Traffic Rant
I’m going to take the next few lines of space to protest. You’ve been warned.
So yesterday I had to go out to run an errand. It so happened that I needed something from Staples and felt it was important to do it fairly early before school got out. Yesterday it was the first day of school which is, you know, like Christmas for the office supply industry. So i’m really proud of the fact that I remembered this in enough time to get in and out before school ended. So far so good.
Well it just so happens that there is only one way to get from the mall to my house. Alright that’s not entirely true. I could take a 10 or so mile detour but who would do that when gas is $2.25 a gallon? I have to pass 3 schools on my way home, two of which were about to dismiss. First school: I find traffic backed up about a mile. It takes me some time to get through it but whatever. Second school, less than 1/10th of a mile from home. Mayhem! At the traffic light approaching the school (and my subdivision) I waited exactly 26 minutes to get through. Some whole cycles of the light were spent with no movement whatsoever on anyone’s part. It was basically gridlock, the stuff riots are made of. Now this is very atypical. I’ve never noticed this amount of traffic before but oooh the mommies and daddies (and nannies) of the spoiled little rich kids had to pick their kids up at the door on the first day of school. Can’t possibly go through the circle like for normal kids. Nope, we’ve got to PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET so we can get out and fetch the children. Is this okay for oh say, a kindergartener? Absolutely. First grader? Sure, why not? But for older kids? Fifth graders? PLEASE!! Don’t cause massive gridlock just because your 10 year old can’t find his way from the classroom door to the pick up area alone. ARGH! It even made the 6 o’clock news last night.
Oh well, now I know. Never leave the house on the first day of school.