Um, hello? Right on red?!

Unless you’re in New York, where the right-on-red allowance is against the law. I found this out only after turning right after stopping at a red light in Manhattan. Check out the dubious Wikipedia article: “All 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico (except in New York City) have allowed right turns on red since January 1, 1980, unless a sign otherwise prohibits this.”

But I’m in Danville, so … um, hello? Right on red?!

He or she had his or her right turn-signal on and was stopped right on the white line, patiently awaiting the light change.

And speaking of gender wonder, did you notice there’s no head in view? It makes me wonder if he or she is even tall enough to drive his or her car. Is there a height requirement? I’ve never seen one of those “You have to be THIS tall to drive” posters at the DMV, but it seems to me that height would be more of an issue in driving a car than in riding a roller coaster.

Anyway, while he or she was evidently sitting patiently, I, on the other hand, was very much displeased with having to wait and almost wished I’d turned and driven through the bank parking lot instead, except that it would’ve been illegal and therefore wrong.

And speaking of wrong, this particular spot of this Franklin Turnpike/Piney Forest Road intersection is wrong. Really wrong.

Look through that car’s windshield. See the curve of the curb on the right? That gives you some idea of how far it is between the white line that should mark the stopping point, as today’s driver so nicely displays, to the actual intersection.

In order to implement my right to right, I have to venture out many feet (not a good mental measurer) to the edge of the heaviest-trafficked street in the city.

Who thought this one up? It looks like someone along the way would’ve realized this was a bad plan.

But since Kevin just informed me that the bank parking lot alterna-plan was a no-go not only because it was wrong but also because the building is no longer a bank and a chain blocks the lot on both ends, I guess I shouldn’t be blaming anyone else for not thinking something all the way through, huh?