Every once in a while, a driver heading south on Main Street — past Rye Ridge Deli on the right, and Brooks Corner on the left — will ignore the several large “One Way/Do Not Enter” signs.
And the oncoming traffic. And two rows of parked cars, one on either side of the street, all facing the same way.
It happens.
When it does, the wrong-way driver will get all embarrassed and shame-faced. Then, v-e-r-y s-lo-w-l-y, she (or he!) will slowly back up.
But not yesterday.
When surprised motorists and pedestrians informed this driver that he (or she!) was headed the wrong way, they* kept right on going.
And backed right into a vacant parking spot.
I have no idea what happened later. Did the driver leave the same way it came?
Or just keep going to the Post Road?
*It’s now proper usage.
Always a BMW driver giving those of us BMW drivers that actually respect the rules of the road a bad name.
Perhaps they don’t know how to back up? 🤣
I liked the way you anticipated the grammar police:
(they) “is now proper usage.”
adw staples ’56
Maybe they are like me and remember when Main Street WAS two ways!
Although the cars look a lot different, now.
Grammar Police: “They” is proper usage only after Strunk & White, the AP Style Book, and the Chicago Manual of Style accept it. Since I own only ancient editions of each, perhaps it already is.
From the Columbia Journalism Review, 2017: “The Associated Press Stylebook and the Chicago Manual of Style emphasize that ‘they’ cannot be used with abandon. Even so, it’s the middle of the end for the insistence that “they” can be only a plural pronoun.”
Dan, while I’m sorry to labor the point here, I do have to quibble with you. “They” is in fact a plural pronoun. This is not a matter of “insistence” but rather of acknowledging grammatical logic, which linguistic fashion cannot simply push aside. Logic is always king (or queen!). If gender neutrality is the objective, “he or she” can always be used, however awkward it may feel on the tongue. We’re all better off being awkward than illogical.
The world is changing, Mark. Language evolves!
Well I guess there are some respectable bmw drivers,I have encountered too many of the buthead variaty. I have been a German car enthusiast but threw away an invitation for free use of a 745i for a weekend. That’s how many bmw butheads I have encountered
You heard driver-less cars are coming. They’ve actually been here in Westport for decades, no one is paying attention while driving and haven’t for a very long time.What? you are surprised at drivers in Westport paying no attention Rules of the road, Street Signs, Driving Regulations, Laws… who cares I need to shop when where & how I want to. Who is going to stop me.
A while ago a woman hit my parked car and when I tried to get her information for the accident report…. she left, couldn’t be bothered. Frankly the only thing that surprises me is that there aren’t more accidents. Can’t wait till everyone has a driverless car it will be much safer and they won’t have to pretend to be driving anymore.
Because traffic was such a breeze this week anyways!
Agree with Mark on all points, particularly regarding accidents. I see people running red lights all of the time and at the busiest of intersections [Riverside Ave and Post Road and Compo Road and Post Road]. And lastly, just last week we came out to our parked car and found somebody had hit it and damaged the rear end. Did they wait around or leave a note? Silly question.
An easy solution to the occasional “entitled” BMW driver is placing an array of large planters across the road making a left turn on to Elm St. the only option for an automobile. It’s about time we closed off that section of Main St. and made it a pedestrian only thoroughfare. As evidenced by those occasions when the street is closed to traffic, Main St. is a much more attractive destination prompting casual shopping and dining (street cafe’s a -la our favorite EU destinations) and may prompt whoever manages the Parker-Harding lot to clean up their act. An estimated 30 parking spaces would be lost, easily compensated for by increased commerce and building a second level on the Elm St. lot.