Saturday - up in Healdsburg - after watching the "Not so Fighting" Illini get destroyed by Mizzou, we decided to wander down our street to Christopher Creek Winery and drown our sorrows in a few tastes. On the way home Sunday I pulled over and took a shot for perspective's sake.
This road is a narrow "2 lane" road with no shoulders. For all intents and purposes it dead ends just behind the perspective in the photo, veering right as a one lane private road. The four of us were walking down the road, "taking the lane" as there is next to no traffic on the road, but when it comes it behooves you to be visible. There were 4 adults, plus my son being pushed in a baby stroller. The residents of this lane frequently walk down the road, with their children, dogs, whatever. There is a sign posted as you head Eastbound, at the point where the road really starts to narrow, that says "Slow Down Please", painted all nice and flowery with a horsey on the sign.
Going the direction of the photograph, we were just past the winery seen on the left when a red SUV approached us going the better part of 55 MPH from what I could tell. Independently, all four of us did a "reverse raise the roof" gesture - both hands pushing down towards the ground to indicate the following...
We looked back as he sped by, and he slammed his brakes in front of the winery. Great, another dumb tourist goes speeding down Limerick Lane and almost flies past the winery. But no.... he shifts into reverse, hits the accellerator, and speeds back towards us!
He gets even to us, rolls down the window, and spews out in some crazy Eastern European accent "Vat did eyeee just meese just naaaaw". We looked at him puzzled, and he went on to say "Vat ees yoor prahhhblem?".
The response was a bit muddled as all four of us, 3-4 beers into our day indicated our displeasure at his driving, he hastily replied "Zeee speeed leemit is 45 MPH and I was going 35 MPH, vat is yoor prahblem!" I said "Bullshit the speed limit on this podunk road is 45 MPH and you were going the better part of 55. Where the hell are you going anyway?" He replied "Eye om going hooom!", probably thinking we were just a bunch of tourists ourselves. We pointed out that we lived just down from him and our displeasure that people would drive like such tools, he sped off halfway into the lecture.
Oh... as if it matters... I took one more photo...
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3 comments:
It's one of those facts that the people doing most of the speeding in the neighborhood are the residents.
Doesn't matter anyway.
CA VC 22350:
Basic Speed Law
22350. No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.
End of story.
I am often criticized for breaking traffic laws that don't exist. It seems to me most drivers just make up the rules as they go along, as this fella did.
[grati]
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