Darwin award runner-up...

On my way to work this morning, I had just pulled up to a red light at an intersection where the two right lanes were turn lanes. In this state, it's legal to make a right turn on a red light as long as nothing is coming, although I'm always uncomfortable doing in the lane farthest from the curb. Nevertheless, the white pickup next to did do it, and as he made his turn I saw a young man on a mountain bike swerve to avoid him, nearly fall off the bike then finish crossing the street in front of me. He rode his bike up the curb cut on the opposite side of the street, slewed it around, leaped off as it fell to the ground, and began jumping up and down, flipping the finger, and screaming curses at the pickup driver, who by now was long gone either over the bridge or down the freeway ramp.

He may sound justified. He did have the green light to go through the intersection. What I didn't mention though, is that he was coming down the bridge and across that freeway entrance on the wrong side of the street. He's damn lucky that truck didn't hit him head on. I think it would have won that little argument.

Darwin award runner-up...

On my way to work this morning, I had just pulled up to a red light at an intersection where the two right lanes were turn lanes. In this state, it's legal to make a right turn on a red light as long as nothing is coming, although I'm always uncomfortable doing in the lane farthest from the curb. Nevertheless, the white pickup next to did do it, and as he made his turn I saw a young man on a mountain bike swerve to avoid him, nearly fall off the bike then finish crossing the street in front of me. He rode his bike up the curb cut on the opposite side of the street, slewed it around, leaped off as it fell to the ground, and began jumping up and down, flipping the finger, and screaming curses at the pickup driver, who by now was long gone either over the bridge or down the freeway ramp.

He may sound justified. He did have the green light to go through the intersection. What I didn't mention though, is that he was coming down the bridge and across that freeway entrance on the wrong side of the street. He's damn lucky that truck didn't hit him head on. I think it would have won that little argument.