Not Your Best Work CalTrains

So, you know (or at least heard about) the big Bay Bridge debacle last week which closed the bridge for seven days and caused traffic turmoil for commuters (not that I was one of them but I felt for them)…Strike one. Well, last night when I was driving home from the airport (I drew the short straw and had to pick Christopher up from SFO last night at 9) we encountered a few snags in some more of CalTrain’s handiwork.

We were in the Jeep (solid, elevated, protected) and rounding Burlingame and just about to hit San Mateo. Now, this specific stretch of highway (101 South) had been under construction for a verrrry long time. I think that they were working on expanding and adding a new lane in each direction I think. So, anywho, I was driving and I was in the fast lane which suddenly opened up but there were no markers indicating where the lanes were so I could have been driving in the new lane (if that even existed) or I could be on the shoulder or riding in the middle of the shoulder and the fast lane. Needless to say after a few moments of not knowing what the hell was going on, I merged into a lane that had specific boundaries. Strike two.

Then, just moments later, a flying, tall, skinny, orange traffic cone comes flying towards us! There wasn’t enough time to react, more or less to cautiously look over my shoulders and change into the appropriate lanes, so I just gripped the wheel and powered through. What else was I supposed to do?! But the traffic cone hit the grill of the car and then went underneath without another sound! I assume it just continued flying into the car behind us, but when I looked in the rearview mirror the same car was still behind me. Both of us were quiet, we didn’t know what to do. We were lucky we were in a high car---I don't think a sedan would have survived such an impact! Putting my life (and Christopher's) in danger...Strike three CalTrains.

So, I encourage you to stay in the far right lanes on Southbound 101 by Burlingame (when you look to the East you see all the hotels) and watch out for mystery lanes and flying cones!