"traffic will flow so much better when it's all motorized."

[chris_gerrib]

There's a wonderful piece of dialog which I thought was in the movie Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines. Wikipedia tells me the movie starred (and thus the dialog was delivered by) Gert Frobe, I could have sworn it was Curt Jurgens.

In any event, in the movie, set in 1910, Gert, in full Prussian aristocrat mode, walks into a meeting and he apologizes for being late. It seems a horse died in the middle of the street and was blocking traffic. With a straight face, Gert then says "traffic will flow so much better when it's all motorized."

I was reminded of that movie today while driving to work. It snowed here in Chicago, a light and fluffy dusting of maybe half an inch. I was amazed at how cluelessly people drove. For example:

1) Spending 4 blocks sitting in the blind spot of a bus.
2) Driving down a dry road at 15 MPH.
3) Cutting in front of two lanes of left-turn-only traffic to make a left turn. (People, if you miss your turn, go to the next light and make a U-turn!)
4) Pulling out from in a street parking spot, cutting in front of me so you could do a 180 and proceed the opposite way.

Traffic will flow so much better when it's all automated. (said with a smile.)

Comments

[baron-waste.livejournal.com]

Imagine a busy city street full of horse-drawn traffic, including streetcars.  In summer - a hot sunny day.

Stand down-wind.  Now, what were you saying?

[Say what you may, motorcars did and do have one advantage…]