Being the amazing, true-to-life adventures and (very likely) misadventures of a writer who seeks to take his education, activism and seemingly boundless energy to North Minneapolis, (NoMi) to help with a process of turning a rapidly revitalizing neighborhood into something approaching Urban Utopia. I am here to be near my child. From 02/08 to 06/15 this blog pushed free speech to the envelope, so others could take heart and speak unafraid. Email me at hoffjohnw@gmail.com
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
When People Can't Drive...
Post by the Hawthorne Hawkman, photos contributed by Todd Heintz
I was on my way to pick up some eggs from Cub and in the stretch between Washington and Lyndale on Broadway I saw three people pull VERY boneheaded maneuvers on the road. It's almost as if there was something in the air. Barely five minutes later, as I was leaving, I passed up the scene pictured above. By the time I made it back to my office, these pictures were already in my mailbox.
What I couldn't figure out when I drove past, or by looking at the pictures, is how the front end of the white car is so messed up. There wasn't much debris in the street and the van doesn't seem to have collided with it either. Nor did I see a third vehicle.
(Do not click "read more," but do use the comment section to provide details if you know what happened here - let's especially hope there were no serious injuries or worse.)
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15 comments:
Dyna sayz:
One has to remember that this is Minneapolis, where drivers licenses and insurance are optional and drunk & stoned driving is a sport.
If I had to guess, I'd say one of the drivers got distracted by all the dope dealers who hang out on that corner.
Todd, your photographic contribution is much appreciated.
This is why I love your blog JNS. This is the kind of good local coverage that you can't get through the strib or pp.
Thanks Keith.
Um, I mean, SHAMIKA.
John,
I don't get the joke. Who is Keith?
While not knowing the specifics of this incident, I will say that North Minneapolis is the home of some of the worst drivers in the city; passing on the right, stopping in the middle of the road for a conversations, blowing through stop signs, etc.
Vincent Ave between 26th and McNair is like the Indy 500 during the summer and apparently it's acceptable to park anytime you please in the bus/turn lane in front of the Urban League as long as you put your flashers on. Who knew?
Whew. Okay. I just needed to get that out of my system.
Ha! If you think it's like the Indy 500 around here, try actually driving in Indy! Worst drivers in the US, hands down. Better have good insurance, too, because hit and runs happen too frequently.
Mike,
There are bad drivers all over. Have you ever tried to go to the mall by Edina or Uptown? Those people are way worse drivers than those of us on the Northside.
@MikeT, your mention of people blowing through stop signs is right on. I've had four close calls in Homewood in less than two years. Eastbound on Plymouth, I was making a right turn onto Russell when a car blew through the southbound Russell stop sign. I saw them out of the corner of my eye (well into the turn) and ditched into the parking lane as they honked at ME...grrrr.
Perhaps the worst intersection is 12th & Queen, where three times I've had northbound drivers on Queen ignore the fact that drivers on 12th don't have to stop. Result: ditch, swerve, or panic-brake.
And don't even get me started on the year-round Russell Avenue Speedway that goes all the way to Olson Memorial Highway...
To Anonymous at 8:41.
I strongly suspect Shamika is Keith, and Keith is Shamika. I really doubt Shamika is Shamika. Indeed, even the name "Shamika" starts with "Sham."
@Johnny
Would that be Blue-Paint Keith?
Our friendly neighborhood landlord?
And let's not forget: participant in mortgage fraud at 1564 Hillside Ave. N.
Says he didn't know the deal was shady. Says he's a "victim." Yeah, I'd love to be the kind of "victim" who gets a big fat check for a third or fourth rate piece of property.
Does Blue Paint Keith own the duplex where the other night a woman was stabbed 70 times by her husband in front of their teenage children?
It was in the 2400 block of Penn.
So sad.
If we know the specific address, then we could look it up to see if "Blue Paint Keith" is the owner.
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