As if navigating around Hooterville wasn't difficult enough, what with it's rat's maze city planning and labyrinth-like neighborhoods, the city has yet another trick up it's sleeve - street names change arbitrarily mid-block.
Why? Who knows. Maybe they looked at the city and realized how boring it was and decided this might spice things up.
They were wrong.
I came across this (see above) yesterday when I was walking the dogs on a new route.
The house on the left is #2601. The house on the right it is #6808.
"How can that be?" you may ask. "They're sitting side by side. That can't be right..."
Au contrair, mon ami. This is Bako.
Yes, they are sitting side by side, but they are on different streets!
The house on the left is 2601 Toxic Drive*. The house on the right is #6808 Landfill Lane*. And never the two shall meet, except at the hedge in the middle of the photo.
This happens everywhere here. What would look like a relatively normal street to you and I, albeit with some twists and turns, maybe some slight zigs and zags, is, to the city of Bakersfield, five different streets. Every time a street zigs, the name zags. And because that must not be confusing enough, each one has a completely different numbering scheme.
It's the stupidest thing I've ever seen, and living here, that's saying something.
No wonder so many people seem like they're trapped here. They probably are.
*Street names changed to protect the innocent.
