I don't understand how some people operate an automobile.

I'm stopped at the light, where Idylwyld Drive merges into 51st Street/Ave C (whatever you want to call that mess of an interchange). I'm second in line on the left. This is a relatively long light for waiting, since the majority of the traffic is on 51st Street/Ave. C. That gets the bulk of the light cycle.

Now its not that uncommon for people to start rolling at a red light. I get that. But we're not even halfway through the wait and this mini-van ahead of me starts rolling. Consequently I begin rolling my eyes. Of course you can only roll so far, when you start doing it that early, before you're in 'oh shit' territory and you have to jam the brakes again. This guy got his nose into traffic he started so early.

Now comes the stupid part.

The car NEXT to him, upon seeing the mini-van start rolling, well he starts rolling too. So their both inching into the intersection, and its no where NEAR the point where its going to turn. Not even close. The mini-van eventually had to give up on the dream and jam the brakes. The guy in the car won't give up. Its like he's committed now, and there's no turning back. This guy is fully into the oncoming lane, and he's STILL inching forward. The light is NOT gonna turn for him.

Well he's screwed now. He's THAT far into the oncoming lane. I can see him, and he's got this, "I'm an idiot but I can't look like an idiot" visage on his face. The guy is looking to the left, trying to gauge whether to stop there, back up or just go for it.

The light is STILL not changing.

By some miracle of fortuity, there's no oncoming traffic. Of course, there's also no imminent sign that the bloody light is gonna change. He's gone so far now that he can't back away. He just steps on it and blows the light with a left turn. Amazingly this prompts the mini-van to start inching again. Keep in mind the light is STILL not changing. The car is all the way around the left turn, and now the mini-van is half into the oncoming lane. This is when the light turns green.

The most idiotic part of this ridiculous tale? I'm second in line behind the mini-van and I still caught the guy in the car before he reached the second light on 51st Street.