Tuesday, December 23, 2008
City Cars! They're back!
Posted by Eli Sanders on Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Dan Savage, via iPhone, confirms what we've been noticing outside the Stranger office windows:
It's total chaos and gridlock out here. It's like everyone decided to go for a drive all at once... because it's a little warmer and here and there you can see pavement, so... let's grab the kids and go for a drive!Maybe some of these are essential trips, but surely not all. People are nuts.
Our working theory: After a bunch of days without being able to drive to the grocery store, everyone's trying to load up on food—and booze, and last-minute presents—at once.
Do. Not. Fuck. With. The. Need. To. Shop.
As for the above photo, Savage, who sent it, narrates:
The streets too icy—impassible!—but, hey, someone shoveled this sidewalk! Out of my way, pedestrians!!!This guy drove a whole block on the sidewalk.
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1
I just carpooled 2 co-workeres home and all I want to do is drink to prevent myself from murdering some seattle drivers.
2
Jesus Christ -- you self-righteous fucktards and your hatred of all things car-related is a bit much. I'm sorry we don't ALL live on Capitol Hill, within a two-block walk to work. (And if we do buy places in your 'hood, you bitch about the gentrification, too) And I'm sorry we're not all anti-consumerists idealists who refuse to buy gifts for our families. Therefore, cars are a necessary -- at least until transit is a real option -- evil.
3
I was noticing that this morning, as each light cycle entire blocks of Boren/Pine filled with backed up traffic trying to get on/off the freeway and into downtown.
4
a little bit ago at the 12th/madison/union intersection they had taken chaos up a notch higher than driving on a sidewalk. on EB union it deadends at 12th. we all know this is a weird nonsense street, but that's how it goes. you can't go that way.
but an entire block of stupid fucking drivers decided road or no road they were going. so an entire block of cars were lined up and one-by-one they were driving over the sidewalk (and a very pretty bed of plants and flowers under all that snow) and made a fucking street where there isn't one. and then the drivers would sit there totally baffled as to why they didn't have a light to tell them when to go. I took it upon myself to inform the first car and the big delivery truck behind it that "this is not a road! you are not on a street!" they were confused.
but an entire block of stupid fucking drivers decided road or no road they were going. so an entire block of cars were lined up and one-by-one they were driving over the sidewalk (and a very pretty bed of plants and flowers under all that snow) and made a fucking street where there isn't one. and then the drivers would sit there totally baffled as to why they didn't have a light to tell them when to go. I took it upon myself to inform the first car and the big delivery truck behind it that "this is not a road! you are not on a street!" they were confused.
5
#2, complaining about unessential trips on extremely unsafe roads and people driving on the fucking sidewalk is not "hatred of all things car-related". Next.
7
@w7ngman. Read the posts. Cars and Paul Constant are the new Hitler. Rick Warren has gay friends but won't have them over Christmas because of all the snow, and fucking finally, Strangercrombie is over. Next.
9
Driving on the sidewalk is fun, and extreme weather (in Seattle) is really the only time one can expect to get away with it.
10
Man, I'm so glad I'll be able to drive again...lately I've been sweating and straining through the snow. Now I'll be able to drive and go to the gym to work out instead.
See...it all makes sense.......right?
Man, I'm so glad I'll be able to drive again...lately I've been sweating and straining through the snow. Now I'll be able to drive and go to the gym to work out instead.
See...it all makes sense.......right?
11
I just got home and felt like I was driving on Wagon Trails or something. Its smoother and easier to drive where the plows haven't been.
12
I got lucky; I caught it before it got really fucked up this afternoon. There was a version of gridlock in the morning commute (I witnessed Jackson into downtown), then again starting around 2pm and it looks to be slackening finally. I assumed the morning one to be people finally all going back to work in less than ideal road conditions. Ok, fine. The afternoon one -- make up any number of reasons why everyone on the planet was driving at once and combine 'em; it was nuts in every direction.
13
Jesus Christ -- you self-righteous fucktards and your hatred of all things pedestrian-related is a bit much. I'm sorry we don't ALL live in the suburbs, where we need to drive an hour or more to work. (And if we do walk in your 'hood, you bitch about the crosswalks, too) And I'm sorry we're not all consumerist sheep who buy cheap plastic gifts from Wal-Mart. Therefore, cars are a necessary -- at least until transit is a real option -- evil.
16
i walked from downtown to Fremont via Westlake Ave. No buses were available. Cars in total gridlock.
I still got home before my other Fremont friends did who waited for buses or drove.
Good exercise too!
I still got home before my other Fremont friends did who waited for buses or drove.
Good exercise too!
17
This post makes me concede the need to get gun and concealed weapons permit. I mean if this is what happens to mild-mannered anti-social passive-aggressive self-absorbed Seattlites after a few days of a little snow, what's it going to be like in a real emergency? I can too easily forsee swarms of maddened zombies driving anything that moves over everything that doesn't.
19
This post makes me concede the need to get gun and concealed weapons permit. I mean if this is what happens to mild-mannered anti-social passive-aggressive self-absorbed Seattlites after a few days of a little snow, what's it going to be like in a real emergency? I can too easily forsee swarms of maddened zombies driving anything that moves over everything that doesn't.
22
@5 how do you know these were non-essential trips? I *finally* dug myself out of Kenmore today, after being snowed in since Saturday, and promptly drove into Fremont to meet up with my girlfriend. If you saw me on Lake City, I5, 45th St, or Fremont Ave, you may have dismissed my travelling as "non-essential", but I assure you that it *was* essential that I be able to get to my girlfriend's place by Christmas.
So screw you, and screw Slog for its anti-car stance. I did not drive on non-streets, and I was careful and courteous (I even stopped when some asshat decided to run out across Fremont Ave, even though I had the right of way and safety dictated that I should've kept going). When Metro can handle moving people from place to place (the GF and I did not see a single 5 bus from 74th street to 45th, and talked to folks who had been waiting up to an hour and half at various bus stops), I'll use metro. Until then, sometimes it's necessary to drive, and sometimes it's necessary to drive in bad weather.
So screw you, and screw Slog for its anti-car stance. I did not drive on non-streets, and I was careful and courteous (I even stopped when some asshat decided to run out across Fremont Ave, even though I had the right of way and safety dictated that I should've kept going). When Metro can handle moving people from place to place (the GF and I did not see a single 5 bus from 74th street to 45th, and talked to folks who had been waiting up to an hour and half at various bus stops), I'll use metro. Until then, sometimes it's necessary to drive, and sometimes it's necessary to drive in bad weather.
23
I said some were essential trips, todd.
And I banged that email out walking back from Pike Place Market with 20 pounds of venison in my bag. I was a little winded. Perhaps I should've said "most," not "some." At any rate, everyone was getting all aggro -- seriously? the guy driving on the sidewalk? people were jumping out his way -- and it just seemed so... idiotic. I mean, idiotic for those who didn't need to drive.
Like my boyfriend -- he called me and told me to go pick up the venison to save him the drive. Which I happily did. It was an essential trip -- which I made on foot. It's possible!
And I banged that email out walking back from Pike Place Market with 20 pounds of venison in my bag. I was a little winded. Perhaps I should've said "most," not "some." At any rate, everyone was getting all aggro -- seriously? the guy driving on the sidewalk? people were jumping out his way -- and it just seemed so... idiotic. I mean, idiotic for those who didn't need to drive.
Like my boyfriend -- he called me and told me to go pick up the venison to save him the drive. Which I happily did. It was an essential trip -- which I made on foot. It's possible!
24
There are essential trips and then there are essential trips. Your trip (to pick up deer meat) as essential and saved a drive. My trip was just as essential (to get to my fucking girlfriend), and required a drive. If we've learned anything from this mess, it's that Metro is as fucked up as anything else. So yeah, you saved a car ride. Congrats.
Not everyone in a car out there is a retarded asshat motherfucker driving on sidewalks on a frivolous joy ride.
Not everyone in a car out there is a retarded asshat motherfucker driving on sidewalks on a frivolous joy ride.
25
Damn, and here I thought Wednesday's "Beat The Horse To Death Tirade" from the whiners about there being too many cars on the streets today wouldn't start until tomorrow.
NEWS FLASH: If you don't pack a shield, a stethoscope, a pipe-wrench, a Class C endorsement, or a journeyman electrician's card to work, odds are you're "non-essential", regardless of what your boss tells you, so chill the fuck out and get a grip.
What's really funny is that, if we'd been facing a serious breakdown of the social order, most of you wouldn't have lasted this long. At least Dan knows where the fucking venison is, and how to get his hands on some. Hell, most of the rest of you probably can't figure out how to open a can of tuna without electricity.
And you know what, Todd? Nobody really thinks you driving to your girlfriend's for a pre-Christmas BJ or whatever is "essential", except of course, for you.
Self-centered asshat motherfucker, indeed...
NEWS FLASH: If you don't pack a shield, a stethoscope, a pipe-wrench, a Class C endorsement, or a journeyman electrician's card to work, odds are you're "non-essential", regardless of what your boss tells you, so chill the fuck out and get a grip.
What's really funny is that, if we'd been facing a serious breakdown of the social order, most of you wouldn't have lasted this long. At least Dan knows where the fucking venison is, and how to get his hands on some. Hell, most of the rest of you probably can't figure out how to open a can of tuna without electricity.
And you know what, Todd? Nobody really thinks you driving to your girlfriend's for a pre-Christmas BJ or whatever is "essential", except of course, for you.
Self-centered asshat motherfucker, indeed...
30
There wasn't nearly enough snow rage in Seattle. Lots of passive aggressive internet posts, of course, but no snow rage.
I think a real threat of snow rage would have kept a lot more motorists indoors, clear roads or not.
If someone's driving on the sidewalk, punch the side of their car or something at least. Send some sort of tangible message that it's not cool. Jesus.
I think a real threat of snow rage would have kept a lot more motorists indoors, clear roads or not.
If someone's driving on the sidewalk, punch the side of their car or something at least. Send some sort of tangible message that it's not cool. Jesus.
31
I suppose me telling all of you that in Brisbane Australia we had a Christams Day of 88 degrees and 70% Humiidty may make you all jealous? The only thing we had to look out for was sunburn and dehydration ....
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