Star-struck

Roads are only for vehicular traffic, except during emergencies.

On 23 August, members of the Hartford Fire Department in Vermont, USA, restricted traffic to one lane in both directions of Interstate 91 in the White River Junction area around evening. The restriction slowed down traffic for 20 to 25 minutes.

A hot-air balloon passenger had called 911 as their pilot had to make an emergency landing on the highway median. The balloon, which had stalled mid-flight, was rapidly descending due to lack of wind and could not land at the original site, its operator, Quechee Balloon Rides, said, according to Fox News.

Veteran pilot Chris Ritland safely landed the balloon on the secure spot of the road and its four passengers hopped out, unharmed. After landing, the balloon was deflated and the lanes were reopened to traffic.

Traffic also slowed down at the intersection of Eighth Avenue and Ninth Avenue in Brooklyn, New York on the night of 22 August as motorists avoided a large group of people gathered in the middle of the street.

Joe Delfausse, 82, of Park Slope, had transferred to that spot from the sidewalk because it was the perfect vantage point for stargazing. He invited people who just come from a nearby indie pop concert to view the planet Saturn and the Milky Way, New York Post reported.

A viral TikTok video of the scene showed Delfausse standing beside his telescope as a long line of curious people awaited their turn to become star-struck.