Friday, October 29, 2004

Funny email

One of the enjoyable things about working in an office are the fun emails people send around. In my office they don't forward them unless they are actually funny, so I am spared the lame or sappy ones. This one made me chuckle:

Rules of the Road in the Washington D.C. Metro Area

  • First, you must learn to call it by its rightful name. It is D.C., or the "District." Only tourists call it Washington.
  • Next, if your road map of Montgomery County is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and buy a new one. It's obsolete. If you're in Loudoun or Fairfax County and your map is one day old,it's already obsolete.
  • There is no such thing as a dangerous high speed chase in D.C. It's just another chase, usually on the BW Parkway.
  • All directions start with "The Beltway"...which has no beginning and no end, just one continuous loop that locals believe is somehow clarified by an "inner" and "outer" loop designation. This makes no sense to ANYONE outside the Beltway.
  • The morning rush hour is from 5 to 11 AM. The evening rush hour is from 1 to 8 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning, especially during the summer on Route 50 eastbound.
  • If there is a ball game at the Redskins' stadium, there is no point in driving anywhere near PG County. Tip: Never say PG County to anyone from Mitchellville, Upper Marlboro or Fort Washington. They'll blow a vessel in their neck and go into a seizure.
  • If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and shot at. If you run the red light, be sure to smile for the $100 "picture" you will receive courtesy of DMV. (However, if you don't go as soon as the light turns green, you will get cussed out in 382 languages, none of them English.)
  • Rain causes an immediate 50 point drop of IQ in drivers. Snow causes an immediate 100 point drop in IQ and a rush to the Giant for toilet paper and milk.
  • Construction on I-270 is a way of life and a permanent source of scorn and cynical entertainment. It's ironic that it's called an "Interstate," but runs only from Bethesda to Frederick. (Unless you consider Montgomery County another state, which some do).
  • Opened in the 60's, it has been torn up and under reconstruction ever since. Also, it has a "Spur" section which is even more confusing.
  • All unexplained sights are explained by the phrase, "Oh, we're in TacomaPark."
  • If someone actually has their turn signal on, they are, by definition, a tourist.
  • Car horns are actually "Road Rage" indicators. Heed the warning. All old ladies in Buicks have the right of way in the area of Leisure World.
  • Many roads mysteriously change their names as you cross intersections. Don't ask why, no one knows.
  • A taxi ride across town will cost you $12.50. A taxi ride two blocks will cost you 16.75. (It's a zone thing, you wouldn't understand).
  • Traveling south out of DC on Interstate 395/95 is the most dangerous, scariest thing you will ever do. There is nothing more frightening than seven lanes of traffic cruising along at 85 mph, BUMPER TO BUMPER!!!
  • The minimum acceptable speed on the Beltway is 85. Anything less is considered downright sissy.
  • The Beltway is our daily version of a NASCAR reality show. Strap up and collect points as you go.
  • The open lane for passing on all Maryland interstates is the far right lane because no self-respecting Marylander would ever be caught driving in the "slow" lane. Unofficially, both shoulders are fair game also.
  • The far left lanes on all Maryland interstates are official "chat" lanes reserved for drivers who wish to talk on their cell phones. Note: All mini-vans have priority clearance to use the far left at whatever speed the driver feels most comfortable multi-tasking in.
  • If it's 10 degrees, it's Orioles' opening day. If it's 110 degrees, it's the Skins opening day. If the humidity is 90+ and the temperature is 90+, then it's May, June, July, August and sometimes September.
  • If you go to a Skins football game, pay the $75.00 to park in the stadium lot. It's cheaper then getting towed or a citation. By law, you're not allowed to walk on the "public" roads around the stadium during game days.

2 Comments:

At 10:36 AM, Blogger Katya said...

I can hardly wait to visit.

 
At 4:04 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Wow, this brings back some awesome memories. They forgot to include, however, that going 15 miles will take you 20 minutes at 2am, but 3.5 hours at any other time of the day. And don't ever try to find parking downtown. People will actually unload their passengers near where they need to be and have them scour for parking places. The passenger will then STAND in the parking place and call the driver on their cell phone. A "The eagle has landed..." conversation will ensue, amid honks and profanity of angry would-be parkers who have also been crusing around for 30 minutes with their passengers/scouts looking for a parking space. Ahh, DC. I miss you so much. Any place where Mapquest is the most visited website in the area deserves our love and respect. (Utahns just don't understand this "naming the roads" concept).

 

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