This is why I need a megaphone, and maybe a gun!
I was driving to work earlier today. The traffic was stopped on Cambie going East just before Shell – there was a train passing by and the gates were closed for safety.
After the gates opened (after the train had passed), the signal wouldn’t change back to green, and the gate lights continued flashing.
Some drivers in front of me lost their patience and decided to ..
- Turn R into Shell and make a quick U turn, then turn R into Cambie.
- Drive through the red light anyway, after looking around to make sure that there was no traffic on Shell.
After a bit, the #2 drivers got crazy. They decided to drive through regardless of cross traffic, and the drivers on Shell were in for a nasty surprise – they have a green light, are doing 50kph and suddenly, there is this stream of killer cross traffic..
I was at the R-most lane, and an old (old as in almost dead) couple behind me. I eventually made to the head of the intersection, but stayed put, waiting for the signal to change. The old-man driver started frantically honking at me, as if I was somehow infringing upon his birthright to life and freedom by obeying the law and not driving thru a red signal. I turned back and shook my (index) finger at him, conveying that it was dumb of him to honk. I was very tempted to use my middle finger.
Then I turned R into shell and found an alternative route altogether – thanks to my handy GPS.
As I was driving, I really wished that I had a gun in my car – or at least a toy gun. I’d have really really loved to get out of my car waving my gun frantically at the senile bastard if only to see the reaction on his face. Maybe a megaphone too – then I could have stood at the intersection, announced to everyone to stay put and not cut thru the red light, and threatened everybody with my awesome gun to wait patiently until the light changed to red.
I’d probably have been in big trouble if I’d done any of that – so this is one fantasy I’m going to pass on. But when I fantasized the fantasy, it sure felt delicious!
I wonder where all the Richmond cops were? Sounds like they get paid for nothing!
