One of my biggest complaints about DC is that it’s just a pain in the ass to live here. When I first moved here, I didn’t bring a car. I figured that I would be able to do whatever crap I needed to do (grocery store, post office, fun stuff, whatever) using a combination of the Metro and my own two feet. And yeah, I could, and I did for the first few years. Eventually, though, 10-minute grocery store runs getting stretched to two hours because of rain-induced Metro delays took a toll. Plus, I found that I was renting Zipcars all the goddamn time. The thing is, DC isn’t super for necessities. I still have to go to the suburbs (ugh) regularly for various things. For me, it’s just part of the reality of living here. I suspect it’s part of the city just not being set up or planned out from the beginning to have people living in it. And, Metro sucks now.
Anyway, the point is, I had to drive out to the suburbs today for something, and I found myself on Colesville Rd needing to get onto 16th St to head back into DC from Maryland around 5pm today. And, holy shit:
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Did you guys know there is no light here?? What the fuck is up with that? Of course it’s deserted in the satellite photo, but I assure you, it does not look like that during rush hour. I (and a lot of other people) had to make a sharp left turn with everyone’s work-departing ass all up in my figurative grill. It’s the perfect welcome to the District!
At any rate, my car and I are skipping town for a few weeks for the holidays. We’re heading to places where there should be both adequate traffic lights and way fewer douchebags than we’re used to. See you in 2009, haters.
12.11.2008
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Jeez, Melpomene... I always wondered why *anyone* turned left at that intersection, as one of the ones who frequently goes north on 16th Street to get to Maryland, completely ignoring those trying to cross to go to 16th Street south or trying to merge when I'm already on 16th Street south. But now I understand: They're just trying to get back home and, having been outside of DC for a few minutes, have forgotten how stupid and completely incomprehensible driving in DC is.
ReplyDeleteI also don't let people merge when they knowingly go into the right lane, trying to pass everyone, but then get stuck behind a parked car. I mean, really. There's just no excuse for *that*.
I drove through that intersection every work day for a year, and I firmly believe that it is the worst intersection in the DC area. I also believe that they should rename 16th to NASCAR St.
ReplyDeleteholy shit, take an alternate route, or order it on the fucking tubes. and what kind of idiot goes on errands during rush hour? you are the reason traffic around here is ridiculous. thats not to say that using metro still takes at least twice as long as driving. and, lets be honest, what the hell has suburban MD got that the district doesnt? its just columbia heights more sprawled out.
ReplyDeletenext time, take a cab, that way only one shithead will drive in two lanes and make a left turn in the worst possible place.
i forgot to give you credit on noting the idiocy of the layout of various roads and intersections in the area. that particular one seems to be a great example of how various jurisdictions and the feds work together to stick it to us in various and sundry ways.
ReplyDeleteI used to live right by that intersection in Silver Spring, Md. I know what you mean. There's a lot of driver-to-driver bargaining that should be handled by infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteI agree w/ the other guy. The next time you get a "hankering" for the "best cupcakes in the city, don't go during rush hour. Your cupcakes can wait, chickie.
I also don't let people merge when they knowingly go into the right lane, trying to pass everyone, but then get stuck behind a parked car. I mean, really. There's just no excuse for *that*.
ReplyDelete--I would like to toss Molotov cocktails into those parked cars, especially on "church day."
The freaking taxi cabs do it all the time, between 4th & 7th streets on Pennsylvania Ave. Not letting them merge really doesn't do any good, because they just straddle the lanes or try to run you off the road.
ReplyDeleteYou will never defeat the Labyrinth!
ReplyDeleteBow before the minotaur!
Umm.....its a Circle. The whole purpose of having circles is to eliminate lights. Metro riders should stick to the bus or train. You're f-in up my commute!!
ReplyDeleteI don't really think you could call that a circle... it's more like a rectangle. At best it's an oval, or maybe a bean.
ReplyDeleteAt any rate, it needs a fucking traffic light.
circle, square.... cluster fuck by any name.
ReplyDelete+2 for the graphic.
heh, traffic bean...
ReplyDeleteIn a circle there is no oncomimg traffic. When you enter that circle or whatever it is ,there is traffic coming from the south on
ReplyDelete16th st plus traffic from the north. Believe me there needs to be a traffice light there.
Hahahaha! I live there. Like RIGHT THERE, on the corner of 16th and Eastern, in those big pretty apartment buildings? Yeah. You could sit there for forever. I'm lucky, though, there's two grocery stores, two pharmacies, and the downtown Silver Spring shopping center with restaurants and such. If I didn't work in Rockville, I'd probably never leave.
ReplyDeleteTwo months ago, somebody HIT MY CAR in that intersection. "Yield to Traffic in Circle" is useless. We need "Do Not Merge Directly Into the Side of a Vehicle at 10 M.P.H." signs.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, that is decidedly NOT a traffic circle. It is not marked as one, it doesn't look like one, and it doesn't function as one.
ReplyDeleteSecond, while there is no light for Colesville Road, there is a light on Eastern, a light on 16th Street northbound, a light at East/West highway, and a light on Portal street.
While I agree it's a pain to turn left from Colesville onto 16th Street there during rush hour, it's far from impossible because you get a big gap during every light cycle because EVERY OTHER ROAD entering the intersection is controlled by traffic lights.
I drive through this thing every day on my way to and from work. While I would never go out of my way to make that left turn from Colesville, I've done it plenty of times, even during rush hour, and it's just not that bad. Maybe your driving skills are a little, er, "rusty."
Hi I'm late to the convo. Maybe you just have too much shit, which makes you feel like you need more shit. If you didn't feel that way, you wouldn't be driving to maryland from DC to pick up shit during rush hour like an idiot. was this like your diabeetis meds or something? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteUgh, for christs sake people, it doesn't matter what she was doing. The point was that people need to go to the suburbs because dc has inadequate things of various kinds and for whatever reason she found herself at an intersection which should have a traffic light and doesn't. Reading comprehension much? i live in dc and have to go out to the suburbs not just for shopping (though for that too) but for medical appointments and a lot of other things.
ReplyDelete