How about that!
House on Red Corner · 2006-12-13
Today, the phone lines coming into our building along with several cable lines were disrupted which meant that our internet service was cut off. Not only was our DSL no longer working but I could not jack into a WiFi network from one of the neighbors as their service was down as well. As I had an assignment due today, I bundled up my laptop and headed to the library to work using their WiFi network.
Around lunchtime, I left and headed into Park Slope to grab a bite. As I passed Grand Army Plaza I saw a rather unique situation unfold. There are essentially six roads which lead into the roundabout. While I was walking around the perimeter three ambulances entered the roundabout from three different streets, then they all exited the roundabout using the remaining three streets and every single ambulance crossed the other ambulance’s path.
There are all sorts of strangeness in such a situation. The first is that I even noticed it - must be the result of rereading Chaos: Making a New Science as well as having a good unit of Proability in my Finite Math class. But then I thought about the strange chances of such an occurrence that at the same moment in time, in the same place three ambulances would be screaming thorough on an emergency run. Strange. Improbable? Or just highly unlikely?
Perhaps it happens as frequently as once a week in a city the size of Brooklyn maybe less frequently than that. It could be a good study for a more academic paper.
Tags: School