Watching traffic patterns is interesting, especially the way the same problem crops up again and again. Near my home is an interstate highway and an interchange with a major road. In order to get onto the interstate, you must take the proper turn.
As cars head west on the main road, they have a difficult choice. The interstate goes to Atlanta (West) and Columbia (East). Many more people want to go to Atlanta than to Columbia, meaning they must go "left" onto the interstate. It is quite common to see people come happily through the interchange in the left lane, ready to turn left into the interstate entrance ramp, only to find a No Left Turn sign. The entrance ramp is on the right (a cloverleaf design). If you are in the left lane, you have missed your turn.
What do you do now?
The logical (and legal) thing is to go to the next light (about 70 feet) and turn around. Then, you come back east on the main road, turn right onto the ramp, and off you go.
The illogical and illegal thing is to sit at the ramp waiting to turn left illegally, thereby stopping traffic in a main lane of a major thoroughfare. Too often, this is what you see. Sometimes, you end up with accidents as people try to get away with breaking the law.
The third thing is to sit puzzled. Not willing to make the illegal turn, but not willing to give up either. They will sometimes wait for the turn and then (realizing the traffic will stop them) they are forced to go forward and turn around. Sometimes they just sit.
Such is our life. So often, there is an easy way to get where we need to go. We get in the proper lane and make the right turn.
Often, however, we find ourselves in the wrong lane and must take more effort, to the next light, and then turn around and we end up delayed but on the road.
But, sometimes, we find ourselves trapped by our desire (to turn left RIGHT NOW) and the law (No Left Turn) and the oncoming traffic (which won't let you turn). You sit puzzled until you are able to do the thing you want to do (the illegal turn). You end up on the way, but with a few nervous looks in the mirror and not feeling particularly good about it all.
Or, you can just sit puzzled, hoping somehow it will all turn out. Traffic backs up and you are not sure what to do.
Life is like that. It is one decision after another. The key, it seems to me, is to be alert (notice the warning signs) and conscientious (make an effort to obey the signs) and fairly quick witted (decide quickly). What you want may not match what the road designer intended and you need to be ready for that. Once you have made a mistake, fix it quickly.
And, by the way, the guy behind you who just wants to go home, he would like you to make up your mind as well. I hate sitting behind someone who has ignored the signs and just wants to make an illegal turn.
As cars head west on the main road, they have a difficult choice. The interstate goes to Atlanta (West) and Columbia (East). Many more people want to go to Atlanta than to Columbia, meaning they must go "left" onto the interstate. It is quite common to see people come happily through the interchange in the left lane, ready to turn left into the interstate entrance ramp, only to find a No Left Turn sign. The entrance ramp is on the right (a cloverleaf design). If you are in the left lane, you have missed your turn.
What do you do now?
The logical (and legal) thing is to go to the next light (about 70 feet) and turn around. Then, you come back east on the main road, turn right onto the ramp, and off you go.
The illogical and illegal thing is to sit at the ramp waiting to turn left illegally, thereby stopping traffic in a main lane of a major thoroughfare. Too often, this is what you see. Sometimes, you end up with accidents as people try to get away with breaking the law.
The third thing is to sit puzzled. Not willing to make the illegal turn, but not willing to give up either. They will sometimes wait for the turn and then (realizing the traffic will stop them) they are forced to go forward and turn around. Sometimes they just sit.
Such is our life. So often, there is an easy way to get where we need to go. We get in the proper lane and make the right turn.
Often, however, we find ourselves in the wrong lane and must take more effort, to the next light, and then turn around and we end up delayed but on the road.
But, sometimes, we find ourselves trapped by our desire (to turn left RIGHT NOW) and the law (No Left Turn) and the oncoming traffic (which won't let you turn). You sit puzzled until you are able to do the thing you want to do (the illegal turn). You end up on the way, but with a few nervous looks in the mirror and not feeling particularly good about it all.
Or, you can just sit puzzled, hoping somehow it will all turn out. Traffic backs up and you are not sure what to do.
Life is like that. It is one decision after another. The key, it seems to me, is to be alert (notice the warning signs) and conscientious (make an effort to obey the signs) and fairly quick witted (decide quickly). What you want may not match what the road designer intended and you need to be ready for that. Once you have made a mistake, fix it quickly.
And, by the way, the guy behind you who just wants to go home, he would like you to make up your mind as well. I hate sitting behind someone who has ignored the signs and just wants to make an illegal turn.