Thursday, April 24, 2008

Rules of the Road

humorous pictures
see more crazy cat pics

In Melly's Thoughts today, I'm going to list my observations on traffic in the Metro DC area. I'm pretty sure they apply to other places as well, but since this is where I live, it's all I know.

1. Turn signals are optional, and a sign of weakness.

2. Two words: Jersey Walls. Construction is always ongoing in this area, and to make Dept of Transportation feel better, they stick Jersey walls everywhere. "You see this Jersey wall? It means we're working. Just not now." Then they put them so close to the road that everyone thinks they are going to wreck so they start veering into the next lane. The one you're driving in of course. My next career is going to be making Jersey walls. I'll make a fortune!

3. A little rain and snow and people drive crazy. And nice days. When I hear the words "sun delay" I die a little inside.

4. Speed limits are just a suggestion and not something anyone needs to obey. Unless there is a cop on the side of the road.

5. And if there is a cop on the side of the road, people will slam on their brakes. Even if the cop has someone pulled over. Or facing the other direction.

6. There's always one person who doesn't know how to merge.

7. Even with plenty of notice that a lane is ending, people will still play chicken. Usually with a Jersey wall.

8. When coming off an exit, there will always be one person who will break out of the line and try to go around everyone instead of just merging with the rest of the cars.

9. There will always be one car that will take the slow lane too seriously and go below the speed limit. I'm talking way below. Turtle pace.

10. You'll see at least one accident a week. Sometimes one a day. Insurance company's must be making a mint in this area.

My last and most important observation is... PEOPLE ARE WAY TOO MUCH OF A HURRY TO GO NOWHERE. Calm down!

Oh, and in something totally unrelated, the new Grey's Anatomy is on tonight!! Whoo-hoo! It seems like I've waited way too long.

3 comments:

Connie said...

I think you forgot the most important part of DC beltway traffic laws which is that, for whatever reason, people drive much slower on the Virginia part of the beltway than on the Maryland part of the beltway.

When I lived in Maryland, I hated the Virginia side of the beltway because it was soooooooooo slow.

Melanie Anderson said...

LOL Connie. Well, since I'm on the Virginia side I can't comment. But my mother says the same thing. That's another observation I forgot to make:

The people in Virginia think Maryland drivers suck and the people in Maryland think Virginia drivers suck.

Since I've lived in both places, and commuted from Maryland to Virginia for many years, I say they both are pretty bad. LOL

Shiela Stewart said...

It's not just in DC. Where i live, we're use to snow and ice yet come first snow fall, people act like their brains have seized and they have no idea how to drive on the stuff. And merging....stupid as sin.Signs indicate merging ahead yet stupid people still wait until the last second to merge like they had no idea it was coming.

And i don't even drive.

And don't even get me started on little old men driving wayyyyy below the speed limit and holding everyone up.