Traffic Light as Metaphor

Stale Red Lights

One last one on the "traffic light" theme:

It would sure seem that traffic lights are one of the quintessential government functions.

When they're in the right place and in working order -- they promote civility, and increase general well-being, respect for authority, etc.

Heading West to Go East

And then there's a certain traffic light in my neighborhood.

For reasons no one knows, it lingers on "red" and "green" about three times longer than it should.

So, everyone I know (including me) gets in the right lane, makes a (legal) right turn on red, then drives exactly one block west where they make a (legal) U-turn to go East.