Too much and too little

 

YOU DON"T GIVE A FUCK

BUT PLEASE

DRIVE AS IF YOU DO

This photo was taken at about 8 in the morning in a Sunday. That's why there's no traffic. But on weekdays from 8 a.m. To 8 p.m.  And even weekend afternoons this intersection becomes a Brooklyn choke point. It would take a lot to change the quantity of cars. Traffic is coming up too skinny streaks to meet up add a giant traffic circle and head off on wider streets.  There is little if anything that can be done to reduce the amount of traffic.  But plenty can be done to make it more orderly, and safe.

Because drivers don't give a fuck. From 8th Ave they're continually making that right turns from the left lane. When they make a wide right turn they wind up on the wrong side of the road on Union Street. They're also cutting off the car that's in the right lane. Because cars in the right lane may proceed straight. Cars coming up Union Street make left turns before the intersection. They wind up crossing through the crosswalk in the wrong direction often when The Pedestrian sees a walk signal. 

Furthermore, there's a car rental agency up on Union Street that uses the right lane to store their cars before they are checked in for return. Often, they blocked the entire block as well as traffic on 8th Avenue. But it doesn't matter if it's one car or 20 if the right lane is blocked on Union Street it causes a problem.

Drivers have been doing this with impunity because there's been virtually no enforcement of traffic regulations at this intersection. It's likely that most people who passed my house do it 5 days a week and they know that they can do whatever they want.

It's pretty clear that the police and the Department of Transportation don't give a fuck either. A traffic camera would help. People know they're there and they would stop going through the light if they knew they would get a ticket. Also continuous and regular enforcement would help because the same people who travel pass this intersection would start to know that this isn't a place where you can break the law because you'd get a ticket. Especially if they see people getting tickets. There's been many fender benders and more than a few serious car accidents. Maybe they're waiting for someone to die. 

 

It said to be common knowledge in New York City that when a subway car pulls up and there's no one in it there's a reason not to get in. But the other day I was changing for the local in Franklin Avenue and they were very few people on the train. It was a rainy afternoon and that train had just been outdoors and it looked like everyone was avoiding going anywhere because of the rain. And when the train stopped in front of me no one got off but there was no one on the car. I was so excited I had to take a picture..... 4:30 in the afternoon on a Wednesday and I get my own 3 train. I was so excited that when I sat down I didn't look and I sat in a puddle. I'm 99% sure that it was just rain water. But I went home changed all my clothes and took another shower.

I'm in a pilot program for Access-A-Ride. In real time I can  hail a cab and pay only what the subway fare would be to get anywhere in New York City. I could have done that to get home and avoided taking the subway. But as a true New Yorker I know at the subway would be the fastest way home. It's not easy but I can take the subway. I'm glad I chose to take the train so I didn't contribute to this gridlock in front of my house. I wish that was a thing for everybody. I wish I could be.