Traffic Jam
I’ve lived in Southern California for most of my life (other than the 8 years I lived in Maui, Hawaii, when I was a kid). So, I’ve learned that traffic, and lots of it, is to be expected. Especially on the freeways. And truly, that’s the one thing I hate the most about living in a huge city area – bumper to bumper traffic. Especially on the freeways. :evil:
When Don and I got married twenty years ago, we bought our house out past a place called “Rancho Cucamonga”, which at that time was fairly equivalent to “Timbuktu” for anyone living in the Los Angeles area. 
Seriously. It was out in the middle of nowhere - - and because it was out in the middle of nowhere, it was a nice big house that we could AFFORD, which was key. We were young (I was 21, Don 25), so in order to afford a house at our age, we basically had to live in Timbuktu, LOL.
But I learned to love being out in the middle of nowhere, even if I did have to drive 7 miles to the nearest grocery store. It was quiet and far away from the rat race of Los Angeles. Our major freeway was and still is the 15 Freeway, and we live about a mile off that freeway. Twenty years ago it was pretty much deserted. There were five lanes going each way, and you could literally run across both portions of the freeway without getting hit by a car, because there was hardly anyone who used the freeway! 
For the most part, it was a freeway to use if you wanted to go to Las Vegas, and that was about it, because the freeway, once it passed us, led to the dessert and not much else. It was wonderful and we loved it. Back then, it only took Don 25 minutes to drive to or from work, with no traffic. And it was a freeway that took me anywhere I wanted to go, and quickly, because no one used it.
Fast forward 20 years. We’re still living in the same area and house (which we truly still love), but everything else around us has changed so much. There are huge shopping centers going up all around us, as well as upscale malls. And because all of the major cities leading up to where we live have used up their land on houses and commercial buildings, they keep building more and more where we live, and even further up the 15 freeway into the 
desert area. As a result, more people are commuting on the 15 freeway and it has become JAMMED PACKED every single day of the week. There is bumper to bumper traffic for MILES, especially during rush hour – and we can see it all from where we live! 
What used to take Don 25 minutes to drive to and from work has now turned into an hour and fifteen minute drive because of all the traffic he has to deal with on the freeway! I absolutely hate it, because I’ve had to find alternate routes to get home – back streets and such. 
But, it seems like everyone else is using these back routes because even those are heavily congested! It’s gotten so bad that I just don’t leave the house from 4PM to 8PM because I know I’m going to spend so much time sitting in bumper to bumper traffic! I know there are many people who make the long drive to and from work in rush hour traffic – sometimes spending up to 2 hours a day going just one way! I can’t even imagine. 
Just recently, Caltrans opened a brand new freeway near us that gave us what should have been a quicker route home, instead of taking the jammed packed 15 freeway. But a week after opening the NEW freeway, it’s almost as bad as the 15 freeway! So, there truly is no easy way home! I love my house and where I live, but I honestly can’t wait for Don to retire so we can move somewhere quiet again. Maybe we really will move to Timbuktu for peace and quiet and no rush hour traffic! 
So, all this got me thinking – do you live in the city where you have to deal with crammed freeways and rush hour traffic? Or do you live in a place that is nice and quiet and traffic free? And how do you feel about the traffic where you live?
Here’s your chance to either commiserate with me – or make me envious! 
I live about 5 minutes from work, and I love it. Malls, movie theatres, grocery stores all all within a few minutes of me. It’s more expensive, but worth not having to commute an hour each way.
I live in the Chicago ‘burbs, and traffic is horrendous here. For people like you, who like to be away from it all, no question, you’ll be commuting a minimum of an hr & 1/2, one way, to get to work. My friend Mike was telling me yesterday he worked til 7pm but stopped to grab something to eat before heading home because he knew he’d be stuck in traffic, worse now because of construction. Winter is another consideration as it can add a few hours to that time.
Aw the joys of city, or suburban, life.
Comment by Stacy ~ — August 16, 2007 @ 6:31 am
I work 5 minutes from home and I LOVE IT
, but for 17 years I had to go on the highway which was about a 20 minute drive, but when there was an accident
that 20 minutes would turn into an hour and when it snowed I wouldn’t dare drive on the highway I was 
so I would take an alternate route which would be longer
Comment by Cherylann — August 16, 2007 @ 6:55 am
I live in a very small town with no traffic to speak of. I live two blocks from where I work, so it’s just a couple of minutes if I drive; less than 10 minutes if I walk. It’s a college town so things get busier from September through May, but our traffic is light years away from what you have to deal with. There are drawbacks to living in a rural area, but traffic isn’t one of them!!
Comment by Shari — August 16, 2007 @ 7:20 am
I live in a small town—population under 5000— so traffic isn’t a problem. The closest city has a population of around 16,000—and is less than 20 min. away via a two lane highway. I have driven from my hometown to San Diego via I-5 and you couldn’t pay me to do it again.
Comment by Estella — August 16, 2007 @ 7:39 am
I live in a heavily congested area. Right between the two main roads to take you to the Jersey Shore one way, and into Philadelphia the other way. So I take all back roads and avoid them when I can - and I usually can.
I work in a quaint little town with little shops and boutiques that draws a lot of people during the holidays. It’s only a 20-minute drive for me in the summer, a tad longer when the school buses are out.
Comment by Michelle — August 16, 2007 @ 8:03 am
Hey Janelle,
I live in a city that is basically an island connected to the other side by two bridges We have at least 6 or more beaches here and in the summer it is a huge tourist attraction. I live in Gloucester, where they filmed the movie for “The Perfect Storm” with George Clooney & Mark Wahlberg. Once they threw that into the mix everyone was/is coming here to see The Crows Nest, the little fishermans bar that they guys all hung out in (the real fisherman who were lost at sea during that storm frequented the place and Mark Wahlberg liked to play pool there with the locals.)
So traffic here is INSANE when you are just trying to get to the local grocery store. In the Fall/Winter it isn’t as bad traffic wise but we usually get hit pretty roughly with the snow because of the “ocean effect”
So I can sympathize with you and the traffic. It is a giant SUCK pill!!
Comment by Kelly F. — August 16, 2007 @ 8:04 am
I spent 13 years living outside the San Francisco Bay area, then a couple years in southern Calif. Ick ick ick on traffic congestion.
Now I’m in a very small town in Oklahoma. Traveling into Tulsa (the big city near us) is about a 15 minute drive, and even in rush hour takes no longer than 30 minutes to get to the heart of downtown.
There is virtually no traffic here, and I love it with all my heart.
Comment by Jaci Burton — August 16, 2007 @ 8:20 am
Well, I’m in Nashville and seems like I spend lots of time stuck in traffic. Now that school has started back, I have to leave 20 minutes early to go to work or sit in traffic (to go 10 miles) for 20-30 minutes. Sometimes I can take the back way and cut down on time just a little bit, but even to go to the mall or the grocery store I’m looking at a 10 minute drive and one is just down the road about a mile from my house. I pretty much plan 20-30 minutes of drive time to get anywhere in the Nashville area.
Comment by Liza — August 16, 2007 @ 8:48 am
I’m like Shari, near a college town where our population increases by 25,000 mid-August. I avoid the campus/downtown area as much as possible August - May.
But, we’re in a similar situation (on a smaller scale) as to what Janelle and Don are in. We bought our property 7 years ago and back then we were waaayy out of town. But in that 7 years the town has expanded out to us and it doesn’t even feel like country anymore. They’ve built grocery stores, a Lowe’s and rumors of a Wal-mart are circulating.
And the number of houses that they’ll pack into a small tract of land is unbelievable. My Cherokee blood starts to simmer as I wonder when it will all end. Will there be any trees left? Will there be any natural waterways and wetlands?
Sorry…I know we’re talking traffic but it all ties in because there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight to all the growth and spreading. I couldn’t cope with the all the traffic the big city people have!
Comment by Jodie — August 16, 2007 @ 9:08 am
I live outside the twin cities in Minnesota and it normally is busy, but not overly difficult to get around by car; however, we now have horrific road construction on 2 major highways leading to St. Paul (that will last until Fall of 2008) that has detours around our area and it is awful during rush hours. Also while I am happy to be near stores, restaurants, churches, schools, etc. we are also within 2 miles of a large mall so during week-ends and holidays you don’t want to get anywhere near the main streets or you wind up waiting and waiting at stoplights. Now sadly, with the collapse of the 35W bridge traffic going anywhere near the cities has increased even more. Like you, our home was once considered ‘out in the boon docks’, but now I don’t think there is a piece of land that doesn’t have a home of some type or a mini mall or business on it and everyone in these buildings has multiple vehicles.
Comment by Shari C — August 16, 2007 @ 9:35 am
Morning everyone…
Janelle, I grew up in NYC so I completely understand about traffic jams and there being way to many people on the road…before it didn’t bother me because I just hopped on the subway and got where I needed to go without having to worry about traffic jams and spending hours waiting to move my car one inch…as an adult, I find driving in NYC vicious…these people shouldn’t be on the road until normal people get home from work…
Now I live in the what they call the “Quiet Corner” of New England…it is primarily rural and it is very much like the area you described in the beginning of your message…there is only one stop light (blinking) on either end of the road…commuting to work is a cinch if you work in Pomfret…for me it is easy because I live where I work (boarding school). The highway is close by, but it takes about 15 minutes to get there by car…I love it…there is never a traffic jam, unless there is a parade or something going on or when the Woodstock and Renaissance fairs begin…otherwise driving here is great…
I have been going back and forth to NYC this summer, and I can certainly commiserate with you on traffic woes then…when I am there, I park my car unless my mom wants to go somewhere and take the train or walk everywhere…I miss the subway…
Comment by Paula R. — August 16, 2007 @ 9:42 am
I used to live in the Seattle area. It had grown up so much since I was a kid. For hubby to get to his work from where we lived (suburbia), it took him around 30 minutes, 45 on a bad day. You have to realize that he worked in the next city over, which should have taken him about 15 minutes. There is one freeway in the Seattle area (north/south) and the on/off ramps are one lane. To get to my folks from where they lived should have taken us about 30-45 minutes but ended up taking my mom most of the time about an hour to an hour and a half (sometimes up to two hours depending on the time!).
Now, I live in Suburbia and don’t have to go to a major metropolitan area. It takes me about 10 to 15 minutes to get where I want and we have all of the amenities! Yeah! It takes hubby about 45 minutes to get to the nearest major city (boo, hiss). It shouldn’t take him that long. I think telecommuting is the way to go!
Comment by katie — August 16, 2007 @ 9:43 am
Hi Janelle!
We don’t drive as much as we used to, and if there’s not construction going on (which there is every summer — we call it “construction season), then it’s not difficult getting around Syracuse. We bellyache if we’re held up in traffic for 10-15 minutes behind construction or an accident — it doesn’t happen often.
It created a huge uproar here once when we had some guy, I can’t remember who, it was a few years ago, but he was visiting from Atlanta or LA, and he was in the media, and when he returned home he did a radio or newspaper bit on how ridiculous it was that we even had traffic helicopters and a traffic report on our radio station.
I thought it was funny, and to be honest, we do need some traffic report — especially in winter, but I could see how someone coming from a really congested area would think that.
Sam
Comment by Sam Hunter — August 16, 2007 @ 9:47 am
Oh ho ho….here’s Lori raising her hand in the San Francisco bay area. Yes, we definitely know traffic. I spent the first 7 years of my son’s life virtually living as a single, working mom because hubby worked in the city (translate 1 1/2 hour commute one way). It almost ruined our marriage before we finally figured out a way for him to quit and start up his own business out of our home. Now I’m the one with the long commute of about 30 minutes, but I don’t mind it now that I write. It’s my time to sit in the slow lane with the radio turned off and ponder ideas for my books.
Comment by Lori Borrill — August 16, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Lori, that’s the ticket, if you can somehow make it work to your advantage. I know of people who have to ride the ferry to and from work and they use that time to write. A little different, since they’re just riding the whole time and don’t have to drive. But if you can somehow turn it into a positive it makes it so much more bearable.
Comment by Jodie — August 16, 2007 @ 10:31 am
I live in a mapdot and there is NO traffic. Actually, our version of traffic is the congested pick-up line at my daughter’s primary school. Now THAT’S the dog eat dog I remember so well from my days when I lived and commuted in Houston (2 hours each way to make what should have been a thirty minute drive). I totally understand! I love where I live now. While the freeway headed into town does get congested, the congested doesn’t start for at least twenty miles up the road, and congestion in San Antonio is nothing like it is around the country. My hubby bitches when it moves slow. I tell him, hey, at least it’s moving! I remember the good old days of sitting on 610 in Houston and NOT moving at all. For hours.
Good luck Janelle!!! I hope your hubby retires soon.
Comment by Kimberly Raye — August 16, 2007 @ 10:39 am
Oh, I can commiserate Janelle! I live in Westlake Village (near Thousand Oaks) and it’s the 101 freeway we travel on to get anywhere. Enough said? I’ve lived out here my whole life and it used to be considered the boonies (when my parents moved from Los Angeles, people thought they were crazy). It used to be we’d only hit traffic if we were driving out to the city, but now? There’s traffic right at my offramp! Yuck, yuck, yuck. Like you, I try not to go anywhere between 4 and 8 but you know what? There could be traffic any time of day, it’s hit or miss.
My husband’s job takes him all around Southern Cal so he’s often stuck in traffic for hours on end - I don’t know how he does it.
I hope you don’t have to go anywhere today Janelle and get to stay in the comfort of your home!
Comment by Robin — August 16, 2007 @ 10:45 am
Let’s see, yes, I have to deal with traffic where we live but the good thing is I don’t have to get on the freeways–C-470 or I-25 to go to the grocery store or most doctor’s appointments stuff like that.
We live in an area called Highlands Ranch which is south west of the city of Denver proper. When we first moved out here it was not built up, very few shopping areas, just a couple of grocery stores…We moved to our house–which I also love–in 1991. We’ve lived here for 16 years. NOW, we call Highlands Ranch a rabbit warren because there are so many houses now and new shopping centers, hospitals, a big Mall…
If I need to go downtown I have to take the freeways and I don’t look forward to that. It can be hair-raising at times.
But there is definitely traffic on the main roads like University, Hampden…and that can be bumper to bumper during rush hour but unless there is an accident or everybody has to stop to look at the guys working on the side of the road–which shouldn’t stop traffic at all because it’s complete off the highway!! *sigh* but it does. Why do people do that?
Otherwise, it’s not bad. If I had to drive on 470 or I-25 or even I-70 everyday I would not be a happy camper.
However, having said all this, I love living in Colorado, I love my house and my life. I grew up in a tenny little town where there was NOTHING! So I love having access to all the “stuff” we have here in the Mile High City.
Basically, I’m happier than a pig going for slop.
Cher
Comment by Cher — August 16, 2007 @ 10:49 am
Oh i feel your pain, I live in the washington dc area, which is known for their traffic problems… I lived for the first 23 yrs of my life in Alexandria, Va, which is 10 mins from dc, however its a 30 minutes to 1 hour commute. If you live in VA you have to cross three bridges. I live in MD now for the past 6 yrs, if you commute the baltimore washington parkway like i do, you dont want to be on it from 3pm-8pm… parking lot. even on the weekends its brake lights. its a 2 lane road. everyone know to stay away from the beltway in montgomery county because its always jammed pack with cars. on the virginia side of the beltway that merges to 95 south is also jammed.
If there is an accident in our area on the beltway which requires them to shut the road down, you can say you will be waiting for awhile. Wait time will be more than an hour or stay away from the beltway.
Comment by Elisa V — August 16, 2007 @ 10:51 am
Elisa - I’ve driven in DC twice and I swear, if I have anything to say about it, I’ll NEVER do it again!!! The first time we were like the Griswald’s in European Vacation…I swear, we got into the traffic circle and couldn’t get out!! It was the craziest thing I’d ever seen. After that, we just walked, no matter how far it was!
Comment by Jodie — August 16, 2007 @ 11:20 am
LOL Kimberly! Your story about school drop-off reminds me of the movie “Mr. Mom”. Did you ever see that? “You’re doing it wrong!”
Jodie, they’ve been talking about light rail around here which would drop me off right near the office. I so wish that would go through so I could actually write during my commute!
Comment by Lori Borrill — August 16, 2007 @ 11:23 am
I feel all of your pain. I complain when there is ‘traffic’ and it takes me 15 minutes to get to the store (instead of 10).
This blog reminds me of the James Taylor song (scuse my language, not my song!), “Damn, that traffic jam, how I hate to be late’….
Comment by katie — August 16, 2007 @ 11:45 am
I live anywhere from 5-30 minutes outside NYC in northern N.J. so I guess I get the best and worst of both worlds. During rush hour it can take me up to 30-45 min to get home.
:biteme:
..but outside of rush hour traffic I am usually home in 5-10 min. 
..but i suspect even that is going to change becuase more and more people are moving from the city into my town so the commute is going to get longer. Luckily public transportation is pretty great so it shouldnt be too bad. But you definitley have my sympathies Janelle! I could never live in the L.A. area because I heard the traffic is so bad. Have you ever thought of moving up to the Napa Valley area when your hubby retires? I visited there a couple years ago and I loved it. It seemed pretty peaceful and there wasnt that much traffic.
Leslie- Did you get the email I sent you? My email account has been acting pretty weird lately and a lot of people havent been getting the emails I have sent. I just wanted to make sure you werent one of them.
Happy Thursday everyone!
Comment by tyne — August 16, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
I usd to live outsde of Phoenix on the desert and now there is so much building going on that there is not much desert left and we are replaced with people, cars, and traffic EVERYWHERE. It is a major chore to go anywhere. And there are not many freeways to carry all of the traffic.
Comment by JOYE — August 16, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
Janelle,
I know exactly how you feel. I’m a native So Cal girl. I live in Downey and work on the East side of Downtown L.A. I avoid the 5 and take side street. I cut my commute by probably an hour. It only takes me about 30 minutes to get to work and in the afternoon it only takes me about 15-20 minutes. If I took the freeway it would double and I avoid it at all costs. I would never move out of the city than the commute would be hours instead of minutes. Anytime I can I avoid the freeways in Los Angeles becuase once you are stuck in traffic there is no where to go, if you are on side streets you can do a detour and get out of the traffic jam.
Kelly
Comment by kelly — August 16, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
Tyne — Don and I have been up to Napa Valley and LOVE IT there! It’s absolutely gorgeous. Clear skies (no smog!!!), no traffic, and just green and beautiful everywhere. Definitely a great place to retire!
Katie — Did the birthday BAD BOY I sent over to you yesterday wear you out and put a big smile on your face?
Comment by Janelle — August 16, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
Stacy — I can’t even imagine living right smack in the city. That is SO not for me! But I know other people do love it!
To everyone who lives in a nice quiet small town, I’m completely envious!
Kelly F. — I loved THE PERFECT STORM! How cool that you live near where they filmed it.
Jaci — You obviously know exactly what I’m talking about with California traffic! Glad to hear you found your own little slice of heaven in Oklahoma.
Jodi — It’s very true and frustrating to watch so much land get eaten up by commercial and residential building. And yes, track houses are the absolute worst! Now they seem to literally build those houses right on top of each other!
Robin — Just hearing that you live near Thousand Oaks makes me shudder! Oy, the congestion on every single freeway around you is horrible!
Cher — Good question. What IS it with Looky-Loos that congest the freeway because they have to get a good look at the accident on the OTHER SIDE of the freeway! That is beyond irritating!
Comment by Janelle — August 16, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
Oh, so sorry, Janelle! We’re in the SF Bay Area, so traffic here gets pretty bad, too, but it’s my poor husband who mainly has to commute in it while I typically get off easy and if I do need to go during commute hours, generally have the benefit of some small carpoolers with me to make the carpool lane
When I worked, I hated sitting in traffic, and often it’d be crawling along for no apparent reason–awful!
Don’t miss that at all!
Comment by Fedora — August 16, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
Traffic congestion, one of my pet peeves! I live in Wine Country not far from Lori Borrill, the traffic in this area on the freeway is the pits. When I was working in Santa Rosa it was 14 miles from home to the office & took me anywhere from 30 - 45 minutes because of the traffic. This area has built & built & built with no thought to traffic. You can drive to Santa Rosa in about 20 minutes if it is not at commute time. Way too many people have discovered what a wonderful area this is and have moved here, housing prices are outrageous, traffic the pits but I love living here. In Healdsburg, where I live, there is a lot of tourist business due to the wineries so on the weekends & summer the tourists take over! This weekend Healdsburg is celebrating 150 years of being! We were featured on a TV program the other day & one of the people interviewed said they were expecting 3,000 -5,000 people here! I can’t even imagine. All the celebration will be centered around the plaza in town which is always busy weekends & holidays. I rarely use my car here in town because I can walk to almost everywhere. Population is around 11,000 now, I think! It is getting to big & way to touristy!!
Thanks Janelle for the chance to vent our frustrationsa bout traffic.
Hi Lori!
Comment by Donna M — August 16, 2007 @ 2:00 pm
Living in Tampa/St Petersburg there is always traffic. Doesn’t matter the time or night of day. I remember when know one knew about us. And then we grew up. I loved the growth when I was younger. The area became hipper and our town was beginning to be mentioned on TV, in sitcoms, no less. Now I wish for the old days.
Comment by Vicki — August 16, 2007 @ 2:05 pm
Welcome to Reno a city that experiences 3 seasons of “Orange Cones” and numerous major events. I am a native and over my 40+ years I have seen many changes. I remember as a child, you could drive just about anywhere in 10 minutes of less. Today, my fourteen mile commute (one way) will take about 25 minutes in the morning, minus traffic accidents and up to 45 minutes to an hour at night.
Last week the city was packed with hot rods for “Hot August Nights.” Lots of accidents and cars breaking down. What a driving nightmare.
Well, I have the “Best on the West Rib Cook Off,” the “Balloon Races,” “Street Vibrations” (Motorcycles) and the Air Races to look forward to in the next couple of weeks. Happy Motoring!!
Comment by Ardie — August 16, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
Like, Vicki, I’m in Tampa. And we do have traffic, but not freeway traffic. I mean, we HAVE freeway traffic, but I stay away from it and can for most of my week. The traffic around me is fairly minimal except during rush hour…I can get to the store and back with very little fuss. And by store, I mean grocery, book, shoe, etc. I love where I live!
My hubby has to commute to St. Pete and that’s a bear. Unless you leave at 5am, which he sometimes does, just to avoid the crush. It’s 20 minutes with no traffic, but sometimes an hour or more if there is.
Comment by Julie Leto — August 16, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
see, this is a trick question. i deal with neither freeways nor quiet isolation. in NYC, public trans is the way to go!
Comment by Cail — August 16, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
Wow traffic seems to be everywhere these days.
I have a 15 minute commute to work so not too bad.
If you stay away from Providence and Boston, it’s
not fairly doable except at rush hours.
In Maine we are currently the other side of the boonies.
No traffic there. The only place I have ever seen a line is
at the ice cream stand.
I can’t even imagine a 5 lane freeway.
Here it’s usually 3. Must be like constantly trying to get out of an
old drive-in movie theater. Have a nice day everybody.
Comment by jeannie — August 16, 2007 @ 3:06 pm
Joye - up until about 5 years ago my parents lived in Gilbert. It’s amazing how Phoenix just keeps expanding. And you’re right, so few good roads to maneuver so many people.
And Janelle, when they were building the house next door to my mom’s, the carpenters dropped a 2″X4″ and it went through my mom’s window!! That’s how close the houses were! Now they’ve moved to the middle of nowhere, 1 1/2 hours SE of Tucson. And I mean NOWHERE! Free ranging cattle are the biggest traffic hurdles out there!
Comment by Jodie — August 16, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
The town I live in has 5 Stop signs in total!
Comment by Susan — August 16, 2007 @ 3:28 pm
:thumbsup2:Janelle: Yes, he did. Good thing hubby was gone last night.
I just got the funniest email. I wrote an email about my granola bars. One of them was in the package opened and looked like it had a bite out of it. The rep assured me that no one took a bite of my granola bar (how gross). I didn’t think they had, I just wanted to let them know it was a Quality Control issue they might want to look into!
Comment by katie — August 16, 2007 @ 4:40 pm
Well I wanted to avoid the traffic jam so I raced right over to amazon.com
and pre-ordered all the plotmonkey upcoming books.
Comment by jeannie — August 16, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
Janelle, I live outside of Boston. Oy. I grew up in a little town in NH on the Mass border, and we always called Massachusetts drivers Massholes, because they were jerks while driving.
Lord, I didn’t know the half of it until I moved closer to Boston. I used to drive 2 hours to work everyday, and I didn’t even work IN Boston! I have since switched jobs and now the commute is only 45 minutes, but so many drivers really are just jerks, certain towns have issues actually paving their roads, and others are under construction for 5 years.
Ideally, I’d love to write full time and not have to commute farther than from my bed to the couch, lol. Or even just a 5 minute drive, and live someplace rural.
NH is looking pretty darn good again… :-P
Comment by Kate Scott — August 16, 2007 @ 6:21 pm
Kate- Here in Troy, NY right near the MA border, we get a lot of Massholes!!
I am glad to let you know that they name has not died out.
Some of our worst traffic here in Troy (just outside of the Capitol, Albany) is Rt 7 going/coming from Vt, esp during leaf peep season and skiing. I just want a big tank to push them all off the road and out of my way!! going 3 miles to the store can be forever. I go the opposite way and head to the next county instead.
We have road construction season, but since I work 7am-4pm, I am out before traffic gets bad. Any work on the main road won’t start until the majority of the traffic has passed. the ones I feel sorry for are the ones who live in Saratoga County- they get a big back up merging from the various freeways.
Troy is a small city, growing more each year, but still very much an old city. I love it here. Much better than living in Syrause where I spent most of my life. I can head to VT or MA just for the day to shop or go to a concert and NYC is only 3 hours away. I make DH drive there. I hate it. I will drive in Boston or DC- they don’t bother me. I grew up with traffic circle hell!!!
Comment by ev — August 16, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
I live in Atlanta. Actually, a little north of it (about 20 minutes) but still close enough to be affected by the smog and traffic congestion. There could be an accident on I-75, I-85, I-575, I-20, I-985 or I-675 and it will STILL affect you, no matter where you are in the Metro area. If there IS an accident, you may as well just turn the car off and take a nap. (True story…there was an accident the other morning really early; shut down the interstate for about 2-3 hours; cops had to go car to car and wake drivers up.) During sporting events or things going on at the WCC, you simply C-A-N-N-O-T move. Thankfully, I live five minutes from where I work. The only real traffic I endure is the school zone…the intermediate school, middle school and high school are all in the same location.
In my next life, I’m going to build a house in the middle of 1,000 acres and shop online. I’ll grow my own food and never leave my property again.
Comment by Leslie in GA — August 16, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
Janelle, Being another SoCal gal I can relate to your “out-of-the-way house” that turned into something entirely different many years later. I live in the East San Fernando Valley, &, before retiring, lived less than 10 mi. from work (Fairfax District, right past West Hollywood). I worked/lived in the same locations for 25 years; yet, when I retired, it took 55 mins. (normal traffic), rather than the 25 mins. it had taken when I started. As much as congestion on freeways drives people nuts, I’d rather my company be near one than be forced onto busy urban streets, where construction is always “the name of the game”. Now, it’s great to do errands first thing in the AM & pick up my daughter from school before rush hour. No commute is about the best aspect of retirement, though, having a “real life” follows closely behind.
Patricia A.
Comment by Patricia — August 16, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Leslie in GA, I lived in Atlanta (Vinings, within the perimeter) back in the 90s and it was awful then…I can only imagine now! HUGS.
Comment by Julie Leto — August 16, 2007 @ 10:36 pm