A recent news story out of the UK* has gone viral about a street artist who has taken matters into his own hands. He calls himself Wanksy, an homage to the infamous, and also anonymous graffiti artist, Banksy. Wanksy had apparently become tired of the rather numerous (and dangerous) potholes which littered the streets of England, most of which remain for months on end without being filled. Many of them cause damage to vehicles, but it wasn’t until several cyclist friends were injured by riding into them, that Wanksy took action. His solution was to use washable paint to draw penis shapes around the potholes in his neighborhood. Surprisingly, within 48 hours, the graffiti was cover over with asphalt, which also filled the potholes.

City officials have called Wanksy a nuisance and a vandal, requesting any information that might lead to his arrest. They also state that, “Painting obscenities around potholes will not get them repaired any quicker, but simply waste valuable time and resources.” Really?? They’re covering his graffiti by filling the potholes, which they should be doing anyway. How is that wasting time or resources? And as for not getting them filled any quicker, it was found by some curious journalists that by using Manchester City Council’s website, it took one form, one survey, and a minimum of five days just to get the pothole inspected. And that’s assuming irritated motorists and cyclists actually take the time to report it. So, a minimum of five days just to have an inspector come and take a look (and who knows how much longer to have it filled), versus Wanksy’s 48 hour solution. Many residents are applauding Wanksy, calling him a hero.

Now, I’m not saying I would be a fan of seeing male genitalia graffitied all over town, but I do know of quite a few neighborhoods in L.A. County that could use his influence. Perhaps Wanksy would consider coming to the States for a bit on holiday…

So, hero or vandal? What do you think?

* http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/32448103/mystery-artist-highlights-bury-potholes-with-penis-drawings

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