LJ: Oh, Portland traffic, how you threaten me...

I got home a bit ago from going out to the market, which was a difficult trip since I do not yet know where all the different sections are. To a newcomer, the store does not seem well layed out. On my way back, when I had almost rounded the corner to our specific apartment building, I heard a long honk and a loud bump. Looking out, I saw that someone ripping out of the gas station managed to t-bone a car in the right lane. It was pretty lame; traffic at this intersection is so rough and speedy, with the drivers so stressed out from their commute, that it's really not a keen place to go about pulling blindly into traffic. But I know the offending driver had not had much time/distance to gather speed before meeting up with the other car, so I doubt much damage occurs. Nonetheless, crazy.

This leads me to thank a certain type of driver: the one that obeys traffic rules and courtesy to a degree that might inspire angry honking from less polite people. When I say this street is busy, I mean that I could be standing at a crosswalk for 5 minutes waiting for a walk signal, waiting at all the impatient drivers honking. It's lame. So when I finally *do* get a turn on the asphalt, I really dislike it when people making a right turn go even though you should stop, or those who pull half-way out into the pedestrian lane waiting for me to get close enough to the curb for them to squeeze past. Stop doing that! Let me cross the freakin' street! So, of course, a profound thank you to drivers who wait patiently at their designated stopping point for me to cross, and don't make their turn until I'm actually on the curb. You drivers have no idea how nice it is to not fear that my right of way will end in injury.