D.C. Traffic Has Turned Me Into a Realist
This week, I was interviewed for a senior capstone project on what it's like to transition from growing up in a rural area to college in an urban area. Collge in itself is exciting and new, but it's even more exciting when you can walk to places, or take public transportation, or there are buildings. Just, buildings in general. Instead of trees. This interview was also a sort of reflection- I realized that my transition period to school and DC was over. I'm starting to become more accustomed to life here and one thing that has truly made a difference is driving.
Most of my friends know that I babysit off-campus and have to drive in order to pick up my kids. My friends here, who have never even ridden with me as a driver, know that I am a horrible driver. I truly believe that speed limits are just a suggestion and that making it to your destination in one piece is not a given. This works for country roads where there are no cops patrolling (mostly because there are no cars in general) and the sharp and unexpected turns add an exciting twist. But in considering my dual-identity as someone from a rural area now in an urban area, I realized that driving was an aspect I hadn't considered.
At some point during my chaotic driving expeditions this week, I realized how much better I had become at navigating the city and especially in navigating traffic. When I started driving here, I came in with the naive belief that if I needed to change lanes, someone would just let me over. I thought I had to stop if the light turns red. DC driving culture is so much different than rural backroads or suburban highways. In order to survive DC traffic and get anywhere at least close to on-time, you have to fight for yourself.
I thought to myself while nonchalantly cutting off a black Chevy Suburban in Ward Circle, "Is this realism?" I noticed that big cars, so long as they look professional, tend to have more power on the roads. I equate this with having a big military presence. The most important strategy for navigating the ruthless DC traffic is following your own interests. You don't have time to slow down to let a car switch over into your lane. You can't slow down at a yellow light. If you're not turning left you should never be in the left lane or you'll be stuck behind someone who is. And those cars that are stuck behind whoever is turning left? They can stay stuck. If you want to make it from Georgetown to Bethesda in fifteen minutes, you better stop for no one and nothing. Not even red lights (there are a few that don't really count, but you have to know where the cops patrol). Traffic laws are merely suggestions that we give value to (though we know that's a constructivist view).
I don't have enough evidence yet, but I have a feeling I will by the end of the year. Driving is for realists. Public transportation is for liberals (the multilateral approach of transport). Constructivists argue that traffic laws are just social norms (which, considering my transition from rural to urban driving, might actually have some ground to it). Hopefully, when I finish driving to pay for college I'll never drive again.
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