Several years ago, I noticed Pat, an elderly woman who lived in my street, standing at the pedestrian crossing. She began to cross the road. However, the lights changed before she had an opportunity to cross St Georges Road, a busy road in Northcote.
I wrote to the Department of Transport to suggest, with an ageing population, they should consider extending the crossing time before lights changed. This would allow older people to cross the road more safely.
A few months later, Mum and I attended at a matinee performance of the Melbourne Theatre Company. Afterwards, I walked with Mum to the tram stop.
Mum is a slow walker, so we often only get half way across St Kilda Road before the lights change. On this occasion, we were half way across when I noticed that the lights were still indicating we could keep walking. So we walked to the tram stop.
At the tram stop, I noticed the lights were still green. At this point, I told Mum about my letter to the Department of Transport. I genuinely believed my letter had resulted in the extension of green light.
Soon after, we noticed a procession of motor vehicles traveling together. It was the Queen’s motorcade.
It was the Queen who had changed the lights, not my letter to the Department of Transport.