A Long Blow

Some people are just so unbelievably impatient. Walking home from work yesterday was nothing new. Watching out for the traffic when I crossed the road was also an old, well-known activity. I'm almost surprized that I don't require holding someone's hand when I cross, given how careful I am of the traffic that I know doesn't notice pedestrians.

I know this, because cars end up blocking traffic when they stop in the middle of the street once they realize they're about to steal my right-of-way.

Yesterday, it wasn't me that held up the traffic. I made sure to stand way back from the crosswalk; when there're cars backed up all through the intersection, I don't want to be in the way. So imagine cars backed up in the right-most of two lanes, through the entire intersection. Now, imagine a car heading in the opposite direction that realizes it's headed the wrong way. What does this wrong-way car do? Well, in California, of course it's going to make a U-turn. It's too bad cars are backed up in its way.

Since it has a green light, the wrong-way car of course decides to take its turn. If it waits, it knows it will never get a chance, as the intersection will always be backed-up. But with the right-most lane all the way through the intersection, it cannot make a complete U-turn, having to back up to straighten out into the other lane.

In the meantime, the light changes. So what happens? Another car notices its green light and slams down on the gas, even though the U-turning car is in its way, backing up to straighten out into the clear lane. You'd think the car would notice the lack of room before applying all possible acceleration but you'd also be wrong. No, the car instead had to slam on their breaks, apparently causing something to land on their horn, for after making an incredibly inappropriate gesture at the U-turn car, you could hear the impatient driver's horn blaring as she swerved past and down the road.

All the way down the road.

I wouldn't be surprized if they're hearing that horn in Mexico by now; that's the way the car was headed when last heard.