Grid Lock, Frustration and the Commute from....You Know Where!!!!

[Ladskater]

It took me over three hours to drive home from work today. I left Richmond at 4:00 pm and did not arrive home until 8:00 pm!! Normally on a good day the drive is anywhere from 25 min. to 40 min. depending on traffic, road construction etc. This afternoon there was a three car accident on the Queensborough bridge - I have no choice it's the only bridge that goes directly to where I live. Anyway, on the radio they said to not even attempt going that way. I stopped in to see a friend on the way home and discovered a nail in one of my tires to add further drama to my commute! Also my gas was getting dangerously low. After leaving my friends, I stopped at a garage to see if my tire was okay. The mechanic looked at the tire and pulled out a small nail. Thank goodness the tire was not flat so I was able to drive. I then saw the bridge was pretty much a parking lot, so stopped for a bite to eat and to wander around a couple of stores. Around 6:30 pm I finally was able to approach the bridge - only to discover once on there was a car stalled halfway across in my lane!!! Oh my goodness. I finally got to New Westminster at 7:00 and stopped for gas and a couple of items at the Safeway. By the time I pulled into my driveway it was 8:00 pm!!!! My husband was phoning to see what happened to me.

Though some days my drive is not too terrible, today it really was the COMMUTE FROM ******* !!!! and then some.

[iluvtodd]

Wow! Sorry to hear that your commute was such a bummer, Lad! :sheesh: The worst I can remember was once we had a freak snow event in Philly about 4 years ago. It was on a week day. My commute to the school where I teach is normally only 20 minutes, but on this day it took three hours to get home! There was one really short traffic light that we got stuck at for about an hour, and this was only what would normally be ten minutes from home. Anyway, I hope you don't have to go through with that again!

[Ladskater]

The whole area is currently under construction and is going to be completely restructured by 2009. Right now it is just a bottle neck everyday in both directions for the bridge. The new bridge approaches are supposed to improve the traffic flow. I certainly hope so!!! However in the mean time, I may as well be prepared for more killer commutes!!! Thanks for the reply.

[Wolfgang]

Well, this isn't really a 'commute' per se, but I remember the olden days of a Europe with borders.......
(Yes, of course they're still there, but they say they're not........)
Germany goes on vacation in tiers.
First the north (in June, iirc), then the south (in late July/August).
Either way, this leads to an AVALANCHE of tidal wave proportions of cars headed for the beach.
Any beach, Italy's the closest, so let's all go there.....
Which gives (or gave) the Italian borderguards the shrewd idea to time their strike (they like to strike in Italy) demanding - what else - a pay raise just so that it coincides with the first wave of German automobiles eager to unload their Marks (now Euros) onto Bella Italia.
None shall pass......until we, the borderguards, get more Lira (now also Euro...).
Which in turn leads to a traffic jam, from the Austro-Italian border, through Austria (Tyrol bearing the brunt of the assault, being the most direct route), all the way back up into Germany, a traffic jam that would bring seasoned Los Angelenos or Athenians sobbing to their knees.
The Austrian Red Cross, highway patrol, and several other agencies have their hands full and then some feeding, caring for and otherwise keeping these people (mostly Prussians, but there's not a few Dutch, Scandinavians and Brits mixed in) more or less under control, and prevent them from heat stroke, starvation, boredom and other more unusual 'road hazards'.
Which is the whole idea behind the strike, such a massive mess (coupled with all the millions upon millions of Marks, sorry, Euros Italy is losing by not having the German tourists there) tends to bring about fast conclusions to salary negotiations.....

Happy commute!

[Ladskater]

Well, this isn't really a 'commute' per se, but I remember the olden days of a Europe with borders.......
(Yes, of course they're still there, but they say they're not........)
Germany goes on vacation in tiers.
First the north (in June, iirc), then the south (in late July/August).
Either way, this leads to an AVALANCHE of tidal wave proportions of cars headed for the beach.
Any beach, Italy's the closest, so let's all go there.....
Which gives (or gave) the Italian borderguards the shrewd idea to time their strike (they like to strike in Italy) demanding - what else - a pay raise just so that it coincides with the first wave of German automobiles eager to unload their Marks (now Euros) onto Bella Italia.
None shall pass......until we, the borderguards, get more Lira (now also Euro...).
Which in turn leads to a traffic jam, from the Austro-Italian border, through Austria (Tyrol bearing the brunt of the assault, being the most direct route), all the way back up into Germany, a traffic jam that would bring seasoned Los Angelenos or Athenians sobbing to their knees.
The Austrian Red Cross, highway patrol, and several other agencies have their hands full and then some feeding, caring for and otherwise keeping these people (mostly Prussians, but there's not a few Dutch, Scandinavians and Brits mixed in) more or less under control, and prevent them from heat stroke, starvation, boredom and other more unusual 'road hazards'.
Which is the whole idea behind the strike, such a massive mess (coupled with all the millions upon millions of Marks, sorry, Euros Italy is losing by not having the German tourists there) tends to bring about fast conclusions to salary negotiations.....

Happy commute!

Sounds horrible!!! We had a bus strike here a few years ago - it did not cause as much grid lock as preditcted, but it sure did make it a difficult commute for those who depend on public transit. Fortunately, I had my car, but sometimes I prefer to take the bus. It took lots of public pressure and finally the government stepping in to end the strike. People still get fear in their hearts when they hear the words "pending transit stirke."

Thanks for the reply.