The traffic line up - a picture for my mom

Here it is. My mom and I were chatting and she didn't quite get the concept of a 2 km line up of traffic before a construction zone - so I took this picture of it the other morning. This is the last stretch before the bridge.

City Life vs. Country Life - one more about the commute

This is the last post about my commute for a while. I know, I think about it too much, but I'm driving in it 3 days a week. So I was telling you all about the bizarre big line in the morning that stretches for 2 or 3 kms before you have to merge, leaving a big empty highway lane beside it. What I have discovered is the line up police are in stronger force than originally perceived. And they are dangerous. They see someone barreling down that empty lane and they just pull out, no signal, not caring that that car may in fact hit them and almost causing an accident, which would make them later than they wanted to be in the first place. So I decided to try waiting in this bizarre line this week, just to see how much of a difference it would make on my day. It's not bad. It does make it a little slower, but it does ease my frustration at these line up police guys. I really just don't want to get into a car accident in the morning. As I've been in this line, I have noticed that I'm not the only one wishing to buck the trend and take the empty highway lane. There's quite a few of them really. And I silently cheer them on! Good for you! Go for it! One morning this week I got behind a line up police and it was so frustrating. Because here's the thing. Here you are in the line up lane and here they are, half in the line up lane and half in the free lane. And really as they edge closer and closer to the free lane (still going line up speed) it becomes confusing because there actually is enough room for you to pull ahead and knock them out completely, but you really don't know how they will handle it. I mean this isn't the LA Expressway. There isn't that level of road rage here, but these guys are unpredictable. Will they knick your car, trying to reclaim their spot? Because that's a hassle I don't want to have either. And that's frustrating. Here they are, these line up police who are driving totally righteously and totally dangerously controlling everything. I don't like it.

My Commute

The other morning Jonathan had to come into town with me. So I took advantage of it and took a few pictures with my iPhone for you all to see how pretty it is out here.

City Life Vs. Country Life - Traffic on the Bridge

So the bridge into town is under maintenance. So instead of 2 lanes going in both directions, they are down to one. The funny thing is (and please explain to me why if you know the answer) is that people start lining up into one lane way before it's necessary. I mean like 2 or 3 KM early. I don't get it. I've never seen this before ever. You would never see this in a big city. I've driven in Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and New York, no one does this. Everyone waits until the last possible moment to merge. I've never seen 2 KM of free open highway before a merge before. So I don't merge in early. I don't see the point. And really, what are people going to do about it. Yes you can all glare at me all you want (I know you are), but I'm driving in an open legal lane! There's no rule saying I have to line up nicely and really early all because you do. Now, I haven't gone completely big city driver snob here, I don't wait until the last possible merge moment (although I could), but I wait until I'm under a KM away. I just can't justify merging in 2 or 3 KM early and adding in 10-15 minutes to my commute.
Actually, yesterday, one guy did decide he was going to be the line up police, and pull out in front of me just to block me. He didn't quite go all the way into my lane and out of his. He was in both lanes (which is really illegal) and driving the snail pace of the line up. I just had to laugh at him. What was his point? Nothing, except being uptight about his line up. Get over it buddy! So I just followed him to see what he would do. I hope he enjoyed his moment. I know I enjoyed my morning giggle at him.

City Life Vs. Country Life - the commute

We recently moved from a city of 2 million to a country village of 600. It's near a small city of about 120 000. I commute into work 3 days a week. It takes me about 20 minutes to half an hour to get there. Many, many people have commented, "How do you like that commute, being way out there where you are?" Honestly, I love it. It's 20 minutes of free, empty highway driving, followed by 10 minutes of relatively empty city driving. It's not a big deal.
In our previous place it took me 20 minutes of bumper to bumper city traffic to get to Wal-mart on a regular basis. Then you fought your way through crowded isles to get what you needed. I actually found it easier to jump onto the highway, drive 20 or 30 minutes north to a smaller suburb to go shopping.
Here's the highway near where I used to live:

And here's where I commute into now:

So yes, I don't mind the commute at all.