Getting the fundamentals

Yesterday we got stuck in the Nada Tunnel on our visitor's tour of the Daniel Boone National Forest with our 'visitors,' Carl and Kathy.

The single lane Nada Tunnel was built by hand, through solid rock, for a narrow gauge railroad many years ago. It is, in itself, a 'tourist attraction.' The tunnel is quite long, and the approach to it is not in a straight line so you have to drive right up to the entrance to see if there are cars coming through already from the other direction before you enter. If there are, you have to back up and wait; if not, you better have your lights on because it is a very long and dark little tunnel! Of course, you'll want anyone approaching from the other direction to know you are in there!

So yesterday there was some considerable confusion on the part of an elderly man and his wife who tried to enter the tunnel from the west while 4 cars and 2 bicycles (including us) were coming through from the east. He must have felt strongly that he had the right of way, because he just drove on in anyway, and then we all had to stop because there isn't an extra 2 feet in that tunnel, let alone space for cars to pass.

It took quite a while to get it sorted out, but finally the old guy slowly backed up and stopped just outside the tunnel entrance, where we all managed to just slide by him on our way out. He was obviously disgusted with us all. Since we stopped to take pictures on the other side, we had a chance to watch the aftermath of the confusion. (Right behind all this mess was a police car, also stopped, watching the entertainment but not really offering assistance.) Anyway, the old guy sat there for a long time, while other cars from the east side kept approaching the tunnel and driving on through, where they had to maneuver around him at the end.

Finally he got out of his car and approached the police cruiser. "So what's the deal with the tunnel?" You could tell he was completely stumped about why HE couldn't get through. (I suspect that most of the people who had to try to get around him had let him know how much they appreciated having to do so, possibly adding to his overall attitude.) The cop gamely tried to explain the "one lane" concept and then suggested he "have a nice day." The man finally got back in his car and drove through the tunnel.

Kathy wanted to know why the policeman hadn't just asked the guy for his license and keys on the spot as he was evidently too stupid to drive.

Isn't "right of way" a fundamental concept, the understanding of which is a pre-requisite for driving a car? Perhaps the concept of "single-mindedness of purpose" explains the situation, but certainly doesn't justify this man having a driver's license.

And I was just 'blogging' the other day about "high social commentary" in cartoons.