Keller @ Large: Gridlock Exposes Social Dysfunction

BOSTON (CBS) -  As headlines go, I admit it's unremarkable, like "Lawmakers Delay Action," or "Charlie Baker Distances Himself from National GOP."

But somehow, "Rainstorm Causes Massive Gridlock" seems like it's headline news.

Not because it's unusual. Because it isn't.

My story was just one of thousands here in the Athens of America Thursday, but here it is:

Where Coolidge Ave. in Cambridge connects with Mt. Auburn St., over by Mt. Auburn Cemetary, there's a stop light. It has a left arrow cycle to let westbound traffic take a left, but the turn was blocked by people who had entered the intersection without being able to clear it.

No one was going anywhere for a long time in any direction thanks to Mr. or Ms. Gridlock.  (It was too dark and rainy to tell for sure.)

Admittedly this was not as bad as the all-time gridlock champion, drivers in greater Beijing who locked themselves up for eleven days. Almost as bad as the first exhibition game at the old Schaefer Stadium.

But even a shorter gridlock outbreak is disturbing for the social dysfunction it exposes.

If all drivers cooperated by not blocking the intersection, there would be no gridlock. But half the offenders just don't care about anyone but themselves, and the other half block it because they suspect the first half are going to.

So everyone sits, burning gas and blood cells, and thinking socially-unproductive thoughts about the offenders. It is one of the worst aspects of one of the worst things about life here in paradise, the traffic.

Speaking of Governor-elect Baker, he's just been hired to be the fix-it guy.

Maybe he can fix gridlock, too.

Then he might have a shot at that 100-percent of the vote he says he wants.

Listen to Jon's commentary:

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.

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