Post in here that was spam for leather goods has been nuked, and the user banned, and reported to abuse.

Move along.

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What the....?!
This morning, I'm in the fast lane, approaching this pickup truck who's going slightly under 75 mph. I wasn't even tailgating (even if I wanted to, I didn't get the chance to.)

They slam on their brakes, no one in front of them. WHAT THE FUCK?! Okay. So they start up again and I resume speed. They slam on their brakes yet AGAIN! I wasn't even close to tailgating, so what's the fucking problem?! I see an arm go up that may have been sporting a middle finger, but I couldn't really tell. They finally pull out of the fast lane, I pass them without even looking at them. Shortly after that, they pulled into the slow lane.

What the hell was their problem?! I HATE people!

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Dumbest Pedestrian Ever
Picture rush hour traffic, down the only through street in the town i was commuting to.

Picture it stopped dead both ways.

Why? A frat boy looking twenty something was jaywalking at a snails pace while talking on his cell phone.

I admit, the temptation to get him a Darwin Award was enormous. I didn't run him over though.

Current Mood: aggravated

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The Fast Lane
The fast lane is there in order to pass people... not in order to be passed. Why why WHY do people insist upon sitting in the fast lane when others are trying to pass them?! The signs that say "slower traffic stay right"... does that not apply to these idiots? Fine, if you're passing someone who's going slower, go into the fast lane then get out of it. I wonder if some of these people feel that since they're going a whopping 5 mph over the speed limit, that somehow qualifies them as "fast" or likely to pass everyone, so they feel they BELONG in the fast lane.

All I know is that if a state trooper came up behind any of these people, going 95 mph, they'd move the fuck out of the way or get a fist up their tail pipe.

Makes me want to get a Crown Vic and state troop-ify it. You never know if it could possibly get some of the mucus-trail invertebrates out of the way.

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Parking
Note: SUV's and oversized pick-ups are not "compact." If your vehicle is touching or over the yellow parking lines on both sides? Way too big for the spot. May I ask how you think your neighbors are going to get in and out of their cars?

Here's another hint for cars of all sizes. Those lines on the lot are painted for a reason. Think of it as a special game. You try to park your car so it is inside the lines on three sides. If a substantial part of your car is in four different spaces to the extent that no one can park in any of them, you lose the game. You are also officially too stupid to drive.

Current Mood: annoyed

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Does anyone else get a kick out of the commercial for Malibu Coconut Rum? "I am not late." "But my fish is sick!" "Don't make me get road rage." "It's total gridlock!"

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Open Letters To My Fellow Commuters
To the people who drop their children off in the middle of Vanowen Street: thousands of people who can't have children hate you and want you to die a grotesque and perverted death. What, you can't take the extra sixty seconds to move over into the right lane or the parking and drop off the spawn onto whom you have inflicted your dirty genes?

To the people who ignore the school crossing guard at the corner of Buena Vista St and San Fernando Rd: you know that she can ticket you, right? And you know that that particular intersection is in a town known for its vigilant police force, yes?

To the legions of assholes compensating for their tiny appendages on the on-ramp to the 170 at Victory: you are not special. You do not drive an electric vehicle. You do not have a sticker from the DMV that says that your stuffed-shirt ass is special and can use the carpool entrance because you don't feel like waiting. Honking doesn't make your penis larger, either.

To the jackass in the Nissan Sentra who hid in my blind spot and wouldn't let me move over on the 5 between Verdugo and Alameda, slowing and speeding up just to play mind games with me at 0730 on a Monday: fuck you sideways with lemon-soaked rebar. My car is more powerful than yours, and I will move over. I have more insurance than you do.

To the woman on the 5 south at Western who had her right hand out the sunroof and was talking on her phone with the left hand: what exactly are you steering with? Your breast implants?

To the further legions of assholes compensating for their tiny appendages on the off-ramp from the 134 east to Brand/Central: it is not a two-lane exit. There is ONE exit lane, and therefore if you are in the second lane from the right and decide to exit, I will magically become glued to the bumper of the car in front of me, because you are an asshole and don't want to wait your turn and I see no reason why I should be nice to you. I'm not from here. I'm from Jersey. And don't you forget it.

Finally, to the young thugs burning rubber in the parking structure at work: you are so cool, you will be my idols when you finish puberty. I want to be just like you, in your modded Acuras and Honda Civics, racing through a parking structure at 40 mph. The police in that town are even more anal-retentive than they are in Burbank, and they don't have enough to do; caveat caput stercori (let the shithead beware).

Love and a bright, shiny iron skillet upside the heat,

me

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495, you say?! *rips hair out*
I can relate to the 495 issue. I drive from Worcester on 290 to 495 north then all the way to Newburyport. Moving in with my fiancee has proven to be financially wise, but this commute has made me a bona fide Masshole Driver.

A community like this is a great idea. :)

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Cool Community

Howdy all! I'm a transportation planner in Massachusetts, so naturally this community caught my eye. My whole working life is taking people's commuter hells, and trying to make it less hellish. Not as easy task.

Anyway, I'll be around.

Typical scene in my neck of the woods:

Current Mood: working

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The Exile
This is a fun story that started with one accident, and has probably ended with another one. More on that behind the second cut.

If I'm a bit off-topic here discussing accidents I apologize, but I think they're relevant to this commuting story.

( So what exactly IS the Exile and what did you hope to accomplish...?Collapse )

(My griping about the actual commute ends here. Skip ahead if you don't want to hear about a near-death experience because of said commute. :P )

( Er... near-death experience...?Collapse )

Ah, the things we sometimes do for money... *wl*

Current Mood: sore

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495 Hell
I commute 495 in Massachusetts from Taunton to Hopkinton. Northbound has been under construction since shortly after I started my job 3 FREAKIN YEARS ago.

They paved it all last summer and did such a piss poor job they had to tear it all up and start over again this year.

You would think after 3 years people would have learned how to merge through lane closures but no. Every morning I have to deal with people staying in the closing lane till the very last second causing major traffic issues. People being scared to drive through the construction and stopping to gawk at the machinery...

My leisurely 40 minute commute has gone up to an hour...wicked fun.

Current Mood: aggravated

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I Think The Driving Around Here is Getting Worse
Aparently several new driving laws are in effect this year.

1. People talking on cell phones no longer need to look before barreling out of driveways into oncoming traffic. It's the job of other drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to dodge out of the way. I've nearly been in or seen this accident this year too many times to count. Bonus points to people who do this during the school year while little kids are walking to or from nearby schools.

2. When several people are lined up at stop signs, it is now completely acceptable to sail through the intersection following the guy in front of you, instead of stopping at the sign and waiting your turn. Too bad if the person who's turn it was is already in the intersection and in your way.

3. People no longer need to look for pedestrians in cross walks before making right turns. This is doubly true of city buses. Bonus points if you force a Mother with a baby stroller or old person with cane or walker to attempt a paniced dodge.

And an honorable mention to the elderly couple I came upon last night going 5 miles an hour, mostly on the wrong side of the street. At least they had their headlights on.

Current Mood: cranky

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Just a note on community rules.
1. Profanity is allowed.

2. Attacks on other people are not allowed. If I see it, I will freeze threads if it happens.

3. We welcome anyone. Yes, anyone. A commute isn't always a trip to work.

4. Crossposting is not discouraged.

5. You can go about your business. Move along.

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Look before you Leap
Note to the driver of a silver Seabring hard top: Look before jumping across three lanes of trafic to avoid a left lane slow down. Specificaly, look for the motorcycle before you push him onto the shoulder to avoid a colision with you. Then look before you jump back into the center lane, because you almost cleaned out a motorcycle. Look for the Toyota Camrey you almost hit in that lane. Once you have done these things, perhaps Think about lane position and turn signals as you continue weaving through heavy trafic.

The guy who almost got invovled in those accidents by dint of being right behind youre antics thanks you.

AE

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