Parking hazard...

If you are looking for a bicycle friendly city, what comes to mind? Portland? Minneapolis? Vilnius? Did I say Vilnius? Yep. Bicycle advocates are always lamenting how city leaders are rarely supporters of bicycling, can only wish that they would emulate Vilnius mayor Arturas Zuokas who commandeered a tank to drive over a Mercedes Benz that was parked in a bicycle lane. In a YouTubed stunt to put drivers on notice that they cannot park anywhere they want without penalty.

The event was clearly staged, but it was a fantastic way to get attention to the implicit primary role that cars get and don't necessarily deserve. I am not sure it's an auto rights issue as a class issue since apparently the most egregious offenders are owners of extreme luxury cars. The link between cars and class i discussed here and in 2009, Chinese were outraged at a rich kid's lack of remorse concerning a pedestrian accident while racing down a street. Cars are tools, but they are also embodiments of identity. What rights do a car have that a person doesn't?