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So I typically head out a little early in my commute to The Client for work. Partly because you can never predict when traffic in the Greater Metropolitan Area will suddenly decide to forget to take its crazy pills, and partly because on weekdays it gives me the chance to hunt for better parking. I just typically leave about the same time on Sundays as I do during the week because, well, it's a habit.
From here on out, I'll be obfuscating specifics on roads, activities, and locations, both due to CS.com policy and the contract I'm on.
Now, I'd spotted signs posted in The Client's Facility on Thursday before my weekend (my off days are Fri & Sat) stating that Main Entrance on Road X (the entrance I use) would be closed due to An Activity on Saturday. Since I don't work Saturdays, and don't come anywhere near the Facility on Saturdays, I otherwise ignored it.
However, today, as I'm coming up Road X, I see barriers put up at the Main Entrance. Just to be sure, I stopped in the turn lane to double-check, and yup, the gate's closed.
There are a few other entrances to the Facility, but I don't know specifically where they are or how to get to them, since it's never been an issue for me. I was fairly sure there was a Side Entrance on Road Y, just a short distance away. So I pulled back out onto Road X and pulled a U-turn to go up to Road Y and find the Side Entrance. Which I did... but it was shut, too. I have a feeling, however, that Side Entrance is simply shut on the weekend, since the traffic's so light.
So I pulled off to the side to get out my map book. I knew there was an Alternate Entrance off of River Parkway, but not how I could get there from where I was. Fortunately, the map showed me. Get back on Road X, there was an exit for River Parkway ahead! Excellent!
Alas, this is where *I* screwed up. Because I was following another car which had done the same thing I had, come down Road Y hoping to use Side Entrance, and turned around to get to Alternate Entrance off River Parkway. That car had gotten ahead of me, however, and I lost sight of it, so I took the exit I thought I saw it use-- which turned out to be River Parkway South, when I needed to be on River Parkway North.
Arrrgh.
So now I'm stuck on an unfamiliar road, going the wrong direction. I resolve to take the first exit I can so I can turn around and get on River Parkway North. Mind you, at this time, I'm yelling and punching the wheel in frustration. I see an exit come up, and immediately take it-- only to find that traffic is practically at a standstill, and worse, I'm about to get onto Trouble Bridge, going into The City.
No no no. Still not the way I need to go, and worse, I'll be on the wrong side of the river. So I'm creeping along, getting into the left lanes because I'm still hoping to pull a U-turn, come back up Trouble Bridge and get on River Parkway North. Alas, as the traffic lights ahead come into view, I can see this is doomed to failure, so I start planning to take a loop around a block to get back toward Trouble Bridge again...
But then, thank the heavens, I see a sign for Interstate A. And I know Interstate A well enough that I figure I can just get off Interstate A at Road X and try getting on River Parkway again from there. So I follow the signs, end up back on the right side of the river, and keep going for Interstate A... when I spot a sign for River Parkway North. I promptly take it, despite not knowing if I'm north of the Facility already. However, I knew that if I was already north of the Facility, I would end up on a road I could turn around on and come back south on River Parkway again.
Thankfully, I was still south of the Facility, so I came across Alternate Entrance, where I was able to enter without further fuss. I got to the parking garage, parking on the 2nd level instead of the first as I usually do... and am out of the car and ready to head up-- when I realize that about half of the garage on this level is 24 Hour Reserved parking, and I don't have the proper permit.
So I got back in the car, went down to the first level, parked it (no permits required down there on Sundays) and went on into work.
The whole experience added another hour to my commute, caused me no end of stress, and left me in a mood enough that I broke my "one soda per day" rule to have another just to soothe my irritation.
Not looking forward to leaving tonight if Main Entrance is shut. I don't like driving on unfamiliar roads when it's dark, and I'm still not familiar with River Parkway.
From here on out, I'll be obfuscating specifics on roads, activities, and locations, both due to CS.com policy and the contract I'm on.
Now, I'd spotted signs posted in The Client's Facility on Thursday before my weekend (my off days are Fri & Sat) stating that Main Entrance on Road X (the entrance I use) would be closed due to An Activity on Saturday. Since I don't work Saturdays, and don't come anywhere near the Facility on Saturdays, I otherwise ignored it.
However, today, as I'm coming up Road X, I see barriers put up at the Main Entrance. Just to be sure, I stopped in the turn lane to double-check, and yup, the gate's closed.
There are a few other entrances to the Facility, but I don't know specifically where they are or how to get to them, since it's never been an issue for me. I was fairly sure there was a Side Entrance on Road Y, just a short distance away. So I pulled back out onto Road X and pulled a U-turn to go up to Road Y and find the Side Entrance. Which I did... but it was shut, too. I have a feeling, however, that Side Entrance is simply shut on the weekend, since the traffic's so light.
So I pulled off to the side to get out my map book. I knew there was an Alternate Entrance off of River Parkway, but not how I could get there from where I was. Fortunately, the map showed me. Get back on Road X, there was an exit for River Parkway ahead! Excellent!
Alas, this is where *I* screwed up. Because I was following another car which had done the same thing I had, come down Road Y hoping to use Side Entrance, and turned around to get to Alternate Entrance off River Parkway. That car had gotten ahead of me, however, and I lost sight of it, so I took the exit I thought I saw it use-- which turned out to be River Parkway South, when I needed to be on River Parkway North.
Arrrgh.
So now I'm stuck on an unfamiliar road, going the wrong direction. I resolve to take the first exit I can so I can turn around and get on River Parkway North. Mind you, at this time, I'm yelling and punching the wheel in frustration. I see an exit come up, and immediately take it-- only to find that traffic is practically at a standstill, and worse, I'm about to get onto Trouble Bridge, going into The City.
No no no. Still not the way I need to go, and worse, I'll be on the wrong side of the river. So I'm creeping along, getting into the left lanes because I'm still hoping to pull a U-turn, come back up Trouble Bridge and get on River Parkway North. Alas, as the traffic lights ahead come into view, I can see this is doomed to failure, so I start planning to take a loop around a block to get back toward Trouble Bridge again...
But then, thank the heavens, I see a sign for Interstate A. And I know Interstate A well enough that I figure I can just get off Interstate A at Road X and try getting on River Parkway again from there. So I follow the signs, end up back on the right side of the river, and keep going for Interstate A... when I spot a sign for River Parkway North. I promptly take it, despite not knowing if I'm north of the Facility already. However, I knew that if I was already north of the Facility, I would end up on a road I could turn around on and come back south on River Parkway again.
Thankfully, I was still south of the Facility, so I came across Alternate Entrance, where I was able to enter without further fuss. I got to the parking garage, parking on the 2nd level instead of the first as I usually do... and am out of the car and ready to head up-- when I realize that about half of the garage on this level is 24 Hour Reserved parking, and I don't have the proper permit.
So I got back in the car, went down to the first level, parked it (no permits required down there on Sundays) and went on into work.
The whole experience added another hour to my commute, caused me no end of stress, and left me in a mood enough that I broke my "one soda per day" rule to have another just to soothe my irritation.
Not looking forward to leaving tonight if Main Entrance is shut. I don't like driving on unfamiliar roads when it's dark, and I'm still not familiar with River Parkway.
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