I really try not to be a mean, vindictive person. I know it's wrong to wish harm to other people, but...
There are some people who really deserve to become candidates for the Darwin Awards. The problem is that instead of removing themselves from the gene pool, they harm others.
I am thinking in particular about the spectator who, with her back to the peloton, stepped into its path while holding a banner of bilingual banality: "Allez Opi-Omi." Allez, is of course, a French greeting or wish for good luck, while Opi-Omi is a German term of endearment for grandparents.
The latter part of the sign led authorties to believe that she was German or, perhaps, Alsatian or Swiss. Turns out, she's a local woman, and the gendarmes took her into custody in Landerneau, where the first stage of this year's Tour de France ended.
About 45 kilometers from the first stage finish line, her stupidity, vanity or egocentricity, depending on how you see her action, resulted in one of the worst crashes in recent Tour history. Eight riders were involved, and one, Marc Soler finished the stage but abandoned the race after fractures were found in both of his arms.
According to local law in Finistere, northewestern France, the woman could be fined 1500 Euros (about 1800 USD), provided that the crash doesn't cause the riders more than three months of inaction. She could face stiffer penalties, however, if individual riders take action against her. Soler says he might try to sue her, and Tour organizers say they're considering that option.
Whatever comes of their actions, the woman will have few, if any, rivals for sheer thoughtlessness. One can only hope that she doesn't pass on that trait.
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