Screw You All. I Have A Titanium Spork.
So I’m told that yesterday was some sort of a holiday. Felt like a Tuesday to me. One with no work. I watched “The Dog Whisperer” a lot and decided that it irritates me that the National Geographic Channel calls itself “Nat-Geo”. I guess its friends call it “Nat-G”.
Should it fall in love with the History Channel, can we call it Nastory? Histional?
Actually, I think I took Histional for allergies, once.
I am so getting a car. I’d rather take my chances with the other drivers. They scare me less than 14-year-olds.
Tags: Life, Mass Transit Woes
December 27th, 2007 at 9:22 am
Saw the news yesterday and thought of you and Mass Transit. Don’t know what you pay to take the bus, but it’s certainly not worth your life or your sanity.
December 27th, 2007 at 9:50 am
$64 a month for a pass. Plus hours and hours of my life.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:10 am
hmmm… that’s weird. astrangeday.net eats comments? I click on “submit comment”, get no feedback, and see no comment. Maybe this’ll work, maybe this won’t. :(
Congrats on the titanium spork! Way cool! I got Vicky a sonic screwdriver and psychic paper, left her a note in her stocking. She got me an Android Hydro 6G… I was floored. Guess I owe her an Amazon Kindle? =)
December 27th, 2007 at 10:12 am
(NOTE: yep, astrangeday hates links, eat comments)
Hmmm, my options for Sterling, VA, to Union Station, DC consist of:
http://www.latheofdreams.com/2007/12/planes-trains-and-automobiles.html
Buses, Trains, and Automobiles (WMATA)
- or -
http://www.latheofdreams.com/2007/12/upgrading-from-the-dc-metro.html
Decadent Luxury and Maintenance Issues (VRE)
I finally took the plunge and scrapped WMATA for VRE. At 5 AM in the morning, it’s a 20-minute drive to Burke and a 40-minute train ride straight into Union Station. The VRE crowd is also significantly older than the WMATA (DC Metro) crowd, so maybe it’s a “more respectable group of Mass Transit folks”? =)
Either way, it’s $199.37/mo (VRE) or $207/mo (WMATA, FCC). I can’t imagine how much the TLC (Transit Link Card) is for unlimited WMATA and VRE use.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:38 am
How do we know it’s psychic paper Ken? I mean it could look convincing to anyone, so in our society, could be an American Express Blue card.
Remember DA your time has value too. How long is your commute on a good day?
December 27th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Ken, Yup. It’s the links in comments. I’ll set it to allow a higher number. Or you could register and login, then it would allow ‘em.
–
Daff, a good trip is about 80-90 minutes. Getting TO work is usually closer to two hours. Home can be even longer, especially in the summer, when there’s a baseball game. Three hours isn’t uncommon.
December 27th, 2007 at 11:42 am
I’m sure Vicky would prefer that it was an American Express Blue Card and not vinyl with UV ink on it.
daffyd, you’re a fellow DC commuter, right? :) …what’s your method of transit?
* Driving into DC means 60-minutes+, taking 66 (HOV?!), and paying $16/day at Union Station.
* DC Metro means 90-minutes+, taking Fairfax County Connector (FCC) to WMATA Orange to WMATA Red.
* VRE means 60-minutes+, taking car to Burke, and VRE Manassas Line to Union Station
No matter how I cut it, it’s always 1-2 hours each day, and always ~$200/mo. How are you doing it??
December 27th, 2007 at 11:45 am
* “each WAY”, not “each day”.
Loudoun County to DC is always 3-4 hours/day atop a 8-9 hour workday. My week revolves around working and commuting, which is why my friends bitch I’m never available to play on PS3 at night, beta-test apps/devices (I’m under NDA to Dash and Sony), and “Ken, you’re no fun on weeknights”
December 27th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
I drive. C-Span generously pays for my parking in our garage under 400 North Capitol. I tried driving in with April (who also works here) and taking the MARC home, but it ate into any errands that I normally do on the drive home and meant that I didn’t leave until about 1.5 hours after my shift was over.
I may do that again, but only if the price of gas goes sky high ($4 a gallon).
I’m thinking Hybrid too. Civic or Prius.
There are cheaper lots in the Union Station area Ken, have you thought about that? It’s not an unsafe area at the times you’re about.
I’d sneak you into the 400 North Capitol Garage if I could, but the phrase “parking Nazis” isn’t far from the truth.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
oh, forgot to add. On a good traffic day, going like a bat out of hell, I’m here in 35 minutes. Worst commute 4 hours.
Best all time trip home, Sept. 11th. I got home in about 25 minutes doing 90+ on the BW Parkway.
December 27th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Daffyd: do you know Aubrey over at IBM Amtrak? He’s commuting in daily using his hybrid Prius. Not sure if you remember Ed & Jeremy from DA’s HS and Towson days, but Jeremy’s driving a Prius too.
My XTerra’s doing better on gas (15mpg) than my Jeep Wrangler (11mpg) did, but not well enough for me to seriously consider driving in on a daily basis. Vicky’s Forrester does about 22mpg.
On rare occasion (every 5-6months), I’m here til 2-3am or in on a Saturday. It’s a little more eerie on those hours, and I’m usually calling for a ride when I am.
December 27th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Oh, Saturday, drive in and park on Louisiana (the congressional spaces) everyone does, and they don’t bother ticketing unless Congress is in.
I get 15mpg in my Ford Truck, April gets about 27mpg in her CRV. I miss 55mpg in my Geo Metro!
Can’t say I know Aubrey, but I vaguely remember Ed and Jeremy. I like the Prius because you can mod it to full electric (up to 34 MPH) with an online kit (makes it match European versions)
December 27th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Daffyd: for your amusement, here’s how Jeremy has modded up his:
http://www.kusnetz.net/prius/
(ok, I’ll be quiet now… sorry, DA :P )
December 27th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Bah. I don’t mind the chatter. Especially not about things relating to the Prius.
December 28th, 2007 at 6:47 am
Dear God, I wish I had that kind of time to mod. I’ve done so little with the video system I’ve installed in the truck. When the monkey gets older and wants easier access to his videos he’ll give daddy time to fix the bugs and do the permanent install.
(okay, I’ll be quiet now too…you know us Gadget Geeks DA, when there’s a mod, there’s a way!)
December 28th, 2007 at 10:02 am
What part of “carry on” did y’all miss?
Mom’s getting a Prius. I’ll have to wait to get my own because I don’t think she’ll let me mod hers.
December 28th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
Yay, finally registered. Does astrangeday.net do email notifications for new comments too? :)
I’ve seriously thought about doing the whole “carputer” thing. I’d love to have Ubuntu 7.01 in the dash of my XTerra.
For the time being, I’ve been sinking massive amounts of time and effort into the Nokia N810. Linux in my hand as well as internet, gps, and phone all in one device has been my goal lately.
Installing KDE on a Nokia N810:
http://www.latheofdreams.com/2007/12/installing-kde-358-on-a-nokia.html
Today’s N810 screenshots:
http://www.latheofdreams.com/2007/12/n810-screenshots-use.html
N810 with Car Mount:
http://www.latheofdreams.com/2007/12/n810-travelling-with-the-car-m.html
If I could have a Ubuntu PC installed in/under the dash with a OBDIII tie-in, then I’d be set. Being able to watch DIVX, check emails, gps, IM, and do the voice thing with my car would be great. I’m not sure how I’d do the whole winterizing thing, though.
If I could ssh/vnc into my car, check its stats, and “talk” to my car from anywhere… man, I don’t know what I’d do.
Yeah, a Prius would definitely be a bad idea for me. :D
December 28th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
But will you come over and mod MY car once I get it? Because I think we all know about how far my skills go.
December 28th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
YAY! I have just committed to a 2008 Prius, Seaside Pearl, option package 2. It was REALLY hard to get the one with the fewest options, but I held fast. I figure if I need to upgrade, Data has People for that.
December 29th, 2007 at 7:54 am
mim, I just looked. You did great…what else do you need?
What kind of upgrades did you want? Personally for your driving habits I’d look into the all electric under 34MPH mod. That’d save you Beaucoup on gas.
one of your many waifs.
December 29th, 2007 at 10:00 am
I am not interested in all the doodads for music, radio, bluetooth etc. I drive in the city and I’m not in the car for long trips. I did get the weather package and the car has enough standard features for me. Cosidering I brake more than I drive, I should do well on gas!
December 29th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Be careful with braking. I understand that there’s delayed reaction during hard braking maneuver as the car switches from regenerative mode to full on mode. So sudden stops are not something you want to try too often.
This is from information I read, and this could be a resolved issue at this time.
City driving is why I recommended the all electric mod, you’ll be green as you can get.
http://www.coastaletech.com/electric_only_mode.htm
December 29th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
I think that voids the warranty.
December 29th, 2007 at 11:07 pm
actually been some discussion if it saves any gas…I’m sure you’ll do fine with the standard setup.