
First, I have to take a left turn through it, and this means going left on a green light that has a delayed green. Essentially, on my side of the street, the northbound direction, the light turns green and lets about four or five cars through to make a left. Then, while the northbound light is still green, the southbound gets a green light. This typically results in a car being stuck in the intersection, yielding for the southbound traffic while waiting to make a left turn and then going through after the light turns yellow or red.
- Second, this intersection is right next to an elementary school, so there is a crossing guard woman who typically patrols the area, making sure the cross walk signals go on for every light cycle to get the kids through the intersection.
Now, it's not like I've never seen a gridlock like this happen before at this intersection. Typically the cars clear out after about 5 - 10 seconds once the traffic that had backed up flows through. So I waited patiently as the kids are crossing the intersection around my car and the traffic finally began to move. Then right when I'm about to clear out of the intersection, someone bangs on my window yelling at me. I look over and it's the cross guard woman screaming "YOU NEEEED TO STOP DOING THIS! YOU NEEEED TO STOP DOING THIS OR I'M GONNA TAKE DOWN YOUW NUMBA!" Huh? She says this as if I get momentarily gridlocked like this every day, and as if I'm the only person who's ever been stuck in this intersection like this! I gave her a funny look and then continued on my commute as she walked away in a huff.
Now, I'm not entirely sure what the technical Massachusetts traffic laws are for this type of a situation. I entered the intersection well before the light even turned yellow and followed the general practice that is always followed every day at that intersection (and at any other like it), waiting after not making it through the delayed green. I suspect that there may be some provision that could technically make this a citable offense (can't enter an intersection unless you're 100% sure you can get through perhaps?). But please, there wasn't much else I could do. When you have a delayed green like that, if you're already in the intersection when the other direction gets a green, then you're stuck and need to wait.
Ugh. Ok I'm over it now. I've included a picture of a real gridlock for your amusement.
LOL ... you didn't tell me about this!! :-P ... You got in trouble with a crossing guard?!? :-P
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