What with heavy traffic on Mountain Avenue in Upland on Tuesday, I wasn’t able to get into the freeway lane to head back to work. So I hung a left on Sixth Street in Ontario and took it east. Much to the consternation of Sixth Streeters, I’m sure, who don’t like it when their quiet street is used as a freeway alternate.

That’s why “traffic calming” devices were installed a decade ago. These were small planters in the middle of the street that make motorists to pay attention and slow down. (Whenever I mention traffic calming, I always get an amused note in the mail from Sixth Streeter Bruce Henning, who finds the islands slightly ridiculous. We’ll see if he finds this online.)

The islands to the west are small and rather ineffectual, as they’re easily maneuvered around; the islands east of San Antonio Avenue are bracketed by curb extensions that do force you to go slow.

I was in a state of zen-like calm, lulled by the traffic island greenery and the mature trees along the right side of the street, until I looked ahead and saw a sudden lack of greenery. Namely, the green light at Euclid a block away was turning yellow. Oh well. It just gave me more time to admire Sixth Street.