no left turns

Alright, I'm going to complain - and then I'm going to post a second post with the cutest picture of the day so far so that the complaining post isn't on top for the next few weeks until I feel so inclined to blog again.

I get that there is a lot of snow. Seriously, I do see it. With that being said, why on earth is the best possible time to clear snow 8:30 in the morning? Why?

I'll try not to take this personally.

But it is personal. They blocked the route I use to take the kids to school. You might think that there would be more than one reasonable route to school.

You would be wrong.

I have this thing with left hand turns (I swear I'm not just writing this so that none of you ever asks me for a ride again, for yourself or your children, ever). I hate them. Oh sure, if it's not busy I don't mind stopping at a stop sign and making that left. As soon as it's busy? I hate it. I get serious stop sign road rage. Not even rage. Road anxiety. The kids learn that Mommy can go from super cool, smart, rational, beautiful, funnest and most level mommy ever (write this down in case you need a reference later) to a basket case because there isn't a nice big gap in traffic so I can comfortably make that left.

I bet you want to know how I get to school? I leave my house, turn North off my driveway, I go West. I continue West until I hit Tupper Street. I make a left onto Tupper, which is never really that busy at the Northernmost end of town and go over the overpass, turn left at the four way stop, and then right at the next four way stop, cross the avenue, and end up sitting at the four way stop on Crescent Road and Royal Road.

I really do go the long way just so I can hit that four way stop and NOT make a left hand turn onto Crescent Road off 3rd Street. It's the only reasonable way to get to school. At 3:30 I just take 3rd because Crescent Road isn't that busy and it's not a big deal.

Today they are clearing snow. There are giant ridges of snow piled up along the South end of Royal Road. There is no way to easily hit that 4-way stop. I had to turn off Royal, drive a block over and then circle around the giant piles of snow and machines to get back onto Royal just before the 4-way. At 11:30 when I picked Tennyson up from kindergarten there was no access at all to that stop. I went further West still, and turned off Tupper onto Crescent. It's slightly less busy West of the 4-way stop.

One time I had to take 3rd to the Crescent, and I kid you not, I waited for a few seconds, second guessing the size of the gaps between cars, and when a couple of cars pulled up behind me I panicked and turned right, turned left onto the bridge, did a lap around island park and then got back onto Crescent before taking the kids to school.

Sometimes after I leave school I'm expected at some play date or other in Kokoplatz or Mellenville and I actually consider turning right as I leave the parking lot, going back out to Crescent road, turning right at the lights, going past the gas station and school, and heading up Meighen. It's further. It's easier.

I won't swear that I've never done it.

I am always convinced that the people behind me are getting mad at me if I have to wait a minute to turn. I can't stand people being mad at me. You'd never know it, being that I'm sure I do and say ridiculous things that piss people off all the time.

Whatever.

I need more excitement in my life. Maybe next week I'll blog about rock climbing, or bungee jumping, or the run-in I had with somebody famous. For today, this is what you get.

Happy Thursday!

Comments

Q&L said…
Where does this come from?? Sorry not to get all psychology-like on you. It's ok, take the time you need, ppl can wait, even if they honk, but not everyone honks, some ppl are patient. Good job being honest about your fears.
Tiffany said…
LOL! It's not debilitating. It's more amusing.

Some people are patient, other people make me want to swear at them.
Lora said…
In New Jersey, which is the state across the river from where I live and the butt of all jokes about Americans that don't include rednecks, there is no such thing as left hand turns. You can make them in strictly residential areas, but midst intersections in Jersey are right turn only

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