Temprorary Insanity
And I don't mean the inauguration balls last night. Though "balls" might describe my opinion of them.
I mean snow. The white, cold stuff. And what the hell is wrong with people who decide to satisfy their urges to go running that they feel they must charge into the road at rush hour? Seriously! It is hard enough to dodge the oncoming cars veering into your lane because of cars parking outside of snow banks -- I just don't need to risk accidents because someone has to run.
The roads are congested at the best of time, but with snow -- and the lack of removal thereof -- they are considerably narrowed. But nonetheless, fitness freaks feel the need to run en-masse in the road further narrowing it. Use a treadmill. Put on cross country skis and find a track or make one. Try snowshoe running (there's a sport for you). But don't throw yourself at the mercy of a driver that may not even be able to see you, far less stop in time on an icy road. Its just stupid!
I don't want to hit anyone, and I really try hard not to ... but there may come a time when I simply cannot avoid the situation a runner might place me in: they suddenly dart out from behind a large snowbank into the road to run around it. Or, they run through a rotary -- AND TAKE THOSE iPOD EARPHONES OUT!!! So given the complete lack of any control of Boston traffic, the miserable state of snow removal, the idiocy of the average runner (running in traffic without being able to hear it), it must be that at least one or two runners get tagged every day here. And who is to blame? I have to tag the runner (Red Sox humor). By and large, they have no "requirement" to run on the ice and sludge, as opposed to the driver who has to get to work or deliver kids to school. The runner is making the decision to take a run in a given place and time, as opposed to the commuter who does it every day of necessity.
The runner is choosing to run on a road designed and designated for automobile traffic. There are no lanes for runners, there are no special traffic lights or signs for runners or other considerations ... runners are just not meant to be on the road, although we all try to get along and share. Those doing so are negligent at the least with respect for their corporeal existence, reckless more likely. A crass statement of entitlement to use the roads avoids the obvious: the runner is placing themselves at the mercy of the skill and alertness of the driver, a dubious prospect during the morning rush hour -- and evidence of temporary insanity in Boston. And given an equality of bad fortune and fault ... the runner dies. The car owner may have a law suit and some bodywork to take care of.
And at least most runners are trying to be alert. The walking commuter in Somerville and Cambridge uses the excuse of "snow" to simply walk out wherever they choose into the middle of the road. At fault? At least partly the indolent bastard that failed to dig out the sidewalk. You can get a parking ticket for 30 seconds of civil disobedience while you buy milk .. but does anyone do anything about the sidewalks? Does Cambridge own any snowplows to even try to widen the roads? Is anyone home? Or is everyone still in a warm and fuzzy cocoon with the inauguration of the least experienced President we have ever had?
Oh, yeah. Day One and a quick prayer that you are everything that you are cracked up to be ... and more. Also that you can keep Pelosi in her cage. In that respect, Mr. President, can I suggest that you keep a supply of wooden stakes and a mallet in the Oval Office? You might find them useful. Lots of zombies to go with the Vampire.
I mean snow. The white, cold stuff. And what the hell is wrong with people who decide to satisfy their urges to go running that they feel they must charge into the road at rush hour? Seriously! It is hard enough to dodge the oncoming cars veering into your lane because of cars parking outside of snow banks -- I just don't need to risk accidents because someone has to run.
The roads are congested at the best of time, but with snow -- and the lack of removal thereof -- they are considerably narrowed. But nonetheless, fitness freaks feel the need to run en-masse in the road further narrowing it. Use a treadmill. Put on cross country skis and find a track or make one. Try snowshoe running (there's a sport for you). But don't throw yourself at the mercy of a driver that may not even be able to see you, far less stop in time on an icy road. Its just stupid!
I don't want to hit anyone, and I really try hard not to ... but there may come a time when I simply cannot avoid the situation a runner might place me in: they suddenly dart out from behind a large snowbank into the road to run around it. Or, they run through a rotary -- AND TAKE THOSE iPOD EARPHONES OUT!!! So given the complete lack of any control of Boston traffic, the miserable state of snow removal, the idiocy of the average runner (running in traffic without being able to hear it), it must be that at least one or two runners get tagged every day here. And who is to blame? I have to tag the runner (Red Sox humor). By and large, they have no "requirement" to run on the ice and sludge, as opposed to the driver who has to get to work or deliver kids to school. The runner is making the decision to take a run in a given place and time, as opposed to the commuter who does it every day of necessity.
The runner is choosing to run on a road designed and designated for automobile traffic. There are no lanes for runners, there are no special traffic lights or signs for runners or other considerations ... runners are just not meant to be on the road, although we all try to get along and share. Those doing so are negligent at the least with respect for their corporeal existence, reckless more likely. A crass statement of entitlement to use the roads avoids the obvious: the runner is placing themselves at the mercy of the skill and alertness of the driver, a dubious prospect during the morning rush hour -- and evidence of temporary insanity in Boston. And given an equality of bad fortune and fault ... the runner dies. The car owner may have a law suit and some bodywork to take care of.
And at least most runners are trying to be alert. The walking commuter in Somerville and Cambridge uses the excuse of "snow" to simply walk out wherever they choose into the middle of the road. At fault? At least partly the indolent bastard that failed to dig out the sidewalk. You can get a parking ticket for 30 seconds of civil disobedience while you buy milk .. but does anyone do anything about the sidewalks? Does Cambridge own any snowplows to even try to widen the roads? Is anyone home? Or is everyone still in a warm and fuzzy cocoon with the inauguration of the least experienced President we have ever had?
Oh, yeah. Day One and a quick prayer that you are everything that you are cracked up to be ... and more. Also that you can keep Pelosi in her cage. In that respect, Mr. President, can I suggest that you keep a supply of wooden stakes and a mallet in the Oval Office? You might find them useful. Lots of zombies to go with the Vampire.
posted by Zaphod at Wednesday, January 21, 2009
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