Washington, DC Driving Tips
Despite the traffic and aggressive drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians, don't be afraid to go slow and take your time. Concentrate on your surroundings. If you can, avoid traffic circles because they can be confusing. That's easier said than done. Numbered streets run north and south, lettered stre
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ets run east and west, and streets named after US states run at diagonals (SE, SW, NE, NW). Numbered streets all get reset at the US Capitol, meaning going north of the Capitol it starts from 1 and goes up. Going south of the Capitol it also starts at 1 and goes up.
Washington, DC Buying Tips
The suburbs is generally where people go to purchase cars. I only specifically know of many dealerships in the Virginia side. It goes without saying but do plenty of homework on the internet, checking prices and models, before venturing in to a dealership where they tend to oversell you.
Favorite Driving Memory
My favorite memory of driving in Washington DC is, generally speaking, back from my teens and very early twenties. After a long night of dancing at the clubs in DC it was always nice to step out of the club, away from the booming sounds of dance music, and into my car on a relaxing drive back home w
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ith friends as my passengers. There was little to no traffic on the way home and, during the summers, it was great to have the windows open during the drive.
Favorite Road
George Washington Memorial Parkway
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Traffic gets really bad on the parkway but, when it's not congested, it's a very scenic drive that follows the Potomac River on the Virginia side. The road is tree lined with various scene spots that one could stop on to admire the views. The road frequently curves along with the landscape. It's par
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ticularly nice during autumn as the leaves are changing color.
Washington, DC Driving Tips
Plan extra driving time into your itinerary if you are going on a weekday. During the week, driving in D.C. Is a very slow-going affair. You are actually better off taking Metro on the weekdays, because your commute will only be nominally shorter should you take your car. Even walking is faster than
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the stop and go traffic around the Mall, Dupont Circle, Chinatown, and White House.
Washington, DC Buying Tips
Many of the city's inhabitants go out to the suburbs to shop or hang out because there is simply more out there. You will probably want something fuel efficient and not too large. Having a compact car or even a standard size sedan comes in handy when you want to squeeze into a lane or into a tight p
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arking spot on the street.
Favorite Driving Memory
My favorite memory from driving in D.C. Is driving along the George Washington Parkway with my friends to see "The Book of Mormon" at the Kennedy Center. This is a beautiful, wooded stretch of highway that leads you into D.C. From the suburbs. On the weekends, it is generally pretty easy driving as
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there aren't as many cars on the road. You can enjoy the sights of the woods and the Potomac River along the side. You eventually cross the bridge into Georgetown, which is a tony, historical section of D.C. Drivers are very polite here. I remember having to change lanes, and the car behind my motioned me to go ahead. That almost never happens anywhere else.
Favorite Road
Connecticut Avenue
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This road will take you from the Maryland suburbs through some of the best places in D.C., Including Cleveland Park and the Uptown cinema, the National Zoo, Dupont Circle, and into the heart of the governmental district.
Washington, DC Driving Tips
Never expect other people to know how to drive. Nobody uses their turn signals, everyone tailgates, and the best you can do to avoid an accident is assume that every single car will screw up somehow. That soccer mom's minivan to your right? She WILL merge right into you without signaling. That sport
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s car that just came off the exit from Rockville? Yeah, that douchebag is going to merge across 4 lanes of traffic so he can sit in the left lane, and slow everyone down so they can see the back of his puke-yellow Corvette. If you want to drive in this city, drive with two hands: one on the wheel and the other on the horn (or an illegal handgun so you can blow your brains out before they end up beneath the wheels of semi truck).
Washington, DC Buying Tips
Don't bother buying from anyone but a dealer. If you try to pick up a car second hand. If you're lucky, that car has only been involved in one accident.
Favorite Driving Memory
It's Sunday morning on 495. Surprisingly there are no other cars on the roadway except for me and a Honda in front. Of course, the Honda is going at a blazingly fast 40 miles per hour in the left lane. I am nowhere near this vehicle, but from about five car-lengths away, I can see the rear headlight
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s flash on and off repeatedly. This guy is braking and accelerating every couple of seconds like he's blinking Morse code through his tail lights. "S-O-S, S-O-S, please pull my ass over because I can't drive for crap."
Favorite Road
None of them.
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The ICC toll road is the greatest road to drive because nobody uses it. Any roadway with the least density of metro area drivers is the greatest road of all time.
