The Phalanx Will Cross

Some people enjoy driving.  I suppose I enjoy driving out on some adventure somewhere.  But driving around town, that suburban aeration compelling us to use cars for distances of more than one kilometer, is deadening. 

There’s nothing to stop me from biking to the grocery.  I could even phone in an order.  But once someone (my wife) says: “drop me off and then you get the kids and swing by later and pick me up,” which is a reasonable, suburban thing to say, you’re well beyond what’s workable on a bike. 

I drive over to the traffic light on Tian Bei Lu.  The on coming traffic eyes me suspiciously.  My wife eyes me suspiciously.  The light turns.  I have the right of way, but who cares, the on coming traffic in the left turning lane will try now to form a phalanx of leftward motion that will arrest my progression until they are all through or till I advance far enough to stop one of them from proceeding.  That, or veer hard right immediately as the light turns and advance quickly to thwart the first car coming.  If your angle traverses his or hers first, the unwritten law suggests he or she will stop and you will have secured the right to advance. 

This is how we cross our intersection, every day.  I drop the Mrs. off and head back over to get some money out of the ATM from the HSBC machine near the place I'll buy things for dinner.  Ahh, but my card isn't in my wallet.  That'll slow you down.  Now I must return to get this card at my wife’s studio.  This time I approach Tian Bei Lu from the same direction, one block down.  I am the first car to approach the red light.  I advance well beyond the proper place.  There is no oncoming traffic here, only the vastness of the New (and already hopelessly weathered) International Convention Center.  One again, traffic turning left, this time from the eastward direction turning into my lane, while I’m waiting at the light, will be my concern.  This time, the phalanx will cross in front of me well past the turning of the light.  I can discipline this line by sticking my car out just far enough so that a two-lane scrum can’t form before me. 

The light turns green and now my objective is to proceed cautiously until I can legitimately interrupt an on coming car’s progression and proceed through, to make my left turn.  I've made it through and accelerate onto the empty road.  My eyes are drawn down to the gas gauge, which was below empty this morning on the school run.  Slowly, I master the urge to ignore it and leave it to the next driver.   Up to the big roundabout and down to the right to the gas station then, where there are still gas attendants who filler-it-up for you. On the air is Herbie Nichols who asks and answers wonderful questions.