Mad as Hell!

 So...There I was...* Driving home after the birth of my Granddaughter, MG.  Mrs J has stayed behind until MBD gets back on her feet. It's a beautiful fall day, my mind is full of happy thoughts and I'm on TX 21 between Caldwell and Bastrop.  Nice drive, roads are well maintained, mostly 4 lanes, not much traffic and scenic small towns along the way.

I do a routine crosscheck of the fluid levels in both the fuel tank and, well, if you must know, my bladder.  Both require a bit of adjustment.  Not to worry, Buc-ees is but 25 miles away, I can make it.

Buc-ee's Bastrop.  Relatively inexpensive gas (FJB not helping though), good sandwiches, and Mrs J certified clean restrooms.

I'm approaching the intersection of TX-21 and US-290 which, even though it has an overpass, also has a stoplight which I can see is red.  Tap the brakes to release cruise control. (Needed as the quality of the roads encourages way more MPH's  than the signs allow.  And, well, Texas Sheriff's like to say hello to speeders.)

X marks my spot in the following picture

In any case, I'm slowing down and get to a situation that looks like this.

The light is now green, the pickup ahead of me has started rolling.  And where the white car is on the left is a large 18 wheeler, slowing down as he approaches the intersection. I start to accelerate and am watching the car in front in case he wants to change lanes to turn onto the southbound on ramp towards Houston.  I see his brake lights come on and think he's going to turn right.

Nope,

I see motion out of my left peripheral vision, swing my head that way and slam on the brakes.  The Truck is running the red light.  Fortunately, I'm slow enough that I get stopped, but am in the intersection.  I glance up thinking I mis-read the light.

Nope, green.

He makes a left turn on to TX-21 as does his trailing chase car.

And another 18 wheeler with chase car,

And another pair.

And another.

And finally a fifth and chase car.

The light turns red for me as the last Wide Load and chase exit the intersection.

I back up out of the intersection as there are several cars behind them who have the right of way now.

I may have used language that implied relationships with their female parent, that parent's relationship with their father and whether that parent was canine.  Yes, I'll say a few Hail Mary's that evening to atone.

There are several passing zones between this intersection and Bastrop, so while quite annoyed, I think I should be able to get around them.  I am, however, very grateful for good brakes and an alert guardian angel.  

The light turns green, and I quickly catch up to them, as the speed limit is 60, but they were doing 30.

And....  

Wait for it....

THEIR lane was the dashed line! Their "wide load" is taking up the whole southwest bound side of the road.

Some of the folks ahead of me were able to use a bit of the passing lane and a bit of the oncoming traffic lane (not when that was occupied of course) and get around them.

Finally 50 minutes later we arrive at the turn to Buc-ees in Bastrop.  

Yeah, Sarge, I know. I'm supposed to blank out License Plates to protect privacy.  I don't like them well enough to waste even one more second of my life protecting them. Sorry, Not Sorry.

I pull into Buc-ees for an extended rest period.  I don't want to be behind them on the Bastrop to Austin section of the trip.  Traffic there is very bad on a good day, it doesn't need their help.

So, about half an hour later, I get back on the road.  Traffic is its usual screwed uppedness, but no sight of these jerks.  I'm hoping they might have turned off somewhere along the way.  My BP and Heart Rate start to return to normal.  

I'm coming into Dripping Springs, which is the western edge of Austin Traffic consternation.  I'm approaching the major intersection at the center of town and traffic is backed up.  But it almost always is, so I'm not too worried.

You know what's coming don't you?

I get through that intersection and am doing 30MPH (the speed limit in town), when I come around a bend and see this.

There was no danger in taking this photo.  We were dead stopped.  It's about a mile to where the traffic bends left.  It's about another mile to the next light from there.  An hour later, I get to that second light.  Ahead on my right, I see one of the trucks and chase car on the side of the road, speaking to a member of law enforcement. On the other side of the road, I see law enforcement cleaning up the scene of an accident.  

Unfortunately, by the time I made it through the light, the truck has been released and is headed west on 290 ahead of me.  Based on the fact that one of the land owners on the next section of highway is a State Senator, the road, which used to be 4 lanes is now 2.  

Finally after about 30 minutes, I'm next in line. He's still riding the dashed line, but it's 4 lanes, fairly long straight stretch of uphill highway.  Yes,  I used full throttle.  Yes, I rolled down the window and extended my arm out. Yes, only one of my digits was extended.  I'll say a lot of Hail Mary's that evening in atonement.

So...I have two questions for those of you, in the know, and you know who you are.

1.) Do wide loads have the right of way to run red lights, even it their chase cars don't get out front to block traffic?  Or...were they just being that word for a donkey having three letters in the singular?

2.) Why would they not move that load from 10PM -5AM? Traffic has to be much lighter which has to make it easier to maneuver on their part.

Just wondering.

Oh, and as I got to the city limits of The Burg?

Guess who?  Fortunately, I know a short cut through the south part of town so I could avoid the 4 ship on Main Street.  

Somehow, on a couple of different levels, I think this is appropriate.

Oh and just to prove that I'm not a totally crazed raving lunatic all the time.

Taken later in the week, when I went and retrieved Mrs J.
Yes, that trip went much smoother.

Peace out, y'all.  We're winning.

* SJC