Out my car window

I really am a good driver; I've had no tickets and no real accidents. However, I say of myself that I probably like to look around a little too much while behind the wheel (as my previous post about writing and driving might indicate), but really, imagine all I'd miss if I didn't let my peripheral vision swivel my head a few times?
Tonight I observed the following phenomenons while driving home from the boyfriend's place--mind you consistent un-December like rain slicked and shined the pavement and it was close to 11 p.m. In the parking lot of a furniture factory store was an elephant. No cars, nothing, just a life-size elephant looking to be occupying at least a couple parking spaces. This was no fake blow-up, it looked quite realistic, except that it was motionless. A sculpture, I guess. But anyone that knows 38th St. knows it isn't a sculpture kind of road. And why at a furniture store? Secondly, about halfway home I encountered a street sweeper. I did mention earlier that it was rainy, right? What good is street sweeping going to do except push around the slush on the road and spray it onto passing cars of which I was one. Plus, we stopped at a stoplight and the sweeper stopped--briefly--and then continued on through the light as if it were a stop sign. Is there a law that states street sweepers do not need to comply with the general rules of the road?