I live, write, and garden in the PNW with my husband of 27 years, disabled daughter, college-aged son, and my 84-year-old mother. We have paid off $250,000.00 worth of debt (if you include the interest) in the last fifteen years and as of 6/12/2020 are 100% DEBT FREE!!!!We went to the Pacific Science Center to see the King Tut exhibit yesterday. It was fantastic and we had a great time...until we tried to leave. Seattle traffic was nasty on the way out. I was not pleased that Obama was in Bellevue. It screwed up being able to get back out of the city. I have never seen Seattle traffic this snarled before. It took 25 minutes to go .4 of a mile! And then another 15 minutes to go 3 blocks. And with all the one way streets, you can't get there from here, even with GPS.
I thought we'd never get out. Since we had bought our tickets well in advance of Obama scheduling his trip here, all it did was make me cranky. And I would have been just as cranky if it had been Romney screwing with traffic. I am an equal opportunity grump.
Also what is up with all those dedicated bus lanes? Can't they be dedicated bus lanes and carpool lanes? We had 5 people in the car. That's practically a bus! LOL No, I know, public transportation is big in Seattle and the buses need to stay as on time as possible. But...it's not like half the city stays out of them, anyway. They would go in them illegally and then try to shove into the lane that it was legal for cars to be in. Made me even more grumpy, because we were driving properly and they were cheating and people were letting them in anyway. When it takes six light changes to get across an intersection because only one car at a time can make it because of all the irresponsible scofflaws, it irritates me. DH even honked his horn once. DH never honks his horn.
And don't get me started on the crazy, jay-walking pedestrians who were trying to commit suicide by car. Or the motorcyclists who think they belong in the bicycle lanes. I may never complain about the crazy drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and bikers in my city again. I think next time we may just take the train. Save ourselves a lot of annoyance and not have to deal with the crazy people.
We ended up spending $200 of our vacation money, well within the allotted amount for the day. I even came home with some money. It goes back in the vacation fund so we will have it for our trip to the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma next month. Hopefully there will be no political visitors at that time! Because if there is one thing that gets to me more than Seattle traffic, it is Tacoma traffic!
Yesterday was a Long Day--I Love Seattle...But...
July 26th, 2012 at 03:44 am
July 26th, 2012 at 04:16 am 1343276180
July 26th, 2012 at 05:35 am 1343280951
Enjoy this blog post. So entertaining, so true, so sad.
http://www.seattlerex.com/the-worst-drivers-in-america-a-dissertation/
July 26th, 2012 at 06:12 am 1343283127
July 26th, 2012 at 06:40 pm 1343328031
Next time if you are in that area, I'd travel west on Denny or Mercer (opposite way) and follow the arterial to get on Western/Elliott/15th Ave NW, heading north. The bottleneck there would be the Ballard Bridge when it goes up to accomodate the canoe with the 50 ft pole (as my great uncle would put it). 15th Ave NW goes all up to 90th or so then it turns into Holman Road, then 105th, and then you can then use 105th to turn left to Aurora, or follow it to I-5. 105th is kind of narrow, but you will be able to move on it. My neck of the woods. Less head banging...at least compared to south Lake Union.
July 26th, 2012 at 09:14 pm 1343337256
July 26th, 2012 at 09:15 pm 1343337323