"Liu defended himself, saying: 'I just knew that the city government has paved the pit, and without my pictures, the pit would not be noticed by the government, and there would perhaps be more people falling over.'"

I guess it didn't occur to him to just report it.

Because then he wouldn't get the publicity for it. But really, it's not so different from news reporters setting up a camera at the bottom of an icy hill so that they can broadcast all the fender benders that occur. One's first thought would be to simply warn drivers about the road, but that wouldn't be as big a draw, now would it?

"I guess it didn't occur to him to just report it."

You're assuming it hadn't already been reported ... sometimes it takes a little public embarrassment to get action from city officials.

What gets me is the idiot riding a bicycle with an umbrella. Anyone riding one-handed where the surface is obscured by water can expect to lose a little skin now and then. I'm sorry for him, but he's an idiot all the same.

I think its funny as hell, I hope the biker got a copy of the photos so he can laugh about it later. I took a bunch of pictures of myself and my bicycle after an accident I had...I still look at them sometimes and think "ouch-but that was funny."

UGH.. That is *not* a good fall.. the guy's got short sleeves, and probably had blood running down his arms from the road rash. Looks like his face hit too. A fling like that could have broken his neck easily.

Reminded of when I had a fall like that.. I hit a rock, and went over my handlebars.. It was suddenly seeing ground coming up fast. I pulled into a perfect shoulder roll at the last second, and had enough momentum to come up standing. I had just enough time to think 'Holy crap, that worked!', when the bike smacked into the back of my knees and I fell on top of it. Still, better some bruises and scrapes than a busted wrist.

And what if someone HAD broken his/her neck? What would have happened then? What a lamer.

"Into every life, a little rain must fall." I agree with Wendy somewhat, but more so with travis... I think it's funny. Look at the pictures carefully... you can see the details in the road surface. If the dumb-ass didn't have have his head up his butt (probably more concerned about dropping his umbrella, than what lie ahead on the roadway), this may have never occured.

I was riding a moped (back when they were popular, had MY head up my butt and ran over a beer can with the front tire. It got lodged on the tire and as soon as it rotated to the forks... down I went. After that, I learned to watch what lie ahead.

My guess is that if this is his first spill in life, he'll never do it again...

...shall we just label this one as "The Great Fall of China"?

Pretty lame. I'd say the photographer is guilty complacency, because he knew a problem existed, which would cause other people to suffer injury.

I love that the guy is riding a bike while holding an umbrella.....

Pure genious, I'm sure he was staying competely dry.

It's not like he's the only person to ever ride a bike with an umbrella. In China, it's actually pretty common.

Only an idiot would ride a bike while holding an umbrella.

The pictures prove the point.

"And what if someone HAD broken his/her neck? What would have happened then? What a lamer"

I think Liu would have some more interesting photos...

Atleast by the third pic the umbrella ended up in a place still keepin the rain off his head. Wouldn't want to get too wet out there.

He might have been riding the bike to work, and thus he could say "See boss, I tried to keep from getting wet."
Seriously, how can you say this guy deserves to fall down, even if he was doing something stupid? The photographer should have just put up something in front of the hole to warn people away.

Of course, it's entirely Liu's fault that the pothole was there, and his civic duty in particular to have it repaired. This person is undoubtedly a danger to society and must be stopped at all costs!

I'm starting to think people enjoy being outraged. They're certainly starting to look hard for the opportunities.

Quite, bsk! 'Liu is "disgusting"'?!? OK, maybe a bit of a wanker, but that's at most.

omgsh!!!
poor guy!!

Guys, that picture is taken in Beijing. The entire city is full of potholes the side of small houses, people riding bikes with all manner of crap on them (An ambrella in 1 hand is pretty minor. It gets impressive when a guy is supporting a pile of new computers on the back parcel bit of his bike.) and reports to the local council are utterly useless so the only way to get anything to happen is to start public uproar.

Liu may be a dick for watching and waiting but now that it's done, someone will take care of the pothole.

Based on what I've read, it seems like the Chinese love to be righteously outraged, it's like a hobby for them.

But these pictures remind me of an old saying: Comedy is when you fall down and break your neck, but tragedy is when I get a paper cut.

On that basis, this is some funny crap.

Hahahahaahahah!

Poor guy....

Mary Poppins's umbrella would have come in handy in this situation.

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