Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley continues to stick to his rule of taking credit for all good statistics.
Today, the Baltimore Sun reported that highway deaths are down over 50% for the first month and a half of the year. Common sense tells you that if the roads have been covered with snow for 2 weeks of those 6 weeks, then people would be driving less.
However, Slick Marty claims that the reduction are the results of his efforts to step up law enforcement and to convince people to not drive so fast. You know, I was driving down the road the other day going way too fast and Little Marty popped up on my dashboard and in that fatherly voice said, "Eludius, don't drive so fast. Driving too fast is dangerous and you could kill someone." I thought, "Gosh darn-it! You're right!" And I slowed down. And by slowing down, I didn't kill 5 people. I hope he records that his conversation with me saved 5 lives.
I should also mentioned that Martin O'Malley helped me reduce my credit card bill last month by 25%. And he helped me read 10% more pages of my book. And I got 17% more sleep last week. Martin O'Malley - making all of our lives better. This message is not paid for by VoteNoMalley.
Showing posts with label traffic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label traffic. Show all posts
Friday, February 19, 2010
Monday, September 28, 2009
Baltimore from the Outside
I had the privilege of dining with a friend from out of town on Friday night. She was up from South Carolina to attend a convention catering to guidance counselors and recruiters. It's always fun catching up with college friends.
I do not go into Baltimore much anymore. I enjoy the peaceful, nearly crime-free bucolic Carroll County versus the crime infested, traffic-snarled streets of Maryland's largest city. And upon every visit I am reminded of why I never returned to live in the city of my birth. The city that resulted in one of my neighbors being murdered, my bicycle and dirt bike being stolen. The city where someone broke into our house in the night while we slept.
I made plans with my friend to meet her at 7pm in front of the ugly Hilton Convention Center Hotel that Peter Angelos built that blocks most of the scenic view of the city from the seats of Camden Yards. I got off on Russell Street at 6:35 - plenty of time to meet her at 7pm. Or so I thought.
About half way up Russell Street we can to an abrupt halt. And I sat. And I sat. Every few minutes we were granted the pleasure of moving up a couple of car lengths. Before long it was 6:55. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. I called her and told her to come meet me on Russell Street. I was a couple of car lengths behind the great big green container truck.
Once she got in the car we crept to the next light. We sat through several, being blocked each time by cross-traffic that went through the red light and sat there obstructing the intersection. Finally we turned onto Pratt Street for another 15 minute trek to Light Street. At each light we saw AT LEAST 4 cars fly through red lights, which reminds me of a joke:
I was riding with my friend from Baltimore and we came upon a red light and we drove right through it. I yelled, "We just ran through a red light!" "Sure", said my friend. "My brother who lives in Federal Hill does it all the time. We then got to another light near Little Italy and as it turned red we drove right through it. I yelled that we drove through another red light. Again my friend said that his brother from Federal Hill does it all the time. Finally, we came upon a green light and my friend stopped. I turned and asked him, "What are you doing? It's green?" "Well, my brother might be coming the other way."
As we drove to our destination (Hull Street Blues Cafe), we talked. I asked her about the convention and she said that the mood of this convention just wasn't the same as the one last year in Seattle. Seattle, she explained, was fun. Everyone was excited. Here in Baltimore, everyone was kind of down and out, not wanting to go out and do anything. Unfortunately, Charm City brought the conventioneers down.
Additionally, my friend mentioned that she heard that our mayor was under investigation. How fantastic. Isn't it wonderful that the visitors to our city get to hear about how our mayor (Sheila Dixon) is basically a crook?
I had a great time seeing my friend and having dinner with her. But I sure am not boasting about Baltimore. What a mess.
I do not go into Baltimore much anymore. I enjoy the peaceful, nearly crime-free bucolic Carroll County versus the crime infested, traffic-snarled streets of Maryland's largest city. And upon every visit I am reminded of why I never returned to live in the city of my birth. The city that resulted in one of my neighbors being murdered, my bicycle and dirt bike being stolen. The city where someone broke into our house in the night while we slept.
I made plans with my friend to meet her at 7pm in front of the ugly Hilton Convention Center Hotel that Peter Angelos built that blocks most of the scenic view of the city from the seats of Camden Yards. I got off on Russell Street at 6:35 - plenty of time to meet her at 7pm. Or so I thought.
About half way up Russell Street we can to an abrupt halt. And I sat. And I sat. Every few minutes we were granted the pleasure of moving up a couple of car lengths. Before long it was 6:55. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. I called her and told her to come meet me on Russell Street. I was a couple of car lengths behind the great big green container truck.
Once she got in the car we crept to the next light. We sat through several, being blocked each time by cross-traffic that went through the red light and sat there obstructing the intersection. Finally we turned onto Pratt Street for another 15 minute trek to Light Street. At each light we saw AT LEAST 4 cars fly through red lights, which reminds me of a joke:
I was riding with my friend from Baltimore and we came upon a red light and we drove right through it. I yelled, "We just ran through a red light!" "Sure", said my friend. "My brother who lives in Federal Hill does it all the time. We then got to another light near Little Italy and as it turned red we drove right through it. I yelled that we drove through another red light. Again my friend said that his brother from Federal Hill does it all the time. Finally, we came upon a green light and my friend stopped. I turned and asked him, "What are you doing? It's green?" "Well, my brother might be coming the other way."
As we drove to our destination (Hull Street Blues Cafe), we talked. I asked her about the convention and she said that the mood of this convention just wasn't the same as the one last year in Seattle. Seattle, she explained, was fun. Everyone was excited. Here in Baltimore, everyone was kind of down and out, not wanting to go out and do anything. Unfortunately, Charm City brought the conventioneers down.
Additionally, my friend mentioned that she heard that our mayor was under investigation. How fantastic. Isn't it wonderful that the visitors to our city get to hear about how our mayor (Sheila Dixon) is basically a crook?
I had a great time seeing my friend and having dinner with her. But I sure am not boasting about Baltimore. What a mess.
Friday, December 28, 2007
The Accident - Day 2
Here are a couple more pictures of the accident. I took these with my cell phone. Yes, Brick, that is my finger.
The doctor said I was going to be sore as hell today. He was right. My neck hurts really bad. My upper back is pretty stiff and sore. My right foot hurts. I guess I slammed on the break. My teeth hurt. I guess I clenched my jaw at the impact.
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