Saturday, November 17, 2012

STALLED BRRM,BOOM,ZOOM,AND DIRECTING TRAFFIC

A rather smart dark blue Audi sports car appeared round the opposite corner to the one I had just negotiated, and it came to an elegant sliding halt in the middle of the road. There followed a number of inelegant kangaroo jumps which did not get the occupants of the car very far.  

As cars came into view on the same side of the road, the emergency warning lights flashed, only to be turned off till the next car or two appeared.  It struck me that this manner of warning other motorists, was worryingly erratic.  After all, the driver was also supposed to be concentrating on getting the vehicle to start again.  The driver could, at the very least, have misjudged the speed of oncoming cars in the process.

So as not to embarrass the driver, who by now was getting some brrm, brrm, boom, sounds, which were healthier than the previous hiccups, I walked past the car and made as if to cross behind it, except that I did not.  Brrm, brrm, another two cars came into sight and the warning lights flashed again, and just a bit late.  However,  I had already stepped into the road and put the flat of my right palm out and up as a 'stop' sign.  Even if I say it myself, my signal looked very authoritative;  the two cars slowed and stopped.  Shortly after, a very healthy revving sound could be heard. Its engine bursting into life, the super-duper embarrassed Audi sports car zoomed off.   
  

I waved on the waiting traffic, and I went on my way.

                                      

6 comments:

Jennytc said...

I've always wanted to do that, ZACL! When I was teaching, I had a classroom assistant who had brothers in the police force and, if we were out as a class, she would have no hesitation in doing just that - and it always worked beautifully. :)

ZACL said...

Hello Jennyta,

Absolutely right, stop signals can and do work. I got some nice smiles from the waiting drivers. By then they had time to get over their surprise. :)

Anonymous said...

Excellently-judged and obviously effective! My sister tells the story of when she was in the WRNS and posted to Naples, and in a car with a bigwig in Naples traffic which had got hopelessly gridlocked. She jumped out, in full uniform as a Flag Officer, and assumed traffic control duties until their car could move!

ZACL said...

A full uniform flag officer conducting traffic in mad Naples- they zoom on the opposite side to us - is a hard act to compete with, GillyK!!! I am grinning as I think of it.

Snowbird said...

I can picture yo now....straight back, oozing confidence and power. I've always wanted to do that too.
It's lucky for them that you were there.xxxxx

ZACL said...

Hi Plantpot,

I honestly do not know if the occupants of the car had any idea I was there.

It occurred to me that if I had been noticed by the people in the sports car, a quick glance would have shown my dark blue jacket. It may have done wonders for sparking up the engine!

xx