a justin mcroberts experience

I had a Justin McRoberts experience the other day. I read his entry about the plane catastrophe ("You Took My Spot"), and then faced a similar episode Friday morning on my way to work... in traffic. (If you don’t know Justin McRoberts or his music, you are missing out. Talented musician, and a really funny guy. Saw him at ICHTHUS in ’03 and he was a real standup comedian…)

As I drive to work, there is this one particular intersection [Redding and Tates Creek] that is ambiguous. As I drive on Redding, the road is one lane. Clearly, one lane. By the time you reach the light, you have 3 lanes. 2 left turn lanes, 1 right turn lane. I always take the middle lane, which is the outside left turn lane (#2). However, what develops is a problem regarding this 'ambiguous space' on Redding where the 1 lane becomes 3... with the result that many drivers turn Redding into a 2 lane road for that small ambiguous space. Now, if it becomes a two lane road in that space, you are facing the 2 left turn lanes. The right turn lane is wayyyy to the right and you’ll have to swerve over into it from the middle lane. Any cars sitting in this ambiguous space on Redding, thereby creating two lanes in this ambiguous space, are "in line" for left turn lanes #1 and #2. (Then, if you have to turn right, you will swerve/change lanes from left turn lane #2 to right turn lane on the approach to the light...) This situation is further complicated by the fact that there is a space between the ambiguous space and the 3 lanes, to allow for any cross traffic that wishes to go to the gas station. Let me make a little drawing to make myself clear. [SEE DIAGRAM 1 BELOW]



Car A is sitting almost in the middle of the ambiguous space on Redding. Creating 2 defined lines to wait for the light to turn green is not an option. But he’s clearly leaning to the left, in line for the inside left turn lane, #1. Since I want the middle lane, I pull behind him (not beside him as there is not enough room), but am on the right side of the car, so that it is clear I intend to enter left turn lane #2, which is STRAIGHT AHEAD OF ME.

Up comes Car B, ugly maroon truck. Ugly maroon truck is right behind me. Clearly, he wants the same lane I do. But we can’t inch up beside Car A, so we’ll have to wait patiently and then proceed into left turn lane #2.

Ugly maroon truck, apparently, decided to ignore the fact that I as a driver am in line waiting to proceed to lane #2. This is when maroon truck makes his move. He circumvents all decorum and perhaps even legality for the rules of the road. Rather than wait his turn, he goes AROUND myself AND Car A on the LEFT. He then turns into the cross traffic lane. For a second, I think he’s being stupid but just trying to go to the gas station. NO. He’s being stupid all right, but he’s not going to the gas station. He’s not even going to the right turn lane. He pulls RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME in left turn lane #2, the lane I am facing and waiting to proceed in when the light turns green. [See DIAGRAM 2 BELOW]



WHAT THE?!?!

Did he not see me sitting in front of him when he decided to circumvent both myself and Car A to get to left turn lane #2?? Did he not see that he was also a road hazard by blocking the cross traffic between the ambiguous space and the 3 lanes??

Yes, he blatantly cut in front of me. Who is slighted by this?? Me. Just me. He just decided to annoy me. Thanks ugly maroon car.

I was feeling mad... and then I remembered Justin McRoberts’ story... and realized... things like this happen ALL THE TIME. And frankly, I have a higher calling. I won’t always live up to my higher calling. But I have it, and it entails letting go, letting things like this slide off my shoulder, for the sake of peace, in the name of Grace.