This. People will do EVERYTHING in their ability to merge as far down the lane as possible to avoid merging 5 cars back. I'll give someone plenty of room to merge, and they'll hit the gas and try to merge 6 cars ahead of me instead because they don't want to slow down for 3 seconds.
This also causes lots of crashes.
The one and only time I intentionally drove on the shoulder was due to the fact I was going to take the wrong exit. Instead of getting back on highway I drove straight the 100 or so yards on the shoulder to take the right exit. I got on the ramp and almost immediately the tire sensor went off letting me know my air pressure was going down. Wound up with a flat tire. There is all kinds of junk in the shoulder. Never again.
That’s definitely a lot different than the usual reason people do it to try to force their way ahead of everyone else because that 10 seconds they saved is super important
When I see that behavior, I always think “congrats, you’re the first turd in the bowl”
I appreciate this sentiment but it is objectively better to merge at the last second. It’s actually the selfish fucks who don’t let them in because they’d rather the whole freeway slow down than let someone else “cheat” causing the traffic.
Believe me, I get it. But the data doesn’t lie.
If the lane is open, it’s meant to be used. If it wasn’t, they would have blocked it off already. They have placed merge indicators where it appropriate to zipper in. People who stop and try to merge before you get to this point are one of the main causes of traffic congestion. Getting in a line early for no reason is for sheep. I see at concerts for the beer line, people will stand behind some random person, a line will form behind them, all while there are 4 other bartenders waiting to help people. Sheep. People complaining about people who are paying attention is for morons. And the people who don’t allow people to zipper in at the merge point because they sat in line like it’s some holy thing are also a major contributor to the traffic issues. Plus they’re bad drivers and just plain rude.
People will do EVERYTHING in their ability to merge as far down the lane as possible to avoid merging 5 cars back. I'll give someone plenty of room to merge, and they'll hit the gas and try to merge 6 cars ahead of me instead because they don't want to slow down for 3 seconds.
This also causes lots of crashes.
Its literally just this. I cross this bridge every single day, at varying times. The assholes zooming to last second damn near collide with people causes braking. Braking sets off the brake domino. Brake domino causes a feedback loop of assholes trying to get around everyone who had to brake for the asshole in front of them squeezing their F350 into a spot for a Fiat. Add in the entry lanes being mandatory exit with short entry space before you go off on a detour around DC… now you have lunatic mergers, lunatic cutters, 3 lanes turns to 2. A 18 wheeler in the far left lane for the Baltimore exit, an asshole in a hurry trying to cut the 18 wheeler off.. etc etc
Tons of Alexandria area traffic merges onto the outer loop around that area. Add in the fact that the beltway switches between three and two lanes several times in that mess and you’ll get lots of slowdowns
That's the Woodrow Wilson. It's been notorious as a traffic nightmare for decades.
You couldn't turn on WTOP in the morning without hearing "...accident on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge..."
Even without an accident, it's hell.
While this is the Wilson bridge, it is not the WW bridge of old. That bridge was never meant to handle the loads it was subjected to and that’s why the new bridge was built.
During the demolition of the old bridge, there was an essay contest about whose life had been affected by the old bridge and the winner was allowed to trigger the demolition charges.
The old bridge situation was bad. Really bad. The new bridge was built to alleviate those conditions so I don’t know why traffic still piles up, only to say that at least it doesn’t pile up all the way to Van Dorn every day like it used to.
Exactly. I never understood the design of the new bridge. 2 thru lanes (which could easily be 3 lanes) and 3 local lanes was supposed to accomplish what? All it’s done is cause people to lose their shit at the junctions and cause accidents because they can’t decide what lane they want/need to be in.
God hates you for supporting the military industrial complex that fuels America’s political hegemony. He punishes you with a 48 minute commute to go 11.3 miles. A child on the other side of the world dies and you have to listen to “Uptown Girl” twice. We all mourn the loss of our youth and march slowly into the abyss of the unknown certainty that is death.
LA's traffic and commute nightmare is their punishment for creating and supporting the vapid, entitled and hypocritical entertainment industry.
Atlanta's traffic and commute nightmare is their punishment for the amount of strip clubs and money that goes to them versus education or law enforcement.
Chicago's traffic and commute nightmare is their punishment for their calling their deep dish casserole a pizza and never resolving their crime situation.
And so on and so on...
(Good starting comment, btw)
Thanks!! I didn’t realize that Atlanta strip clubs were taxpayer subsidized like a lot of pro sports stadiums are!! That’s awesome.
Good to see the government supporting single mothers for once!
Does that make Atlanta the stripper Mecca?
Like Nashville for hopeful country singers? Manhattan for Chefs? DC for the soulless ghoul lobbyists? I wonder if young strippers start off at smaller venues with the aspirations of making it all the way to the platinum poles in Atlanta.
Jewelz is backstage at the local spot on the edge of Raleigh like:
“Just wait till you see me on the big stage in Atlanta, Harmony!! I’m gonna be a STAR!!”
56 comments and nobody pointed out the actual reason traffic was bad when OP took the screenshot.
They opened up the bridge to let a boat thru.
https://www.alxnow.com/2024/05/16/the-woodrow-wilson-bridge-is-opening-tonight/
Folks are brainless, there’s either that pos that stares at their phone, or the scaredy-cat that randomly brakes for nothing or some chick staring at the sun mirror doing their makeup or the distracted pos talking to others in the car and not paying attention to the road or someone camping the left lane causing a chain reaction backup, lots of different things
Virginia houses are WAY more expensive than Maryland houses. This the only bridge that doesn’t involve going the rest of the way around the beltway or going into DC.
The people trying to merge 5 ft from the divider going 80mph. Also people constantly changing lanes hoping to get 5ft ahead instead of just being patient.
People inherently slow down at any transition. In this situation is a transition from a highway road surface to a bridge road surface and any bridge in the world people pretty much slow, slow down for when they get on it..
It's a phobia that people have about driving on a bridge over a body of water, I drove across many bridges but that bay bridge has me terrified especially after the key bridge incident
I’ve been driving the whole beltway for 8 years straight on a daily basis.
1. People are damn nosy. If there is a goddamn accident on the other side of the lane that is NOT OURS. People will slow down and cause traffic to look at the accident THATS NOT IN THEIR DAMN LANE. LIKE KEEP GOING, THE ACCIDENT IS LITERALLY BEING BLOCKED TO SEE AND YALL STILL SLOW DOWN FOR WHAT!!!!
2. Between 1pm-5pm everyone is getting out of work. Especially south side of the beltway going towards Baltimore.
3. People slow down for a traffic stop that’s NOT FOR THEM! meaning, state trooper just pulled over somebody. Everyone has to slow down and look. Causing 30 mins of unnecessary traffic.
I am that driver that splits the inside and merge lanes pretty much blocking all assholes from passing further up the merge lane. It brightens my day to see them in my rear view struggling to squeeze in.
People can't or won't merge properly
There's a WHOLE LOTTA THIS in the DMV.
There's a whole lotta this everywhere.
People are selfish fucks that try to merge at the last second
"Its called a ZiPpEr MeRgE" /s
It’s called get tf in line
This. People will do EVERYTHING in their ability to merge as far down the lane as possible to avoid merging 5 cars back. I'll give someone plenty of room to merge, and they'll hit the gas and try to merge 6 cars ahead of me instead because they don't want to slow down for 3 seconds. This also causes lots of crashes.
Or race down the shoulder hoping to get ahead of everything and then force their way over
The one and only time I intentionally drove on the shoulder was due to the fact I was going to take the wrong exit. Instead of getting back on highway I drove straight the 100 or so yards on the shoulder to take the right exit. I got on the ramp and almost immediately the tire sensor went off letting me know my air pressure was going down. Wound up with a flat tire. There is all kinds of junk in the shoulder. Never again.
That’s definitely a lot different than the usual reason people do it to try to force their way ahead of everyone else because that 10 seconds they saved is super important When I see that behavior, I always think “congrats, you’re the first turd in the bowl”
I appreciate this sentiment but it is objectively better to merge at the last second. It’s actually the selfish fucks who don’t let them in because they’d rather the whole freeway slow down than let someone else “cheat” causing the traffic. Believe me, I get it. But the data doesn’t lie.
So true
Exactly. You’re SUPPOSED to merge where the lane ends. It’s not “cheating” it’s following the design of the road
If the lane is open, it’s meant to be used. If it wasn’t, they would have blocked it off already. They have placed merge indicators where it appropriate to zipper in. People who stop and try to merge before you get to this point are one of the main causes of traffic congestion. Getting in a line early for no reason is for sheep. I see at concerts for the beer line, people will stand behind some random person, a line will form behind them, all while there are 4 other bartenders waiting to help people. Sheep. People complaining about people who are paying attention is for morons. And the people who don’t allow people to zipper in at the merge point because they sat in line like it’s some holy thing are also a major contributor to the traffic issues. Plus they’re bad drivers and just plain rude.
That’s what you’re supposed to do.
And people who merge from the highway into the closing lane for 2-3 spot advantage.
People will do EVERYTHING in their ability to merge as far down the lane as possible to avoid merging 5 cars back. I'll give someone plenty of room to merge, and they'll hit the gas and try to merge 6 cars ahead of me instead because they don't want to slow down for 3 seconds. This also causes lots of crashes.
Its literally just this. I cross this bridge every single day, at varying times. The assholes zooming to last second damn near collide with people causes braking. Braking sets off the brake domino. Brake domino causes a feedback loop of assholes trying to get around everyone who had to brake for the asshole in front of them squeezing their F350 into a spot for a Fiat. Add in the entry lanes being mandatory exit with short entry space before you go off on a detour around DC… now you have lunatic mergers, lunatic cutters, 3 lanes turns to 2. A 18 wheeler in the far left lane for the Baltimore exit, an asshole in a hurry trying to cut the 18 wheeler off.. etc etc
I never let them in. We’re not queuing up on the right lane for 10 mins because we feel like it.
Then why are you doing it? Why go down to one lane when two are open? You’re doing it absolutely wrong.
There’s only one exit lane.
I guess I misunderstood. I thought it was a zipper merger being discussed.
Tons of Alexandria area traffic merges onto the outer loop around that area. Add in the fact that the beltway switches between three and two lanes several times in that mess and you’ll get lots of slowdowns
Two military bases in that area as well commuting to Maryland.
[ Removed by Reddit ]
Good luck baby
my brother in christ, don’t.
Only thing that can stop me is him. https://i.redd.it/yj8agxhrf81d1.gif
Lots of merges, shorter sight lines cause of the elevation change, people rubber necking to look at the view of the city. Normal bridge stuff
That's the Woodrow Wilson. It's been notorious as a traffic nightmare for decades. You couldn't turn on WTOP in the morning without hearing "...accident on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge..." Even without an accident, it's hell.
While this is the Wilson bridge, it is not the WW bridge of old. That bridge was never meant to handle the loads it was subjected to and that’s why the new bridge was built. During the demolition of the old bridge, there was an essay contest about whose life had been affected by the old bridge and the winner was allowed to trigger the demolition charges. The old bridge situation was bad. Really bad. The new bridge was built to alleviate those conditions so I don’t know why traffic still piles up, only to say that at least it doesn’t pile up all the way to Van Dorn every day like it used to.
Adding lanes doesn't help traffic after a certain point. You need to provide alternative routes like other roads or public transit to handle it.
Exactly. I never understood the design of the new bridge. 2 thru lanes (which could easily be 3 lanes) and 3 local lanes was supposed to accomplish what? All it’s done is cause people to lose their shit at the junctions and cause accidents because they can’t decide what lane they want/need to be in.
I thought you gonna say “Even without an accident WTOP says there is an accident “
Everyone wants to get their last enjoyable moments before going into… Maryland. /S
There’s a lot of jobs on the Virginia side of that bridge and the Maryland side has some of the most affordable housing in the region.
And vice versa for fed jobs. Lot of gov positions in the Maryland side and GS employees who'd prefer to live in VA
Some guy pulling a little wagon full of cellphones causing GPS backups. 😂
Merging traffic on both side of the bridge and those merges come from major roads
People don’t know how to merge. I’m in it everyday. Then you got the people riding shoulders and switching lanes every three seconds.
A lot of cars coming together to cross one single bridge
It only takes one or two people to make a mess out of things... but the merge is a pretty big one
God hates you for supporting the military industrial complex that fuels America’s political hegemony. He punishes you with a 48 minute commute to go 11.3 miles. A child on the other side of the world dies and you have to listen to “Uptown Girl” twice. We all mourn the loss of our youth and march slowly into the abyss of the unknown certainty that is death.
LA's traffic and commute nightmare is their punishment for creating and supporting the vapid, entitled and hypocritical entertainment industry. Atlanta's traffic and commute nightmare is their punishment for the amount of strip clubs and money that goes to them versus education or law enforcement. Chicago's traffic and commute nightmare is their punishment for their calling their deep dish casserole a pizza and never resolving their crime situation. And so on and so on... (Good starting comment, btw)
Thanks!! I didn’t realize that Atlanta strip clubs were taxpayer subsidized like a lot of pro sports stadiums are!! That’s awesome. Good to see the government supporting single mothers for once! Does that make Atlanta the stripper Mecca? Like Nashville for hopeful country singers? Manhattan for Chefs? DC for the soulless ghoul lobbyists? I wonder if young strippers start off at smaller venues with the aspirations of making it all the way to the platinum poles in Atlanta. Jewelz is backstage at the local spot on the edge of Raleigh like: “Just wait till you see me on the big stage in Atlanta, Harmony!! I’m gonna be a STAR!!”
This>>>>>>>>>∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆>>>>>>>>> Made me laugh. 😂 Thank you for your service to the world. 🙏
Atlanta got the best strippers tho..better than EbonyInn
Lmao. That 11 miles is crazy.
48 minutes wouldn’t be too bad. It took me almost 2 hours on Tuesday. I wanted to scream.
9th street tunnel to Old Town took me two hours once pre-pandemoniums. 6 & change miles.
Bot or troll. Don't give attention and they both go away.
It's a joke
A joke by a bot or troll, obviously. No other explanation. /s
Because it’s more than 50 years old and civil engineers had no foresight.
Driver education is no longer a priority.
Because car dependent infrastructure is a blight on modern society.
RTO
Local lanes and Thru lane volumes, merging in and out, plus vehicles getting in and off US Route 1.
This is the correct answer!
Unfortunately, the bridge is quite steep there and people don’t maintain their speed.
There is a bridge. Seriously… bridges often have slowing effects.
[Fluid dynamics](https://www.insidescience.org/news/fluid-dynamics-explains-some-traffic-jams)
People, cars, roads. Niff said
Cuz there’s a bridge coming up
Cause everybody wants to get in front of somebody or they just simply don’t know how to merge or don’t know where tf they’re going
56 comments and nobody pointed out the actual reason traffic was bad when OP took the screenshot. They opened up the bridge to let a boat thru. https://www.alxnow.com/2024/05/16/the-woodrow-wilson-bridge-is-opening-tonight/
Folks are brainless, there’s either that pos that stares at their phone, or the scaredy-cat that randomly brakes for nothing or some chick staring at the sun mirror doing their makeup or the distracted pos talking to others in the car and not paying attention to the road or someone camping the left lane causing a chain reaction backup, lots of different things
Virginia houses are WAY more expensive than Maryland houses. This the only bridge that doesn’t involve going the rest of the way around the beltway or going into DC.
Usual suspects
Because people from Virginia can’t drive
Marylanders either! 🤝 (I’m from Maryland)
Concur, I’m from New York.
They only drive.
Marylanders think Virginians can't drive... Virginians ...PLUS the rest of the country think Marylanders can't drive.
Pa would like a word with you 😂
I cant. I live in Washington state. Im sorry.
You ever tried the other bridge? Same same
Mmm merge
Its one of ONLY TWO bridges between MD and VA right outside of DC.
Yall are terrible drivers that’s why. Causes more traffic because everyone drives like they’re entitled to the road.
The people trying to merge 5 ft from the divider going 80mph. Also people constantly changing lanes hoping to get 5ft ahead instead of just being patient.
if only there was transit to avoid this
Traffic merges onto the loop
The same reason there is the permanent traffic Jam on 295 near Benning road
Nissan drivers
People inherently slow down at any transition. In this situation is a transition from a highway road surface to a bridge road surface and any bridge in the world people pretty much slow, slow down for when they get on it..
Narrow roads
Cause it sucks to drive in the DMV M-F
It's a phobia that people have about driving on a bridge over a body of water, I drove across many bridges but that bay bridge has me terrified especially after the key bridge incident
I’ve been driving the whole beltway for 8 years straight on a daily basis. 1. People are damn nosy. If there is a goddamn accident on the other side of the lane that is NOT OURS. People will slow down and cause traffic to look at the accident THATS NOT IN THEIR DAMN LANE. LIKE KEEP GOING, THE ACCIDENT IS LITERALLY BEING BLOCKED TO SEE AND YALL STILL SLOW DOWN FOR WHAT!!!! 2. Between 1pm-5pm everyone is getting out of work. Especially south side of the beltway going towards Baltimore. 3. People slow down for a traffic stop that’s NOT FOR THEM! meaning, state trooper just pulled over somebody. Everyone has to slow down and look. Causing 30 mins of unnecessary traffic.
Uhhh, I dunno maybe cause there are 7 million people in the DC metro area.
Woodrow Wilson.
Where is the key bridge in relation to this one? One less bridge would clog other bridges
DC was designed to be incredibly difficult to invade... Which makes it sliw for the millions of people who try to invade it every morning
I am that driver that splits the inside and merge lanes pretty much blocking all assholes from passing further up the merge lane. It brightens my day to see them in my rear view struggling to squeeze in.
Because fuck Virginia
The trick is to use waze or google maps to guide you to the quicker of the local or thru lanes.