“Damn this traffic jam
How I hate to be late
It hurts my motor to go so slow
Damn this traffic jam
Time I get home my supper’ll be cold
Damn this traffic jam…”- Traffic Jam by James Taylor
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm @ 17mm. Exposure: 1/320th sec. @ f/11. ISO: 200)
I was sent out to a spot news a assignment last week. Firefighters found a body when responding to a fire in North Stockton. Reports indicated they found signs of a struggle and it was being treated as a homicide.
As I drove from the office north on I-5 to Hammer lane I was thinking about the photo possibilities. The fire was early in the morning so most likely the scene would have been cold for several hours. I hoped that perhaps there would be some fire and/or police investigators still there sifting though the debris.
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm @ 18mm. Exposure: 1/250th sec. @ f/8. ISO: 200)
As I drove I looked over to the cars in the southbound lanes, which were slowed to a crawl because of road work. I thought to myself I better not take the freeway on the return trip.
When I arrived at the house, any action that had been there had been over and done for quite a long time as I guessed. There were only a couple of uniformed officers guarding the place from across the street. The only thing to do was shoot the crime scene tape cordoning off the house and head back to the office.
(Camera: Nikon D300. Lens: Nikkor 17-55mm @ 45mm. Exposure: 1/250th sec. @ f/8. ISO: 200)
In just a short amount of time I had forgotten about the traffic. As soon as I turned onto the onramp to I-5, I cursed myself, but it was took late. I couldn’t turn around or back up, the only thing I could do was to go with the very slow flow. It took about 15-20 minutes to travel the one mile to Benjamin Holt Drive, the next exit. I then made it back to the office on the surface streets.
Anyway, every time I’m stuck behind the wheel the song “Traffic Jam” by James Taylor plays in my head. It helps me pass the time when I’m moving slow. Unfortunately it’s a short song, so I have to repeat it over and over. At least it’s a catchy tune.
