Thoughts on California, Part 6

Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

Whose dumb idea was this, anyway?

This was the thought I had when we lived in Minnesota, and we would go to the Twin Cities area for something....and on the entry merge ramps, going onto a highway, would be...a traffic light! Did I not learn in driver's education—and from my parents—that the whole purpose of the ramp was to get up to highway speed so that one could safely and easily merge into the freeway traffic? Does having to stop partway along the ramp somehow make this safer or easier?

Someone (clearly not a Republican) apparently thought it would be a good idea to regulate the flow of traffic onto a highway by letting one car at a time go down the ramp. Never mind the fact that a yield sign or two could generally be enough.

In Los Angeles, the same dumb idea was seen again. The main difference between here and the Twin Cities is that in L.A., the ramps are generally shorter! Nothing like a little challenge for the out-of-town driver....

In short, it speaks poorly of the government when ideas lacking in common sense are promoted as policy. I think this is another example. Note also which political party dominates in these regions....Hmmm....