Traffic Hell in DC Thanks to the Obamas Being at the Hay Adams Hotel

[Bertha Venation]

No bitterness here toward them. It's just that no matter the reasons, traffic in DC will always suck.

Mrs. V. and I work on opposite sides of the White House. I'm about two blocks east of it; she's two blocks west.

The hotel where the Obamas are staying is just to the north of the White House.

I figured out a simple route to the south of the White House that ought to do. Traffic will still be brutal as I drop Mrs. V. off and pick her up again, but at least I have a viable route to stick to.

Even though this inconvenience is in a good cause, it still sucks.

[madinmaryland]

1. I have a client in DC that brings me downtown once a week.

They are around 9th and F-ST NW. (near the spy museum!) I take the metro in. Much easier!!!

[TZ]

2. Yeah but Bertha and Mrs. V are coming from So. Maryland

They aren't really convenient to metro from where they come. But even then, walking around in a secure area like that would be difficult as well.

[Bertha Venation]

6. And security at many Metro stations is over the top.

I pity every soul who comes into this city on the 20th.

[Bertha Venation]

5. I wish it were a viable option for us.

I worked near the Spy Muesum until I was laid off in March. Great job. (Last month the firm that laid me off closed its doors. Hmm.)

[Arugula Latte]

3. Can you park near a Metro station and take that in?

Might be easier that way.

[Bertha Venation]

4. Metro would be fabulous.

It's just not practical for us. Home is about 45 minutes away from the nearest Metro station. And quite frankly, I don't think I'd want to ride the Green Line. It goes through some scary parts of MD/DC. :(

[madinmaryland]

9. I take the green line in from Greenbelt. It's about 12 stops to where I get off.

I guess after taking the subways in NYC for many years, the subways in DC are tame by comparison. The stories I could tell. One time getting off the subway (it was packed), someone thwacked me on the back of the head (ow!), though some here may find that a bit amusing!!!

:rofl:

[TZ]

11. Yeah well, if you rode in from the Anacostia station...

I'm not sure you would think Metro is tame...(I've heard stories) :scared:

[Bertha Venation]

13. LOL

I would've cried. :rofl:

[Chan790]

14. They don't run the express overlap with the Red anymore?

I would never want to get on the Green Line through Anacostia, Petworth or Georgia Ave. again.

The Red Line is kind of hinky in spots too (R.I. Ave., NY Ave. near the bus terminal, Brookland) but at least nobody gets shot in broad daylight in those neighborhoods.

The first apartment I looked at after graduation was off the Shaw Metro stop ($900 for a 1100sqft. 3BR 1.5BA with hardwood floors. Perfect for starving artists, in theory.)...I got as far as the Metro platform and called the broker to cancel the viewing. Just the sensation of dozens of eyes on me saying "You don't belong here."

Where, generally, is home? When I lived in Columbia and later Baltimore, the MARC made sense to get into DC, then Metro from Union Station to wherever.

[grasswire]

15. Isn't Metro okay...

....as long as you don't get off at any "bad" stops? I used to operate under that assumption when I lived in NOVA. Sounds as if it might be worse now, but where's the security?

[Chan790]

16. Oh the Metro itself is fine for the most part...

it's the neighborhoods it runs through. In those few cases of crime or violence inside the metro stations or trains the criminals are almost always caught quickly.

It is mostly discomfort as opposed to actual danger. It happens but not often.

[Bertha Venation]

17. I live in Southern Maryland.

I have taken the MD commuter bus. Its Pros: it costs less than driving and might be more environmentally friendly. Its Cons: I have no flexibility (staying late, for example, or a midday appointment) and being a large woman I am extremely uncomfortable (as is my seat-mate).

The nearest station to me is the Branch Avenue Green Line. Branch Ave. is the terminus, and while not the best station isn't nearly as scary as Anacostia. But since Anacostia is on the Green Line . . . :scared:

[Zavulon]

31. They put a stop to the express deal

when they extended the Yellow Line.

When I'm staying at my own apartment, I park and ride the Green Line in from Greenbelt. The Georgia Avenue / U-Street Cardoza / Columbia Heights / Shaw-Howard University strip is bad, but not nearly as bad as the Green Line anywhere south of L'Enfant Plaza.

Otherwise, I come in from King Street and stay on the Yellow (Archives is my stop). No worries there.

[cemaphonic]

7. I don't know about the Maryland side, but when we used to live in NOVA

parking near any of the Metro stops was pretty challenging in itself, including the giant park-and-ride lot at Vienna.

[Haole Girl]

8. I really wish they wouldn't tell everybody where the Obamas are staying

But I guess it's impossible to keep something like that a secret-- unless one is Dick Cheney! lol

[crispini]

10. Have you looked into "Slugging"?

I have no idea if this would be practical for you or not but I was totally charmed when I read about this a few months ago.

http://www.slug-lines.com/

[Bertha Venation]

12. Not practical, but thanks. Isn't that a cool idea?

When Mrs. V. first told me that those frozen people were waiting in a slug line, I was flummoxed. I didn't know what to think at first, then I thought: "My peeps!" :rofl:

[Taverner]

18. Time to take a vacation to Baltimore!

Or visit Huntington Beach, and hit up the Cat and The Custard Cup :)

[Bertha Venation]

19. Huntington Beach is in June. Hollywood Beach is Jan. 17!

Woo hoo! No worries about commuting then!

[KitchenWitch]

21. When in June?

Will you be going to an Angel game?

[Bertha Venation]

22. You're gettin' ahead of me, girl . . .

:7

Second or third week, or a portion of each. The Angels begin a homestand on June 12, and we hope to go to at least one game during that homestand. We haven't bought plane tix yet, but that's when we're going.

Woo hoo!

[KitchenWitch]

24. Well if you go to a game, let me know

Maybe I can join you! :D

Goddess knows I can hardly stand watching baseball outdoors! :P

[Bertha Venation]

33. Outdoor baseball - what a novel idea for a Twinkies fan!

:P

[Tommy_Carcetti]

26. Welcome to Balmer, hon!

[Tangerine LaBamba]

20. I'm in Alexandria,

and when I saw what streets were to be closed while the Obamas stayed at the Hay Adams, I predicted that someone would be murdered during a rush hour.

One funny thing I heard today from a cab driver - all his co-workers (and he) are not working on the 20th. "Where could we go?" he asked me.

Good question.

We're all staying home, safe and warm and comfortable, and watching everything on TV.

[Bertha Venation]

23. My doc here in DC finally saw the light and cancelled

all of her appts on the 20th.

I feel sorry for the hot dog vendors who don't work near enough to get in on the "big" action, because other than official events this will be a ghost town.

We won't be staying home for the inauguration. We'll be toasting the new administration on the beach in Florida. :)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

25. Traffic in DC is hell even without Obama in town.

I hate driving in that city. Thoroughly detest it.

Never met a traffic circle I didn't curse to hell.

[grasswire]

27. I've never minded it at all.

But then I learned to drive in SoCal. I thought the District was pretty zippy, and scooted around with minimal trouble there. I would even drive in for July 4 and other celebrations. I knew where to park that would allow me to get out of town pretty fast.

Gee, I miss Washington.

[Arugula Latte]

29. Hey, you and are are following similar geographic paths.

(Ohio) then California, Washington DC, then Pacific N.W.

:hi:

[grasswire]

30. well, I started in PNW.

A native, you noobie. :-)

[Arugula Latte]

32. I've been here for 13 years, though.

So I guess I'm an old noobie. :)

[seemunkee]

28. It was a mess in front of Sidwell friends the other day

several of our people were in late because of the media circus.