BennyEast.Com/Blog The official blog of Kenny West

Oh no, I have nowhere to go!

We've all been there.  Just add a little extra to the gas pedal.  Gotta speed up a LITTLE bit to make this yellow light.

I mean after all green means go, red means stop, and yellow means speed up to make the light!

Right?  Hmmm, maybe.  I don't think that's the correct way to drive but I guess, I mean I see it happen all the time.  And I've done it myself as well.  You just don't want to get stuck at that light!  But I try to stop more often at the light because who knows... maybe by you stopping at that light... it's changing the course of your path and eventually it will lead to something super superbly awesome in your life.

At least, I like to think that could be true.  Good things come to those who wait... at stop lights.

But yea I mean we all do that speed up to make a light thing... and it's funny because sometimes it actually gets us in odd situations in traffic.  Mostly because of the design of the intersection and the timing of the lights... and if we had just been patient and waited at the yellow/red light and then gone on the next change things would have been ok... but for some reason... it's just SOOOOOOO hard to do that!

Why is that?

Well... I guess I'm writing about this because there's a light where people do this a lot.  It's on my way to and from work.  It's where 476 and Lancaster ave meet.  But the south bound exit mainly.

What happens?

Well... there are two lights and by the timing of the light the second light usually turns before the first light.  This means that the cars sort of back up into the cross traffic of the first light.  So then you have cars stuck in front of the intersection where the other cars are trying to exit 476.

I'm sure this happens ALL over the world a lot.  If we had just not gone to try and make the light we wouldn't be sitting in the way of the other people!

But, it happens.

Well... I've been noticing something interesting about this one intersection.  For the most part... pretty much every intersection i've encountered where cars get stuck in the cross traffic when the light turns... people honk like CRAZY!  They honk and honk and make gestures with their hands and let out their road rage.

This seems to happen a lot in NYC.  If you even get an inch over the line of a stop spot well even the pedestrians will let you know.

The very first time I ever drove into NYC... I accidentally got stuck in a cross walk.  My car took a pounding from all the people trying to cross... they pounded with fists and purses and bags and umbrella's and I was about to cry.

I tried to say or signal to the people that I have nowhere to go!!!  It's just one of those situations where once you get into it you just say out loud "Oh no!  I have nowhere to go!"

I try to make them see that I"m so super sorry and it was a complete accident, but they just look at me with disdain and disgust and then I just...

Sat there and felt like crap.

...Then the light changed and I drove on.

It was semi traumatic.

I'm sure the same thing happens in other cities... I don't know... I just really remember that experience.  So now I try not to drive in NYC anymore.  Or well, any city.  I try to avoid city driving when possible.

Anywho...

So here's this intersection... and these cars get stuck in the way pretty much EVERY time I go through the intersection.  What i've noticed is something just odd... no one ever honks!  I don't know... it's kinda weird.  Even if someone is just plain in the way and that other person from the other direction can't get past them they just wait patiently.  It's just odd.  I mean it's a good odd.  I wish that more road behavior were like that.

I suppose what really makes an impact on me is that every time it happens I still find it so.... I guess uplifting?  I don't know.  It always makes me think.  Why aren't these people getting all upity about these people being in the way?  Do they empathize or sympathize with the other people?  Maybe they think to themselves well that could be me!

Then it makes me think... I wish we could all do that more often.  Try to say... well that could be me!  Maybe the situations are different... like for example when someone comes to us and they ask if they can have one of the old computers from the college...

We pretty much use the computers past their prime and then recycle the spare parts and then recycle again the components that are become scrap metal.  Some of the people say they don't own a computer at home...

My first thought is, how could someone LIVE without a computer!  How is that possible!

But, it is possible or they wouldn't be asking.  So I guess maybe for some reason people at this intersection just look at the other stuck people and say well... I can see how they got into that situation.

Maybe?  I don't know.  But, that was just my thought for today.

So the next time you are racing to catch a yellow light... just lay off the gas and tell yourself... There's a reason why I didn't get to this light as a green light.  So just stop and if it's spring time, enjoy the smell of... roses?  But well you get what I"m saying.

I mean hey, also not racing for yellow lights saves a little bit of gas too!  Sooooo that's real money in your pocket.

OK well, I'm off to sleep!

But here's one last thought.  Think about how much your life has been changed because of the combination of red/green/yellow lights you've come into.  Even 1 minute earlier or later... and your whole life could be completely different than it is now.

Think about the people you probably met or didn't meet because you arrived 1 minute earlier or later to your destination.

But, I think that how everything is right now... is how it's supposed to be anyways.  And it's maybe partially because of the sequence of stop lights that we hit when we did.

I'm probably wrong.  But it's one of the MANY MANY MAAAAAAANY things that I think about.  I think a lot.  Probably too much.  But it's ok.  It's just how I am.  I hope that kinda sorta maybe made sense.  If not I apologize.

Well night everyone!