Why did the Tarantula cross the road?

Well, it's been awhile. Thought I would start off with a recent story: 2 evenings ago I was driving down the road near my home here in Solvang, California. A gorgeous, slightly cool evening for this neck of the woods...and I mean woods! Our house is on a hilltop located in Santa Ynez Valley with coyotes, mountain lions (OK, I have never seen one, just heard stories), horses, wild chickens, and Max (my black lab friend who lives nearby).  As I was driving down our canyon road I saw something dark (the size of my fist) 20 feet in front of my car. I slowed down as I saw this 'thing' creeping along. I STOPPED when I saw what would be the largest spider I have seen in the states. I pulled over, hopped out and stood in the middle of the road dumbfounded as this Tarantula made it's 8-legged way across the road. Uh, where were it's eyes? I couldn't quite see them and I wanted to know just WHICH way was forward as I stood ready to make a quick dash.
Anyway, another car was rounding the curve and I put out my hand for them to stop. The driver looked down in front of her car, smiled, shook her head and pulled around the crazy lady and her new friend in the middle of the road.
To make this story shorter, my new friend ambled across the road and that was that. After a Google search I found that this area of California is hopping with Tarantulas. The ones we see crossing the road are males, not too aggressive, evening time is the prime time to view them, and (of course) it is mating season. So, I wonder if I took a pole how many people got the answer to my subject line before I even typed this?