Driving a car from outside downtown to downtown and then finding a parking place is always an adventure in itself. Downtown at any time of the year is being constructed or destructed. In 2018 the destruction/construction occurs along the major traffic routes. For me, I had to negotiate construction on West Washington and then determine how much of the one way streets around the capital were drivable because of the city's $156 million Judge Doyle Square project which, it just so happens, part of it is happening next to the Great Dane.
My 4 pm route took me past the construction barrels on West Washington, turning right at the stoplight on Fairchild Street, and stopping at the stoplight on Hamilton Street, and then continuing on to a parking place and the Great Dane.
I stopped at Hamilton Street on a yellow light not wanting to enter the intersection on a red light due to a better than even chance a cop could be on the corner because the east side of Hamilton and Doty Street houses the Dane County Courthouse. The police are known to be liberal in handing out tickets in downtown Madison. I also noticed a police officer on the corner, an old lady pushing a walker, and another old lady pushing a guy in a wheelchair.
I stopped in the right lane and the guy in the left lane two cars back did not appreciate people stopping at the stoplight. He immediately was on his car horn.
Beep. Beep.
The loud, obnoxious horn was continuous.
Hamilton Street going west up the street has a rather steep incline. The Hamilton Street and Doty Street intersection is also wide at the intersection.
Both the old lady with the walker and the old lady pushing the guy in the wheelchair wanted to get across the street and had to negotiate the grade to get to the other side of the road. The old lady with the walker went first followed 20 yards later by the old lady pushing the wheelchair. They both struggled going up the hill through the intersection.
The stoplight turned from red to green. Neither party was across the intersection. The guy with the horn continued. Beep! Beep!
The young cop viewing the situation from the corner of the intersection was trying to decide how to intervene. He had a dilemma. He paced back and forth. You could see the indecision on his face. He could see the old ladies struggling to get through the intersection and hear the guy with the horn. Should he direct traffic? Should he help the old lady with the walker or the old lady pushing the wheelchair? What should he do about the guy with the incessant horn? He walked along the side of the intersection trying to decide.
Beep! Beep! The guy with the horn refused to stop.
The cop decided he had enough of the guy with the horn. He walked out into the intersection as the old lady with the walker and the old lady pushing the wheelchair continued to struggle across the road.
The cop walked into the intersection and pointed to the car with the horn, "Stop the horn. Now!", he commanded.
The car horn stopped. The light turned red. The two old ladies continued their struggles and finally accomplished their goal of reaching the other side of the road. The cop stood in the road glaring at the car emitting the car horn annoyance. He walked back to his original spot on the side of the intersection as the light turned green. The intersection was finally cleared and I could proceed to find a parking place so that I could attend my meeting at the Great Dane.
It might not be believable but other events happen in downtown Madison other than construction and politics.
