What Does the Situation Warrant?

I committed a traffic infraction over the holiday weekend.

Yes, I admit it--I looked at the traffic situation and then did something the sign said not to do.

The situation:

About 10 AM on Monday, Labor Day near a mall outside of Williamsport, PA, we had made a quick potty and coffee stop at a Burger King off Interstate 180. At the intersection onto the road coming out of the shopping area was a sign--Right Turn Only. I, of course, needed to go left. There was no traffic on the road. Seriously, no one.

Why is this sign so absolute when there clearly are times when making a left turn is not a traffic issue. My guess is that during the busy part of the day, left turning vehicles back up into the shopping area creating congestion and fostering risky driving behaviors as people attempt to turn into tight traffic spaces. But, I don't know because we were the only car at the intersection.

Am I allowed to evaluate the situation and make a conscious decision that obeying the sign does not make sense?

The situation:

Nighttime, red traffic light. No other vehicles or headlights in sight. Anywhere!

Why am I waiting for the light to turn green? Yet, I do.





The situation:

Sitting at a red traffic light on a one way street in Ithaca, NY (Seneca and Tioga Street). Tioga does not cross Seneca at this point, the only turn is right and there, by definition cannot be any cross traffic or turning traffic--yet there is a "No Turn on Red" sign above the intersection.

Why is this turn not allowed?






The situation:

A STOP sign at an intersection with great view of the approaching vehicles when attempting a right turn.

Stop, or roll through treating the STOP more like a YIELD sign?



I confess, I am not really sure where this line of thought is headed--but I am pondering that question I heard many years ago:




Does a RED light make you STOP?


-- Bob Doan, Writing from Denver, CO

Holiday Traffic Thoughts

I experienced the Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of traffic situations this weekend trying to complete the trip first to, and then from Upstate NY.

First, I am happy that we (Chris, Makayla, and I) got away for the weekend to see family. So, if this sounds like complaining, it isn't. The traffic just was.

The trip to NY on Friday afternoon was an experience. The Baltimore beltway going north to I-83 was at a crawl for much of the way--and we departed at 12:30PM to attempt to miss the crush of late holiday travelers. Undaunted we continued on as we had expected such a mess.

Traveling north on I-83 still in Maryland we encountered the first of three major accidents we would experience along the way. As traffic slowed to a stop and emergency vehicles were passing us on the right we were able to extract ourselves form the highway onto a parallel road and get around the accident. We also saw a very nice policeman giving a frustrated driver a ticket for crossing the median in an attempt to reverse course. Total delay -- about 20 minutes.

Accident number two was in PA just before Harrisburg. The traffic stopped just past an exit ramp and I thought we were doomed. But, at least for a bit as the emergency vehicles were arriving, they were allowing two lanes of traffic by. I was amazed as I watched one ambulance arrive and take up one of the lanes of traffic just after we passed the scene. Delay: 15 minutes.

By now the frustration factor was rising in the car.

Clear sailing until Selinsgrove, PA. No accident, just slow traffic causing us to wait at every traffic light along that stretch of US 15. Delay: About 10 minutes.

At this point I think I am out of the woods because from there to Corning, NY (our first stop on the trip for dinner with Tim and Stephanie and their family) is usually a fast trip. But no, along Route 11 headed to PA 147 to join Interstate 180 for the swing through Williamsport, traffic is at a stop--I can see the turn, but it is not moving. 30 minutes later after a heated discussion in the car we head over the mountain and rejoin Route 15 and head north.

Original scheduled arrival time in Corning: 5PM. Actual arrival time: 6:30 PM. Ugh!

The return trip was a breeze by comparison. There was only one accident, along the Baltimore beltway where we slowed from 60mph to 40mph. Total driving time: 5h 30min. Even with the occasional rain we made great time screaming through everywhere we had waited on the trip north.

It is hard to believe the difference a couple of days can make.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - September 4, 2012

1. Happy Labor Day. Enjoy the holiday.

2. I was rereading my blog from September 2009 and I reflected on the item about trying to remind people that there were still baseball games to lose. This year, the Orioles are in the middle of a pennant race.

3. Writing of the Orioles--I am still pinching myself to be sure I am not dreaming especially after they won the series against the Yankees over the weekend.

4. Well, it is back to home today. I have a broken car to fix and a bunch of stuff to do before the holiday weekend ends.

5. Last evening, sitting around a bonfire as evening fell, I enjoyed watching the stars come out and looking for the satellites which were flying overhead. It was a beautiful, quiet evening.

6. I saw the Milky Way last night--something that does not happen where I live in Maryland.

7. The rabbit in the yard was spooked away by something just moments ago. I wonder what?

8. Traffic. I will be sharing the road with too many other drivers soon.

9. The golden rod is in bloom everywhere. Autumn is at hand.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

On the NY Wine Trail - September 2012

What a great afternoon--checking out a couple of the wineries on the
Cayuga Wine Trail.

We visited Americana, Sheldrake Point, Thirsty Owl, and Goose Watch.
A whirlwind afternoon in Central NY with a lot of other wine lovers. There were a lot of other people out enjoying an idyllic afternoon doing the same thing.

All of these wineries have stunning views of the lake and provide nice interpretation of white wine, which are really the best varietals grown in the region. The Rieslings were generally great. Every attempt at a red wine resulted in a thin interpretation which left me wanting something more.

Americana has a large selection of wines which they do generally well. We continue to buy many of their whites to enjoy with our friends. I enjoy their tasting room and the ambiance of the winery done in a barn. Their new selection of Rieslings are especially good and come in a variety for every palette from dry, to semi-dry, to semi-sweet. They all had a vibrant character which made them very enjoyable.

Sheldrake Point does dry wines and has a really enjoyable white blend called Luckystone White. We make a special trip to the winery for this wine. And it was on a great sale, too. Sheldrake Point was designated as the NY Winery of the Year, so the place, located right on the shore of Cayuga Lake is really worth the visit and the dry wines re especially good.

Thirsty Owl, another winery with a great view, is dabbling in the reds in addition to the whites and provided a nice red wine using the Chancellor grape. But, their white wines are why people visit the winery.

The final stop of the day was Goose Watch, another winery with another great view and a nicely done tasting room. They provided some very nice whites, but I felt their offerings this year were not as desirable as some of the other wineries we visited. They are good wines--don't get me wrong, but just a bit above average. Nice drinking but not spectacular.

All in all it was a great afternoon. My parents were real troopers to dare to head out onto the wine trail with us--and it was nice to ave them along for the afternoon drive along the west shore of Cayuga Lake.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Dancing on the Horizon

The bright orange ball danced
just in my view
along the horizon
moving between the trees
like a big rubber ball
the kind I used to play with
when I was a kid.

It hid behind the trees
and then behind a hill
as I made my way to work
as if it was rolling there
waiting for me to pick it up
and play a game of dodge ball

I remembered the paved playground
Where games always played
during the all too brief recess
between the classes of math and reading
looking forward to a respite
and then back to the studies
with the games but a memory.

I was entranced for a moment
racing down the parkway
by the memory of the days past
realizing that nothing has changed
I still look forward to playtime
it's just that the toys have changed.


-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Cat Fails

One of my cars--the Jaguar convertible, is known as Cat. Cat has an issue. As I pulled into the garage last night clouds of steam billowed up from under the hood and orange coolant began forming on the floor of the garage.

Cat has a problem. One of the heater hoses burst and hot coolant was steaming out everywhere. It was a huge mess, and frankly it was something that I really didn't need after such a nice drive home on a beautiful afternoon.

In retrospect, where better for a car to fail than in the driveway?  At least I was not stranded on the side of a rush hour clogged highway with scores of travelers gawking at me wondering what was wrong.

I was safely in my garage.

I was home and my biggest concern was moving my racquetball gear to my truck in preparation for the morning.

Do I call AAA and have them tow Cat to a repair place? To a Jaguar dealer?

Do I attempt a backyard repair?  It looks pretty simple. Really. Only problem is that I spend most of the evening online and cannot find the hose needed to effect the repair. It has two bends in it.

Monday! I'll fix it on Monday afternoon.

I hope.

Ugh! Why do cars break? Why when we least need them to break. Although, when is a good time for them to break?

At least, as I wrote earlier, it was not alongside the parkway on a busy afternoon. I hate being stared at. People wondering what transgression I committed for my car to fail.

I'll drive my truck today.  I could drive Kitty. I have choices.

I am blessed in so many ways.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tragedy in a Baltimore School

I decided that I needed to comment on tragedy which occurred in a local high school this week--a 15 year old boy allegedly (OK, they saw him do it) shot another student in the lunch room on the first day of school.

The school? Perry Hall High School--with over 2100 kids the largest high school in Baltimore county.

The weapon? A shot gun.

The shooter? A troubled boy, who reportedly was bullied and comes from a problem filled home and life.

The tragedy? This is a far reaching tragedy which includes first and foremost the boy who was shot and is in critical condition at a local hospital, his family, the students of the school, the community. The tragedy is in the lives destroyed by this incident.

A sensational article in the Baltimore Sun really got me going, and on my soap box about irresponsible reporting. Apparently everyone is to blame for this shooting--from parents and step parents, to everyone who knew this kid and even those of us reading the article after the fact should have intervened it seems. I'm not sure if the article placed any blame on the shooter.

The article in the Baltimore Sun begins:

Charged as an adult in the Perry Hall High School shooting, 15-year-old Robert Wayne Gladden Jr., was held without bond Tuesday as a portrait of a withdrawn and occasionally bullied student with a troubled home life emerged through interviews with classmates and court documents.

The article goes into a very detailed look at not only his life, but the lives of everyone associated with him. Their lives, and mostly their failings, are laid out for everyone with even a passing curiosity to read and ponder. I felt that some of the details presented passed beyond responsible news reporting and into the realm of tabloid sensationalism.

Did I find it interesting that the shooter's step Dad was arrested later that same day after police searched his house and found marijuana and firearms? Turns out the step Dad is a convicted felon and it is against the law for him to possess firearms. Is it germane to the situation? No, because as the article continues, the shot gun used in the shooting came from his Dad's house where he "sometimes stayed."

For the gun control advocates--BTW--there is a data point that gun control doesn't work.

Another news agency, Business Insider, provided a more balanced view of the shooter and his motives.

Interestingly, another article suggests that the student that was shot was a bystander and the shooting occurred after the gun was discharged at the ceiling for effect and subsequently went off as he was being tackled. This is the only article I could find about the incident and really changed my perception of the events.

This incident is a tragedy. We may never know the real reason that this young man decided, with some premeditation, to take a disassembled shotgun and some vodka to school that day. But, the desperation that many people are facing in today's world is reflected in his face and his actions. And everyone around him suffers as a result.

Pray for everyone involved in this tragedy. They need hope. And don't forget to pray for the recovery of the shooting victim and for his family. They are the true victims of this tragedy.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Winds of Autumn

I noticed it yesterday morning for the first time this season. It was dark when I took Makayla out and I couldn't really see very well to clean up after her. I had to feel around on the ground for the warm spot.

Autumn is coming.

The morning temperatures are drifting down. I noticed they were expecting 48 degrees in Upstate NY this week. Not just cool, but cold.

Too cold for me.

Too cold for palm trees.

And the darkness of autumn is already upon us as the daylight grows shorter every day. The equinox is coming--even though still three weeks away its presence is being felt, or seen.

Football is in the air. Cold is clinging to the morning in the dew.

Even after the rain and an 85 degree day, it is cool in the morning.

I have noticed the leaves beginning to turn and fall in small numbers form some of the trees. I was asked when I was closing the pool--never I replied, although it was merely bravado. I don't have the time to clean it once autumn fully arrives and the leaves fall to the ground in waves.

The grapes are being harvested to make wines--2012 vintage. I'm sure the rains of the past few days have been a real problem for the wine makers.

And daylight fades into darkness as the grip of autumn strengthens.

It is almost September. Wow. Just yesterday, it seems, we were moving from May into June and the hope of the now completed summer was still in front of us.

At least summer is coming somewhere south of the equator.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Upset

It doesn't happen too often, but I got really emotional and, frankly, pissed off last evening while playing racquetball.

Why?

Philosophy.

I play racquetball because I love to play. I don't call hinders and screens unless they are flagrant. I played a guy who was so intent on winning that he called even the most minor, and frankly not there, hinders. I could not believe some of the calls--in fact when I won the second game I was more concerned with looking around to make sure he couldn't call a hinder than I was celebrating a great comeback and a stolen win.

We had played last week and he upset me with his tick-tacky calls then. As we were discussing that game after last night's game he admitted he called screens on two of my ace serves because they were close. The standard is 18 inches--and at the time I knew they weren't that close. That is just the wrong approach. If we were playing for money in a tournament, then there would be a disinterested party, a/k/a/ referee, to make close calls. Without a referee, my philosophy is--play on.

I know how to lose--Lord knows I lose more than I win now. I just don't like losing when we are playing two different games on the court. I play racquetball because I love the game and the competition.

But I admit, I kinda lost it last evening and just let the other guy have the last three points of the tiebreaker--just because I was so upset about the bad, questionable calls he kept making. I didn't even return the last three serves just to express my dissatisfaction.

Bad on me.

Today is a new day though. I'll try to do better.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 27, 2012

1. Heard at the wine tasting about one of the lesser know Italian wine regions, Lazio, around Rome: They produce wines in quantity, not quality. Historically they had to supply the Roman Legions and the Roman Legions were just a bunch of guys sitting around drinking wine.

2. Manned space is in the news again with the death of Neil Armstrong. It is hard to believe that those first pioneers of space are getting so old. And now we can't even put a man into space anymore. Priorities need to be reevaluated.

3. The Boston Red Sox have apparently packed in the season by sending off three of their highest paid players to the Dodgers. The Orioles have moved to within 4 games of the Yankees!

4. Preseason football is really difficult to enjoy. It is even slower than regular season football.

5. The Republican Convention begins a day later than planned. Do we get a respite from the campaigning for a day?

6. Communication is behind most of the problems we have,

7. “Houston,Tranquility Base here.The Eagle has landed.”~ Neil Armstrong (1930 – 2012 ) I remember that day so well. We were all united together as two Americans landed on the moon.

8. To the educators, the bus drivers, the janitors, the parents, and the students--let's have a great school year. Enjoy day one of the 2012-2013 year!

9. I had an interesting conversation yesterday where the NCAA and the US Anti Doping Agency (USADA) were both considered to be agencies that need someone watching over them due to their apparent arbitrariness.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD