Cars, Cars, Go Away

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Thursday and life just isn't that exciting today. I'm getting better. P is getting better. Mr. mouse is working through his cold.

Traffic yesterday was another disaster.

Honestly, when in it was just Friday, it wasn't bad at all. It's one day. Then, it became Thursday and Friday. Now, it's pretty consistently Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. And, honestly, it's enough to make you tear your hair out.

It's hard to complain, because if you're on the road, it means you're part of the problem.

What is the behavior I want to change? 5-10% fewer cars on the road. That's all it takes to resolve traffic. But, if I pay 10% of drivers not to drive, new drivers will come into the system because the traffic isn't that bad. Gas taxes would just mean poorer people can't drive.

I'd personally benefit from an HOV lane since there's always two in our car. It wouldn't "cost" anyone anything. You can still drive for free. You just make the choice of how many people are in the car. But, I don't think something like that would work here. Too many single drivers. I'd fly through the HOV lane, but traffic would come to an absolute stand still in the non-HOV lanes.

Tolls. Right lane free. Middle lane toll. Left lane higher toll. You can still drive free. You can still drive alone. The city makes money. Everyone wins.


Cheers!
mouse