Once again I find myself submitting a story which may or may not make the slush pile; nevertheless, it is a prime example of stupidity and sheer luck.

Bikers seem to have a bad reputation. True, there are a fair number of bad eggs in their collective ranks, but my own experience in my encounters with

them is such that they are people with feelings too, and often capable of good deeds which the media seems to miss. This is a tale of one such good deed. Though it is a credit to the bikers who performed it, it could be argued that their efforts were wasted on the fellow they performed it for!

23 Sept, 2006. Richard Brooks, 50, of Pittsburgh, California (NOT a typo!) apparently does not like bikers. He was allegedly drunk when he drove his car towards a group of them who were apparently just minding their own business. Brooks, it would seem, had something to "prove" to these motorcyclists. Brooks didn't like the skeleton emblems on their Harley Davidson jackets, and worse...he felt that they were "poseurs"...in other words, not as tough as they looked, and Brooks aimed to teach them a lesson about something. The amused bikers no doubt chuckled to themselves as Brooks stumbled forward, waving his pool cue and shouting epithets at them. When a lone drunk approaches a group of bikers looking for a fight, the end result is usually quite predictable, regardless of the bikers' mood before the encounter. One lone drunk winds up in the hospital or worse...on a slab.

But this was not to be.

Brooks had apparently just left his car in reverse (maybe he engaged the rather weak parking brake, maybe not), and predictably the car began moving, knocking Brooks right onto the highway from whence he came. The bikers COULD have just laughed at him as a speeding rig sealed his fate, or they could have given him a working over...but they rescued him.

Yes, the bikers rescued him!

Brooks, of course, was jailed in lieu of $30,000, and the actions of the bikers was praised by the California Highway Patrol.

I cite Brooks for an HM based on three relatively common but unusually juxtaposed circumstances:

1) He drove while allegedly drunk 2) He left his car in gear 3) Perhaps stupidest of all, he approached a group of bikers alone and armed with only a pool cue, looking to pick a fight.

Whether or not this makes the grade is irrelevant; I just hope Brooks sees bikers in a new light. Were this a cartoon, Brooks would sober up, get a motorcycle and jacket with a skeleton emblazoned upon it, and ride on after them shouting "If you can't beat 'em...JOIN 'EM!!"

Carry on smartly, all!

Submitted on 09/23/2006

Submitted by: James G. Petropoulos
Reference: My Way News, 23 Sep 2006

Copyright © 2006 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Neutral: Other
My humble submission, dear fellow mods! Do with it as you see fit!

Jorge said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
Great submission James

Fitzroy said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
The confluence of stupidities along with the quality of the write-up make this an easy submission to judge . . . well, that and the enormous bribe. (just kidding)

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