Uncle Roger's Notebooks of Daily Life

Disfunctional

We went to visit Craig and Kari today. We had a good time, despite the kids being tired and not having had enough of a nap. We went to Old Navy to get some maternity clothes for Kari and school clothes for Jared. We picked up some dinner at Rubio's and some ice cream from coldstone creamery. That, however, is not what this is about.

Coming home, we crossed the bay bridge, took the Fifth street exit, and turned left at the End Up onto Sixth street. Sixth street goes right onto the 280 extension two blocks later. At the first intersection, left turns are allowed and the city has even gotten around to putting in a much needed left turn signal at the end of the southbound green. At the second intersection, the other side of which is 280 south, however, left turns are not permitted.

Still, every now and then, some idiot decides he really, really needs to turn left there, and doesn't care that he's going to make everyone else wait and miss the light so he can do it. Usually they're in a minivan (which apparently gives them right-of-way in all situations). Well, tonight was one of those nights and we were behind one of those idiots. An idiot in a minivan. After figuring out what the hold up was, I hit my horn, but didn't expect anything to come of it.

Suddenly, I saw a light blink on from the left and I spotted a police car waiting at the light. He gave a blast of his klaxon to warn the person. So, of course, the guy realizes the error of his ways, goes straight onto the freeway to turn around at the next opportunity. Of course, he goes on to become a caring thoughtful member of the global community, spending his free time helping disabled children. Right?

Of course not. The moron goes ahead and makes his illegal left turn, right in front of the police officer. So at least the police officer pulls him over, gives him a talking-to, and sets him on the right path to enlightenment, inner peace, and volunteerism, right?

Of course not. The police officer lets him go and wanders off on his way to his next donut.

And people wonder what's wrong with our society.

[ Posted: 23:30 | home | print ]

In DC...

At one point when I lived in DC there was no money to pay the cops but of course they are legally obligated to goto work regardless. So the cops just stopped pulling people over. That didn't, however, stop them from doing their jobs. They just did it in a surprisingly innovative and, I think, effective manner. They chastised people. I remember one guy was doing a brilliantly stupid turn, too, right around K Street. The cop right behind him got on the loud speaker and chastised him. "Good job, that turn was about the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Where did you learn to drive?" Yeah, that guy was really embarrassed and this was probably more effective than actually pulling him over. Anyways...

Posted by dugh

Honest, it was some other idiot in a minivan that day. I was in the city but I came in from the Avenues and parked on Larkin. Here in Merced, almost everyone turns into the wrong lane on our main streets to get a good head start on a lane change. I'm used to it now but I wonder what will happen as we grow and add more double turn lanes. We have a couple already and people are bewildered. In some respects, San Francisco surface streets were easier because when you're doing five miles an hour up Geary, it's easier to avoid the morons. Here, it's 40 and 45 on the 4 main four-lane streets which gives them permission to run 50 to 55 while weaving in and out. Factor in the bicyclists who can't recognize a bike lane (we have lots of bike lanes) and it's really nuts. We also have a large contingent who can't read the words STOP, YIELD, SCHOOL, and 25 MPH. I share your frustration.

Posted by Ann Adams