Roads more travelled

You look at the car, and wonder how it managed to get that way with the tree. Its recent passengers, viewing the wreckage, wear the bemused look of all those unfortunate enough to collide with the unexpected in their journey through life.

They haven’t told us where to fix them. So, let’s fix the ‘One Way’ and the ‘No Entry’ boards at this end of the street and the ‘No Way’ and ‘No Parking’ boards at the other end of the street. Makes sense, no?!

“What happened?” you ask, in hushed tones.

“They changed it,” they reply, all edgy, feverish.

“Who? Changed what?” you ask, speaking gently, softly.

They wave their arms violently, and you prudently step out of reach.

“New one-ways here, no one-way there, right turn, yes, left turn, no....”

“Ah, traffic flow’s changed again, eh?” you nod, as understanding dawns.

“We’ve never approached our house from this angle. Who put that tree there and when?” they ask in strongly injured terms. “Just to get to our gate we have to go that way, then this way, then that way, then ...”

A little dizzy, you stop the arm-waving with a gesture.

But you are sympathetic.

It’s tough ... trusted roads suddenly flipping around, familiar routine needing to be re-invented.

Some narrow lanes have expressed nervousness over their sudden promotion to ‘Main Road’ status.

And invitations are now preceded by a suspicious: “Okay, but how many one-ways are involved?”

Oh, well, the process of progress is never easy.