TRAFFIC JAM

There are lessons to be learned from the recent tragic accident involving the overturning of an RTD bus on the Hollywood Freeway at the Western off-ramp.

I was on of the victims of the catalytic gridlock that was caused by the shutdown of the northbound lanes. What takes 15 minutes from Wilshire boulevard to Los Feliz took me 1 hour and 35 minutes.

During that time my automobile was the target of three reckless drivers; I witnessed a fist fight; and I got out and yelled at someone myself, who had more that 40 cars behind him and was “waiting to pick up my wife.”

I also waited at an intersection and watched the light change more than a dozen times, since cars blocked the intersection.

Luckily no Soviet ICBMs were en route, the Richter scale did not hit 10, and the B of A wasn’t handing out free cash. The above melee was caused by what Webster calls, “a happening that is not expected, foreseen, or intended” ---- an accident.

As urban population statistics are on the ruse, experts point toward inevitable catastrophe. Should a wiser more prudent and effective emergency plan commence? It, as officials tell us it has, it was no in any way evident to this driver and many others. Perhaps it is time for this Angeleno to buy that farm in Iowa.

ART DIMOPOULOS

Hollywood Hills