What's your worst commuting story? I'd like to contain strictly in Fairfax County.

My worst commute was an ice storm on Valentines Day. This was 8 years back, but 2.5 hours from Reston to Springfield mostly on the FFX County Parkway. Much easier once i got off at Braddock rd and made my way back to Springfield.

Stuck on GW Parkway Northbound beyond Spout Run in the snow for 12 hours a few years ago.

Park Service was running a plow up the Southbound lanes the WRONG direction while we all sat on the road, dead stopped for 12 hours.

Winter of 2012 afternoon snow storm Fairfax city to Kings park 3.5 hrs. got rear ended thank god for the pintle trailer hitch no damage to me Arab woman needed a tow

I work from home. One time the driveway was so icy, I couldn't get the mail.

1982 Jan. 13th The day Air Florida flight 90 hit the 14th st bridge after heavy icing brought it down. The day was a lousy one with snow gray skies and ice. I was a Fed and just before I got off at 4 pm a wreck occurred on Metro with 3 deaths which were Metros first. The subway system was jammed. The streets were jammed packed as the plane hit about 4:03 pm. As I got to 14th street sirens were everywhere, and traffic was jammed . I thought a bus had slid off one of the icy Potomac bridges and hoofed it toward the Pentagon to catch my next bus in my commute. As I got near the 14st bridge I saw news people with cameras and started to hear that a plane had crashed. I saw the Eagle 1 US Park Police helo hovering over the river. I made it all the way across one of the bridges the one the plane hit when I was about 50 feet from that spot the police took command and closed the bridge. I saw cars torn up, but did not see the carnage inside, Boy am I ever glad for that. No one needs to see that kind of tragedy . I had to go back to the DC side then come across the other bridge. Finally I was stopped on the bridge, They would not let us walk across, they were afraid of fuel tanks blowing or something but cars could pass. We people walking there got rides on what ever would give us one. I landed up on a flat bed truck with construction workers driving with about 20 of us hanging on to it. The cops gave up on it after seeing that and let others walk out. I heard a supervisor yelling about it. Let um go let um walk. On the Va side I saw a US Air Force helo landing in a cloud of snow about dusk. I saw the tail of the AF plane in the icy water. I got to the Gong and caught my bus right off lucky as can be, but the highway was jammed, there was a spot in the Jersey wall to get to the other bus lanes & HOV, the bus driver angled that Metro bus thru that spot with mere inches to spare and we all cheered him as "The Worlds Greatest Bus Driver". Then we were off going slow in the ice and I got back home about 45 minutes later about 9 pm. Later that night I saw Lenny Skutnik's rescue save of the people from the icy river.
That was the "Commute of my life".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2017 05:15PM by Double Action Jackson.

One time, I walked from my bedroom to my home office, and the Keurig was out of water. That morning I had to make a detour to my kitchen while holding the water reservoir. Life isn't fair.

Double Action Jackson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1982 Jan. 13th The day Air Florida flight 90 hit
> the 14th st bridge after heavy icing brought it
> down. The day was a lousy one with snow gray skies
> and ice. I was a fed and just before I got off at
> 4 pm a wreck occurred on Metro with 3 deaths which
> were Metros first. The subway system was jammed. I
> usually caught a bus at 14th and C in front of the
> Bureau of Engraving and Printing, But the streets
> were jammed packed as the plane hit about 4:03 pm.
> As I got to 14th street sirens were everywhere,
> and traffic was jammed . I thought a bus had slid
> off one of the icy Potomac bridges and hoofed it
> toward the Pentagon to catch my next bus in my
> commute. As I got near the 14st bridge I saw news
> people with cameras and started to hear that a
> plane had crashed. I saw the Eagle 1 US Park
> Police helo hovering over the river. I made it all
> the way across one of the bridges the one the
> plane hit when I was about 50 feet from that spot
> the police took command and closed the bridge. I
> saw cars torn up, but did not see the carnage
> inside, Boy am I ever glad for that. No one needs
> to see that kind of tragedy . I had to go back to
> the DC side then come across the other bridge all
> with my foot killing me as I had had cryosurgery
> on my foot to remove a planters wart. Finally I
> was stopped on the bridge, They would not let us
> walk across, they were afraid of fuel tanks
> blowing or something but cars could pass. We
> people walking there got rides on what ever would
> give us one. I landed up on a flat bed truck with
> construction workers driving with about 20 of us
> hanging on to it. The cops gave up on it after
> seeing that and let others walk out. I heard a
> supervisor yelling about it. Let um go let um
> walk. On the Va side I saw a US Air Force helo
> landing in a cloud of snow about dusk. I saw the
> tail of the AF plane in the icy water. I got to
> the Gong and caught my bus right off lucky as can
> be, but the highway was jammed, there was a spot
> in the Jersey wall to get to the other bus lanes &
> HOV, the bus driver angled that Metro bus thru
> that spot with mere inches to spare and we all
> cheered him as "The Worlds Greatest Bus Driver".
> Then we were off going slow in the ice and I got
> back home about 45 minutes later about 9 pm. Later
> that night I saw Lenny Skutnik's rescue save of
> the people from the icy river.
> That was the "Commute of my life".

Same here, pretty much. Glad I did not see the carnage. I'll never forget that day.

v4Edy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Stuck on GW Parkway Northbound beyond Spout Run in
> the snow for 12 hours a few years ago.
>
> Park Service was running a plow up the Southbound
> lanes the WRONG direction while we all sat on the
> road, dead stopped for 12 hours.


Yup. Thats the One.
I was So Sick too.

A normal commute anywhere in Fairfax during any time of day is a hassle. You people don't realize how badly your lives suck.

Double Action Jackson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1982 Jan. 13th The day Air Florida flight 90 hit
> the 14th st bridge after heavy icing brought it
> down. The day was a lousy one with snow gray skies
> and ice. I was a fed and just before I got off at
> 4 pm a wreck occurred on Metro with 3 deaths which
> were Metros first. The subway system was jammed. I
> usually caught a bus at 14th and C in front of the
> Bureau of Engraving and Printing, But the streets
> were jammed packed as the plane hit about 4:03 pm.
> As I got to 14th street sirens were everywhere,
> and traffic was jammed . I thought a bus had slid
> off one of the icy Potomac bridges and hoofed it
> toward the Pentagon to catch my next bus in my
> commute. As I got near the 14st bridge I saw news
> people with cameras and started to hear that a
> plane had crashed. I saw the Eagle 1 US Park
> Police helo hovering over the river. I made it all
> the way across one of the bridges the one the
> plane hit when I was about 50 feet from that spot
> the police took command and closed the bridge. I
> saw cars torn up, but did not see the carnage
> inside, Boy am I ever glad for that. No one needs
> to see that kind of tragedy . I had to go back to
> the DC side then come across the other bridge all
> with my foot killing me as I had had cryosurgery
> on my foot to remove a planters wart. Finally I
> was stopped on the bridge, They would not let us
> walk across, they were afraid of fuel tanks
> blowing or something but cars could pass. We
> people walking there got rides on what ever would
> give us one. I landed up on a flat bed truck with
> construction workers driving with about 20 of us
> hanging on to it. The cops gave up on it after
> seeing that and let others walk out. I heard a
> supervisor yelling about it. Let um go let um
> walk. On the Va side I saw a US Air Force helo
> landing in a cloud of snow about dusk. I saw the
> tail of the AF plane in the icy water. I got to
> the Gong and caught my bus right off lucky as can
> be, but the highway was jammed, there was a spot
> in the Jersey wall to get to the other bus lanes &
> HOV, the bus driver angled that Metro bus thru
> that spot with mere inches to spare and we all
> cheered him as "The Worlds Greatest Bus Driver".
> Then we were off going slow in the ice and I got
> back home about 45 minutes later about 9 pm. Later
> that night I saw Lenny Skutnik's rescue save of
> the people from the icy river.
> That was the "Commute of my life".


What could have been the worst day of my career turned out to be the best.
MLK baby!

Derfx Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What's your worst commuting story? I'd like to
> contain strictly in Fairfax County.
>

ANY commute in Fairfax.

Every F-ing day.

Not paying $20+ tolls to gain ten minutes.

The Express Lanes are a total FAIL:

-Braddock Rd is way backed up now due to the changes at 495. That is my closest place to get on express. If I did use them, the time I would lose to get on would equal what I gain by paying.

-I cut across to Gallows. Typical toll is around $10. Last week one day it was $13 morning and evening. $26? Do you know that 495 is the highest toll in the whole country? To go four miles?

-No one thought that going from six to four lanes would cause a problem. Hurry up to wait. MD owns the bridge. Unless they make it five lanes, and there is room, it will never work. And, they people coming from MD to VA get screwed the worst by four lanes.

I pity the poor folks on 66 every day. Don't believe express lanes will help. They won't. It is all a funnel.

You can take express lanes to get to Tysons but they have not fixed secondary roads there. And, Have you seen the buildings going up there??? Silver line ain't going to handle that.

It is all going to get worse.

Why does Richmond have a bypass? Because that is where the politicians are.

NOVA should succeed from VA. We and the Tidewater region get 55 cents back from Richmond for every dollar we send.

One day I carpooled 3 miles in the same van with Elizabeth Shultz, Megan Toohey, Mike O'Meara, and a local contractor. Thread over. I win.

Home Worker Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I work from home. One time the driveway was so
> icy, I couldn't get the mail.

^ this one wins, the rest of you are whining.

I will reverse this a bit. My best day is when I get tailgaters behind me and then I go exactly the speed limit, or maybe 1 mph under, turn up the music loud just to piss them off more.

My 2nd best day is watching these same people get tickets for driving 15 to 20 mph over the limit. See that every day.

Those are my best commutes! Oh, yeah.

Nothing was worse than the Thundersnow commute.

http://www.wjla.com/blogs/weather/2011/02/thundersnow-forecasts-are-worth-more-discussion--8151.html

Agreed! HOT lanes are crap! There are two people trying to make the roads better check em out www.drivers4change.org

Double Action Jackson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1982 Jan. 13th The day Air Florida flight 90 hit
> the 14th st bridge after heavy icing brought it
> down.

No it did not. It contributed to it. What brought it down was that the idiot pilot had anti-icing off which fucked up the engine thrust readings, the plane was not going fast enough to take off and stalled.

cool thread!

You got it right. The part about the pilot being an Idiot. It was his "Command Decision".

I take the stairs from my pleasure pit upstairs to my center of the universe office downstairs. Sometimes the commute is grueling ... the line to join the pity party starts by the spruce tree.

You who are stuck on the Beltway or Rt. 66 every day ... bwa ha ha munchkins.