Seattle's (not so) Subtleties

I can't claim to be an expert of all of Seattle's quirks and subtleties quite yet; however, I can point out a few of it's peculiarities that I've picked up on.

1. I've been to more than one bar where dogs are not only allowed in, they're welcomed and even sit in the booths. Norm's, right around the corner of my house. HOW fortuitous. It's bizarre, and coincidentally, isn't it also a health hazard?

2. Jaywalking is pretty much non-existent. Yes, some people do it, but the vast majority wait obediently for the go sign. Also, it seems that the city of Seattle took the extra care to place "crossing flags" in areas of high traffic where there are no crosswalks. At first I thought that I was being made the gullible butt of some not so clever joke, but, nope. You just pick up your little flag, wave it around a bit until the cars stop, then carry it with you across the street, and leave it in the receptacle for the next person.

3. Coffee shops are in abundance (which is awesome). This we know. All of them boast the same staples: a plethora of espresso beverages (mmm caffeine), plentiful outlets and students exploiting the wi-fi, and... Beer? Right next to the espresso machine more often than not there lies a tap or two, along with the PBR tall boys.

4. Public transportation is not all that bad. It's clean, it seems to run decently according to schedule, and the bus drivers are nice. No seriously, it seems like they actually care about you getting to where you need to be. And, they allow dogs also... And bikers. Many a bus have multiple bikes strapped to their front. Also, during rush hour, I've witnessed the "honor system" being utilized (more than once).

Yeah, so, that's it for now, but I'm pretty sure there will be plenty more to come.