I can fix 610 Mine Road.....on Mon 12 Sep

Commuter13: Thanks, although I certainly don't agree with you that everyone who thinks this is a good idea is either ambivalent or confused....

RKx2: Good points, when you see a map it will help. Think of how the Pentagon pickup line is for the Stafford lines....3 (4?) lines, all facing the same direction on the same median, with cars entering from the rear and leaving from the front. It works. Same concept we're proposing at Mine Road, except that there is a LOT more room and fewer lines. There will probably be at least 20 yards seperation between the back of the northern line, and the front of the southern line. Lines won't "meet in the middle", cars will still enter/leave from same direction (i.e. no crossflow). I plan on handing out maps tomorrow that shows the details.

You are correct, not really another good place in the Mine Road lot to start a seperate line....we only have 1 very long median which can easily accomodate both lines.

I'm thinking the D.C. line should be on the south end, and the VA line on the north end (please see previous thread)....thoughts?

I think we have 100% concurrence that the line direction should be changed, and the plan is to start that on Monday. I think we should also try to the 2-line concept....it will improve things even more.

We may still be in disagreement, but I appreciate your constructive input. Thanks!

Wade

I got it.

Makes sense.

Thanks for clearing this up.

Lets try it.

I've been using that lot for 13 months straight now, and haven't seen a problem. Count me among those opposed to both changes and I'll state my reasons.

Why NOT to change the line direction? Because cars will stop short of the head of the line to pick up folks they know/recognize, therefore causing the folks who have been in line longer to wait longer for a ride. Don't say it won't happen because it did happen at the other 610 lot. Tempers among the riders will start flaring up and we won't have the quiet civilized line that Mine road has enjoyed up this point.

Why NOT make TWO separate lines? Because before 6:30 there is not enough Downtown traffic to establish a downtown line. Currently, the downtown folks can wait in the one line with everyone else, and if by exception a DC car comes along they can step out of the line and get in that car. Otherwise, they get a ride to the Pentagon when their turn comes up. It has worked just fine. Since the predominance of traffic later in the morning goes downtown, then there should still be no problem with just one line. It simply means that the folks in the line need to cooperate by passing the destination of the driver down the line. THAT has never been a big deal.

[:(!]

The map showed a layout not unlike the Pentagon, with 2 lines. 1 for DC and 1 for VA.

If you have slugged from the Pentagon, you have seen incredible amounts of people move thru the line in record times. Granted the driver traffic is high too, but it is incredibly efficient.

I wasn't to keen on the 2 line deal until it was explained in detail.

But I liked what I read on this board last night and the map this morning. I think it will help the situation. And like N or S Bound stated, if it doesn't, we have lost nothing. and we can change it back. But at least give it a try.

I've been slugging since we originally formed the slug line at the Old 610 Lot and have been using the Mine Road Lot for nearly 2 years. I really don't see the problems you are attempting to address and are opposed to the changes you are about to make.

The direction of the line makes much more sense and generally works quite. Once in awhile people at the front of the line will walk the cars as they pull up and announce destinations, and this will muck up the system. It really is quite simple; the cars enter at the front of the line and continue toward the end of the line until they find riders. If they don't find any riders, they can wait at the end of the line until they find a rider. It is time consuming and creates confusion to make drivers drive from the back to the front of the line and call out their destination. Often the riders will need to walk up to the car from the middle or back of the line, and at the Old 610 lot, riders would jump into the car from the back or middle of the line leaving those who have waited longer at the front of the line frustrated.

The line at Mine Road has rarely been very long until recently, when VRE began experiencing delays due to CSX with track issues, and the most recent price gouging at the gas pumps. I have been “slugging” around 10 years in Stafford, and a number of years before that when I lived in Dale City. I have watched as the price of gas goes up, or there are issues with other forms of commuting, the lines will temporarily grow longer then eventually as riders return to driving or other methods of commuting the lines will return to their previous lengths.

I resent when someone decides for the rest of us that he should make major changes to the slug lines claiming to have surveyed the lines when I am there every day between 6-6:30am and was never asked. I also note there are only a few people responding on the message board - I did not realize that a requirement for input on decisions on how I slugged required I participate in this web site. It took me a while to find this topic, and only found it because I was diligent in searching for it. The first I heard of the changes was a sign followed by the handouts announcing that it was going to happen. As flyers were handed out, most of the people quietly received the flyers without comment and this does not necessarily define a positive response. Many folks may not have had time to digest the information determine what it means.

That’s about all I have to say on the subject right now, because I have to get back to work.