I have to admit. I wasn’t paying as much attention as I should have. I was on the phone (albeit hands free!).
I was at the corner of the intersection of Parkway and Main Street.
Let me tell you about this intersection. If you want to go south at that intersection, there is only one lane. If you want to turn left to go south, you cannot be out in the intersection at all, or you will make it very difficult for the cars that are turning left coming from the north (going east) to get around you.
I was in that turn lane coming from the east to turn south where you cannot be out in the intersection.
Earlier, I had noticed that a cop had come by and gone south, but I hadn’t paid that much attention to what he was doing.
The left turn signal turned green, and I was ready to head south. So, I began pulling out into the intersection.
Then, uh-oh. There was a stationary semi that sitting in the only lane going south. I could not turn, but I was already out in the intersection a little ways.
Never mind. I’ll back up. Uh-oh. There’s a truck right on my tail. I’m stuck. I can’t go anywhere.
The light turned yellow then red. Still, I could not move. There was nothing I could do.
Finally, it came time for the cars coming from the north to attempt to turn left and go around me. It was not easy.
I got nasty look after nasty look. Several cars gave a long honk on their horn.
There’s one of two possibilities here. They may have seen the semi blocking my turn, and then they thought I was an idiot for trying to turn; or, they didn’t see it, and they just thought I was an idiot who just wanted to make their lives difficult.
I thought, come on people, it’s either an innocent mistake or an impossible situation.
At that moment, I thought of all the times I had honked my horn at other cars. I wondered, how many times have I honked the horn without realizing all that was going on? Probably quite a few.
A good lesson for me. Don’t judge and drive.