries Innovative Anti-Theft Device
PassiveAggressiveNotes.com spots this scooter in D.C.'s Mt. Pleasant neighborhood all decked out in angry, belittling and sometimes profane messages to a failed thief. Check out the full post for more photos, sent in by a resident who notes the irony of the neighborhood's name when matched with the sentiments expressed in the scooter notes. I can't help but be reminded looking at these photos why I eventually decided not to buy a scooter last year, even though I sort of really wanted one.
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Well at least he didn't fail getting paid $300 for your ride; you terrible owner 10 + times.
I think the Prince of Petworth featured this scooter, or a very similar one, a few weeks ago. I like the idea of taunting would-be thieves and vandals.
If I were a scooter thief, these signs would motivate me to try even harder.
I'm picturing the owner as an effete yuppie dweeb, and I kind of want to take his/her scooter AND lunch money.
I think the owner of this scooter is a twenty-something woman who works at the Starbucks at Conn. & N St. The scooter is usually parked on 18th St., kind of behind the shop, and the owner in question is not, at least by appearances, "an effete yuppie dweeb." Looks like a normal girl--maybe a little stressed--trying to get by in DC.
I wonder what motivates a would-be thief too persist in so many failed attempts to steal a scooter. Though the messages seem a little hysterical, I can empathize with the owner - there is a sort of emptiness when something you depend upon is (almost) stolen and there's no one to point the finger to.
It's a rare moment when pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers can all join in disdaining scooter riders.
"Pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers" are just exhibiting barely concealed jealousy.
Scooterists unite!
The silence is truly deafening.
Like pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers, scooter owners seem to fall in two categories:
(a) people just trying to get from A to B without getting killed, and
(b) people trying to get from A to B in the most spectacularly asinine way possible (ignoring traffic signals, dodging between cars, giving everyone the finger, etc.)
Sadly, the category (b) people only make up a small fraction of the overall population, yet they're enough to ruin the reputation of everyone in category (a). Still worse, the bad (b) behavior is enough to make the (a) people think, "Fuggit. If that guys gonna be a jerk and nothings gonna happen to him, I'll be an a**hole, too." Thereby adding to category (b)'s overall numbers.
Now, I'm not saying the (a)s should gang up on the (b)s and make an example of them, but I am saying that there's no justice like angry mob justice.
Lotsa hate on that website for this scooter owner.
Yes, it's fun to make fun of scooter owners.
And this woman may be a bit off.
But the comments on that website are idiotic. People actually suggesting that someone smear dogshit on her scooter, to mock her even more?
It's no wonder people that come to DC think the city is made up mostly of douchebags.
I like that scooter. I pass it by, seeing it parked with it's little signs.
Personally, I'd like to commute with those jetwings of Mr. Yves Rossy, alas.
The owner has it all wrong. She needs to write her nasty notes in Spanish! Then the theif might finally understand.
Or ebonics.
Interestingly enough - I saw this lady for the first time yesterday. She almost took out a pedestrian who was crossing in the crosswalk. She sped away cussing her little head off. Fun!
You know what? I saw it at an earlier, less agressive stage of signage. The owner clearly has problems, the solution to which I believe is a "Don't Worry Be Happy" sticker slapped on the side! ;) Fight Signs with Signs, man!
I prefer to fight signs with obscene Chinese menus.
Signs, signs, everywhere signs.
I saw her today for the first time and recognized the scooter from this site. She does look a bit crazy but hot.
i've seen her riding up 15th street. its pretty funny to see that she keeps those signs on even when she is using it.
"a bit crazy but hot" is never a good thing.
I am the owner of the scooter. And I am a person who is tired of people who take from others instead of working for their own things.
The damage is from the would be thieves trying to yank my scooter lock from an iron fence that is in concrete.
To tell you the truth I wish I can catch the person or persons doing this so I am setting up a webcam from my apartment window.
It is not ok and I am tired of it! And for those who suggest for me to park it else where, well why should I have to? It is parked in front of where I live. If you don't stand up for something you will fall for anything. I face everything head on. AND at this point I want a new scooter my poor scooter has scratches all over it a bent rim from them trying to yank the thing off of the fence, two broken mirrors a slashed seat and a cracked muffler.
And to those who have the least nice things to say. I sold my car because I don't need it (I get 170 miles to a tank of gas.....what do you get), and I work for the National Association of Broadcasters, manager of television membership...and I just graduated with my MBA. And I am a very nice person that treats everyone the way I would want to be treated. But when one has had enough they have had it. If there were somewhere else to park it....don't you think I would...
HCE - What would you rather have on your tombstone? "Crazy but hot" or "Good?"