Czech traffic Jam

I understand why so many people here use the public transportation. If you don't have to wait for the accessible buses and trams, it seems quite easy and efficient. However, there are plenty of cars out there. I can't seem to understand their driving rules. There are no stop signs at corners as the cars just plow through without barely looking. People just walk into cross walks and the traffic is just supposed to stop. There are actual cross walks at the busier two lane roads. I try to stay with using those--as I hustle myself across before the tweeting sound goes slow again. I guess they give that noise (like at home) for the visually impaired so they know when to cross. I don't see how they don't stumble over the many cracks and bumps of the cobblestones.

Traffic seems to merge at will--left turners just get out there and turn in front of oncoming traffic including trams. Sometimes I see cars driving on the tram tracks and I can't help but wonder what would happen if a tram came on the tracks. I actually saw this happen a week ago. I think a tourist mistakenly went on the street that was only a stop for trams--and here one came. He moved the car out of the way and was trying to back out when another one came in the opposite direction. This would be my driving nightmare. He ended up going up on the sidewalk so the trams could pass. He had to have been a tourist. The roads are so narrow I can't believe we don't hit cars while riding a bus through them. The trams while passing each other going opposite ways pass so incredibly close that I could swear we are going to collide. One thing though, I really haven't seen too many traffic accidents. I hear sirens of police and ambulances blaring frequently but I always think that someone got hit by a tram. It seems like people do not pay attention the just go out in the street right when it's coming. I haven't seen it happen--but I think it did when I see an ambulance fly by. I sure look long and hard before I roll out there.

They are making changes on the roads here constantly so they have been changing tram schedules a lot. The tram that I catch to go the Ypsilon theater where the readings are, was removed from that stop. It was going to be too complicated trying to figure out how to get there so I had them set up this taxi service for the disabled (a wheelchair van) to take me to the theater and then pick me up and return me home a few hours later. Catching it at night has been great. Before I used them it took me two hours to get back to the dorm--and waiting late at night at a bus stop was a little scary. So, a guy shows up with the van at 7:00. It's not too far and I should have gotten there in 20 to 30 minutes tops. We start out and once we get near the main part of town--there is gridlock. We sat in one spot for at least 10 minutes. No one was really moving. I assumed that this mess was from all of the road work they were doing--but this was ridiculous!! It was already 7:30 and we were still near the university--with quite a ways to go. As the time ticked on and we moved very little I decided to tell the guy to just go back. I was being picked up at 9:00--and at this rate I wouldn't even be there yet. The only problem was he didn't speak english and I didn't speak czech. (I had dropped out of my survival czech class) I took out my iphone and went to my czech dictionary app. I looked up the words "go back" and found them in czech and showed it to him. He pointed to the opposite direction we were going and I said" yes--dorm". He understood and headed back to the dorm. That app. has helped me more than once here. I only wish it said the word for you because seeing it and saying it are nothing alike. I didn't get to go to the readings and it still cost me $15 for the trip. If it's still a cluster ^*&^% on Thursday for the readings I won't even attempt going.

On a good note. I found a real hamburger for dinner last night. It was in a nice czech pub that I found somewhere near the dorm. It kind of reminded me of a Chilis or something like it. The burger was big and juicy and made out of real ground beef. Just to make sure I did have to ask the waitress what kind of meat it was. I didn't want to be surprised again. I couldn't even eat it all. I'll probably bring some of my friends there before we leave.