I’ve broken down in some weird places. Recently, I got a trans flag trapped in the brakes of a motorcycle, grinding me to a halt in the middle of a road. I was so embarrassed as I ripped a smoking flag out of my brakes as cars whizzed past. Oh, and there was also the time Ski-Klasse broke in the middle of nowhere. Matt asked about the worst or best place you’ve broken down. We’re a transportation site, so bicycles count, and Josh Townsley sure had a doozy of a breakdown:
Not car related, but I will never forget getting a flat tire in the middle of the naked bike ride many years ago. I went from being one of 10,000 participants riding in a large group to just a naked guy on the side of the road with a broken bicycle. Got a lot of looks as I quickly tried to patch and inflate the tire!
Every once in a while, your favorite Autopian writers slip some references to media that doesn’t necessarily have anything to do about cars. Ok, maybe not David, but the rest of us know some pop culture. Recently, I wrote about an absolute unit of an electric motorcycle. It was real big, and I made a reference to the Mannie Fresh song ‘Real Big.’
Matt made his own music reference this morning when in a Morning Dump story about BMW not sucking, he referenced the Shock G Humpty Dance. Leave it to A.Barth to take it further:
Let’s dumpty dump like Shock G.
All right stop what you’re doin’
‘Cause we’re about to ruin
The auto journo style that you’re used toWe write funny
But yo, we’re makin’ punny, see
So you car folks, I hope you’re ready for weSo gather ’round
We’re the new crew in town
And our mantra is that rust is brownWe’ll drink up all the damn Malört ya got on your shelf
Buying crapcan hoopties is a cry for help…
Look, just watch this video:
Earlier today, Jason gave us a Cold Start where he showed us a weird piece of trim on the hood of the MGC. Now, I’m not sure we’re that much closer to solving the mystery, but PriusVanPrius makes us laugh:
Man in Picture: “Listen dear, let me explain why the MGC is a superior successor to the MGB in both style and substance. Let us start with the elegant chrome striping across the bonnet”
Woman in Picture: “Please let the tow lorry come soon”
Have a great morning, everyone!
(Topshot: eBay)
People, learn the lesson of Isadora Duncan.
Came here for this, thank you!
Ha! My first comment on the site after lurking for 2 years and it’s this one. Should have at least changed my name so this didn’t live in infamy on google the rest of my life!
That’s a tremendous P/W (posting/win) ratio! Why, you’re as efficient as some sort of nude, aerodynamic man on some sort of fabulous self-powered machine! 😉
Pics or it didn’t happen.
Mercedes, please be careful to make sure no straps, flags, etc. can stretch to conflict with the rotating parts of a motorcycle- We need you around more than ever!
Yeah, it was not a smart move to fly the biggest flag I could find for Trans Day of Visibility. Yet, somehow it survived 60 miles before grinding (smoking?) me to a halt.
I’d also like to thank Red Barchetta for his comment on Josh Townsley’s story. The mental image was quite entertaining.
To paraphrase the great philosopher Edna Mode- “NO FLAGS”
Although I hope you were able to find a replacement one soon to fly when not riding.
Keeping on-theme, Eddie Izzard: “Have you got a flag?”
No flag, no country!
Thanks, Mercedes! IYKYK 😀
The most interesting breakdown I’ve ever been personally witness to was a roommate of mine in college. He pulled out of our duplex driveway in his Dodge Avenger, made one turn, and the right wheel of his car completely fell off. I don’t recall exactly what suspension component originally failed, but it allowed the rest of them to catastrophically fail on that corner and ensure he wasn’t making it to class that day.
Definitely spent a good minute going, “now what the heck is a transmission flag??!!”
Not technically a breakdown but when I was a teenager I got fired from a job and when I went outside to leave, my bike had been stolen. That was a pretty swift kick in the eye.
My actual car, mercifully, has only failed to start when it’s already in the driveway ????
Your car was thinking, “look. This is where we’re gonna end up to anyway. How about we cut out all that driving and fussing and just stay right here in the first place?”