Learning to use traffic lights in old-time Phoenix


Today, as I ponder whether my favorite city, Phoenix, will again lead the nation this year in red-light running, I'm thinking of old-time Phoenix, when all of this was new, and had to be learned.

If you're familiar with the humorist James Thurber, you know that he never rode with anyone in a car during the holidays, after being a passenger in a car driven by someone who thought that the red and green lights were just bright and festive Christmas decorations! And while of course he was trying to be funny, he was talking about a time when traffic lights were still fairly new. And people had to learn, among many other things in the modern world, the color code.

If it's been a while since driver's ed for you, or if you never really learned it, here's a refresher: Red means stop, green means go, and yellow means caution. Of course they're just lights on a post, and if there are other people on the road who really don't know what they mean, there could be a problem, so always watch out.

Time-travel with me back to old-time Phoenix, and let's see how we do. Luckily, in very crowded intersections there would be a traffic cop. I don't remember ever seeing a police officer in an intersection in Phoenix in the 1970s, when I first came to Phoenix, except during an emergency, or a burned out traffic light, but they were as common as elevator operators at one time.

OK, the traffic light has turned red, that means I should come to a full stop. I'm going to watch the police officer. Now the light has turned green, and he's waving us through, let's go. Seems simple enough.

As we approach the next intersection I see that the light has turned yellow. Seems to me that means to proceed with caution, and be prepared to stop. Yep! Sure enough - the traffic light just turned red. We stay here, behind those lines painted on the street, and wait for those kids to cross. The light just turned green, but the kids are still in the crosswalk, what should I do? OK, good idea, I'll wait.

It's a beautiful day in Phoenix, let's put the top down! I just love this town!
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