I’ve long noticed how people run red lights.
Perhaps they decide, "A yellow light! I don’t have time for no stinkin’ red light! I’m going to speed up and get through the yellow light." (Perhaps they use the more correct name for the color, amber.)
And sometimes they add: "Oh, geez, is this a school zone? Well, I’ll be danged."
Then they speed up.
Very exciting.
Hopefully, the decision — as it plays out all over Columbus thousands of times this very day — doesn’t cause damage, injury or worse.
This is nothing new.
But it’s only half the story.
The other half is one of life’s small ironies:
Just as people are increasingly flying through amber-turned-red lights, they are also increasingly slow to start up when the red light finally does turn green.
This might be because some intersections are so complex that the motorist might think green is too good to be true.
Or perhaps because the defensive driver is pausing so he won’t be struck broadside by someone scooting through an amber-turned-red light.
Most likely, it’s because the person is looking down, reading email or sending a message.
To save time.
While waiting at a green light.
Man. Humans are the funniest people.
I call this "light lag."