Naujatriobiai under attack!

Most people living in rural areas will probably agree that life there is more quiet and predictable than in urban areas. As a life-long villager, I at least hold this perception. And in such societies there are usually strong forces that strive towards maintaining the status quo. As a consequence of this, new and unusual things are commonly met with skepticism. Everything out of the ordinary is instinctively perceived as a potential threat. And the more out of the ordinary it is, the more likely it is to be seen as dangerous. And one can hardly think of a more threatening object to introduce into the Lithuanian countryside than the Google maps car.




The Google maps car. So scary that I did not dare to photograph it myself.
 The Picture is from www-plasticmobile.com

In June 2012 this abomination of a privacy-violating car attacked the small Lithuanian village of Naujatriobiai. Google probably thought they could descend on this small community as a thief in the night, and totally unchecked aim their prying cameras into everyone’s kiemas, but they were wrong.



The seemingly defenseless village of Naujatriobiai

People in rural areas, perhaps because of their close relationship to nature, often feel that some disturbance is about to take place even before it happens. That is perhaps the reason why Googles visit to Naujatriobiai took place under close surveillance. The citizens were ready!
 


The citizens of Naujatriobiai had sent their best man.
He intercepted the Google car on the border - where the ashphalt meets the gravel.

 
Just before reaching the village limits, where the gravel ends and the fun begins, the Google car is intercepted by a lone biker. Probably a member of the local self-defense unit who felt that something was wrong. He immediately intercepts the car and escorts it through the village, only to make a dramatic pose at the village limits as the car leaves his territory.
  




The lone rider is seen here as he is about to overtake the car.
Probably in order to display superior force.

As a result of the efficiently organized defense of the settlement, Google was not able to obtain many revealing images from Naujatriobiai. No one was seen committing crimes, hanging their unmentionables out to dry, spending the day in their hammock despite having called in sick, or committing adultery. In fact, the most shocking discovery was most likely this poorly secured well, which according to EU-regulations probably is bad enough:   






The embarrasing well, With what imaginative viewers might interpret as a bullethole. 

The other villagers of course stayed indoors during the skirmish, but some adventurous children naturally enough snuck out to see the dramatic event. We can only assume that they were properly reprimanded by the lone rider afterwards.




The adventureous children. Keeping what they think is a safe distance.

The chase ends at the village limits, where the lone rider makes an aggressive U-turn while watching the intruder leave his territory. It is over. Yet another threat is avenged, and life can once again return to normal. His job here is done!

The lone rider sends Google maps on their way. His jurisdiction ends here.
Whatever they will do in Padauguva is someone else's problem.



Before leaving the lone rider of Naujatriobiai, we should take a moment to study his very authentic battle suit. Notice how the helmet has been substituted for freedom of sight, how protective clothing had to give way for freedom of movement, and last but not least – how slippers are preferred before other types of footwear.  I have yet to figure out why Lithuanian hooligans prefer slippers to hard boots, since this choice leave them both vulnerable and without an important kicking tool, but I guess we all have our vanities.




The lone rider of Naujatriobiai

So you are hereby warned! Should you venture in the direction of Naujatriobiai, prepare to meet the lone rider. He should appear somewhere around the village limits, and the bread and salt you better bring yourself. Just in case.



Also notice how they manage to spell the name of the village in two different ways.
One end of the village spells it Naujatriobiai, the other end spells it Naujatrobiai.




A final Picture of the lone rider of Naujatriobiai.
Most people wasted their chances when Google Maps visitet, but this man nailed it!