There’s no way to do the normal WEB ROLL when such a terrible thing happened in the blade community this week.

Some Sad News
Ohio blader, motorcycle enthusiast and all-around nice guy/badass James Short was in a bad accident this week.

According to the local newspaper, a certain 48-year-old woman, Doris A. Caranda, doesn’t know when to say no to driving loaded and high. Maybe the A for her middle initial stands for Alcoholic. Or Asshole.

She hit Short on his motorcycle, who was ejected. He was flown to a hospital where he had surgery on his brain.

Yes, I agree it’s pretty fucked up how an ad for a car dealership is joined with a car accident story.

As of Friday, James was in a medically-induced coma to relieve pressure on his brain, which continued to swell. Doctors even had to remove pieces from his skull. His friends were posting updates on Be-Mag saying his recovery is expected to be a long one.

Short’s Blading
James’ skating was never skimp of critics. Tech has been his style — heavy on the cess slides and toe rolls — since back in the day. It continues today as he progresses, skating once again for Sic Apparel.

Here’s One Of His Latest Online Sections

Outpouring
Be-Mag, Amall and other message boards lit up with well wishing and prayers for Short.

Still, idiocy prevails in some situations. Not even before there was good knowledge to the extent of James’ injuries, someone’s gotta hop on the lawyer train.

Yes, we Americans are a litigious bunch. Sue. Sue. Sue. Well, sorry Blade Psycho, your screen name lives up to your logic. Unfortunately, you can’t sue on behalf of someone else. Whoever was wronged in a situation — and here there certainly was someone — has to do the suing. James and his family would have to handle that, and I’m sure they will when the time is right (a.k.a. not now).

However, the woman who did the driving-driving-crashing in this situation doesn’t look like she’s got much to offer. Do a simple court record search, and you’ll find out the woman driver has been sued a few times for not paying her bills and is already divorced. Fuck knows what she even has left.

Still, that doesn’t mean she won’t pay.

But c’mon, is there even a need to bring that shit up now? No, not at all. The focus should be kept on James and what he, his family and friends are going through.

Even sometimes when I think online commenting is the litmus test of how stupid we are as a society, there’s a glint of hope shimmering off into the horizon.

Bilbo Baggins might be on to something, even if his original logic was aligned with Blade Psycho. Dude, an hour isn’t shit. It takes your body an hour to process each drink. It’s called math. They teach it in schools.

But, hey, you’re staying put when you’re drinking now? Bravo! Good fucking move! If Caranda would’ve followed that idea instead of bringing her drunk ass and dime bag with her on the road, one less tragedy would be avoided.

There’s a time for everything, but swapping bullshit inputs on menial little details like your drunk driving strategy or how to sue someone immediately is fucking pointless. Really, is anyone who ever began a sentence with “someone should” done a damn thing? Fuck no.

If you want to do something host a blading sesh and do a fundraiser to help pay for James’ medical bills or any other expenses he and his family will have. I bet you could even get your local MADD chapter or motorcycle rights groups involved.

There will be a collection at Saturday’s Kind Grind Classic in Sunnyvale, Cali.

Comment Of The Week

James’ friend YOUNGBLOOD has been keeping Be-Mag updated on James’ condition.

The most important part: “Please, everyone, weather you believe in prayer or not - wish him the best of luck to keep fighting, and for a speedy recovery.”

Stefan Brandow was posting up some stuff on the message boards about the toughness of Ohio bladers and James. Here’s my favorite: “James recently got in a fight with a skin head nazi at some protest in his town and took the mother fucker down with one head butt. I have faith in him.”

Everyone at ONE wishes James a quick recovery.

— Brian Krans