I have driven North 19th Avenue every morning since 2003. It is a straight line, mostly, and I find comfort in the rhythm of the lights. However, lately, I have noticed a disturbing trend that defies all logic: the Hesitation.

When the light turns green, there is now a mandatory three-second period where absolutely nobody moves. We all sit there, staring at the concrete, as if waiting for a signal from a higher authority that the intersection is truly, spiritually ready for us to pass through.

I spoke with Miller Vance, a local who has lived here since before the mall was a suggestion. “Back in the day, if you weren’t moving before the light turned, you were either asleep or testing the brakes,” Vance told me while adjusting his side mirror. “Now, it’s like everyone is checking their emails or waiting for a mountain goat to cross.”

I don’t know why we are being so polite to the pavement. A green light is an instruction, not a suggestion. By sitting still, we are essentially turning a functional piece of municipal infrastructure into a meditative space. I’m not saying we should be reckless, but I am saying that if you have time to finish your podcast before you touch the gas pedal, you are contributing to the very traffic that you are complaining about at the Co-op.

My commute used to take twelve minutes. It now takes fifteen. Those three minutes are mine, and I would like them back. If the light is green, the road is open, and we are all just sitting there waiting for permission that was already granted three seconds ago.

Dale Crankshaft has been driving the same route to work since 2003 and considers any alteration a personal attack. He is retired but still drives the route.