I Hate Honkies

In typical ‘same ol’ same ol’ Bakersfield fashion, the ‘Train Horn VS No Train Horn’ controversy is back in the news. (Why can’t we ever just resolve crap around here? It seems like every city issue is argued to death for years.) Anyway, so the people who complained long enough about the loud train horns (me included) finally found some peace beginning in March, when we won a temporary cease and desist on the racket. According to the paper, now the city has to decide whether or not to spend “millions of tax payers dollars” to fix the quiet zone.

I just don’t get this. I know I’m over simplifying the matter, but seriously, couldn’t they just tell them not to honk SO LOUD!!!! I have lived within earshot of the train tracks downtown for twenty years. Sure, sometimes the noise bothered me. Especially when they would slam together creating a sound something akin to a bomb going off over my bed – no better way to wake up in a puddle! But mostly I didn’t mind the noise, or I simply didn’t notice it. Then, about three years ago, all hell broke lose.

The “story” goes that the city had an agreement with the railroad to respect a “quiet zone” and that it was allowed to expire, which is when the honking began. I personally think that is only half the story. The trains have always honked a little. They still do. I hear them sometimes in the middle of the night toot, tooting down the tracks. No big deal. What I think that happened is those train guys got together and said,

“Hey! Whatdaya say we screw with Bakersfield and start blasting them out of bed in the middle of the night?? Come on! Our jobs are boring – it’ll be fun!! Anyone want some meth?”

Or something like that anyway.

Honestly, its not the honking that needs to be stopped, it’s the cretins inside who get their rocks off blasting the horn as LOUD AND LONG AS INHUMANLY POSSIBLE.
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!! I’m sure there are times when it necessary for them to really lay on the horn. Like when there is a little old lady with a basket full of mewing puppies gently napping on the tracks. But honestly, how often does that happen?

Once, twice a week tops.