Most of you probably know that I left the Metro DC area last month to the tranquil mountains of West Virginia. Jim Treacher illustrates one of the main reasons I left;
Sometime between 7 and 7:30, not long after I got home from work, I walked to the CVS on 22nd and M to get some bread, milk, and a SmartTrip card. I was right across the street from the CVS, and I waited for the crosswalk light to tell me to go before I crossed. I had plenty of time left, according to the countdown clock. I was more than halfway there when a black SUV made an illegal left turn and hit me head-on.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve been hit or nearly hit by a car during the 10 years I lived in DC – each time I was in the crosswalk while I had the right of way. The problem? Arrogance. In order to survive in DC, no matter where you are, or what you do for a living, you have to accept the fact that you’re the least important person in the city. Even the bums are more important than you. Everyone has rights that supersede your rights.
Every morning, I had to cross at a crosswalk from the a driver’s right – the driver, of course, was looking left for an opportunity to enter traffic and none of those drivers ever saw me because they were too focused on getting into traffic. Almost every morning, I was struck or nearly struck. Finally, I had to jaywalk to avoid getting hit.
Arrogance.
I used to ride my bicycle to work, until it was too dangerous. If I wasn’t dodging cars and buses, I was fleeing from gangs of muggers. Yes, muggers would dash out from the sidewalk and try to knock me off my bike.
Do you think I could interest the police? Nope. I was mugged by a group of teens one time in the subway station. Under surveillance cameras. When I brought the incident to the station master’s attention, he reviewed the camera footage and declared that it was my fault and wouldn’t call the police.
I could go on about the people who sued me because my dog bit their dog, or the time I was attacked on the street while several cops stood a few feet away watching, but lunch time is almost over.
I guess my main point is that DC is filled with childish, ignorant buffoons who complain about conditions in their city and then spend their time making it worse.
And Treacher?
One last thing: I’m told by multiple people that the SUV that hit me was Secret Service.
Good luck getting that sorted, out, Jim. I was hit by a goofball who worked for the Homeland Security Department once – I couldn’t even get a call back.
