Metro Parking = Crapshoot

So ever since my client has been in Chinatown, I've been riding the Metro on Fridays. Generally, parking on Fridays isn't bad at all, so I was completely oblivious to how hard it blows on every other workday. I don't know if it's just that people telecommute on Fridays or what, but from Monday to Thursday there is absolutely no parking, ever, at the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations. What's even more ridiculous than there not being any parking spots? It's that there are a bazillion people still driving around at 40mph in the parking garage thinking they're going to find one! These people are crazy! Especially the older folks and the business people. The old people take up two lanes and drive just as crazy as they do on the highways. Sometimes it seems like they just can't find their way out, like they keep going around and around on the third floor and can't get out. Even worse though, are the suits. They're in such a hurry that I've almost got hit more times than I can count while they're taking NASCAR turns around blind corners.

Buuuut, that's not even the worst part. Let's consider, hypothetically of course, that maybe....just maybe...you find a spot. When you want to leave that place, it's freaking $4.50 to get your car back out (which you can only use SmartTrip cards you get from those money sucking demon farecard machines)! Combine that with the $7 or $8 you have to spend to actually ride on the train, it's almost the same as just driving and parking somewhere downtown. Ok, so maybe it's better than driving during rush hour...and you don't have to worry about gas and things like that...but still. Maybe I'm just ranting because I'm from a town where you can get anywhere you would ever need to go within 20 minutes, and parking is never, ever a problem since there is always someone's cow pasture nearby that they are willing to open up for spill over parking for something big like a football game.

Ok, I'm done now. If you don't count all the things that suck about it, I love the Metro! Now all I need is to move closer to one of the stops so I don't have to worry about parking anymore.