F**king Shoulders, How Do They Work?

"McMike" (mcmike)
06/06/2016 at 08:17 • Filed to: None

On my ride to work this moring, these two miles took 30 minutes to cover. Why?

Broken down bus in lane #1

Broken Honda Accord in lane #2 a 1/2 mile later

Fender bender in lane #2 a 1/2 mile later

Another lane #2 fender bender another 1/2 mile later

Zero shoudler usage. I swear to god people, get your shit together.

DISCUSSION (15)

Fl1ngstam > McMike
06/06/2016 at 08:29

Complaint about DC traffic. Seems legit.

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > McMike
06/06/2016 at 08:30

And this is why I am very glad to not have a daily commute into DC.

interstate366, now In The Industry > McMike
06/06/2016 at 08:31

This is why I stay south of the Rappahannock.

jariten1781 > McMike
06/06/2016 at 08:49

I don’t take 395 in between 0630 and 1000 for exactly that reason. 295 is much more consistent even though looping the bottom of the beltway is an extra 25% distance and takes marginally longer on days 395 is clear. Same in the afternoon; if I don’t get out before 1445ish I take 295 or bail onto S. Capitol->495 if 295 is backed up past Malcom X.

Tried trusting Waze for a while, but it turns out there's just too much chance some catastrophic event occurs after the interchange to ever commit to 395.

Ash78, voting early and often > McMike
06/06/2016 at 08:55

Because DC. Also because many people believe that even minor accidents must be left EXACTLY as they occurred because the CSI team will show up and do chalk outlines, dust for prints, and Carbon-14 date the paint from the bumper to pinpoint the exact cause and timing of the accident. Seriously, people, it's not a murder scene. You rear-ended someone. And in DC, odds are good it was caught on camera. Move the f*ck over!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > McMike
06/06/2016 at 09:09

Fuckin’ fender benders - after it rains! There’s enough morons here to blow your brains!

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Ash78, voting early and often
06/06/2016 at 09:26

And given that everyone has a camera in their pocket or purse nowadays, just hop out snap a few pics and move your fucking cars

Azrek > McMike
06/06/2016 at 09:38

This is why I am trying hard to leave Maryland. This shit makes 0 sense. Dumb dumb dumb people here.

McMike > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
06/06/2016 at 09:47

Roads were dry.

Fender benders happen (as well as break downs), but for CHRIST’S SAKE GET OFF THE FUCKING ROAD!

If the guy in the Accord would have had his window down, I would have asked him, “Hey, are you from around here? Yes? Cool. I was wondering if you knew where the nearest shoulder was...”

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > McMike
06/06/2016 at 09:51

I had to mention rain because if we’re on any kind of ICP’s Miracles riff it helps to work with existing lines. Also, that’s the line my coworker repeats most often. Sarcastically, of course.

McMike > jariten1781
06/06/2016 at 09:51

I take HOV on the motorbike, and it’s usually a straight 75mph shot into the city. Takes me like, 30 minutes.

This morning, it took me close to an hour.

I would say about 1 out of every 3 days there is something on the shoulder that slows even HOV down. But it’s on the SHOULDER. We all slow or change lanes to give them room to breath, and then we continue on as normal.

Slant6 > McMike
06/06/2016 at 09:55

On I440 and I540 in Raleigh you’re supposed to go onto the grass off the shoulder and keep the shoulder open for emergency vehicles.

People always get ticketed when it snows and they think they can get around the grid lock that happens when it snows in the south.

jariten1781 > McMike
06/06/2016 at 09:57

Ahhh...motorcycle changes the calculus for sure. You’re a braver man than I...I won’t ride in this region and was a daily motorcycle commuter when I lived up in Seattle.

Wonder how HOV is going to be hit by the Metro maintenance. Commute in this morning for me on the regular roads was no-change, but it's just E-W lines affected for the time being.

McMike > jariten1781
06/06/2016 at 10:01

HOV is fairly stress-free on the motorbike. (it was better before part of it was converted to HOT lanes, since they now let anyone) It’s two lanes that move at a steady 75-80mph with very few exits/enterences)

I’m not sure I have the energy to run up an down 395 proper every day on two wheels.

ranwhenparked > Ash78, voting early and often
06/06/2016 at 23:15

And when the police do show up, they will stand around in the middle of the road talking to the drivers and filling out paperwork instead of immediately shoving the damn things into the shoulder and handling business there so everyone else can get on with their lives.