Some mornings the roads are empty, the lights cooperate and I make it into work without too much bother. The commute is fun. I get to work refreshed, invigorated and ready for the day. Some mornings aren

 

[QUOTE=ralper,Sep 8 2006, 07:56 PM] I really don

 

How did I know you would?

 

When I googled "Wyoming Traffic Jam" I came up with this image. It fits with my personal experience.

 

Because of population growth, traffic here in Scottsdale is bad in the summer and absolutely a nightmare in the winter when all the snowbirds show up. The interesting thing is that all summer the traffic is moving (albeit somewhat slowly) during the afternoon commute. Then after a weekend in mid-October, the afternoon commute traffic will be at a standstill. Then, after a weekend in mid-April, it will be moving again during the afternoon commute. It took me a few years to get used to the difference in summer and winter traffic.

 

Come to Michigan. Traffic, unless you are around Deetolit, isn't too bad. But, you could lose your car in some pot holes, unless they are marked with red cones. Or you could be driving your new shiny motorcar down a paved road only to find out some a-hole from the Road Commission has authorized someone to dump a load of gravel and tar and asked the motorist to please pack it down.

 

Ralph, I totally understand where you are coming from. Because California allows hybrid cars the usage of the carpool lanes, I invested in the Insight. It's true that fall and winter seem to bring about the worst non-moving traffic. My commute is about 35 miles each way, but it can take up to two hours to get to and from work. Thankfully, with the Insight, driving in the carpool lane helps reduce that to about an hour, maybe an hour and a half tops.

I agree that the time spent in motion always seems to go much faster than when we are sitting still (not counting all those hours we play on the Internet). When our minds are engaged with something, we just don't seem to notice that time is moving on. I find that listening to music or talk radio helps keep me from getting too upset at all the yahoos on the road who always seem to brakeattheverylastpossiblesecond or ride your bumper as though there was more than three feet between you and the car in front.

 

To quote a man who I grew up listening to ... "Damn this traffic jam ... how I hate to be late ... hurts my motor to go so slow ... I said Damn ... this traffic jam. (JT)

I occasionally think of that song during my daily commute ... though I have to admit that my current location and path to/from the office has much better traffic flow than the other two cities where I've lived.

Reading the comments above brought an old friend (in this song) back to mind ... and for that, I thank you.

 

Here's our latest traffic nightmare...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...6090701731.html

The other day, they closed the Beltway in both directions for over an hour at the height of rush because two people were sleeping in a stolen car on the shoulder. Then there was the premier of the movie "The Guardian" at the Uptown, which is on heavily congested Connecticut Ave. Then there was an immigration march downtown. A real mess all around. I'm so glad I'm not out in it every day. It would drive me insane. Walking to the subway and hopping on is the best.

Love the bison shot, Barrie!

 

Silvershadow mentioned this for AZ, Rob, but our version of snowbird traffic congestion will start up soon, too. And this will help you out because everyone from NJ (except you, I guess) will be down here. HPH