I wasn’t really sure I would make this a multi-part post, but after this morning’s drive in, I figured I could add a few more details.
So this morning I left the house around 6:40, stopped and got a nice cup of joe (triple venti, non-fat, no whip, white mocha if you please), and jump on I-35E heading South. Well, it was around 6:50 am when I finally hit 35, and boy, was traffic nice and light. I think it took me right about 30 minutes to get to the office and I hardly had to hit my brakes. That’s not to say I didn’t hit them, just that I hardly used them.
Why is it when people see flashing police lights on the other side of the road, they must hit their brakes and rubber neck to see what is going on? As we were coming up on the GBT (George H. Bush Turnpike for those uninitiated readers) there was a police office with his lights on the shoulder of the North bound side. Of course, once everyone saw these lights they had to slow down to about 30 mph to see what was going on. And what was going on? Nothing. Motorist was pulled to the side of the road so the officer was probably just warning approaching motorists of the danger.
See, it’s things like that, things about the human psyche that just puzzle me. You hear people complain about the traffic, complain that it takes them an hour to get into work, yet they are the same ones slowing down to see the carnage on the other side of the road. Don’t they get it? Watch the road in front of you and you might get to work in 30 minutes, and you probably won’t get into an accident. That is, of course, as long as you aren’t shaving your face or putting on your eye liner.
Gee, I didn’t know traffic was ever light on I-35 or the great N-S parking lot.
Comment by TheDeeZone — April 22, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
Actually, if you get on before 7 am, it isn’t too terribly bad. Of course the same can’t be said of Northbound after 4:30 pm. Anytime after that, up until about 6:15 or so, is bad.
I used to live out in Los Angeles though, and traffic here has nothing over the 405 freeway in either direction at any point in time during the day.
Comment by Steve — April 22, 2008 @ 10:45 pm
I’m from SW Fort Worth near I35W & 820 S. My aunt lived near Brian Adams HS. No matter what time I leave I have the ability to hit rush hour in all points between the 2.
Comment by TheDeeZone — April 22, 2008 @ 10:56 pm
I am actually referring to I35E going into Dallas from the Lewisville area, so I can’t comment on I35W at all. I know everytime I drive S on I35W from up here, even on the weekends, it seems like just what you described: a parking lot. Maybe some day TXDOT will get their heads out of their full point of contact and widen the roads. What were they thinking when they designed these roads?
Comment by Steve — April 23, 2008 @ 9:02 am
I think I35E is a little better.
What is even worse is where 35 splits in Denton & Hillsbourgh. They most of the lanes going/coming from Dallas. 1-2 lanes coming/going from FW. It gets really bad around holidays. FW alone has over 1/2 mil people.
Comment by TheDeeZone — April 23, 2008 @ 10:22 am