Left on red is legal in Michigan

Apparently ignorance is abundant about a simple basic driving freedom that very few people seem to be aware of. Once I am calm I have no idea as to where I should direct my extreme annoyance. The deal is, in Michigan you are allowed to turn left on to a one way street when the light is red unless otherwise posted. This is basically the same as making a right on red – unless otherwise posted. Simple concept to understand, isn’t it? Oh nooooo. I have had arguments with people about this. I have been told that I am absolutely wrong but when I retort with ‘how do you know’ the person is usually struck silent. Fine, maybe my lesson to learn is patience as I wait for the driver in front of me to not turn once traffic clears. At a green light I wait as they try to decide whether or not they have enough space to make it through. And of course there are several times I think they have plenty of room and they still don’t complete the turn. And then they finally rush through after the traffic light turns red. Midwest one word phrase for ‘are you an idiot’ – REALLY?
This road whore takes the whole no turning left on red to a whole new level. On Kalamazoo heading east towards East Lansing there are two one way roads on either side of the 127 bridge. There is a light at S. Howard. This driver saw someone he knew that was in the westbound lane on Kalamazoo, stopped his car in the intersection – I was stopped underneath the traffic signal behind him, he smiled like the Cheshire cat and bobbled his head like a fool until I gently pressed my horn as if I were trying to communicate with the Edmund Fitzgerald. I followed him into the left turn lane to proceed on to S. Homer. As he idly sauntered on, the light was green, then we got the green arrow but apparently he was still excited about whomever he saw in the car that was going in the opposite direction that he failed to proceed. If anyone would have been able to hear me go off on my tirade of rage, they would have been fearful for the life of the person in front of me. If I were to begin to recite the words that were coming out of my mouth, this essay would take a dark turn and lose any flavor of humor it may have thus far. Not turning on red is one thing but to not proceed when you have a bright green arrow letting you know that it is your turn makes me wonder if it should be more difficult to receive a driver’s license.
So if you don’t know you can turn left on red unless otherwise posted could you at least remember to not stop in the middle of the damn road to smile at someone, and green means go. Gas is that long pedal on the right.

The monopolies won't let me buy music even if I wanted to.

Hey Warner Music Group, how about loosening the reigns on your catalog so that the music can be heard? More than that, so that I can go to the damn music store and purchase - yes BUY WITH CASH MONEY - some sheet music so that I may appreciate and pay homage to some of the songs that I love. Not asking for a hand out, just a hand up you greedy, simple minded, money grubbing, multi-media conglomerate, monopolizing stuffed suits. I get it - you don't want me to listen to Purple Rain on youtube. Fine! I get it you want to fill us with bull that you are doing it for the sake of ownership and protecting the artists rights. Lick my mocha fingers. Here is what I'm going to do. I will learn them without your help. I will find a way without paying you one red Lincoln. Then I will produce my own original works of art and allow the people the opportunity to share in the beauty of musical creation. Along the way I may just retain some fans and make a dollar. However, at this point money is not my motivator.
I remember the days when an album was worth purchasing. That's right, I said ALBUM. I could listen to the whole thing, appreciate and probably like almost all of the songs. What are you offering me now, one or two singles and a bunch of throw-away tracks? Why even bother with that?
I spent one solid afternoon going to music stores, looking online and talking to people so that I could find one song. Apparently WMG does not want to see me laughing in the purple rain. You've got to be kidding me. I bought the album. I bought the CD. I bought the compilation CDs. I bought the artists re-done, re-mastered tracks so that WMG doesn't get revenue. Yes, gone to the store and paid for... Now you are showing me that you dammed up the river. I guess it doesn't matter you are shooting yourself in the foot. There is no sense in trying to share with a young person the music that I love in the format they (the young ones) want to see it in. You want more control on your catalog. Fine. Keep it. I'll take what I have and be satisfied with that. I'll be glad to keep my money in my pocket. There is a limit. There is a line - you crossed it and I've had it. I'll make my own damn Purple Rain. 33 1/3 baby, 33 1/3.

Jay Walking

I am a fan of jay-walking. I don't mind it when someone decides that they don't want to wait for a proper crosswalk to make it to their destination. I don't see any harm in it if a person is not putting themselves or others in danger. In danger, meaning not walking in front of a four thousand pound pile of moving explosive metal, glass, plastic, rubber, and upholstery. For some reason the corner of South Washington Ave. and Kalamazoo street in downtown Lansing, Michigan seems to be where self-centered, egomaniac, dare devil, Terminator types that seem to haphazardly dash out into the road like drunken Frogger. What would compel someone to step out in front a car that as their lane has been given the go ahead with the green light and the pedestrian as the red light? What makes matters worse is that these walking wonders seem to have not a care in the world as they nonchalantly, casually make their way through crosstown traffic. Hey blithering butt munches, get out of the damn way, thank you.

Shopping Cart

I was at a grocery store. I was in a good mood until I realized it was Saturday afternoon. The parking lot was full. I only needed a few things so I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal to get what I wanted and get out. Smiling, I grabbed a cart and proceeded on my haphazard yet purposeful search for dinner the next day. What? A a man planning ahead? It can happen. I turn the corner expertly guiding my cart only to almost crash. A woman ahead of me had parked her cart in the middle of the aisle. No, not slightly to the side so that I could get through. Her damn cart was smack dab in the middle of the aisle. She stepped to the left, keeping her hand on the cart and as she did it pushed the cart slightly to the right as she discussed some item with her friend (girlfriend? / partner? no matter) Oh, pardon me LADY? Apparently you are the only one that wants to scoot around the story and there is no possibility of someone being behind you trying to get through. Go ahead, take your time. Ignore my quiet polite pardon me(s). Oh sure, give me a strange look as I'm moving your cart out of my way so that I can get through.

AND THEN

as I'm trying to leave I get behind a cart train. A person pushing an empty cart, with another person pushing an empty cart behind that one but slightly off to the side, with a third person in a wheelchair cart doohicky slightly to the left of the other two. Yes, I was following a very slow moving empty crooked cart train. I left my bad mood at the door. Ugh.

Note to self, remember to shop very early or very late.

turn signals

Did I miss something at the Secretary of State the last time I took the test to get my driver's license renewed? Was there a memo that said drivers no longer have to use turn signals? Apparently the thing to do now is begin to change lanes, turn on the signal, look, hear a horn, look, and swerve back into your original lane, over compensate and almost take out two or three cars in the process.

People are driving me crazy. Pun intended. This will continue every time I find myself wanting to go to the roof and, oh wait am I telling too much?