It’s no secret that people here in Los Angeles have no idea how to drive in the rain, and in fact seem freaked out by the very idea that liquid could be falling from the sky.
But today, I saw (and felt) the most astounding display of L.A. driving stupidity I think I’ve yet witnessed.
I came to the intersection of Venice and La Cienega on my way back to the studio after a run. It was about 10am, and it was raining buckets.
I was going West on Venice Blvd (the one that runs from the top right to bottom left in that satellite photo) and I spotted an ambulance with its lights on coming North on La Cienega.
I had a green, but I managed to see it before I went into the intersection. The guy next to me zoomed straight through. And then the ambulance entered the intersection…WITHOUT TURNING ITS DAMN SIREN ON.
Because clearly, in a low visibility situation in a fucking gigantic intersection where you’re trying to go against a light, the LAST thing you’d want to do is give an auditory warning, right?
So of course, the guy behind me didn’t realize I’d come to a full stop for an ambulance until it was a little too late, and he hit me at about 5mph (if that…I’ve seriously accidentally backed into things with more force than he hit me with).
Luckily, it damaged neither us nor either of our cars, but after we pulled over to get out and look at the damage, he apologized and said “I’m sorry, I didn’t even hear the siren!”
And I had to say, “That’s because the idiot ambulance driver didn’t turn it on!” I wasn’t nearly as mad at him for actually hitting me as I was at the dipshit ambulance driver for being that colossally stupid.
What kind of fucking moron doesn’t turn on the siren while going through one of the largest intersections in Los Angeles in the pouring goddamn rain?!