There's a classic joke about how programmers check both ways on a one way street because users are so stupid.

Well I took a walk on my break and literally 30 seconds from the door to my building someone was going the wrong way on a one way street.

Does art imitate life, or does life imitate art?

Actually, waste disposal lorries, police, firefighters and ambulance are even allowed to take it the "wrong" way. That's why you always check both ways, especially at left-to-right crossings where you'd THINK nothing could come out of a one way.

That's how I learnt it in the driving school deep in the previous century.

@Fast-Nop The distinction here is that you will hear a siren with those vehicles. This guy was just an idiot.

I just look both ways out of habit.

@AlgoRythm Nah, waste disposal lorries don't have a siren.

@Fast-Nop well I s'pose you have me there, but some of ours seem to beep even when they are moving forwards. Regardless, they are still rather loud and definitely audible on a street.

@halfflat well if that's so, my art must be some poorly done graffiti in an unmaintained public bathroom

@Fast-Nop Idk where you live, but here nobody, not even the firefighters are allowed to go in the wrong direction without a siren. If it's broken they have to keep honking or something. The reason is simply that it's dangerous, and it's very easy to cause much more trouble than you would solve by saving the time it takes to go around, regardless of who you are.

@Lor-inc Germany. Waste disposal vehicles have the necessary special rights as per STVO §35/6, but they don't have blue light sirens (that's only police, fire fighters and ambulance). Also, it's only allowed if it's necessary for doing their job, so they don't do it just like that.