Monday, April 10, 2006

Nobody Walks in LA

…except for chumps like me.

California allows drivers to make right turns on red as long as they stop their vehicles completely behind the limit line first. The more massive the vehicle, the less likely the driver follows the rules. Most people slow down slightly while making their turn, yielding to other vehicles that have the green light. Pedestrians are treated as nuisances to be intimidated out of their right of way.

Once, while crossing with the walk signal at a busy intersection, a car making a right turn on red nearly collided with me. I stopped and turned toward the car when I heard, “Don’t hit her! She has a PhD!”

Now that is a really good reason to finish your thesis.

Addendum:
I disagree with Woody Allen. Right turn on red is a sign of CA's cultural superiority over NY.

1 comment:

  1. You are not kidding about the mass of the vehicle. In particular, buses are apparently not bound by traffic laws. The other day one ran a red light while honking at everybody else to get out of the way.

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