It is a state law in Massachusetts that if someone is waiting to use a crosswalk, an oncoming motorist must stop and allow the person to cross.

As you can imagine, it is likely the least observed law in Massachusetts (post-1900, at least). Consider that, today, when making the one major street crossing needed to get back from the train to the apartment, the car that finally stopped from me had New York plates.

I like to think they were from upstate.

Where law fails guile is often required, and I have developed a move that works if there's only one car to worry about (rather than a line of cars, where it works much less often). I make semi-eye contact with the driver, nod my head like I've been given a wave or other signal to cross, and then take a step or two. As the car continues to move I stop short and look back at the car. The driver, who has started to slow because it looks like I'm just going to cross, gets confused enough that he or she actually decides to let me cross.

The best part of this move is that its development was completely subconscious. I don't think I realized I actually had a regular move until this morning. When I had to use it against another uncooperative local driver.

In other news, I won't be watching the Presidential debate tonight, or any other night that there's a debate in 2004. They're second only to the conventions in terms of staging, and it's not like either guy will say anything to get me to watch or vote for them. Well, they could offer me a million bucks to call in and tell what color ties they're wearing. It's not like they couldn't afford it.