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Introductions

Updated: Jun 11, 2020


The roads are mangled.  Boston has no grid.  Only two areas in the city have a logic to them that most can understand.  The Back Bay and parts of Dorchester have street that run in parallel and have crossing streets that are perpendicular.
Aerial Image of Boston, Back Bay, Cambridge, Somerville, East Boston, Everett, Chelsea and more...

Introduction #1


Driving in Boston is most often a terrible experience. You would be hard pressed to find someone enjoying their driving time here.


I've been driving in and around Boston for decades. That does not make me special, or endowed with a unique or superior power of observation on driving here. However, I get it. I understand this place.


After retiring from the corporate world and other things, I embarked on new career as a social anthropologist and ride-share driver. Summarily, I've got more experience Driving in Boston" than most. Period. The observations and experiences rendered here do not mean to diminish the experiences, observations and contributions of others, even novice Boston drivers.


My intention was to create a blog that spoke to the insanity of the Boston driving experience. That was over a year ago. I made very modest progress over the past year resulting in an effort that was unworthy of publishing. Driving too much stalled my need to sit down and write about it.


Done for any period of time driving in Boston consumed lots of mental and sometimes physical energy.


Then, in the middle of March, for me and many others , the virtually all driving ceased. Most people stopped going everywhere and even fewer were needed to take them there. This then provided the time to reflect and write about it.


I believe that I have a lot of good stories and experiences to reveal here. If I can recall most some may find a few of them interesting, familiar and sometimes humorous.

Thanks to those who I consider contributors - other Boston drivers, local passengers, visitors and tourists, pedestrians and bicyclists. You make me love driving in Boston.


Introduction # 2


As is almost universally accepted, Driving in Boston is usually a terrible experience. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who enjoys driving here. I've met a few. Having driven thousands the inevitably of discussing the Driving experience here happens; most hate it a few crazies few just love it. I love it because something unique always happens, either in conversation or visceral experience. It does not take much to catalyze a lively discussion about Boston drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, students, streets, signs, and on.


Even those who don't, can't or simply evade the need to drive here would agree that it is a terrible place to drive - car, bike, scooter, anything.


This blog explains why and provides me, mostly, an opportunity to explain things and rant about it. Everyone rants about it. So you can join in.


And what could be done about it? Nothing. A pandemic lock-down as an immediate or long term solution is not reasonable.












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