What has happened to morning commute?
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Topic: What has happened to morning commute?
Posted By: Bob
Subject: What has happened to morning commute?
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2003 at 11:48am
We sure have had some terrible commutes in the morning lately. I wonder what is causing it. I assume it is some combination of potholes and the new configuration at Springfield. Hope it is just temporary because it has really been bad. There is no problem in the afternoon that I can see.
Bob
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Replies:
Posted By: kortegel
Date Posted: 17 Mar 2003 at 2:10pm
Actually it's because of rubberneckers who can't pass up on seeing a good wreck even though it's on an off ramp going the other direction. It's not even summer yet! [xx(]
K.O.
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Posted By: jjmahoney
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 10:38am
I have noticed this too. If it's not snow (and the missing lanes that result from the mountains of snow everywhere) it's been the insane potholes everywhere. But the other days, I just don't get it. The accident this morning that closed HOV for about 30 minutes was a major headache. The car in front of me was the last one they let through before they closed it. At least I got a close up of the helicopter. That whole thing added an hour to my existing hour commute. Yesterday wasn't a picnic either. It seemed that traffic was slowing to read the big sign near Landmark telling them that Constitution was closed, the exact same message on the sign by Newington! And this psycho with the tractor on the mall, just shoot him!
I'm sorry for venting, but the past 2 weeks have just been horrible, even for HOV! Countless times I've wanted to just tell my slugs "I'm sorry, but I'm turning around and going home". Certainly I haven't done that, but when you have to sit in an additional hour of traffic because some idiot is weaving in and out of HOV traffic and causes a major accident (and they're usually HOV violators), I lose patience with this system. It's frustrating sitting there in HOV for an hour with no way off and watching the main lines fly by you. If it's something serious, I can understand. But even those have become too frequent. But even when it's not a serious accident, I never see a good reason for it to be backed up like that.
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Posted By: Rescue5
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 12:32pm
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The accident this morning was awful! I was behind the guy who flipped his truck over a few times... They had to close down 95 to set a chopper down and get him... what a mess... [B)]
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Posted By: mirangus
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 1:06pm
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I heard about that accident!! I must have missed it by mere minutes, because I was going past Edsall Road when I heard about the first time on the radio. I bet that was terrible!!
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Posted By: Bob
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 1:36pm
There have been several accidents that have involved an overturned vehicle. I am wondering if the sand on the shoulders may be contributing to this as a hazard. All it takes is to hit your brakes with one set of wheels in the sand and over you go.
I will email VDOT about this.
Bob
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Posted By: Rescue5
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 1:57pm
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[V]I don't think it has anything to do with the sand. this guy had been going off the shoulder for about 3 miles back and fourth... I think he fell asleep... I stopped and got in the car to hold c-spine until they could get more rescue there.....
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Posted By: Vema
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 3:43pm
I have noticed slow downs, then regular speeds, then slow downs again in the am and I believe it is more than one factor. Here were my observations (for what they are worth) during the past week. My starting point is Rt. 17. I have observed a big slow down where the electronic signs are located- people were slowing down to read the thing when it has a message on it other than the normal HOV stuff. I guess some people are slow readers! Then traffic went back up to speed. Then traffic went to a crawl again at a point where cop cars were on each shoulder of the HOV with their lights flashing and people, once again, slowed down to see what was going on. (Nothing was going on other than the usual violator stops.) It is totally amazing that so many people cannot resist slowing down to check things out. What is THAT about?
Anyway, it seems that there is more going on than just an accident because there will be a slow down, then everything is fine for a few miles, then another slow down, and finally the third slow down. I am baffled because no one wants to spend all this extra time driving to work, yet there are so many people that have to look at everything around them - except the road in front of them.
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Posted By: elama
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 4:00pm
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Vema: I have noticed the same things, but can't figure out why these things just started happening a few weeks ago and haven't let up.
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Posted By: tondalea
Date Posted: 19 Mar 2003 at 4:25pm
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I think everyone is tired of the morning commute. I tell you, Geico is looking better and better every day.
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Posted By: jjmahoney
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2003 at 10:05am
Vema and Elama, that was my point exactly. For the past nearly two years I've worked in DC, I could jump on HOV and get from Woodbridge to the Pentagon in 20 minutes (sometimes 15), with the occasional accident maybe once every few months. But it was never this bad, and I'm confused why the sudden slowdown. Certainly the rubberneckers are a major problem. Like we've never seen a fender bender before. I mean if it was a blown up tanker truck or something, then okay, I could understand the slowdown to see that (plus they would probably have lanes closed surrounding something that big). But come on! Joe Smith looks down to change the radio and bumps into Sue Jones at 5 MPH, and we all have to look at the scratch on her bumper! Stop it!! I was thinking that maybe it was the heightened terror alert, but the traffic doesn't backup near the Pentagon, and there is never any major police presence along the HOV. So what's the deal people?
Today was great though. Got to work in just under an hour. Back to normal maybe? I hope so.
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Posted By: swichowski
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2003 at 10:10am
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I have to leave 25 min early just to get to work ontime now. even today I just got here ontime leaving early. YEAH if only GEICO payed more it would be nice.
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Posted By: gg
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2003 at 10:55am
My opinion, but I think that part of the general slowdown is because of drivers driving the speed limit in the left lane. I'm assuming this but isn't the left lane the passing lane in the HOV lanes? In general everyday traffic, I think that if you're in the left lane and you're not passing by anyone on the right, you ought to move to the right. You may be legal when driving in the left lane, but please be considerate and let the drivers behind you speed illegally [}:)] in the left lane. Whenever we pass on the right, the driver on the left is usually oblivious as to what is going on behind them, so I'm sure they're not going to read this [;)]
gg
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Posted By: wdossel
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2003 at 2:01pm
quote:
Originally posted by gg
[br]My opinion, but I think that part of the general slowdown is because of drivers driving the speed limit in the left lane. I'm assuming this but isn't the left lane the passing lane in the HOV lanes? In general everyday traffic, I think that if you're in the left lane and you're not passing by anyone on the right, you ought to move to the right. You may be legal when driving in the left lane, but please be considerate and let the drivers behind you speed illegally [}:)] in the left lane. Whenever we pass on the right, the driver on the left is usually oblivious as to what is going on behind them, so I'm sure they're not going to read this [;)]
gg
... actually, Virginia has a law that you must move over from the left lane if overtaking traffic signals you, even if you are driving the posted speed limit. And yes, you can get a ticket if you don't. My beef are the folks poking along at 50-55 in the HOV (that and the single person violators).
- Will
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Posted By: jjmahoney
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2003 at 4:03pm
I have noticed that too GG. I don't know how many times a person has been cruising along at 55 in the left lane, and there is a line of cars 20 deep behind him/her, and they won't get over. That probably does cause more problems than people realize, especially with only two lanes to work with.
"My therapist says you're always making withdrawls from my Self-Esteem account to fill your Ego Balloon!" Gabe - Penny-Arcade.com
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Posted By: Vema
Date Posted: 20 Mar 2003 at 4:44pm
jjmahoney:
I personally love your thought about maybe we are back to normal. Even if we are not for now, it could happen and I'm going to hold on to that thought. We've had years of free-flowing traffic on the HOV, except as you said, the occasional back up. I'm betting good times will be back. Perhaps it is just a period of time when the HOV is out of sinc with the universe (wellll...it could be that).
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Posted By: jjmahoney
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2003 at 10:21am
True Vema. It could be the colder/snowier than normal winter we've had. The last few winters have gone by without so much as a cold sneeze. But all the snow, all the potholes, all the people who don't know how to drive in it, are probably 99% of the causes for the problems. Thankfully traffic in the summer usually eases up some once school is out and people start taking vacations. And today being the first day of spring, we're one step closer!
"My therapist says you're always making withdrawls from my Self-Esteem account to fill your Ego Balloon!" Gabe - Penny-Arcade.com
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Posted By: Kelsey
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2003 at 12:10pm
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I think you've hit the nail on the head. It is definitely the people and how they drive. During the past few weeks we just had too many of those types of drivers on the road at the same time and most importune time - rush hour!
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Posted By: tdar20
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2003 at 12:16pm
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Your too right about the left lane drivers!!! usually when you get past them they are flapping their gums on the cell phone not caring whats going on!
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Posted By: mirangus
Date Posted: 21 Mar 2003 at 3:50pm
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tondalea-NOOOO! Don't do it!! Not only does GEICO not pay, but the atmosphere is dull, somber and forboden. Life could not EVER get bad enough to work at GEICO!!![xx(] Take it from a former employee...[;)]
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Posted By: MDC
Date Posted: 23 Mar 2003 at 11:07pm
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Don't forget the HOV-1 people taking advantage of their special exemption. I am certain that 90% of the cars with temporary tags in the HOV lanes I see do not have 3 passengers. I wonder what a study would find? Maybe 20% of the cars in HOV are "CF" vehicles now. Sometimes it seems that half of the cars I encounter on my trip are these.
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Posted By: swichowski
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2003 at 7:37am
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Also the police, fire, FBI, CIA and others using their badge to get a free ride on HOV to get to work. I see more of them every day.
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Posted By: swichowski
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2003 at 11:29am
Posted By: tondalea
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2003 at 1:54pm
Mirangus,
Thanks for the heads up. You dont know how many times I've actually thought about it.
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Posted By: MDC
Date Posted: 24 Mar 2003 at 7:11pm
jstancil,
Quoted from the official source. http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/hov-rulesfaq.asp
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Emergency vehicles (fire, ambulance, rescue), law enforcement vehicles, public utility vehicles are permitted when responding to emergency calls.
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Driving to/from work is not an emergency call.
On that page, they also suggest that extending the CF exemption another two years is almost certain since the bill is only waiting Gov. Warner's signature.
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Posted By: Barbara
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2003 at 11:17am
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Some days, few drivers between 545 p.m. and 600 p.m. at the Pentagon for 610 lot. The closer it gets to 600 p.m., the worse the traffic in the HOV lane gets. It would be great for those of us who have to work until 5:30 for the HOV hours to be extended to 6:30 p.m. but not ever any talk of that...
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Posted By: mirangus
Date Posted: 25 Mar 2003 at 4:51pm
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Barbara-There was actually some talk about it about 9 minths ago, but the notion was shot down as being ineffective because it would do more harm than good for wverall traffic. Whatever THAT means. [:)]
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Posted By: USA
Date Posted: 17 Apr 2003 at 2:32pm
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The 14th Street Bridge has been consistently horrible lately in both the local and express lanes. The local lanes should have improved with the extension of the loop-around on-ramp from the SB GW Parkway, but VDOT did an overall crappy job of paving the road. I truly do not understand why everyone feels the need to slow to a snail's pace just to cross a stupid bridge.
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Posted By: godsvdu
Date Posted: 23 Apr 2003 at 9:12am
What happened to all the people going to Crystal City in the morning at the Potomac Mills lot?????
SOUBI
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