Photo Credit: Public Domain
It just took me 40 minutes to drive 2 1/2 miles. 1/2 mile was up a hill while surrounded by cars and side street vehicles jockeying to board the nightmare, we were already on.
I was on my way to work, and early. Not anymore. I was on time, but that wasn't the point. I wanted to run errands.
The cause of the delay was a traffic light at the top of the hill at Laurel Canyon and Mulholland drive where Studio City turns into Hollywood.
Where I used to live, if a light was flashing red during rush hour at a busy intersection like this, there would either be a cop directing traffic and/or someone out making repairs from public works. Not here in L.A., where taxes are really high and you'd think they'd spend a little of the money fixing the things that help people go out and earn that money that is so heavily taxed.
Come on, folks. Give a crap about your citizens and schedule crews to take calls overnight, so that something as simple as a flashing traffic signal can be fixed by 7AM. From my knowledge of traffic signalization, it's either a loose wire in one of the boards or overhead, or a bad flasher module.
Yes, unfortunately, I know this from a past work life. I used to build the circuit boards that run the lights.
So, in most cases, a traffic tech could swing by in their company truck, unlock the cabinet and replace the flasher module. If that doesn't work, call for back-up and start troubleshooting.
But no... Instead, we sit in traffic, uphill for 35 minutes... God help you if you're claustrophobic, because there is nowhere to go. It will only be worse if you try to find a different route. Afterall, we were all on a mountain.
Rant over. Have a nice day.