MDOT Sleight of Hand

Road construction crews. I know they take a lot of grief. But I realize the roads need work. We must deal with things as best we can.

Heading north yesterday towards Michigan's glorious Upper Peninsula, a construction sign appeared near Grayling. The left lane would be closed in three miles. Oh well. It can't be that bad in the middle of the afternoon, miles from nowhere.

It wasn't. Everyone was able to merge without turning off their cruise control. Life is good.

Yet not five miles later the left lane was closed again, and this time it caused a backup of about a mile and a half. It seems the Michigan Department of Transportation was playing Got ya! You drivers cruised past that first construction zone and grew complacent, but we set up a second bit of road work for exactly when you were breathing easy. It was like when a murder mystery has a trick first ending. Hey, the butler did do it! Oh, wait, he didn't?

It wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't for the construction crew exchanging high fives though.