Driving, Part Deux

Originally posted May 26, 2006

Since my last blog on "crazy driving spots," I was reminded of a few more places that send me to the brink of insanity. And if you think I was kidding about having given myself road rage at my desk after that last entry....I wasn't.

The Caldecott Tunnel
How could I have omitted this gem? Have you ever noticed that it doesn't matter what time of day or direction you're heading in, you're always going the way that has only one bore open? Guaranteed traffic either way. Good thing they're going to start a new bore soon, or I'd beat myself in the head with a shovel. Not that I already haven't.

The Whole Foods/Target parking lot in San Ramon
Two words: engineering genius. "Hey Merle...ya think this here mega-popular specialty foods store and this big-box superstore are gonna attract a few thousand people a day?" "No way Jeb, just build the funky entrance and cramped parking lanes the way boss said to...don't wanna cause any trebble now, y'hear?"

As far as shopping-center parking lots go, this is among the most effed-up of them all. Traffic merges into one lane right at the entrance of the lot, and half the rows of parking spots at Whole Foods dump you out into the exit, instead of being able to turn into more rows of spots. Throw in tons of pedestrians and other businesses like Baja Fresh, Pasta Pomodoro, Borders and Jamba Juice, and it's a recipe for disaster. Wait, make that a symphony of destruction. It's San Ramon. They appreciate symphonies there.

Blackhawk Country Club parking lot
Yeah, yeah, I know...it's a durned country club, what the heck could I be complaining about if I get to park at a country club, right? Well, that's where my chorus rehearses, so I don't purport to have even a fraction of the wealth it requires to live and be a member there. Therefore, I am entitled to complaints. You'd think, with all that money flowing through the neighborhood, they coulda built a more efficient lot. There's 140 of us in chorus. You're talking upwards of 70 cars per rehearsal. Since no one polices the lot, people park in the red zones, which are perpendicular to the regular parking spots. That means if you're in a regular spot and have to back out, you can't until the person in the red zone leaves. Where is that person? Oh, probably back inside, chatting with one or several of the 140 choristers. Where are you? Banging your head on the steering wheel. Ergo, I request either more parking spots, or an absolute ban on the red zone. Granted, I'm guilty of occasionally using the red zone too when I'm late, but I make sure to leave immediately after rehearsal so people can get out. But, I guess that's a little too logical when your head isn't swimming with Swiss bank account numbers.

Taco Bell, Foothill Boulevard, Hayward
This one isn't as bad, but I do admit that sometimes I avoid going to that particular TB because of this specific situation. You can only turn right on Foothill when you exit the TB lot, and it's such a busy stretch that you either have to wait 20 minutes for a break in traffic, then cut straight across so you can make a U-turn from the left-turn lane, or go with the flow, turn right, and risk ending up on the freeway if you can't cut over. Simple as that. Annoying. And their Crunch Wraps are soggy. Blasphemy.

I'm feeling slightly less road rage-y than last time, so let's quit while we're ahead. All I have to say is, I'm glad I get to walk to and from work most days, and avoid driving altogether.

Happy Friday. Back to work.