I'm not a morning person. I'm normally a very easygoing, sociable person, but if it's before 9AM, it's in everyone's best interest to keep a safe distance. I imagine most of my slugging compadres feel the same, judging from their tired, frustrated, Starbucks-craving faces.
When the line and the wait is particularly long, we all get a little agitated. After about 5 or 6 cars go through and you don't get any closer to getting a ride, you can lose your patience. I understand this. But the bottom line is, when it's that early, and I'm that cranky, and those around me feel the same, I simply can't be held responsible for the can of whoop-ass that I might pull out when someone KNOWINGLY breaks one of the basic rules of mankind.
Even my toddler knows that you wait your turn.
So, out of the kindness of my only recently awakened heart, I will give you some friendly advice. If you take my ride one more time, you will suffer catastrophic, too-early-in-the-damn-morning-to-play-games consequences! I WILL start a riot, and Rodney King will not be there to appeal to my inner peacenik.
Here's the deal: when the lines are long and the cars start to stack up, line proximity does not give you the right to take the ride of another person IN FRONT OF YOU. It's quite an orderly process, and if you follow the rules, you'll continue to have use of both your legs.
I stood waiting at the FRONT OF THE LINE for my destination to be called. A car came and called and 4 people stepped out at once. Me, being the mannered person that I am, acknowledged that the 2 in front of me had the ride, and you and I stepped back in line. YOU, Mr. Back of the Line, tried again to step out from the BACK because the car was stopped close to you. Unfortunately for me, because I was now at the FRONT of the line, I did not hear this kind driver offer to take a third rider for our destination. But you, in your proximity to the vehicle, took advantage of a good opportunity and TOOK MY RIDE. Some would chalk this situation up to "he didn't see you." Oh, but you did! We both stepped out for the ride at the same time and made EYE CONTACT. Yes, sir, I saw you looking into my eyes. I know YOU KNOW that was MY ride.
I hope you are sitting at your desk right now remembering that look in my eyes. Because if you see it again, you might want to RUN AND HIDE!
Do a little review of your most basic rules of orderly social behavior and keep your ass out of my seat next time.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
If you have that much gas, drive yourself to work!
It's getting cold outside in the mornings, and the lines are pretty long at the sluglot these days. That means, more than likely, the heat is going to be on in the car that picks you up. This is a GOOD thing. Let's not ruin it.
If you are the type of person who feels the need to pass a lot of gas, you should consider riding into work alone. Just a suggestion. Here's why: first, none of us want to be intimately familiar with the inside of your colon, and second, when it stinks in a car running heat, it's unbelievably worse.
Lucky me, in my usual pattern of bad seating, I got stuck in the backseat with a man who thinks passing gas is a sport and he's trying to win a medal. Apparently, he doesn't realize that leather seats make this sort of thing OBVIOUS (as if the smell didn't already)! After about the third time, I looked over at him and made an audible gagging sound. It didn't seem to affect him, because he did it at least 3 more times!
The smell of his ass mixed with the cheap drugstore perfume on the woman in the front seat was becoming too lethal, and luckily the driver decided to take action. I thought he was going to go for the windows, but he lowered the temperature in the car to 65 degrees (yes, he had a digital temp gauge on his AC, so I know this for a fact)!!!!!!!!!! I was still cold from standing outside with no jacket on, but I was grateful for the lifting of the ass cloud hanging in the car. So I huddled up to my purse and prayed for light traffic.
The lesson I learned today is to keep a spare bottle of my favorite perfume in my desk so I can hopefully get the smells of my fellow commuters off of me once I get to work.
As for Mr. Exxon Valdez, do us all a favor and propel yourself to work solo from now on!!!
If you are the type of person who feels the need to pass a lot of gas, you should consider riding into work alone. Just a suggestion. Here's why: first, none of us want to be intimately familiar with the inside of your colon, and second, when it stinks in a car running heat, it's unbelievably worse.
Lucky me, in my usual pattern of bad seating, I got stuck in the backseat with a man who thinks passing gas is a sport and he's trying to win a medal. Apparently, he doesn't realize that leather seats make this sort of thing OBVIOUS (as if the smell didn't already)! After about the third time, I looked over at him and made an audible gagging sound. It didn't seem to affect him, because he did it at least 3 more times!
The smell of his ass mixed with the cheap drugstore perfume on the woman in the front seat was becoming too lethal, and luckily the driver decided to take action. I thought he was going to go for the windows, but he lowered the temperature in the car to 65 degrees (yes, he had a digital temp gauge on his AC, so I know this for a fact)!!!!!!!!!! I was still cold from standing outside with no jacket on, but I was grateful for the lifting of the ass cloud hanging in the car. So I huddled up to my purse and prayed for light traffic.
The lesson I learned today is to keep a spare bottle of my favorite perfume in my desk so I can hopefully get the smells of my fellow commuters off of me once I get to work.
As for Mr. Exxon Valdez, do us all a favor and propel yourself to work solo from now on!!!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Leave Me Out of Your Mid-Life Crisis!!
Growing up at the beach, I, like most of my friends, dreamed of owning a cute, sporty convertible to drive down to the strip and be seen in. It was a fleeting fantasy that most of us grew out of, and for good reason. Convertibles just aren't economical, efficient, or safe. Unfortunately, some men hit middle-age and decide that they want a sporty convertible to drive around and be seen in. Perhaps they want to pick up women or just appear to be "cool" to those around them. I don't know the justification. Whatever it is, I would just like to offer some advice and suggestions from a slugging perspective.
First let me say, reverse shotgun rules do NOT apply when approaching a convertible. Being the savvy convertible connoisseur that I am, I knew better than to get into the backseat of this convertible. Anyone who's ever been in one knows that the air stream is brutal in the backseat. There was only one problem. The other passenger was taller than me and needed to ride up front. So, as is always my luck, I got the worst possible positioning. Lucky me!
Next, to Mr. Mid-Life Crisis, owning this cute, sporty convertible did NOT make you any sexier or appealing. I just needed to get that out!
Finally, from a slugging perspective, when car manufacturers made the convertible, I believe it was meant for the leisurely drive at speeds of 55 or less. If you are on I95 going 80 miles an hour surrounded by 18-wheelers, road debris, and discarded cigarettes from the car in front of you, DO NOT DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN. Yes, it's beautiful weather in DC right now. Yes, the sun is shining and the air is the perfect temperature. NONE of this can be truly enjoyed with the top down on the INTERSTATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and yes, you DO have to turn up your radio to hear it better with the top down, but you do NOT have to broadcast your "oldies but goodies" to the fucking MOON! I'm fairly certain that I've lost another 20% of my hearing from riding in that convertible.
While driving a convertible may make you feel young and valid again, your fellow commuters feel beaten and bloodied by the end of the ride and find it terribly difficult to gain any benefit from it. So, in the spirit of the other "unwritten" rules of slugging designed to make the ride comfortable for all, let me suggest that we add "Leave us out of your Mid-Life Crisis and Leave the Top UP!"
First let me say, reverse shotgun rules do NOT apply when approaching a convertible. Being the savvy convertible connoisseur that I am, I knew better than to get into the backseat of this convertible. Anyone who's ever been in one knows that the air stream is brutal in the backseat. There was only one problem. The other passenger was taller than me and needed to ride up front. So, as is always my luck, I got the worst possible positioning. Lucky me!
Next, to Mr. Mid-Life Crisis, owning this cute, sporty convertible did NOT make you any sexier or appealing. I just needed to get that out!
Finally, from a slugging perspective, when car manufacturers made the convertible, I believe it was meant for the leisurely drive at speeds of 55 or less. If you are on I95 going 80 miles an hour surrounded by 18-wheelers, road debris, and discarded cigarettes from the car in front of you, DO NOT DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN. Yes, it's beautiful weather in DC right now. Yes, the sun is shining and the air is the perfect temperature. NONE of this can be truly enjoyed with the top down on the INTERSTATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and yes, you DO have to turn up your radio to hear it better with the top down, but you do NOT have to broadcast your "oldies but goodies" to the fucking MOON! I'm fairly certain that I've lost another 20% of my hearing from riding in that convertible.
While driving a convertible may make you feel young and valid again, your fellow commuters feel beaten and bloodied by the end of the ride and find it terribly difficult to gain any benefit from it. So, in the spirit of the other "unwritten" rules of slugging designed to make the ride comfortable for all, let me suggest that we add "Leave us out of your Mid-Life Crisis and Leave the Top UP!"
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
What is Slugging?
For those not familiar with "slugging" here is some basic information. I borrowed this from slug-lines.com, so feel free to go to that site for more information. This should help you put my rantings into perspective!
"
What is Slugging?
Slugging is a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in the Washington, DC area sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It's unique because people commuting into the city stop to pickup other passengers even though they are total strangers! However, slugging is a very organized system with its own set of rules, proper etiquette, and specific pickup and drop-off
locations. It has thousands of vehicles at its disposal, moves thousands of commuters daily, and the best part, it’s FREE! Not only is it free, but it gets people to and from work faster than the typical bus, metro, or train. I think you'll find that it is the most efficient, cost-effective form of commuting in the nation.
How the Slugging Works
The system of slugging is quite simple. A car needing additional passengers to meet the required 3- person high occupancy vehicle (HOV) minimum pulls up to one of the known slug lines. The driver usually positions the car so that the slugs are on the passenger side. The driver either displays a sign with the destination or simply lowers the passenger window, to call out the destination, such as "Pentagon," "L’Enfant Plaza," or "14th & New York." The slugs first in line for that particular destination then hop into the car, normally confirming the destination, and off they go.
No money is exchanged because of the mutual benefit: the car driver needs riders just as much as the slugs need a ride. Each party needs the other in order to survive. Normally, there is no conversation unless initiated by the driver; usually the only words exchanged are "Thank you" as the driver drops off the slugs at the destination.
There doesn’t need to be any discussion about the destination , such as giving directions, because the drop-off points are generally understood. "Rosslyn" means the Metro station in Rosslyn, not at some other point along the way. The "Pentagon" means the curb along Fern Street, not the North Parking Lot. However, there are a few places where the destination drop-off point is not understood; in these cases, the slug must state where he or she wishes to be dropped off. For example, at "Tackett’s Mill," the driver usually asks "New or Old Lot?" because the driver will take you to either. And there is Crystal City, where drivers drop off slugs anywhere between 12th Street and 23rd streets. Later in the book these exceptions are explained in greater detail.
IF YOU WANT MORE INFO ON THE HISTORY OF "SLUGGING", GO TO WWW.SLUG-LINES.COM !!
"
What is Slugging?
Slugging is a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in the Washington, DC area sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It's unique because people commuting into the city stop to pickup other passengers even though they are total strangers! However, slugging is a very organized system with its own set of rules, proper etiquette, and specific pickup and drop-off
locations. It has thousands of vehicles at its disposal, moves thousands of commuters daily, and the best part, it’s FREE! Not only is it free, but it gets people to and from work faster than the typical bus, metro, or train. I think you'll find that it is the most efficient, cost-effective form of commuting in the nation.
How the Slugging Works
The system of slugging is quite simple. A car needing additional passengers to meet the required 3- person high occupancy vehicle (HOV) minimum pulls up to one of the known slug lines. The driver usually positions the car so that the slugs are on the passenger side. The driver either displays a sign with the destination or simply lowers the passenger window, to call out the destination, such as "Pentagon," "L’Enfant Plaza," or "14th & New York." The slugs first in line for that particular destination then hop into the car, normally confirming the destination, and off they go.
No money is exchanged because of the mutual benefit: the car driver needs riders just as much as the slugs need a ride. Each party needs the other in order to survive. Normally, there is no conversation unless initiated by the driver; usually the only words exchanged are "Thank you" as the driver drops off the slugs at the destination.
There doesn’t need to be any discussion about the destination , such as giving directions, because the drop-off points are generally understood. "Rosslyn" means the Metro station in Rosslyn, not at some other point along the way. The "Pentagon" means the curb along Fern Street, not the North Parking Lot. However, there are a few places where the destination drop-off point is not understood; in these cases, the slug must state where he or she wishes to be dropped off. For example, at "Tackett’s Mill," the driver usually asks "New or Old Lot?" because the driver will take you to either. And there is Crystal City, where drivers drop off slugs anywhere between 12th Street and 23rd streets. Later in the book these exceptions are explained in greater detail.
IF YOU WANT MORE INFO ON THE HISTORY OF "SLUGGING", GO TO WWW.SLUG-LINES.COM !!
BOTH Hands on the Wheel!!
A special message for drivers: please, do everyone on the road and in your car a favor. Keep both hands on the wheel, especially if one of your hands is rubbing your penis.
When I got into the car, I knew the driver was a little "off," but I didn't really imagine what would happen next!
The man who jumped in with me immediately grabbed the backseat, as any good slugger wants to do, a bit of a reversed "shotgun." Well, that left me up front with creepy, hairy, pervy guy who decided to give me a bit of a show.
I was nose-deep in my new Blackberry trying to get all my settings to work, and I kept noticing in my peripheral vision that the driver was looking at me every few minutes. I thought maybe he was being nosey or he objected to my technology-focus, but I ignored it until I started to sense that more was happening over there. Traffic was moving relatively quickly, so I expected he was focused on the road. When I turned my head to do the quick cursory glance the next time I sensed him watching me, I noticed he was rubbing his penis. NO guys, not a quick penis adjustment, not a quick scratch and sniff. This was FULL ON RUBBING. How do I know, besides seeing the hand consistently and repeatedly rubbing across his groin? He winked at me. Yes, he fucking winked at me!
From that point forward, roughly another 10 miles, I was so grossed out I could hardly breathe! I kept wondering if the guy in the backseat saw anything and if he did, would he say anything. I debated, internally, whether or not to come straight out and say something or just complete the ride and run. Most of you who know me would assume the former, but for some reason I went with the latter. He gave me about 3 good "yeah, I'm rubbing my penis for you" looks, and I basically felt the need to shower in hot boiling peroxide when I got home.
In retrospect, I can't quite find the reason for NOT speaking out against his self-gratification at my expense. I think it was because I was a little worried, deep down, that he knew the guy in the backseat and this was a setup! Yes, there goes the paranoid mind hard at work. (Note to self: find keychain mace container) I didn't really want to disturb the hornets' nest, so I figured I'd play dead for the rest of the ride home. I hoped that if I didn't react, my chances of just being delivered to my car safely and without his body fluids on me were better than if I raised hell. So, I went against my normal hell-raising, ball-busting (pun intended) instincts, and I chilled.
A note to the Gentlemen riders out there: if a male driver pulls up and you are in line with a woman, give up your shotgun instinct and let her have the backseat. I can't speak for the men, so I won't suggest the opposite be true for the ladies.
All in all, I think I'll take the lunatic speed-racers over the hairy, creepy, penis-touching drivers. Maybe it's just me! If you are a bit on the touchy-feely side, would you guys please hang a sign on your window?
When I got into the car, I knew the driver was a little "off," but I didn't really imagine what would happen next!
The man who jumped in with me immediately grabbed the backseat, as any good slugger wants to do, a bit of a reversed "shotgun." Well, that left me up front with creepy, hairy, pervy guy who decided to give me a bit of a show.
I was nose-deep in my new Blackberry trying to get all my settings to work, and I kept noticing in my peripheral vision that the driver was looking at me every few minutes. I thought maybe he was being nosey or he objected to my technology-focus, but I ignored it until I started to sense that more was happening over there. Traffic was moving relatively quickly, so I expected he was focused on the road. When I turned my head to do the quick cursory glance the next time I sensed him watching me, I noticed he was rubbing his penis. NO guys, not a quick penis adjustment, not a quick scratch and sniff. This was FULL ON RUBBING. How do I know, besides seeing the hand consistently and repeatedly rubbing across his groin? He winked at me. Yes, he fucking winked at me!
From that point forward, roughly another 10 miles, I was so grossed out I could hardly breathe! I kept wondering if the guy in the backseat saw anything and if he did, would he say anything. I debated, internally, whether or not to come straight out and say something or just complete the ride and run. Most of you who know me would assume the former, but for some reason I went with the latter. He gave me about 3 good "yeah, I'm rubbing my penis for you" looks, and I basically felt the need to shower in hot boiling peroxide when I got home.
In retrospect, I can't quite find the reason for NOT speaking out against his self-gratification at my expense. I think it was because I was a little worried, deep down, that he knew the guy in the backseat and this was a setup! Yes, there goes the paranoid mind hard at work. (Note to self: find keychain mace container) I didn't really want to disturb the hornets' nest, so I figured I'd play dead for the rest of the ride home. I hoped that if I didn't react, my chances of just being delivered to my car safely and without his body fluids on me were better than if I raised hell. So, I went against my normal hell-raising, ball-busting (pun intended) instincts, and I chilled.
A note to the Gentlemen riders out there: if a male driver pulls up and you are in line with a woman, give up your shotgun instinct and let her have the backseat. I can't speak for the men, so I won't suggest the opposite be true for the ladies.
All in all, I think I'll take the lunatic speed-racers over the hairy, creepy, penis-touching drivers. Maybe it's just me! If you are a bit on the touchy-feely side, would you guys please hang a sign on your window?
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Sluggish Humanity
In the course of our lives, most of us get burned repeatedly, and we become cynical and untrusting. It's a natural instinct that keeps us going as a species. If you learn from your mistakes, you will hopefully not repeat them. I am one who has undoubtedly encountered some of the worst, most dishonest people in the world, and I am probably the least trusting person you will meet. Why do I bring this up?
Well, slugging is starting to restore my faith in humanity. OK, maybe not "restore" completely, but perhaps it's giving me hope that OTHERS won't become as cynical as me.
I received a ride from a nice 30s-ish woman in a BIG SUV. When I got in the backseat, I noticed her purse was sitting next to me on the seat. Being the cynic that I am, I wanted her to NOT have that purse there. NOT because I had any intention of robbing her, but because I wanted to remove any doubt that anything could happen (there was another passenger in the backseat with me). So the whole ride, I was sitting there thinking about how much trust this woman must have in people.
I understand that you have to have a certain amount of trust to invite someone into your car. And of course, a certain amount of trust to get into a stranger's car. But for me, my view is that you just don't give someone an opportunity to disappoint you. Whenever I've done that, I've gotten burned. Apparently, this nice lady hasn't. She never once checked the status of her purse, (or VERY expensive shoes) and that includes when we all jumped out of the car. WOW, seriously, that's TRUST. I'm amazed and a little envious. I wish I wasn't quite so cynical.
At least I know that, for that day...on that ride, her faith was not shattered in her fellow man. As her cynical, self-appointed guardian, I made sure the other guy didn't slip his hand in to get his lunch money for the day.
All I can say is that I hope that she continues to have such a sunny outlook of her fellow man. For me, it's getting slightly brighter.
Well, slugging is starting to restore my faith in humanity. OK, maybe not "restore" completely, but perhaps it's giving me hope that OTHERS won't become as cynical as me.
I received a ride from a nice 30s-ish woman in a BIG SUV. When I got in the backseat, I noticed her purse was sitting next to me on the seat. Being the cynic that I am, I wanted her to NOT have that purse there. NOT because I had any intention of robbing her, but because I wanted to remove any doubt that anything could happen (there was another passenger in the backseat with me). So the whole ride, I was sitting there thinking about how much trust this woman must have in people.
I understand that you have to have a certain amount of trust to invite someone into your car. And of course, a certain amount of trust to get into a stranger's car. But for me, my view is that you just don't give someone an opportunity to disappoint you. Whenever I've done that, I've gotten burned. Apparently, this nice lady hasn't. She never once checked the status of her purse, (or VERY expensive shoes) and that includes when we all jumped out of the car. WOW, seriously, that's TRUST. I'm amazed and a little envious. I wish I wasn't quite so cynical.
At least I know that, for that day...on that ride, her faith was not shattered in her fellow man. As her cynical, self-appointed guardian, I made sure the other guy didn't slip his hand in to get his lunch money for the day.
All I can say is that I hope that she continues to have such a sunny outlook of her fellow man. For me, it's getting slightly brighter.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Off To a Sluggish Start
I'm on my 6th day of slugging, and so far, I've met some interesting characters. I knew from Day 1 that I was going to have some interesting stories to tell, but since I'm 6 days behind, I will simply summarize my experiences so far.
Slugging with complete strangers twice a day gives you a new perspective on humanity. Certainly, you have to take into account that you are being invited into someone's personal vehicle and receiving a free ride to work. That isn't to say that this is a one-sided relationship by any means. Without slugs, a driver going into downtown DC, or even the Pentagon, could find themselves in traffic on the mainline of I95 three times longer than on the HOV. So understanding that this is a mutually beneficial relationship is key.
There are websites, books, message boards, email lists, and many other media that talk about slugging etiquette and provide resources for drivers and riders. The rules, while "unwritten," appear to be passed down by tradition fairly well. So far, I've experienced that most of those rules are quite easily discarded depending on the driver or rider.
Rule Violation #1: Day 1 of my slugging experience started off with a middle-aged, normal looking woman picking me and another man up to head into DC. All was well until we got to the light at the outside of the sluglot. That's when she knew she had a captive audience, and without batting an eyelash she inserted what I am convinced was an evangelical indoctrination seminar. Despite the fact that my iPod was on, I began to pick up on little things that were coming out of this driver's radio. From the tone and cadence of the speaker, I instantly knew that it was some form of religious sermon. While drivers are obviously allowed to listen to whatever they want in their cars, this seemed to overlap with a cardinal slug rule (and a generally accepted rule of polite behavior). NEVER DISCUSS POLITICS, RELIGION, OR SEX WITH STRANGERS. OK, so she wasn't exactly discussing religion, her brainwashing tapes were far from subtle. The topic of this tape (yes, it was a cassette tape) was standard Baptist religious sermon stuff until the guy on the tape began to talk about how women need to be more submissive to their men and stop blaming the men for their own shortcomings. OK, WHAT THE FUCK??? Seriously?
This particular experience wasn't my only experience with the "no religion" rule in my short 6 days. The next experience was far less offensive, but annoying nonetheless. If I'm going to work, I want a nice, safe, quiet ride to work. I managed to get into a car with two older black men who immediately began discussing their faith and religious experiences. Again, nothing offensive or off the wall, but I simply wanted to get into his nice plush ride and SLEEP. Once again, my iPod was pushed to its capacity in an effort to drown out the Baptist dribblings.
Rule Violation #2: OK, this one should be a given, but I have to say that it's alarmingly not followed. IF YOU ARE A BAD DRIVER, PLEASE DON'T PICK UP STRANGERS AND MAKE THEM FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES. On THREE occasions already, I have been a passenger in what seemed to be a fast ride to Hell (good thing I'd been exposed to all that religion ahead of time!). One lady, clearly a New Yorker, couldn't drive the car and talk at the same time because she was basically pointing the car in the direction of her hand gestures. Not a good idea on a straight road. She wasn't so bad. Today was basically themed "Holy Shit! Watch What You are Doing" day for me on both rides. My morning commute started with a very nice woman, in a very nice car, who talked 100 miles an hour but drive 150. Pretty scary when everyone else is going 75 (still over the speed limit, but an acceptable one). But even her Nascar paced driving didn't compare to kamikaze crazy man this afternoon!
From the SECOND I got into his big ass boat-sized car, I knew I was in trouble. He pulled out in front of oncoming traffic, narrowly escaping being sideswiped (yes, my side). He then ran 2 stop signs on the way TO the interstate. Once on the on-ramp to 95, he began SCREAMING at the drivers around him for no apparent reason. Now,I admit that I feel the need to yell at the occasional reckless asshole on 95, but EVERYONE pissed this guy off! He clearly wanted to get home quickly because he was going so fast, everything around me was a blur. The one thing that WAS clear was the bumper of the cars in front of us that he was only inches away from. You might assume that I'm using hyperbole here, but I promise you, there were literal inches separating us from death. When things quieted down, he stopped screaming, but he decided to comment and cuss at all the surrounding drivers under his breath. At first, I was hoping he was reciting the rosary or something (hey, it's a religious theme!), but when I managed to decipher "mother fuckers just won't get out of my way!" OVER AND OVER AGAIN I freaked out. My normal hour to hour 10 commute took me 45 minutes! If that doesn't give you perspective, I don't know what else will!
Do aggressive drivers not know they are aggressive? Do they just assume that everyone sucks? Only time will tell, if I survive!
I've been confronted wit
Slugging with complete strangers twice a day gives you a new perspective on humanity. Certainly, you have to take into account that you are being invited into someone's personal vehicle and receiving a free ride to work. That isn't to say that this is a one-sided relationship by any means. Without slugs, a driver going into downtown DC, or even the Pentagon, could find themselves in traffic on the mainline of I95 three times longer than on the HOV. So understanding that this is a mutually beneficial relationship is key.
There are websites, books, message boards, email lists, and many other media that talk about slugging etiquette and provide resources for drivers and riders. The rules, while "unwritten," appear to be passed down by tradition fairly well. So far, I've experienced that most of those rules are quite easily discarded depending on the driver or rider.
Rule Violation #1: Day 1 of my slugging experience started off with a middle-aged, normal looking woman picking me and another man up to head into DC. All was well until we got to the light at the outside of the sluglot. That's when she knew she had a captive audience, and without batting an eyelash she inserted what I am convinced was an evangelical indoctrination seminar. Despite the fact that my iPod was on, I began to pick up on little things that were coming out of this driver's radio. From the tone and cadence of the speaker, I instantly knew that it was some form of religious sermon. While drivers are obviously allowed to listen to whatever they want in their cars, this seemed to overlap with a cardinal slug rule (and a generally accepted rule of polite behavior). NEVER DISCUSS POLITICS, RELIGION, OR SEX WITH STRANGERS. OK, so she wasn't exactly discussing religion, her brainwashing tapes were far from subtle. The topic of this tape (yes, it was a cassette tape) was standard Baptist religious sermon stuff until the guy on the tape began to talk about how women need to be more submissive to their men and stop blaming the men for their own shortcomings. OK, WHAT THE FUCK??? Seriously?
This particular experience wasn't my only experience with the "no religion" rule in my short 6 days. The next experience was far less offensive, but annoying nonetheless. If I'm going to work, I want a nice, safe, quiet ride to work. I managed to get into a car with two older black men who immediately began discussing their faith and religious experiences. Again, nothing offensive or off the wall, but I simply wanted to get into his nice plush ride and SLEEP. Once again, my iPod was pushed to its capacity in an effort to drown out the Baptist dribblings.
Rule Violation #2: OK, this one should be a given, but I have to say that it's alarmingly not followed. IF YOU ARE A BAD DRIVER, PLEASE DON'T PICK UP STRANGERS AND MAKE THEM FEAR FOR THEIR LIVES. On THREE occasions already, I have been a passenger in what seemed to be a fast ride to Hell (good thing I'd been exposed to all that religion ahead of time!). One lady, clearly a New Yorker, couldn't drive the car and talk at the same time because she was basically pointing the car in the direction of her hand gestures. Not a good idea on a straight road. She wasn't so bad. Today was basically themed "Holy Shit! Watch What You are Doing" day for me on both rides. My morning commute started with a very nice woman, in a very nice car, who talked 100 miles an hour but drive 150. Pretty scary when everyone else is going 75 (still over the speed limit, but an acceptable one). But even her Nascar paced driving didn't compare to kamikaze crazy man this afternoon!
From the SECOND I got into his big ass boat-sized car, I knew I was in trouble. He pulled out in front of oncoming traffic, narrowly escaping being sideswiped (yes, my side). He then ran 2 stop signs on the way TO the interstate. Once on the on-ramp to 95, he began SCREAMING at the drivers around him for no apparent reason. Now,I admit that I feel the need to yell at the occasional reckless asshole on 95, but EVERYONE pissed this guy off! He clearly wanted to get home quickly because he was going so fast, everything around me was a blur. The one thing that WAS clear was the bumper of the cars in front of us that he was only inches away from. You might assume that I'm using hyperbole here, but I promise you, there were literal inches separating us from death. When things quieted down, he stopped screaming, but he decided to comment and cuss at all the surrounding drivers under his breath. At first, I was hoping he was reciting the rosary or something (hey, it's a religious theme!), but when I managed to decipher "mother fuckers just won't get out of my way!" OVER AND OVER AGAIN I freaked out. My normal hour to hour 10 commute took me 45 minutes! If that doesn't give you perspective, I don't know what else will!
Do aggressive drivers not know they are aggressive? Do they just assume that everyone sucks? Only time will tell, if I survive!
I've been confronted wit
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