One Westsider Says Carmageddon Proves the 'Pussification' of America

Photo by Gamma Infinity via the LAist Featured Photos pool

Carmageddon has brought out the resourcefulness of some local agencies, and the inventiveness of some business owners. For many, though, "Carmageddon" is simply an overwrought battle cry of the politically beaten-down. Much ado about nothing, if you will. In fact, it is proof that we've all turn into pussies.

One reader recently sent us the following thoughts on the issue (posted here as-is):

WHY DONT YOU DO AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW STUPID ALL THIS "CARMAGEDDON" CRAP IS. SEE IF THIS ISNT PROOF ABOUT THE PUSSIFICATION OF AMERICA, ESPECIALLY CALIFORNIA, I DONT KNOW WHAT IS. I LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE AND I DONT CARE, I HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO AND FROM WORK, BUT I DONT CARE!. THIS IS PROOF POSITIVE ABOUT WHAT WHINNY ASSES CALIFORNIA'S HAVE BECOME. "OH MY GOD THE FREEWAY WILL BE CLOSED FOR 50+ HOURS" I THINK SUICIDE IS THE BEST ANSWWER. CARMAGEDDON JUST THE WORD MAKES THIS OUT TO BE A BIGGER DEAL THAN IT IS. IS THIS THE KIND OF WORLD LIBERAL DEMOCRATES HAE CREATED A SOCIETY THAT VIEWS THE TEMPORARY CLOSER OF A FREWWAY AS "THE END OF THE WORLD". YOU REALLY NEED TO DO AN ARTICLE ON HOW LAZY AND SPOILED PEOPLE ARE HERE.ANYWAY STOP WITH THE "CARMAGEDDON" CRAP THE WORLD IS NOT COMMING TO AN END.

Clearly, suicide is not the answer to your "Carmageddon" weekend, and hopefully, in using the common (pretty hilarious) term for the 405 Freeway's 53-hour shut down this weekend, we're not so much perpetuating the concept of doom, but rather, well, just using the word everyone is using. Besides, we know that Carmageddon doesn't love you: It doesn't care about your audition, your Prius, or your Botox appointment.

We do agree with our caps lock-loving Westside reader that the world won't end this weekend (that's October 21, remember?) and we can all stand to take public transit or just stay in our own neighborhoods for a couple of days.

The pussification theory, though? Hmmm. We'll leave that up to you to debate.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@laist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Lindsay William-Ross in News on July 12, 2011 4:40 PM

Comments [rss]

Guest

I'm in Manhattan but just talked to my sister in Brentwood... she agrees. Lol She is ready to shoot the next person who whines about the shutdown. And she lives about a mile and a half from the 405.

richsol

This is one tactic left-leaning outlets like to use, namely to cherry pick some communication that makes conservatives look bad and make it public. In fact, for all one knows, this message was from a liberal troller.

braunaldinho

I suspected the same thing at first, but clearly it isn't clever enough for a troll.

Simon Peter deVeer

How is widening a freeway a liberal idea? If it was up to us we'd already have a west side train and no carmageddon. Then this guy would have had to scour a little harder to make another baseless claim against the "democrates"

Muscle X Edge Review

the fuel station owners ought to check their fuel supply and pump filtering systems. I am here in the states, and at times, gas station owners cutt costs and corners when dealing with their fuels.http://slimberryfacts.com/

Riot Nrrrd™

Anyone over 40 will remember the first "Carmageddon", i.e. the 1984 Summer Olympics. That was supposed to be the end of the world, as the entire city would succumb to gridlock.

What actually happened, of course, was that so many people were scared off the road by the doom & gloom that traffic was actually *better* than normal during the entire length of the Games.

It's a freeway closure over a weekend, for crying out loud. BFD. Want to avoid Carmageddon? JUST DON'T GO OUT THAT WAY.

Doran

OMG SOMEONE IS MAD ON THE INTERNET!!!

Nicholas Slayton

The guy was a tad over the top (all caps, woohoo), and I agree, it's not the end of the world, although it will be annoying. But at the same time, we have to remember, this is LA, we freak out when it rains.

Bert Green Fine Art

It's pretty presumptuous to assume that everyone in Los Angeles gives a crap about the 405 closure. The media is doing a great job making a big deal about it because that's how you get people's attention in a city like this, and it will keep people away. But probably 90% of LA County would not be anywhere near that area anyway, closure or not.

M

The 405 /10 interchange, a few miles south, is one of the busiest intersections in the USA. The Sepulveda Pass is almost a parking lot during AM and PM rush hours. While blown out of proportion by the media, this is the only way to let Angelenos know that the freeway that hundreds of thousands of us take everyday will be shut down for the weekend. Otherwise we would have hundreds of clueless people complaining that they didn't know the 405 was shut down. The word has to be put out there.

So no, not 90% of LA County is nowhere near this area anyway. Why don't you pull it up on Google Maps and see.

Julie Harrison

He has a point, but the political blabber and misspellings make him sound like a moron.

I am so glad to be assured the world is not "comming" to an end.

Mando

Really? Is LAist gonna give angry right-wing blowhards who type in ALL CAPS a soapbox to rant about THE LIBRRULS now? Why is this given its own post?

ShakinBoots

How else would he get his public ass whipping?

exbaytriate

hear hear. good job, LAist. another winner.

chris manno

How about the fact that what is really important is not the inconvenience, but the highlighting of the problem that our infrastructure is crumbling all over America. Lots of money that could have been made to rebuild our roads and transportation systems have gone elsewhere. You would think something like a closure as big as this would FORCE Angelenos into getting together to DEMAND a new public transportation system like other major cities. There is nothing pussy about that. We need subways, trains, etc!!!!!

khagler

I've found that as a general rule, calling people "pussies" is a good indicator that the person doing so has nothing of value to say. It is also an indicator that, if encountered in person, you shouldn't turn your back on them or (if a woman) accept any drinks from them.

sharon felder

He can't spell either. But he has a point.

exbaytriate

you're ignoring the fact that the whole rant is written in ALL CAPS. i can't think of one person who has used the internet for more than 15 minutes who doesn't disregard anything written in ALL CAPS.

Al Pavangkanan

Says the guy who can't start a sentence properly.

westlafadeaway

on the other hand people who read comments on the internet will still read one even if the first letter isn't capitalized.

The Ugly American

I'd have to agree that some Angelenos are reacting like giant pussies over a simple weekend freeway closure.

I lived in Oakland during Loma Prieta and we had to survive and entire month without the Bay Bridge.

This entire "Carmageddon" being perpetuated by the local media is as silly as their "Storm Watch" freak outs whenever drops of moisture begin falling from the sky.