Date:  Fri, 22 Mar 1996 12:44:18 -0800

From:  Sylvia Swift <madonna[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]VIOLET.BERKELEY.EDU>

Subject: Re: gapers' block



i don't know any specific terms for the slowdowns rubberneckers cause.

but i did notice just this morning that a local traffic reporter called

the people who cause such a traffic jam "looky lous" (lookey-loos? the

singular is looky lou. i don't know how to spell it. i always thought

of the second part of the term as a person's name, by analogy with nervous

nellie). i had previously only heard that term from people who work in

real estate. that's what they call people who have no intention of buying

anything, but turn up for open houses, etc., for the pleasure of looking at

other people's stuff.



sylvia swift

madonna[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]violet.berkeley.edu