Tuesday, April 17, 2007

The Buzz on the LA Freeways


If you’ve been to Los Angeles, you know that we spend a lot of time on our freeways. Often at zero MPH, bumper-to-bumper.

So I guess it was only a matter of time until people came up with constructive use of that time. Allow me to introduce what LA radio talk show hosts are calling “Freeway Flirting”, the hot new way in town to meet people.

This starts, usually, with rolled-down windows, smiles, waves and provocatively arched brows. Sometimes cell phone numbers are called out over the rush of other-side-of-the-freeway traffic. And some particularly well-prepared drivers hold up pre-made signs bearing their names and cell numbers.

There’s a story about one determined young woman who relayed her contact information to a looking guy in the car behind her by writing her cell number in lipstick on the back windshield--backwards so he couldn’t get it wrong.

I have to say I have mixed feelings about hook-ups on the road (sounds dangerous!), but I suppose it adds a dimension of excitement to one’s daily work or school commute, not to mention, the widening the scope of one’s dating pool.

Thoughts on or experience with “Freeway Flirting”, anyone?

Tina
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www.tinaferraro.com

12 comments:

Dona Sarkar-Mishra said...

Tina, this is funny! I see this in my lakeside town of Kirkland all the time! There are tons of people here in their twenties and thirties, all pretty well-to-do, so lots of cute little sports convertible.

The girls will pull up to a stoplight and glance over at the guys in the next car. The guys will nod their heads and say something like, "Hey." The girls will giggle and drive away. :0
IT's hilarious.

Kelly (Lynn) Parra said...

Wow! A definite new way to meet and connet. haha! I hate the freeways, so I'll have to do my connecting and meeting new friends on the 'net. :) :)

TinaFerraro said...

Kelly, I'm with you that the 'net is the place to be!

And Dona, how funny that you've actually seen this. I suppose it's nothing to do with the decade...we've had guys and girls in cars for years, but maybe cell phones has ratcheted things up!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tina,
Well, giving out your cell number is a lot safer than some of the crazy stuff I used to do with my friends. Like, having guys follow us up into the hills. We were nuts?

Fun topic.
Janie

stephhale said...

That pic practically makes me break out in hives. I SO don't do traffic!
This reminds me of a funny/mortifying story. I had stayed friends with a guy I dated in high school and I went to visit him for a few days once. He had to work and someone called so I opened up his bedside table to try and find a pen and paper. I found this list of conquests and everyone had a rating. One conquest was listed as, "The older lady I met at the stoplight". I seriously don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my whole life. So I guess it really does work for some people!
xo,
Steph

TinaFerraro said...

Okay, Janie, at National, over Margs and Marts, I really need to hear more about this guys in the hills thing...

And Steph, LOL about "the older lady I met at the stoplight" thing. Wow! (And wonder if she's got him on a list somewhere, too?)

Thanks for sharing!

Me said...

Tina, that is just crazy!

Okay, technically *one time* my best friend and I ended up going out on a double date with a guy we met while driving. I don't remember much about the date. We went to see Wolf (at a movie theatre on the opposite side of town so no one we knew would see us). The guy that was my half of the double was afraid of cows.

Steph, that is hilarious! I'm dying laughing.

Hugs,
TLC

Natalie said...

Ha! Here in Italy, people don't slow down enough to exchange numbers, and traffic is nothing like L.A. traffic! But I have seen teens on scooters do this...if the light is red, the scooters bypass all the cars and cut right to the front of the line, so it's like a small scooter convention until the light turns green. :-)

Natalie

Marley Gibson said...

That is TOO funny!!!

TinaFerraro said...

TLC, you had a double-date with a guy afraid of COWS? So THIS is representative of the kind of guys who are met in traffic???

Natalie, I smiled at the idea of the Italians trying to meet that way...you're right, on the road in Italy, it's every man for himself!

And thanks for weighing in, Marley!

Simone Elkeles said...

Tina, I've never heard of that! It makes me want to start a book where the girl and guy meet in the car on the freeway. Unbelievable!
~Simone

Heather Davis said...

Freeway dating has to be way easier than sidewalk dating, right? I passed a cute, no wait -- completely gorgeous -- guy a month ago on the way down my street and I wish I'd followed my instinct to A. stop talking on my cell phone (HA!) and B. to follow him up the street and ask for his number.

In a car? Much easier -- but don't talk on the cell phone, k? It's dangerous. ;)

Heather