Cheaters on Wheels

[Mi Famiglia on 45th]

I’ve been commuting downtown to work during this crisis, the bridge that is, and am over the cheaters on wheels. [To ward off any judgement of my mode of transport, please know public transportation is not possible for my location or variable start/end times, and essential service] I need to vent somewhere.

Me: Working Mom heading home to relieve our sitter. Traffic is worse than normal (Why is it always easier on Friday mornings and bad on Friday afternoons? Isn’t it the same number of cars?) I will have to pay overtime to my sitter for my lack of planning.
You: Motorcycle who pulled in between me and the stopped car in front of me at Marginal & Highland. I’m being generous. In reality you stopped your cycle on the left side of the lane without enough room to fully wedge your vehicle within our lane. You cut about 20 cars behind me and also caused distraction to cars in the Highland turn lane. Your license plate is 8A3228 and you were wearing a construction sweatshirt. Once a jerk, twice a jerk. Fast forward to the Chelan intersection when it appeared you would wait your turn at the back up stopped at Ferguson. Alas, my hope was dashed when you jetted into the left lane to no doubt repeat history.

Later this same commute…

Me: 2 light cycles later approaching the Chelan intersection.
You: White Ford Focus AKL0381. Pushed your way into the right lane. The car behind me honked at you, and honked some more and more…it’s kind of a long light. You could have made a redeeming exit, but chose not to. BTW as a UW grad, I was very sad to see your UW license plate holder.

If you are still reading this cry for help, misery loves company, please add to this season premier of Real Commuters of WS.

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[Mi Famiglia on 45th]

Reporting from the field again. This rant is for whoever schedules boats/barges down the Duwamish.

Me: On my way to work this morning. Running late and wondering if I would have time to grab a cup of coffee before my first meeting.
You: Lower bridge operator. You opened the bridge at 8:15 am. Not 5 am or 10 am, but 8:15 am! This caused a back up that affected the flow of non bridge traffic all the way back to the Admiral feeder lane. Please tell me that the bridge opened to provide passage for a barge of bridge repair products or Covid rapid tests or miracle vaccines. What commerce was so important or valuable that is weighed greater than the inconvenience of 100+ already inconvenienced drivers?
The real kicker is making it through the mess and across the Michigan escape route to the I-5 on ramp that was then ALSO backed up by bumper to bumper semi trucks!

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[mark47n]

The lower bridge is responsive to marine traffic, which takes priority. Additionally, the city, while responsible for the care and feeding of the bridge, has no say about marine traffic. While it’s requested that marine traffic not require opening during high traffic times they cannot require is per federal laws and Navigable Waterways. Shipping traffic will leave when it’s advantageous and in conjunction with the tides.

You’re right marine traffic doesn’t care one whit about your convenience any more that you care about theirs. This is why why the high bridge is the HIGH bridge.

Your complaint about the opening of the low bridge is also indicative of your own contempt for the rules…because they inconvenience you. You know that you shouldn’t be using that bridge (as to the others) but your special because you’re a working mom. Poor you. You are not the only working parent. You are not the only working single parent. What you are is a working Karent and now you are demanding to speak with the manager who you expect to validate you and your sense or superiority. Alas, there is no manager that cares.

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[Mi Famiglia on 45th]

Thank you Mark. I do appreciate the education. Knowing that marine traffic trumps makes it easier to understand the scenario. I don’t take the lower bridge so have been experiencing the full impact of the bridge closure M-F. I am a small business owner so I can say that my manager (aka me) is very sympathetic to the situation. I’m sorry I come across having a sense of superiority. I am just one of thousands of commuters impacted and am trying to put a boots on the ground voice to the ADDITIONAL challenges of the situation. I now know marine traffic gets a pass, cheaters do not.

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[mark47n]

Then I apologize for the misunderstanding regarding your use of the lower bridge.

It is frustrating and it certainly influences what I do and where I go. Admittedly, I’m fortunate that I don’t take any bridge to get to work as I live and work in WS. My wife, on the other hand, works on the Eastside and when she does have to go in to the office the additional commuting time is hard on her.

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[CarDriver]

That’s why i stay right on the bumper of the car in front of me. City could put in dividers at least 100 yards s of the island. That would help-at least they can’t cut in as far as they do. Real solution is for people to stop letting the cutters in.

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[millerab6]

I am commuting to Georgetown 2-3 days a week (also no good public transit and I am not one to ride my back in traffic as I am a clutz and it won’t end well). I have had similar experiences to all of this.

My new favorite is people are now turning right from a straight/forward lane! This is happening at Highland Park to 16th and down Marginal to getting on to 1st Ave bridge. So common now its like it is a 2 lane right turn lane. So frustrating to be doing things legally to get jammed in front of by people who feel the rules don’t apply to all 80k of us stuck in the same situation.

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