Since I now live in Grand Rapids, and my job is in Lansing, I get to commute 2 hours (roundtrip) every day on the expressway route from hell. I touch 3 major expressways on my way:
- US131 in Grand Rapids (Wyoming, technically)
- M6 along the south side of GR metro area
- I-96 from the east side to Lansing
I usually need to leave my apartment by 2:30pm to get to work just before 4. Sometimes I’ve left later, and still gotten to work on time. Today was one of those days.
It seems there is no discernible traffic pattern. It doesn’t seem to matter which time of day I pick to leave, new day, new assholes. People are either pushy, or they’re a pussy. And sometimes the pushy ones turn into pussies, and vice-versa.
On my way home, there’s usually a lot less traffic, but about the same amount of dumb. One night I had someone come up behind me real fast, then pace me for about 2 miles at 1 car length off my bumper. Then they decided to shift into the passing lane, and hover in my blind spot for about half a mile before they finally passed me. Once they passed, they immediately got back over in front of me, making me hit my brakes and break out of cruise control just to get some space between us. Then they continued to drive almost directly in front of me for no reason, even though I’d slowed down by about 5mph.
Another thing that irks me is that it seems like people refuse to even use their cruise control. Or, when they do, its set ridiculously fast, or ridiculously slow. Why not just pick the speed limit and set it to that?
Also, police presence on the freeway seems to be inconsistent at best. One night I counted no less than 5 traffic stops, and most nights its none at all. There is also a truck weigh-station on I-96 between Portland and Ionia that I have only seen open and in-use one time since I started commuting 5 weeks ago.
