STOP AND GO!

      THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH., 2017
               STOP AND GO!

      One of the games we used to play when
I was a kid was "Stop and Go." It was simple
enough. One kid decided when to yell stop
or go and the rest of us, heading towards an
imaginary finish line, had to follow the
instructions instantly. If you kept going when
the leaded hollered "Stop" you'd have to go
back a step or two.
      The game came to mind earlier this week
at I drove my wife back to Philadelphia for a
couple post-op examinations.
      As I headed onto the northeast extension
of the Pennsylvania Turnpike I readied my
trusty EZpass. But as I drove through the
Ticket Booth area the little traffic light just
ahead remained on red.
     I stopped for a moment hoping the
highway system's technology would pick
up the signal from my little unit and flash
the green light.
     It didn't.
     I backed up just slightly thinking I
was just in a bad spot. But the light
stayed red. Plus, a ticket came out of
the automatic dispenser. I left it there!
     Not wanting to hold up other
potential travelers or missing our
appointments I violated the rule of
our old game and every traffic regulation
I'm aware of and headed on my way!
     As you leave the Turnpike just
outside Philly you drive under an archway
of equipment that's suppose to detect
your EZpass unit. I have no idea if it
did or didn't.
    I do know when we returned and
exited through the same ticket booth
lane I got a green light.
    I suspect we'll be hearing from the
Turnpike folks in the mail who will
be inquiring about my going through
their red light.
    Ironically, they're in the process of
disabling those lights in accordance
with Federal regulations.
    Our old game made a lot more
sense than the Turnpike's system.
    Hope I don't have to go back two
steps, and that all your NEWS is good!