Life — April 18, 1907 — page 18: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical illustration titled "A Suggestion for Field Day at the Jamestown Exposition," depicting a crowded fairground scene. The main joke appears in the foreground: two men in a car displaying a banner reading "NEVER TOUCHED PIE / AUTO DODGERS" — mocking drivers who claim to avoid accidents despite reckless driving. The fair itself features multiple carnival attractions with signs: "Strap Hangers Endurance Contest," "Back in Ten Minutes Lunch Brigade," and "Quick Eating Exhibitions." These parody contemporary urban complaints about overcrowded transit and rushed city life. The satire criticizes both dangerous drivers and the hectic pace of modern city living by presenting exaggerated versions as carnival attractions. The Jamestown Exposition was a real 1907 Virginia fair celebrating colonial settlement.