Fearing That MetroWest Will Overcrowd Metro and Roads

Our current system of boarding and disembarking is a free-for-all. Some people are left at the platforms, and some people can't get off and are carried to unwanted stations. Doors slam shut on people.

Something needs to change.

A one-way system of entering and exiting trains might be worth testing. I'd like to hear from people who have used that type of system elsewhere.

Trolleys Are Appealing

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I read with great interest the story "Laying Out a Path to Renewal" in the Jan. 12 Fairfax Extra, which discussed installing trolley lines along Columbia Pike. Yes, they are more expensive than buses and not flexible for establishing new routes, but I predict that they would be an instant success.

I don't know why trolleys are so much more appealing than buses, but, like baby pandas, they just are.

My wife and I have taken several European vacations in the last few years, and trolley lines were omnipresent in nearly every major city we visited throughout Scandinavia and western and central Europe. And they were in constant use, with riders jumping on and off as the cars came by and at intersecting lines.

I noticed that the typical trolley interior design was quite narrow, with only two seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other.

Bring on the trolleys, and may they all have brass bells that clang.

David Bohlin

Alexandria

I agree: They are charming. San Francisco has built a tourist industry around its cable cars. Bring them on!

Signal Your Turns

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Is it just me, or are turn signals becoming obsolete?

Having just returned from living overseas for over 15 years, I am appalled at the lack of turn signal use here. Cars change lanes at the last minute without a concern for the car(s) behind them.

The other day on Route 7, while driving from Sterling to Tysons Corner, I observed within 20 seconds four cars switch lanes without using their turn signals.

Jan Diuguid

Sterling

Failure to use turn signals is one of the common complaints I get in this column. On the other hand, some people who use turn signals complain that other drivers then know their intention and zoom up to close the gap, making the lane change impossible. Welcome to the me-first driving culture.

Check Car Lights

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I have a 48-mile commute each way between Bealeton, in Fauquier County, and Fort Belvoir. Today's observation gripe is other drivers' failure to replace burned-out bulbs in their taillights or brake lights.

Please remind folks to check their vehicle lights and signals once a week or more. Have a friend help you check the taillights and backup lights.

Tom Bilger

Bealeton

Thanks for the reminder.

Too Slow in Arlington

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Arlington County's speed limit of 30 mph, except on Interstate 66, is really ridiculous. I have to ride my brakes 95 percent of the time to stay within the speed limit.

The other day I found that I could mostly maintain 30 mph on Lee Highway and George Mason Drive by coasting 95 percent of the way.

I am not a pedal-to-the-metal driver, but rather a senior citizen who drives a well-maintained 15-year-old SUV.

Coasting is a dangerous way to drive, and riding the brake isn't recommended, either. Maybe speed limits of 30 mph were appropriate in the horse-and-buggy days, but modern vehicles almost stall out at that speed.

I can understand a 30 mph limit for certain dangerous spots, but not for an entire county.

L. Parker Brooks

Fairfax

Well, be thankful you're not driving in the District, where the limit is 25 mph unless otherwise posted. I'd like to hear from Arlington residents about the 30 mph speed limit in their county.

A Very Good Samaritan

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I would like to share a good Samaritan story with you that certainly restored our faith in the kindness of others.

On the afternoon of the last snowstorm, my husband was driving east on Route 29 with one of our dogs, trying to return to Washington before the worst of the storm hit.

About 20 miles south of Culpeper, he hit some black ice and lost control of the car, which landed in a culvert on its side with the driver's side up. My husband was unable to get out of the car.

A gentleman named Chuck Berry from Woodbridge was in a truck behind him and stopped to help. He first got the dog out of the car and put him in his truck, and then he helped my husband out.

The car was totaled, but except for some cuts and bruises, both my husband and the dog were okay.

Mr. Berry stayed with my husband until the police and finally the tow truck arrived, and then he drove my husband and the dog all the way back to Capitol Hill before heading back to Woodbridge. He wouldn't come in, understandably wanting to get back to his family.

All we know about Mr. Berry is that he works for the Prince William County school system. I just want to thank him again for being such a good Samaritan.

His kindness will never be forgotten by this family, especially the dog!

Donna Foster

Washington

Now that is a good Samaritan. Love to hear such stories.

Cost of Construction

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I am curious about the "per motorist" cost of all the construction taking place in the metropolitan area.

Specifically, when I drive in Arlington, my car takes a beating from a variety of construction-related conditions, including loose stones damaging paint and windows; tire and suspension wear and tear from raised pavement or potholes; dust, cement and tar damaging vehicle paint; and wasted gas from waiting for equipment moving, road work, etc.

There is no place to turn to be "protected" from car damage or to be compensated for damage. It seems I am not only being inconvenienced, but am incurring damages because of someone else's economic gain.

I know if there were major damage, like a steel beam hitting the car, I could hold the contractor liable, but this is a situation of small events that individually do not amount to much but, because they are constant, add up to a lot.

David Wase

Arlington

It's something we all put up with; broken windshields caused by loose gravel are among the most common consequences. I think this is something we can use insurance to cover, although there is a usually a deductible.

These annoyances are evidence of a metropolitan area on the grow. I'm sorry we have to put up with them, but the alternative could mean living in a depressed area.

Transportation researcher Diane Mattingly contributed to this column.

Dr. Gridlock appears Thursdays in the Extra and Sundays in the Metro section. You can write to Dr. Gridlock at 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. He prefers to receive e-mail, atdrgridlock@washpost.com, or faxes, at 703-352-3908. Include your name, town, county, and day and evening phone numbers.