Read the signs

That's why they're there.

This morning I had to run an errand before I went to work. After my super fast errand, I went to catch my bus at the corner of Granville and Broadway. It's a busy intersection. And there's a sign there. One of these signs (image borrowed from that site over there).

Anyway, I could see my bus trundling down the road toward me, and then I heard a rather large vehicle, honking its horn quite angrily. I couldn't see a big truck - probably because it turned out to be a bus. Honking at a Lincoln Navigator. Parked, yup, PARKED, in the curb lane, just after 9:00 on a Friday morning. According to this sign, the curb lane is (a) a NO STOPPING zone from 7:00 - 9:30 and (b) an HOV lane. Which means buses, bikes, and cars with two or more people (how two people is high occupancy is beyond me, but that's the way it works here).

This lady was (a) stopped and (b) the only occupant of her vehicle. Hmmm...two problems. The bus couldn't change lanes because the other two lanes were full of traffic, it being RUSH HOUR and all. So the lady would move up a few feet. The bus would follow and then she'd stop again and the bus driver would lean on the horn. This went on for a good half a block, when Lincoln Navigator Lady (LNL) saw a break in the traffic and pulled into the middle lane. AND STOPPED. In traffic. At a green light. As soon as the bus went past, she tried to scoot back into the curb lane, but of course there was a stream of traffic behind him. Somehow she managed to get back in the curb lane and stopped again. All the angry people behind her changed lanes and went around her. And then, well, then the LNL put the car in reverse and backed up the half a block the bus had forced her forward.

By now this is no longer entertaining...I was starting to wonder when the 38 car pile up would happen. The security guard at the financial institution directly in front of her looked worried and had his walkie talkie out and then, out of nowhere, a transit police car pulls up behind her and transit cop come running down the road in front of her. The last I saw of the LNL lady was the two traffic guys trying to convince her she couldn't stop there and she need to drive around the block like anyone else or park her car in a legal parking spot. LNL kept shaking her head and making gestures like I'm staying right here. I'm not sure what happened next as my bus pulled away...but I couldn't believe the LNL...I don't understand people who think the rules are for someone else!

That's my rant for the week.

Happy weekend!