JF Ptak Science Books  Post 735 Blog Bookstore

Yesterday I posted a short note on the History of Extreme Writing with the example of cloud writing.  From clouds above to the mud below comes this second, very peculiar example of this exclusive genre:  tricycle writing.  This may actually come “on he heals” (so to speak) of another ancient form of writing coming from ancient Greece, where prostitutes would mirror-write ‘follow me” on their footwear so that prospective clients would follow their message writ in the dust to their home. This present shows the invention at work in the streets of Paris: as you can see it really was a printing press, applying the messages that were attached to the two rear tires in a way similar to that which prints lines in the street. 

The wheels actually could be fitted with movable type, making the message changeable. I imagine too that the messages could be written with water-soluble ink or whatever so that the advertiser could be paid again and again, and that the street canvas would be refreshed constantly.   I hate to say it–what with the possible destruction of public property aspect of it–but it looks to me as though this sort of thing would be very successful in getting a message across. At least the first time–it is easy to imagine hundreds of these buggers crisscrossing a city, messages on the ground everywhere, the streets confusions of sentiments and exclamation.  We have that now with billboards and other fixed advertising; so I imagine the only thing preventing ads from appearing on the roads are public safety issues.