They say America is the place where you can be anything you want to be. Well wait ‘til you meet this man.
This is Randall Jones, a 38 year old cyclist from Pasadena who courageously stands up against the rules laid out by our strict society. Even though some might look at him and see just another guy with a bike, that’s not what he sees. For his whole life, Randall Jones has firmly believed that he was meant to be a car.
Jones bravely ignores the bike lanes laid out throughout the city and rides directly in front of other cars, who have the capability of easily moving much faster than him. Despite their honks and angry glares, he cycles on, with the determination that he, a human being wearing tight-fitting clothes and a helmet, is no different than one of those sleek, fiberglass machines.
Amazing.
We met with Jones at his favorite bar, the Arco gas station on Ventura. As he chugged down a half gallon of unleaded gasoline, we asked him what he thought of the criticism he’d faced from those who didn’t agree with his choices. To this, Jones simply replied, “Honk honk.” Then, he made grunting noises like an engine starting and rode home to his mother’s house, where he spends his nights standing in the driveway and waiting. The neighborhood has filed multiple complaints about a “homeless man sleeping on a bike in the street.”
Sounds more like some doubters getting in the way of a man’s dreams.
Jones has lost his friends, his home, and his job, but he has never lost sight of his dream. No matter what you may think about Jones’ lifestyle, no one can doubt that he is a man who is committed to what he wants and that is the American hero we want to be.
Honk honk, Randall Jones. Honk honk.
