L.A. Can’t Drive

Idiocy Meter

Asshole Meter

Some readers don’t understand what I mean by “scooching”.  I specifically define scooching as crossing over two sets of double yellow lines to bypass traffic in front of you and “cut the line”, so to speak, to get into a specific lane, usually a turning lane.  For all intents and purposes, two sets of double lines are treated as berms or concrete medians according to the law; the city just doesn’t have enough money to create these raised structures all around town.  I’m not OCD about this either, so I don’t immediately point a finger at someone for cutting into a left turn only lane a few feet earlier.  But I saw this white Ford Explorer cut out of traffic in the #1 through lane on Wilshire, use a left turn only lane to pass traffic, cross an intersection, drive over the two sets of double yellow lines over the length of another block, and then enter the left turn only lane to Santa Monica Blvd.  Did I mention that he also momentarily went completely into oncoming traffic to bypass another car that was entering the left turn only lane in the legal way?  This wasn’t the only impatient, selfish asshole either…at least 5 other drivers pulled this same stunt (sans playing chicken with oncoming traffic) while the rest of us waited patiently in rush hour traffic.  It’s important to note that areas sectioned off by two sets of double yellow lines are not the same thing as center left turn lanes, which are bordered by two sets of one solid and one dotted yellow lines.  You can legally enter and travel within these center left turn lanes for up to 200 feet, according to the book.  But the book doesn’t give you the license to be an egocentric prick, so be patient, wait your turn, and don’t scooch.

Filed under: aggressive