Young Aussie Cyclists: Lies, Autism and Abductions
Photo by Shuttermoth
Normally when cycling makes the news in Australia it’s because someone in Sydney has yet again decided that either
- Wearing lycra is punishable by death
- All cyclists run red lights and flaunt abuse of road rules
- Cyclists deliberately ram innocent old ladies as they take their daily walks along shared paths
- Cyclists are stealing funds from road funding projects that benefit cars
- If cyclists were licensed the idiots that do break the laws on bicycles would suddenly care
- When petrol prices are up cyclists are role models of environmental responsibility, but when petrol prices are down they are just bloody nuisances.
This week two Australian kids have bucked the stereotypical cycling media coverage we get in Australia and shown us that there’s more to cycling in this country then the never ending car vs bike debate.
Two days ago I wrote a piece on a 9yo cyclist from Ourimbah, NSW and ridiculed her would be abductors. So the story went firstly a lone man tried to abduct her but failed and then a duo attempted to capture her and failed yet again. Police had a license plate and the girls account to go on but having conducted their own investigations have concluded today that she made the whole thing up.
I guess this means we can add lying to the list of things ‘all cyclists do’ now.
Why she lied still remains unclear but I sense the bright spark of a feminist in this young one. Not surprisingly, because of her gender age, she won’t be charged with making a fale claim. I can’t help but wonder how long it will be till she makes her first “morning-after” rape claim?
On a less sinister, yet still slightly odd note, 15 year old Ethan Johnson who went missing nearly two weeks ago has been found. So what did Johnson, who suffers from Autism, get up to in the two weeks he was missing?
The little cycling champion jumped on his mountain bike and dished up a nice cold serving of HTFU to the cycling community.
Ethan was found on Good Friday at a western Sydney train station and was driven home by a Queensland Police Service representative.
He had riden his bike 950km south, sleeping at truck stops along the Pacific Highway and eating fast food.
Ethan said he spent his time “exploring” and “going to shops”, after his six-day trek south.
“I rode from when I woke up to when I went to sleep. I just slept in rest areas, on the benches in rest areas.”
That’s a heroic average of 95km a day for ten days straight on a mountain bike, sleeping on benches and eating Maccas with nothing but the clothes on your back.
Screw being prepared or living it up in comfortable motor inns or sleeping bags, here in Australia when we go bicycle touring we do it spur of the moment style and we do it tough!
Upon returning, all Ethan had to say about his trip was that he “didn’t have any plans to do any more exploring.” No word on how much tax payer funding was spent on searching for the little bastard though.
April 16th, 2009 at 12:41 am Van(Quote)
HTFU. I’ve now officially added that to my lexicon. Previously only STFU was included.
Did Ethan’s parents comment on his little trip, and why are they not being held accountable for the search expenses?
April 16th, 2009 at 12:51 pm ozsoapbox(Quote)
As far as I know they didn’t comment, they were just probably glad to have him home.
In Australia I think the go is if unless you committed fraud or whatever the relevant charge is (ie. you didn’t legitimately go missing) then search costs aren’t re-couped.
Given the kid has Autism I think it’s safe to say the backlash wouldn’t be worth the recoup costs.
April 16th, 2009 at 1:21 pm Van(Quote)
I would agree, the backlash wouldn’t be worth it. I also think the same applies to the US. If you don’t commit fraud, then they don’t come after you.