Instapundit linked to this Traffic Quiz, which I scored seven out of ten. Not bad.
I'm torn, because, on the one hand I think that drivers (and cars!) shouldn't even need licenses, and on the other because I think the police should be able to vaporize a car that's obstructing traffic.
So those two instincts are at play when I'm on the road, even though I telecommunte 90% of the time, and almost never drive during rush hour anyway.
I played with the thought for a while that a SimCity-ish game based on correcting traffic problems would be fun, but the time it was tried
wasn't hugely successful. (But it has a strong cult following, suggesting that it might-maybe-could be successful done right.)Anyway, all you out there in the cow counties can larf it up. (But on the other hand, I haven't had to wait for livestock to cross the road in a while, either.)
Since I never learned to drive I could care less about traffic. The train might be delayed but I don't have to drive it so I just read my book and drink my coffee and wait to get to my stop. But now that I am giving up accounting I will just walk to the store. Which is three blocks away. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteOn the one hand, I enjoy the idea of living life within walking distance.
ReplyDeleteOn the other, it's just not California. Even with gas at $4+ we drive for the sheer pleasure of it. Back rounds, far away destinations, a beach drive in the convertible or a calm drive to settle the kids down in the quiet hum of the van.
On a day when you've been sweltering in the heat and there's a little cool in the air, you can take the car out on the freeway and roll the windows down while going 70mph. It's great.
But the whole walk to work--especially when it's your own business, and congratulations to you on being so successful!--walk to eat, know everyone in the neighborhood, etc., is a great life, no doubt.
Just alien.
It's the way it used to be. I live in the 1950's and I try to keep it that way. That's why I encourage the yuppies to patronize the local people and try to keep the mom and pop stores on Court St as an officer in the Court St. Merchants assosciation. We help each other out and present a united front to the depredations of the city and it's bureacrats. You and your kids would love it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not sunny California, but it's not Escape from New York either.
That's funny, because it really is "Escape from L.A." here.
ReplyDeleteWe try to do the same thing with the mom & pop shops around here. The difference is they're all spread out over a wider area.
The other thing that's different, I think, is that the aforementioned depredations of government are relatively new here.
ReplyDeleteNot that it was less corrupt, necessarily, but that it was less extensive. Easier to ignore. That seems to have changed in my lifetime.