DC is hell during rush hour!!

[HotelMinion]

Ok so this happened when I was working as a delivery driver. I was in DC and everything was fine...then ...rush hour!!!
Ok so I expected to be stuck in traffic. What I didn't expect was for drivers to run red lights, not being able to cross safely, get stuck in the intersection, fucking BLOCK the intersection, causing other drivers not able to move, causing a traffic jam.
And it wasn't just one or two intersections...it was ALL of them!! At least all I got stuck in. And I went through a lot.
Ok I get it, you're tired, you wanna go home, you had a long day pushing papers. But does that mean you get to drive like a fricking maniac?! I don't think so. Yellow means caution. You're not being at all cautious.
And as an aside, where are the police? I would think DC would have more police than usual to regulate...seeing the WH is there and all...but I didn't see a single one.
Smh at them all.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Welcome to the hell that is the DMV rush hour!

I'm not looking forward to having to deal with the drive-home rush hour starting next week.

[eltf177]

And this is why, although I live in the Metro area, have NOT been to DC in decades unless absolutely necessary!

And agreed, where ARE the cops? This seems an easy way to make their quota, especially from out of state drivers...

[IT Grunt]

I agree, traffic around that area is totally nuts. I'm often travelling to Jersey for business, so I usually break up the trip (it's at least 8 hours) by staying with family near DC. I've learned to leave extra early the next morning or suffer the consequences. I once left around 7 AM, got on the Dulles toll road, and go to the ramp to 495. Total. Parking. Lot. I sat on that ramp for a half hour. Just for the ramp. And that's considered /normal/.

I'll take my small town traffic.

[otter]

When going to Norfolk for the weekend, I have to leave before one. Noon is better. Or I add almost four hours to the trip heading through dc, past quantico, alexandria... Its a rolling roadblock. As the trip to norfolk is only about 3 hours without traffic, thats a lot!

[eltf177]

Where are you starting from, Otter?

I used to go from Leesburg to the Hampton Roads area to shop back in the late 80's-early 90's. Used to leave @ 6am and still hit traffic both ways, especially coming back. I've been thinking about going again but shutter to think of what traffic is like now...

[klhanson]

The few times i've gone to DC i've taken amtrak in and out and used the metro system while i was there to get around..

[otter]

I live about halfway between DC & Baltimore, and I have friends in Norfolk. You're heading out at the beginning of rush hour (six am) probably why you'd hit so much traffic. Not saying leaving at noon is traffic free, but its not nearly as bad as afternoon rush on a Friday.

[Sunshine]

My best friend lived in the DC area and worked in the Pentagon while she was in the Navy. I had my eyes closed the whole time we drove. It was scary!! But we didn't drive much in town. Once we were in Maryland, it was so pretty!! (Compared to Texas)

[eltf177]

I live about halfway between DC & Baltimore, and I have friends in Norfolk. You're heading out at the beginning of rush hour (six am) probably why you'd hit so much traffic. Not saying leaving at noon is traffic free, but its not nearly as bad as afternoon rush on a Friday.

Actually this was on Saturday's in March-May and September-November, not weekdays. And I somehow suspect things are a LOT worse 25 years later.

I once tried the Saturday after Thanksgiving and once the week between Christmas and New Year's...NEVER AGAIN!!!