So, one thing I am not used to yet here in St. Paul are the one-way streets. Sure, I have driven on them before, but usually it's when I am in a big city that I normally don't visit or spend a lot of time in (like in San Francisco or parts of Sacramento). When I am such cities, I pay a lot of attention to road signs since I usually am trying to find my way to a new place. But when I am in my own town, and know where I am headed, I don't pay as much attention.
I was at the post office yesterday to pick up a package. This post office is about 1/2 mile from my house, so even though I don't fully know my way around St. Paul, I could mindlessly get home from the post office... so I thought.
After I got my package, I exited the parking lot, made a left-hand turn and crossed over the first lane of oncoming traffic. I was very quickly honked at. The first thought that ran through my head was, "yeah, maybe I should have waited for him to drive by before I cut across his lane of traffic. Bad call, Jess." Before I could compete that thought, I instantly realized that he was not honking because I should have waited for him to drive by before pulling out; I had just made a left-hand turn going the wrong way on a one-way street!
Luckily, my life was not in danger. Although there were a few other oncoming cars, it was clear they were moving out of my way. Once they passed by, I turned back into the other entrance of the post office. During this whole fiasco, I was leaving a voicemail for my friend who got a detailed and exciting play-by-play of the event (I realize being on the phone may have contributed to my lack of awareness at the time).
Obviously, I was a little embarrassed. The thing is, this is the 2nd time I have done this (gone the wrong way down a one-way street). The first time, I drove even further before I could correct the problem. Until I can master the one-way street thing, I am thinking I want to put California plates on my vehicle so that people can just shake their head and think, "It figures, CA driver!" I suspect people are already thinking things like, "Figures, a woman driver" and "Figures, a driver on a cell phone."
My new goal for this week: read road signs.
9 comments:
That's funny!
That's hilarious! I bet your friend was cracking up when she/he heard the voice message. I know I would have been!
haha.... that's great! i'm glad you weren't in danger though! the good thing is that those people will never see you again, and if they do they won't remember you!
good luck driving today! :-)
Oops!! LOL
I did that in Downtown San Diego once...Kinda scary when all the traffic is heading toward you! LOL
Rebecca, yes my friend saved the voicemail because apparently he thought it was hilarious (don't know how to spell that)!
I have just one question....what was in the package?????
A bday present =) The complete series of the TV sitcom FRIENDS woohoo!!
Hahaha. I don’t know if I told you, but one time I was driving down town Sac down ‘I” st. At first I was going the correct way I could tell b/c there were cars in front of my and it was at the time a 2 way street. Well, later out of nowhere (there were probably signs but I didn’t think to look b/c it was a 2 way street) it became a one way street and I WAS GOING THE WRONG WAY!!! I noticed this when I was at a stop light (thank GOD) and I pulled into a parking lot entrance that was only like a foot away.
I was down there looking for my mom’s work, so when I parked, I called her screaming and crying, told her I was too terrified to get back on the road and that I would never visit her work ever again after this. She got me back on the right path, but to this day I avoid driving downtown at all costs. I will either have someone else drive (if someone is going with me), follow a friend/family member (if they’re going where I’m going), or will take the light rail (if alone; usually for jury duty). LOL =)
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