I live in NY, and as most of you are probably aware, there is a gas shortage.
People have been lined up outside my house, sitting in their cars since at least 6am waiting for the nearby gas station to get a delivery.
The line stretches two blocks, and then makes a left turn with cars as far as I can see down a side road.
I don't know if it's boredom, desperation or what, but they all seem pretty angry.
Some of these people seem to think that beeping their horns will magically make the line go faster, and my two year old daughter is trying to sleep.
There have also been a few heated arguments, and also people walking down to the gas station and yelling an update report to their friends and spouses who stayed in the car.
This is a downright inconsiderate thing to do in a residential area, and while I sympathize with their plight, I am in no mood for their pointless horn blowing and yelling, so I tried a little experiment
I found that shining a powerful flashlight at them stops them from sounding their horns and shouting.
A quick sweep across the line to find out who the offender is, and then lighting that person up like daylight seems to stop them in their tracks.
I suppose most of them are decent folk, and lighting up the interior of their car reminds them that they shouldn't be doing what they are doing.
Whatever the reason, they don't seem anywhere near as bold when they know that they have been singled out and are being watched.
As soon as they stop, so do I
(I should also note that I picked my angle very carefully to ensure that I don't dazzle any people in moving cars or shine my light into the windows of houses across the street.)
People have been lined up outside my house, sitting in their cars since at least 6am waiting for the nearby gas station to get a delivery.
The line stretches two blocks, and then makes a left turn with cars as far as I can see down a side road.
I don't know if it's boredom, desperation or what, but they all seem pretty angry.
Some of these people seem to think that beeping their horns will magically make the line go faster, and my two year old daughter is trying to sleep.
There have also been a few heated arguments, and also people walking down to the gas station and yelling an update report to their friends and spouses who stayed in the car.
This is a downright inconsiderate thing to do in a residential area, and while I sympathize with their plight, I am in no mood for their pointless horn blowing and yelling, so I tried a little experiment
I found that shining a powerful flashlight at them stops them from sounding their horns and shouting.
A quick sweep across the line to find out who the offender is, and then lighting that person up like daylight seems to stop them in their tracks.
I suppose most of them are decent folk, and lighting up the interior of their car reminds them that they shouldn't be doing what they are doing.
Whatever the reason, they don't seem anywhere near as bold when they know that they have been singled out and are being watched.
As soon as they stop, so do I
(I should also note that I picked my angle very carefully to ensure that I don't dazzle any people in moving cars or shine my light into the windows of houses across the street.)
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