June 19, 1997

Gosh, people can be stupid (another DC driving story)

First, a wee correction from Tino on my entry. He says that it's not the horsepower that saved my sorry ass, it's the torque. It went something like "your car has like a gazillion footpounds of torque when you hit the accelerator". I am not a gear head, just a gear head wannabe.

Back to my story: I turn onto the Chain Bridge from Chain Bridge Road (fancy that creative name), and I hear on the radio that it is 9:50am. I think "oh good, I can use the center lane." For those unfamiliar with the rules for the Chain Bridge and Canal Road, they have a center lane that switches directions depending the time of day. The morning one is from 6-10 going into DC. It's well marked. There's even a lighted sign that says "Use 2 lanes" or "use 1 lane" depending which direction you're coming. Now I was late today, but I decided not to fly over the bridge because there might be some moron with a death-wish coming at me head on. And you know what? There was, and he had the nerve to flash his lights at ME like I was supposed to move out of his way. Excuse me? Are you illiterate or completely clueless?

Let's take a survey. You see a sign that says "use one lane between 6am and 10am", and let's pretend that the "use 1 lane" sign is burnt out. That sign is all you have to go by. You're not sure what time it is. Do you:

• Use the center lane and risk your and someone else's life and limb
• Play it safe and use the right lane

And it's not over yet! I turn the corner on to Canal Road, a continuation of the 2/1 lane switching zone, and I'm behind a bigger, newer, more expensive BMW than mine. Well back in the line to turn left, coming the opposite direction, some schmuck in a mini-van pulls out, head-on, into the patch of road that the 735 is about to occupy. HUH???? He honked, swerved and the minivan pulled back in, so he wasn't in my way, but what the HELL is up with these people?

It's all the fault of The Gus

After reading his musings that go on and on about how great the new Guided by Voices record is, I had to go buy it. I'm happy to report that it lived up to it's and the praise of The Gus. In fact, this chick I know from alt.society.generation-x, B. Erin Cole, reviewed it and I think it converted her. She has excellent taste in music, but for some strange reason, did not recognize the genius that is Guided By Voices.

Speaking of cool chicks...

We met another one from alt.society.generation-x last night. She's so cool that she has a motorcycle and a Miata, as does her fiance. I can hardly stand it. She's very nice, as it turns out. She doesn't have a website though, so you'll have to do without the link.