Not a phenomenal avoidance

Last Sunday (May 11, 2008) I decided to hit mighty Weggers that day, lest I have to take the dog to the vet the next day (Monday, May 12, 2008).
I usually go Monday afternoons after hitting the YMCA, since they’re both in Canandaigua.
So here I am traveling east on Routes 5&20 toward Canandaigua in the CR-V, and I turn south on the vaunted Bypass that was built long ago to avoid downtown Canandaigua. It also avoids a low-clearance railroad bridge that decapitates trailers. It’s only 10-foot six-inches.
At the bottom of a long grade, the Bypass intersects with State Route 332, the main drag through Canandaigua, and also with Eastern Boulevard, a four-lane divided road built years ago to take traffic off nearby Lake Shore Blvd., which goes by the lake.
The intersection of 332 and Eastern with the Bypass is gigantic. It’s protected by traffic-lights, and the Bypass goes straight across into Eastern.
So much traffic is going through it, and turning, the traffic-lights have five possible cycles.
Southbound traffic on 332 gets its own light — northbound traffic onto 332 has to be stopped. Most southbound cars on 332 are turning left onto Eastern.
The northbound traffic across the intersection onto 332 also gets its own signal. So many are turning left onto the Bypass, the southbound traffic from 332 has to be stopped.
East and westbound can move together (two lanes each); since not that many are turning left.
But separately signaled left-turn lanes had to be installed (totaling three lanes each way).
If only the eastbound left-turn lane is occupied, left and straight eastbound are signaled together.
Conversely, if only the westbound left-turn lane is occupied, left and straight westbound are signaled together.
If both left-turn lanes are occupied, only the left-turn lanes are signaled. All straight-through traffic is stopped.
So here I am driving eastbound on the Bypass (it turns east) toward Weggers on Eastern Blvd.
I approach the intersection, and am stopped. At least two cars per lane are ahead of me — a noisy GeezerGlide with a grizzled cigarette-smoking macho-thug is idling loudly in the adjacent left-turn lane.
Both left-turn lanes are occupied, so they will get signaled first. Us straight-drivers will have to wait.
The left-turn signals change to green, but of course not our straight-lane signals.
Suddenly a beige Buick LeSabre lunges into the intersection, but slams on her brakes, having almost hit the car turning left from the opposing left-turn lane.
Straight-driving LeSabre’s light is still red, of course; and won’t change until the opposing left-turn traffic clears.
So here’s the Buick, still sitting in the middle of the intersection; brake-lights glowing brightly.
She waits until the opposing left-turn traffic clears, and then blasts through the red-light.
Sorry chillen; too far away to see if it had a Dubya-sticker. Sure drove like a Dubya supporter.

“Mighty Weggers” is Wegmans, a large supermarket-chain based in Rochester we often buy groceries at. They have a store in Canandaigua.

Our dog is “Killian;” a rescue Irish-Setter. He has lymphatic cancer, and is being treated for it with chemo. —He’s over 10; we don’t know his birthdate.

“Routes 5&20” is the main east-west road through our area; State Route 5 and U.S. Route 20, both on the same road. 5&20 is just south of where we live.

“The CR-V” is our 2003 Honda CR-V SUV.

“GeezerGlide” is what I call all Harley Davidson ElectraGlide cruiser-bikes. My loudmouthed macho brother-in-Boston has a very laid back Harley Davidson cruiser-bike, and, like most Harley Davidson riders, is 50 years old. So I call it his GeezerGlide.

“Dubya-sticker” is a Bush-Cheney 2004 bumper-sticker. All insane traffic-moves seem to involve Bush-supporters. They seem to think they have the right.