Friday, April 11, 2008

Fair-weather drivers

I've lived in the mid-Atlantic region for over 20 years now. Before that, I lived in Sacramento for 5 years. Sacramento has two seasons: the dry season, and the monsoon season. Between late November and about the first week of March, there are only two types of weather: rainy or foggy. Hence, to drive in Sac-town, one has to be somewhat impervious to the weather.

Which is what makes my experience in yesterday's morning rush hour so particularly vexing.

It was foggy yesterday morning. Not Sacramento's famed "oh holy shite I can't see the car in front of me" foggy. Foggy as in "I can't see 50 yards". You know, what a Sacramentan would consider a pleasant winter day. But here? You'd think the friggin' world was ending!

It took me 2 1/2 hours to make a commute that usually takes between 60-90 minutes.

It's not just the fog here, either. If someone spits on the sidewalk in Rockville, I-270 turns into a parking lot. People here can't drive in the rain, can't drive in the fog, and -- God help us! -- they sure as hell can't drive in the ice and snow! Hell, traffic gets tangled here when the SUN's too bright, for crying out loud!

God save me from fair-weather drivers!

*------------------------------------*
*------------------------------------*