Image by Telstar Logistics
Slapping a baby into your Illegal Soapbox Derby car:
- Makes the baby the luckiest kid in the world (or, is he crying?)
- Will come back to haunt you when aforementioned baby reaches driving age
- And probably lessens your chances of getting arrested
Here’s a good account of what conspired. An excerpt:
Well, turns out there’s a reason why it’s called the *Illegal* Soapbox Derby.
When we arrived at Bernal Speedway in San Francisco to take in the 2008 running of the Illegal Soapbox Derby, some unpleasantness ensued between the racers and several representatives of the San Francisco Police Department. It seems the Parks Department had received a pre-race complaint from someone in the Bernal Heights Temperance and Abstinence League, and the cops were under orders to put the kibosh on the event. (According to the police, San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano had attempted to intervene on behalf of the Soapbox Derby, but to no avail — Ammiano was overruled by the bureaucrats at the Parks Department. Thanks for trying, Tom!)
Major buzzkill.
After some futile and frustrating attempts at negotiation, the crowd dispersed peacefully and relocated (no less peacefully) to an another gravity-rich location elsewhere in the city.
Here’s some more pictures of the illegal rolling (baby-friendly?) mayhem:
I know San Francisco’s particularly suitable terrain for an event like this, but I also know people in other cities enjoy sending infants spiraling down hills. What are your other favorite DIY races?
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