It's a "critical" response for sure, but "defensive"? What makes it defensive (or "emotional" or "indignant", as others have characterized the response)?
I enjoyed the article, and I applaud the author for comitting to the bit. But on the other hand, I completely agree with the parent: the headline is somewhat misleading, and it's an absurdly impractical way to commute to school. Sure it might do the parent some good to lighten up a bit, but it's completely understandable that a person would have this reaction when reading the article. And for me, reading peoples' 100%-justifiably-negative reactions only ehances the absurdity and comedy of it all.
