Glorious photo from here.

Yes, you read the title correctly. And no, unfortunately, Thong Cape Scooter Man is not just some rejected Marvel Comics superhero. In fact, TCSM is an actual guy who lives an apparently very comfortable lifestyle scooting around our state capital (video). 

Perhaps the Madison police department could have come up with a more creative nickname, but really, what else are you going to call a guy who rides a scooter around town wearing nothing but a thong, cap, and cape? (And has his own Facebook page.)

However, despite wearing an outfit that borders on indecent exposure, TCSM is not technically doing anything illegal. According to this Wisconsin State Journal article, the man recently recieved a talking to by Madison police after his afternoon ride coincided with a local elementary school getting out, but no charges could be pressed. 

Sure, this may be the most grotesque local celebrity case in recent years, but you have to admit that seeing local goofballs out there loving life – like Milwaukee's Wolverine (aka Milverine) or the bicycle-riding banjo player in Madison (video) – only brightens one’s day.

In larger cities across America, there are costumed eccentrics on every block, but in the Chippewa Valley, these lovable citizens are a rarity. (Or perhaps they're just people with real issues and shouldn't be celebrated as much as helped out).

And hey, maybe riding a scooter in public wearing only a thong and a cape is a little inappropriate, but the important thing is that it's legal. So if you’ll excuse me, I have some scooter shopping to do.