Forums >Off the Beaten Path>Detroit's 'Walking Man'
Feeling the growl again
Mostly I assume he can run a 25 minute 5K with all that cardio.
Then perhaps you need to brush up on your physics. Perhaps he has glass legs.
But seriously, I'm not sure what this has to do with him not choosing to bike it instead.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
I am also ambivalent about the campaign to get him a car, not because it won't help him, but because there are so many thousands of people in Detroit (and obviously elsewhere) with similar issues. Few jobs in the city so people have a long trip to work, and an abysmal public transportation system. And that's for those lucky enough to have jobs. His was an extreme case, but not sure why he should be the lucky one to hit the free car jackpot.
Just because you can't help everyone isn't a reason to help no one. "No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted."
I'm with stick, mike and dave. Something feels odd. How do I know $$ is not the first type of help he really needs? I think we don't know the complete picture and hope people don't create bigger problems for the guy. I'm curious why he never got a bike and saved hours of his daily life. He could have done a lot with that time. Sleep, work more, or anything... Living in a semi-large metro area I see immigrants commuting on walmart/target bikes that can't be worth $50--$70. They are out commuting to and from work regardless of weather conditions or time of day. I see them on my crazy cold late night runs. They are out there commuting among the 6 foot snow banks. I'm going to assume they have good work ethics too. I'm not sure I see a huge difference between them and this guy, other than they got a cheap ill fitting bike.
I'm with stick, mike and dave. Something feels odd. How do I know $$ is not the first type of help he really needs? I think we don't know the complete picture and hope people don't create bigger problems for the guy.
I'm curious why he never got a bike and saved hours of his daily life. He could have done a lot with that time. Sleep, work more, or anything...
Living in a semi-large metro area I see immigrants commuting on walmart/target bikes that can't be worth $50--$70. They are out commuting to and from work regardless of weather conditions or time of day. I see them on my crazy cold late night runs. They are out there commuting among the 6 foot snow banks. I'm going to assume they have good work ethics too. I'm not sure I see a huge difference between them and this guy, other than they got a cheap ill fitting bike.
There may well be medical/physical reasons that he was unable to ride a bike over and above any logistical ones. The fact that other people in other situations rode bikes has no relevance to this person in this situation.
No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.
True. Same with the car. Let's check back in a year. I hope he's doing well. I really do.
We know less than 1% of this guys situation. We could probably debate it all day but nobody has any real facts. The only fact I'm sure of is that he'd whoop the mystery one's ass in a 5K.
The only fact I'm sure of is that he'd whoop the mystery one's ass in a 5K.
I bet Mystery would take him in a 1k.
Dave
The verb is "blitz", and the distance is anyone's guess.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
I'm curious why he never got a bike and saved hours of his daily life.
well if he does walk 20 miles a day then he's like me and has logged thousands of miles, and has said hi or good morning to many people on bicycles riding around in their spandexs and realized those jerks never say hi back and doesn't want to be like them. Probably a topic for a different form but why do cyclist always have such a bad attitude and never say hello. Or wave back even when you're both just workingout on a Sunday morning Wayout in the middle the country and you're the only ones on the road and you know they heard you and you know they see you but they're just too cool to say good morning to a runner.
Also growing up and living in Portland Oregon for 30 years then moving to the South you realize sidewalks are a luxury not every state has the common sense to put in for the residents.
well if he does walk 20 miles a day then he's like me and has logged thousands of miles, and has said hi or good morning to many people on bicycles riding around in their spandexs and realized those jerks never say hi back and doesn't want to be like them. Probably a topic for a different form but why do cyclist always have such a bad attitude and never say hello. Or wave back even when you're both just workingout on a Sunday morning Wayout in the middle the country and you're the only ones on the road and you know they heard you and you know they see you but they're just too cool to say good morning to a runner. Also growing up and living in Portland Oregon for 30 years then moving to the South you realize sidewalks are a luxury not every state has the common sense to put in for the residents.
Perhaps I wasnt clear enough earlier. Don't confuse what I was describing above as a cyclist as you have described. You are talking about a hobbyist and using this as a platform to share your own bad attitude towards that group. I'm referring to the working poor who use a cheap huffy to get from point a to b, plodding along no faster than running paces. Perhaps you don't have them where you are. Perhaps they don't exist in Detroit. We have them in the Boston metro area. It's gotta be a rough commute for these folks and I feel for them. They all could use an assist too.
I've got cyclists all over the back roads here in the summer when I'm running. Typically they say hi to me. Maybe it's just because they're Hoosiers.
I was joking, and it was a good point a cheep bike would have saved him some time. I understood that you were not implying he got a race bike and went all Ironman.
Just because you can't help everyone isn't a reason to help no one. "No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." There may well be medical/physical reasons that he was unable to ride a bike over and above any logistical ones. The fact that other people in other situations rode bikes has no relevance to this person in this situation.
+1
One guy with a tough life gets a good deal and people begrudge him that? C'mon folks.
If there wasn't such a huge gap between rich and poor in this country this wouldn't be news.
rectumdamnnearkilledem
+1 One guy with a tough life gets a good deal and people begrudge him that? C'mon folks. If there wasn't such a huge gap between rich and poor in this country this wouldn't be news.
+1 meeeellion.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay