Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Today's NYC Moment
I was walking to class tonight up Lafayette, and there's this really stupid intersection where there are cars turning (they can't go straight) and at the same time, the pedestrians have the walk sign. So everybody's trying to be in this intersection at once. It doesn't make any sense. If the cars were going straight, it'd make perfect sense, but there's no road there so they have to turn. Anyway...
I cross the street just before a van plows me down. He honks. I give him a dirty look--well, not really dirty. Just a "who-do-you-think-you-are-I-have-the-right-of-way-don't-honk-at-me" look. This is displeasing to the van man, so when the guy walking behind me further impedes his travels, van man is none too thrilled. This is evidenced by the fact that van man puts the van in PARK in the middle of the intersection, GETS OUT of the van, and commences YELLING (VERY colorfully might I add) at the guy walking across the street. I seriously thought they were going to get in a fist fight. Van man is yelling, "Do you see the F*!@ing green light?!?!" over and over while pedestrian is yelling back in his own defense, "Do you see the WALK SIGN?!?!?!" and they're both gesturing wildly in the direction of the street light which houses both the vehicular and foot traffic lights. Meanwhile, traffic is backing up behind van man's still-parked van and nobody's getting anywhere (including van man) because van man had to stop and make his displeasure at having to wait for pedestrains to cross the street known to said pedestrians.
Road rage here just cracks me up. In NC, if you get road rage, you might tailgate the person, you might cut them off, you might give a dirty look, you might even yell...but this is really all for your own personal satisfaction. You don't actually intend for the other driver to hear you and respond. Here, if you yell, it's for a reason, and foot traffic adds a whole new dimension of fun to the mix. My favorite is when the pedestrians get road rage and start yelling at the cars. I am reminded of my old youth minister, Roy, whose favorite thing to say in New York City was, "I'M WALKIN HERE!"
I cross the street just before a van plows me down. He honks. I give him a dirty look--well, not really dirty. Just a "who-do-you-think-you-are-I-have-the-right-of-way-don't-honk-at-me" look. This is displeasing to the van man, so when the guy walking behind me further impedes his travels, van man is none too thrilled. This is evidenced by the fact that van man puts the van in PARK in the middle of the intersection, GETS OUT of the van, and commences YELLING (VERY colorfully might I add) at the guy walking across the street. I seriously thought they were going to get in a fist fight. Van man is yelling, "Do you see the F*!@ing green light?!?!" over and over while pedestrian is yelling back in his own defense, "Do you see the WALK SIGN?!?!?!" and they're both gesturing wildly in the direction of the street light which houses both the vehicular and foot traffic lights. Meanwhile, traffic is backing up behind van man's still-parked van and nobody's getting anywhere (including van man) because van man had to stop and make his displeasure at having to wait for pedestrains to cross the street known to said pedestrians.
Road rage here just cracks me up. In NC, if you get road rage, you might tailgate the person, you might cut them off, you might give a dirty look, you might even yell...but this is really all for your own personal satisfaction. You don't actually intend for the other driver to hear you and respond. Here, if you yell, it's for a reason, and foot traffic adds a whole new dimension of fun to the mix. My favorite is when the pedestrians get road rage and start yelling at the cars. I am reminded of my old youth minister, Roy, whose favorite thing to say in New York City was, "I'M WALKIN HERE!"
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