Several days ago I was heading home to my house in the Virginia Heights neighborhood area. It was dark out but not real late, probably around 9PM or so. I turned from Brandon to Edgewood (at the intersection where there is a Family Dollar store) and made my way up and over the hill in the direction of my house.

Now, if you’re not familiar with this road, it’s only 25mph through this section but it’s one of those roads where it’s very easy to go faster than that. And perhaps even easier to want to go faster. But, it’s primarily a residential area and I think 25mph is appropriate.

Well, along the road before it runs into Memorial Avenue there is designated residential parallel parking on the both sides of the road. I have seen police set up with radar along here before, they pull in as if a regular car. I must say it’s a great spot. And given this was a Saturday night I was paying particularly close attention to my speed.

Sure enough, as I was driving past I could see the lights and reflectors of a police car pulling into one of those open spots along the sides of the road. They were just getting ready to set up radar I suppose.

This is where the story gets a little more interesting.

So, the windup is that I passed the officer and continued on my way. But, instead of going home I decided to make a loop and circle back around. I turned onto to Memorial Avenue, then turned to Grandin Avenue, and back to Brandon. Then, I came back and turned on to Edgewood again.

I proceeded back up the hill along Edgewood. The entire loop probably took about 5-10 mintues or so. But, this time there was no police car parked along the side of the road.

Can you already see where I’m going with this?

Just ahead as I again turned from Edgewood onto Memorial I saw the flashing lights, just behind a driver who’s night probably just got a bit worse. Just a few minutes of running radar and a speeder was pulled over.

And would you believe I have done this before on other occasions. I have seen police parked along this road in the past. So, I just circle around once or twice and they usually have a speeder pulled over. I find it quite entertaining for some reason, because so often when I obey the signs I’m in-turn tailgated when driving through there.

Why are people in such a hurry anyways?

Ever have one of those days when you had to work late?

Ok, we’ve all had our share of those. But, have you ever noticed how leaving work a little bit later can make the drive home much more enjoyable?

Traffic in Roanoke probably peaks around 5PM most days. But, there really is no rush hour in Roanoke, maybe a rush half-hour or so. Usually, I leave work at 4:30-4:45 so I’m apt to run into a little traffic on the way home.

Well, yesterday I didn’t leave work until about 6:15. And it really is amazing how much more laid back the short commute home is, if I just make it about an hour or an hour-and-a-half-later than usual.

So, with traffic light, temperatures mild, sunshine shining, and my camera snapping I make my way home from the downtown area.

Leaving downtown and traveling along Franklin Road in Roanoke.

Looking over at Mill Mountain and Rivers Edge Sports Complex. If you look extra close you can also see part of the Roanoke River Greenway.

Yellow flowers (tulips I think) in full bloom at the intersection of Franklin Road and Brandon Avenue.

After a rather rainy last week, this past Saturday and Sunday actually turned out to be nice. I was out and about a little bit over the weekend, and as always I spent some time perfecting the act of snapping pictures from the window of a moving vehicle.

A sign of Spring. The color of yellow covers the southbound side of I-581/Route 220, a short distance before the Colonial Avenue exit.

I love this section of Grandin Road, especially during this time of the year.

Lots of road and blue skies ahead. A scene from Williamson Road/Route 11 in the Hollins area.

A brief note about me and taking photos

At best I’m just an amateur photographer. But, what I do like is to take still frames of what seems to be “everyday” or common scenes and occurrences. I bring the camera along and take pictures during a regular family gathering, instead of just during a holiday, birthday, or other special occasion. I snap photos around town on an otherwise seemingly boring early Spring afternoon.

Why?

I have determined that what is perceived as a common occurrence can also be perceived as so common as to be overlooked and thus more easily forgotten.

So, as part of my life’s activities I snap pictures (a lot of pictures) to help me remember. And, I post a few of them here from time to time.