Very rainy first day of school

Franz Biberkopf, the St. Tropez Buddy scooter, says "Hi Neighbor"

Ahh, where have the complaints gone? Fear not, they’re back.

As this was the first day of the semester, I got up super early so I could be on campus and deal with any issues before the 8:30 classes. The traffic along the commute route can only be described with one word: horrendous.

I finally gave up and just started riding with my own rules.

Minivan pulls out in front of me and doesn’t accelerate; zip around.

Light turns green and you’re still texting; zip around.

3-way stop and you’re not sure of how turn-taking works; zip around.

Mind you, each zip around was done after fully assessing the situation for safety. There were a few times that I just suffered and stayed put.

The real annoyance, the thing that drove me on here tonight, was on the way home.

Victorians along Dexter Street, Providence in the rain on my ride home

Rainy day doesn't dim this Victorian along Dexter Street, Providence, RI

The Scene

United States Postal Service minivan runs a red light to make a left turn as I and others are waiting patiently at our red light. I proceed through the light and eventually wind up stopped behind the van in a left-turn only lane. We wait two cycles as this is a 5-points so there are a lot of cars in both lanes. I’m fourth behind the minivan and two cars.

Franz the Buddy scooter sporting his new (temporary) milkcrate on the first day of school

Green arrow. Cars pull out and up and make the left. Minivan pulls up slowly. “Just as I suspected,” I thought to myself as I gave a double-honk on the Stebel and the pick-up truck behind me laid on the horn. The USPS minivan driver flapped his left hand in a “What am I supposed to do? I’m going straight.” kind of way as the driver’s window was down (despite the lashing rain).

“I am not going to miss this light,” I mutter as it’s raining really hard and I just want to get home after a long day of dealing with crap. I’m already cocked over to the left  and I see that I can fit through. With the pick-up behind me still laying on the horn, I passed the USPS minivan on the left, screamed directly into the window something not appropriate for a blog that my mom reads, and hung a left.

Upon arriving home, I looked up and Friar Domino was in the second story window waiting for my return. Life is good when you don’t waste a good green light.

The most irritating part of the whole scenario is that I know that United States Postal worker drives that route all the time and is more than aware that he was in a left-turn only lane. He just didn’t want to wait in the longer going-straight lane. Which is amusing considering he’s a postal worker. They’re very good at being slow when I’m in line dropping off eBay packages to ship.

Cranston Street Armory, Providence, RI is part of my daily scoot commute