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Tacketts (New Lot) etiquette in AM

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croz61 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote croz61 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2002 at 12:46pm
Is there any word from VDOT for putting up two signs for the new Tacketts Mill lot? Using the single line concept, and placing the signs curbside (but a few light poles apart) would negate the hazardous problems we have each morning. These hazardous conditions are getting far more frequent and are caused by intersecting traffic and pedestrians (drivers and slugs) attempting to create and utilize a 2nd line. Within a matter of 5 minutes this AM, I watched two near collisions and one slug get nearly flattened . Something has to be done soon.

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Eric View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Eric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2002 at 2:26pm
Not only is it a hazard from that point of view, but this AM was very disturbing to me for another reason. As I walked past the line-cutters, the lead car honked at me from about 3 feet away. (Which, needless to say, startled me.) The driver asked what I was doing and when I told him I was going to use the correct line, he got irate. At first I was going to patiently explain the situation, but he was clearly hot under the collar. When he started to step out of his car , I walked away. (And found a Rosslyn ride just two cars farther down the line, thus proving, once again, that the "second line" is, in fact, based upon stealing riders.)

So, not only was this guy not satisfied with breaching the rule about stealing riders, but he also thinks he can tell a slug which car he/she can or cannot get into! And then to get to the point of getting out of his car!?

I think I'm going to start carrying a pad & pen in my hands. If I ever have a run-in like that, I can at least alert others. I'd guess that, regardless of most people's feelings about how the New Lot should run, NOBODY wants to ride with a hot-head like that.

- Eric.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote newbie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2002 at 2:56pm
I'm confused about this whole "two line" issue at Tackett's Mill.

I am a newbie to slugging (as a driver). On my first day in the lot, I was waiting on a very long line. I noticed to my left that there was a line formed on the other side of the lot (perpendicular to the line that I was on). Being new to the slug lot, I was concerned that I may not be on the correct line - knowing that some slug lots have more than one line. So I got out of my car and ran over to the driver in the car behind me to ask if I was on the correct line. That driver asked where I was headed, and when I told her that it was Rosslyn, she said (and I quote) "oh, you need to go over to that line" and she pointed to the other shorter line that had formed.

So my question is....if you don't want to form two lines (which seems to work), why are the drivers telling the newbies about the second line?? Also, the slugs ARE using the second line. It is clearly not a problem for them.

Being new to slugging, I want to follow the rules and not appear as a "line cutter" to the veterans of slugging. But it seems that some of the veterans are telling the newbies, indirectly, to cut the line.

Maybe we all just need to be on the same page, and not give misleading information to those of us who are new to this slugging concept.




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Eric View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Eric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Jun 2002 at 4:04pm
Newbie,

I have no idea why you were told such misinformation. A quick check of both the existing slugging websites shows that the established convention is to run ONE line and the non-Pentagon slugs walk the line with signs. It has been that way for YEARS. It works better for drivers that way, as the Rosslyn/Crystal City driver gets the option of doing the Pentagon if nobody shows up for their destination (or doing one Pentagon and one to their destination). Unless you'd rather wait a possibly long time for that second rider. For slugs it also works better, since you don't risk getting stuck in a car that's sitting there waiting on a second slug. Anyway, all the logic of why one line is better has been covered earlier in this topic.

Additionally, as someone new to the slugging phenomenon, I hope you've read the various discussions of slugging etiquette. One of the biggest rules is "Thou shalt not steal slugs". Which is what the second line has been doing since day one (though, I'm sure not everyone in that line has thought about it). On a typical morning I'll walk right past the second line and within a few cars find someone headed to my destination. Any slugs to that destination that were taken by the second line were, quite obviously, stolen from someone in the REAL line, in direct violation of slugging etiquette.

Another argument against that line is that it totally changes the traffic pattern at that spot and significantly increases the danger to pedestrians (as well as motorists). A number of incidents of this type have been noted in this topic.

As further proof of the line-cutting/slug-stealing, I submit what I saw this morning. The lead car in the second line was holding up a *PENTAGON* sign. If that isn't an attempt to steal slugs, I don't know what is. It's also quite silly, since it is very unlikely a Pentagon slug would've ever reached him.

Unfortunately, this is a case where the people who are doing the right thing suffer. For some reason, I see many slugs who just walk right up to the second line and completely ignore the folks who are in the proper line. I'm just glad that I still find drivers that are still willing to stick it out and do what's right.

And to all that read this, let me just urge that you not patronize the line-cutting 'line' and further, you should point this out to others. Slugging works well when everyone adheres to the long-standing rules of etiquette. When these rules are broken, slugging stops working as well.

- Eric.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BelvoirSlug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Jul 2002 at 11:57am
OK..now I'm confused. I'm a new slugger. I've noticed two lines. One going straight down the entrance/exit to the lot and other one off to the side. Normally I go to the one off to the side as I was under the impression that this was the Rosslyn/Crystal City line and the other line was for Pentagon. I don't want to offend anyone by standing in the wrong line if there isn't to be two lines. Can anyone clear this up for me?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tameraj Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Jul 2002 at 2:05pm
There is only one line for everyone at Tacketts. That "other" line you see is for cars that are trying to form their own line and thus get ahead of the other cars.

While it's a nice concept - two lines - works great at Potomac Mills (my favorite lot) - there isn't enough space for it at Tackett's AND the public is not informed (thus not fair to those who wait patiently in the main line).

Best etiquette - check the cars in the main line first before stopping at the "other" line. If people get rude, ignore them. I've found that those are the drivers you want to avoid anyway. And, yes, I know how rude they can be but I also realize it's frustration over the system, not knowing that they really are in the wrong.

I think one of the biggest problems with slugging is that people (drivers and riders) don't realize that slugging is based on rules and etiquette. They want to form their own "rules" without getting the say so from the slugging community AND VDOT. While many might feel it would be nice to have two lines at Tackett's, no one has gotten the approval from VDOT for two lines, thus it's still one line.

Tackett's is a nice location to slug out of (my favorite "late" lot), let's keep it that way.


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Eric View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Eric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Aug 2002 at 12:46pm
quote:

There is only one line for everyone at Tacketts. That "other" line you see is for cars that are trying to form their own line and thus get ahead of the other cars.

While it's a nice concept - two lines - works great at Potomac Mills (my favorite lot) - there isn't enough space for it at Tackett's AND the public is not informed (thus not fair to those who wait patiently in the main line).

Best etiquette - check the cars in the main line first before stopping at the "other" line. If people get rude, ignore them. I've found that those are the drivers you want to avoid anyway. And, yes, I know how rude they can be but I also realize it's frustration over the system, not knowing that they really are in the wrong.

I think one of the biggest problems with slugging is that people (drivers and riders) don't realize that slugging is based on rules and etiquette. They want to form their own "rules" without getting the say so from the slugging community AND VDOT. While many might feel it would be nice to have two lines at Tackett's, no one has gotten the approval from VDOT for two lines, thus it's still one line.

Tackett's is a nice location to slug out of (my favorite "late" lot), let's keep it that way.



You are absolutely correct that there is supposed to only be ONE line at Tackett's and that the second line amounts to 'body snatching'. I've had mixed feelings about doing what you suggest (namely, going to the cheaters after reaching the end of the proper line). I worry that accepting rides from them at all will be a tacit approval of their activity. As a practical matter, though, I, like you, have to balance the need to get to work in a timely fashion with the need to take a stand against a severe breach of slugging etiquette.

You've missed the mark on one thing, though. VDOT cannot and will not ever have anything to do with slugging. They believe it to be a liability issue if they endorse slugging in any way. Which is frustrating the heck out of the county people, who would like to post signage to eliminate the second line (due to the greatly increased hazard it presents - there was another near accident this AM from someone pulling out of the cheater's line). VDOT has apparently examined the situation, but these are the same folks who have to wait for a body count before they put an intersection near the top of their list.

- Eric.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote masinick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Aug 2002 at 3:21pm
I've been slugging out of the Tacketts lot for the last few months going to Crystal City. For the first few days I "Walked The Line" and found it to be a terrible experience as nearly EVERYBODY was going to the Pentagon and very few of the had signs, so I had to have them roll down the window, etc. Each day since then I have simply walked to the second line formed for Rosslyn and Crystal City, and hopped right into a car. If all of the drivers had Crystal City / Pentagon signs, it would be one thing, but over half don't.

Having a second line is the best way to go for all parties concerned... It's just the traffic logistics that are the problem. But this is not going to change by screaming on this board. The two line concept is now the standard at Tacketts Mill and will be until there are official looking signs stating otherwise. Anybody thinking otherwise is kidding themselves (and waiting in the wrong line).

Mike

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Eric Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Sep 2002 at 3:37pm
quote:

I've been slugging out of the Tacketts lot for the last few months going to Crystal City. For the first few days I "Walked The Line" and found it to be a terrible experience as nearly EVERYBODY was going to the Pentagon and very few of the had signs, so I had to have them roll down the window, etc. Each day since then I have simply walked to the second line formed for Rosslyn and Crystal City, and hopped right into a car. If all of the drivers had Crystal City / Pentagon signs, it would be one thing, but over half don't.



It is generally the SLUG that carries the sign. Works much better that way.

quote:

Having a second line is the best way to go for all parties concerned... It's just the traffic logistics that are the problem. But this is not going to change by screaming on this board. The two line concept is now the standard at Tacketts Mill and will be until there are official looking signs stating otherwise. Anybody thinking otherwise is kidding themselves (and waiting in the wrong line).

Mike



Actually, the second line is WORSE for all parties concerned, or at best a wash, as is easily proven (look back in this thread for the logic). At the beginning, the only people that really got a benefit out of it were those that started the line by stealing riders from others. For the slug, I can see where you might feel like you're saving a few steps, but it's not like the line is ever that long. It boggles the mind that so many people just don't get that the second line could only be established by stealing riders from people who were doing it the proper way (as stated on this website!). BTW, the first time you're stuck sitting in a car needing a third rider and you see all those Pentagon people come and go, you'll experience living proof that the second line can never be better. Given that it is also more confusing, poses an additional traffic hazard and is fundamentally unfair to any driver that would be willing to be flexible in destination, the second line should have been a non-starter. How and why it's become so popular, I can't fathom.

- Eric.

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