Model Citizenship

I am not usually one to delve into conspiracy theories especially without solid proof. However, I have a theory that could be likened to the one that would suggest smoking addiction was a product born of secretive big-tabacco board room meetings.

During the 1990’s the real estate market in So-Cal lost nearly 40% (inflation adjusted) over a 7-year stretch. This slow crash was seen by many as a stark warning not to discount the importance of asset diversification - Still, as my theory begins, there were some who saw this slump as a glaring opportunity.

So - what is it that typically brings prices down in a free market (econ 101 here) - that’s right, lack of demand. Now I realize that there are often many things that can influence demand, but simply put; when nobody is buying, prices are falling. In the mid-90’s housing prices in some California areas fell so hard, that many people just up and walked away - accepting bankruptcy over the continued decline in their investment (Remember, many of these were “A-paper” borrowers). Stuck with properties with auction values less than 50% of their original purchase price, lenders were getting hammered in this exodus.

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I am going to tell this story in “real-time” for entertainment (likely more mine than yours). 

I am traveling south on the 73 toll road in the slow lane, doing about 65 mph and  approaching an onramp. There is a wall of cars blocking the path of any would-be merger. As that very thought crosses my mind, I see a car round the corner of the on-ramp and start its final run….In an effort to avoid the inevitable break-check that is about to occur (many Southern Californian drivers have extreme issues with merging), I put my signal on, check for traffic, and move to the next lane over.

In the next lane, I notice that the line of cars in the slow lane is longer than I anticipated. Realizing that the merging car will cause many of these cars to spill over into the lane I was now in, I put my signal on, check for traffic, and begin to merge into the next lane…

Here’s where things get interesting…as I start my merge, I notice a silver SUV at least 200 yards behind me coming up a little fast, but with plenty of room to move into the next lane over (completely free of traffic). Well evidently, my turn signal is causing quite an issue for this malicious Mercedes because like a moth to a flame, it tracks right up on my back bumper.

Wait…what’s this? flashing headlights? Oh, how original - I guess if we were in Germany, outside of Stuttgart, those flashing headlights might evoke a reaction. So now she makes an abrupt lane change to the left (with no signal, mind you) and stomps the gas. I think I hear the distinct whine of the entry-level M-”No”Class horn! What an honor…why to have such a noble car honk in my honor after a hard day’s work truly inspires me! Hey - this is no ordinary sound of the horn this is a symphony of delightful notes clearly meant for only the finest of European opera houses…The No-Class is beside me now, and I am being treated to what can only be explained as a convulsive display of dance. It’s humorous actually, I want to laugh, but I dare not make light of this extremely important person’s plight..for any delay in their trip home may result in a 30-second delay in their trip to Baja Fresh (beacause they are, no doubt, a connoisseur of the finest dining - the owners of an M-Class and all). Read the rest of this entry »

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In our next tale, we have both a model citizen and a couple of not so model citizens…One lazy Saturday afternoon at Lopez Lake - a great little jewel for weekend getaways -, I had the pleasure of witnessing the good, bad, and the ugly in row-boating behavior.

The weather on this particular day was very nice - about 70 degrees and clear. There was, however, a bit of wind blowing across the lake - with some gusts upto about 3o mph. The lake level, as you can see in the pictures, is down to about 80% - exposing many reeds and branches near the shore making for a difficult time for those boaters not able to negotiate the wind and resulting near-shore currents.

While we were enjoying a little lunch from our campsite on the top of a hill, we noticed a small rowboat drifting precariously close to the shore and branches - eventually it became entangled in the trap. 

The boat remained stranded for several minutes as the operators (looks to be one child and one adult) thrashed around with their oars trying to free themselves.

While they eventually did free themselves from the reeds, they found themselves no match for the on-shore winds and currents - They finally beached it. At this point, they sat in the boat trying to free themselves with their oars from inside the boat - to no avail.

Finally the model citizen in our story came to their rescue - walking into the water to free the stranded boaters.

So - here is how it all breaks down:

• Two boaters - wearing life jackets and weighing down the boat -remained seated in the boat while another individual pushed them out of trouble in knee-deep water - NOT SO MODEL CITIZENS
• A stranger walking into the water to free two people who seem to have no interest in helping themselves - A MODEL CITIZEN, INDEED!

This is yet another example of a severe lack of basic common sense - if it wasn’t for our model citizen in the story, these two “boaters” may very well still be stranded…

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We will likely all agree that inner city traffic in Southern California could stand for some improvements. Too many cars on too few streets with way too many stoplights - a recipe for certain congestion that sets the stage for writhing frustration before even reaching the freeway - a certain path to road rage! While the California State Vehicle Code has made a valiant effort in providing some structure to the way we drive, it falls short on a particularly important matter - teaching a fundamental common courtesy for fellow drivers.

So, to show that I care about my fellow drivers and to do my part in providing a little reprieve, I wanted to discuss a few not-so-model actions at red lights. I have included a diagram to help you follow-along (for all you visually oriented folks). Just click the picture for a closer view.

Scenario A
For the first scenario we have the classic “I will not allow you to make a left turn on my watch” drama. In examining the intersection, you will note the line of “offensive” drivers all lined up in the left-hand lane when there is plenty of room in the middle lane to sit and wait at the red light. Now, say I was in the white vehicle and wanted to turn left at the light. I would now be forced to wait for two cycles of the light because these not-so-model drivers decided to block the access to the turn lanes…usually for no good reason at all!

Scenario B
In this situation, we have a similar drama - a selfish driver sitting in a turn lane intending to go straight, blocking cars from making a right turn. Now, sometimes I understand the need to make a right turn immediately after an intersection - so it would make sense to be in the far right lane. However, even in this situation the driver going through the intersection could show a little courtesy and stay as far as possible to the left side of the lane - leaving enough space for cars to make a right turn if desired. Read the rest of this entry »

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