Standing in the middle of the road.
Ingrida and I live on Queen Street in Edinburgh.
Queen Street is a major thoroughfare in Edinburgh, the only road of any size connecting the east side to the west side now that the City Council has closed off George, Rose, Young and Princes Streets.
This means constant traffic at all times, day and night. This is irritating enough in and of itself, but the council didn't stop there. No, they dug up part of the road in front of our flat and put two large metal plates over the whole. Then they went on strike.
So now there's constant traffic and each time a car passes over the plates, we get two large bangs like a gun going off. This happens constantly. And the City Council is on strike, so there isn't even anyone to complain about them not fixing it, but it's illegal to do anything ourselves.
So this morning I went and stood on the plates in oncoming traffic to force the cars to go around me so Ingrida could get some sleep. Some drivers were baffled, some were filled with moral outrage and more than one tried to get as close to me as possible. One actually hit me, at very low speed, a BMW driver - I gently folded his wing mirror closed for him, an act of kindness to which he responded with trembling rage. But he didn't get out of his car, possibly because it seemed unwise, perhaps because he was in too much of a hurry.
Either way, at least Ingrida got about forty-five minutes of sleep before I went to work.
Comments
You are so wonderful. Thank you, sweetheart.
Posted by: Ingrida | September 24, 2008 1:12 PM
And I thought the DC City Council made unwise east-west traffic flow decisions.
Posted by: merseydotes | September 24, 2008 2:34 PM
How frustrating! Goodness, I think there might be tears involved if it were me. I do know that when we were living with Mama & Papa last year earplugs seemed to help them. (silicon, I believe)
Posted by: mara | September 24, 2008 4:53 PM
Moral outrage? Lol. I'm sure that people are furious that they've been inconvenienced enough, but some dude standing in traffic is just the last straw. Really, they should complain to the Council (or maybe enact papa's $.55 solution (adjusted for inflation). I'm sorry that democracy is working about as well for you in the UK as it did here.
Posted by: Mendon | September 25, 2008 3:53 AM
I guess with the govt. on strike(an oxymoron to me) I think you have been _UK_ed with the traphick and no ice and general nuisance(pronounced in French ...new-iss- aahnce).lol lol and lol....I slay me....oh yeah...go stand in traffic so your new wife can sleep....I love the whole image.
Being pissed like Sean of the Dead requires a bat upside the earhole doesn't it. Bend it like Beckham Nae...I am sure having phun with this 'un. Gracias!!!!! I even got in some Spaniels Rae!.....
I do love my family heeps. That's a lot for those of you who truly speak English.
Posted by: papa | September 27, 2008 1:51 AM
Maybe Mensch, My nickname should be fiffy fie scent eh?!
POW POWPOW POW...
Posted by: papa | September 27, 2008 1:52 AM
bro, you are; Liams New Hero. Mara might not approve of me encouraging you to stand in the flow of oncoming traffic, but you are My New Hero nonetheless.
mate, I was in Edinburgh the other day and I couldn't believe the mess thats been made of Queen Street. come to Glasgow for a wee visit and I'll show you how we live the good life on the right of the country! I actually didn't realize you are both (oh yeah, congratulations to you both on your marriage!) back in Edinburgh, if you ever want to get in touch for a hangout I would love that, I think Ingrida has my number? I remember a couple of years ago when Mara and Mark were visiting and we went to that Mexican restaurant and you made exactly the same fajita (va-j-ta) joke I've been finding funny for years, our eyes met over the table, we mirthfully shared a moment as everyone else shook their heads sadly and we pledged to be friends forever.and then you ordered the entire menu and we realized we had something else in common. so lets hook up already!
Liam
Posted by: Liam Keenan | September 30, 2008 10:55 PM
Congratulations and best wishes to the newlyweds. Sounds like you're already figuring out the husband thing.
Posted by: Harmeet | October 6, 2008 8:54 PM
Funny, I never thought of you as a middle of the road kind of guy.
Posted by: Josh | October 9, 2008 6:12 PM
are there any orange cones around you could rearrange so that people couldn't drive over that part of the road?
Posted by: mara | October 11, 2008 1:07 PM
Josh- that was laugh out loud funny!
Does anyone else remember the days when LOL meant lots of love - or was that just me and my gals in elementary school?
Nate - sorry the situation sucks. ay-pay our-yay orage-stay ill-bay.
Posted by: Rachael | October 27, 2008 10:32 PM