jeudi, mai 04, 2006

Shoot, Shoot, Shoot

Transit in Milwaukee right now is a lot like economics, which is a matter of positioning.

For a while I took the freeway even during construction. But the project's at a different level and I don't need to subject myself to sitting through it. And you know, the fact that my fuel pump died on the temporary ramp from 94 east to 43 north a few days before Christmas sort of sealed the deal. Till this day I'll contest that if the guy in front of me who didn't know how to handle a utility truck would have stepped on it a little and I didn't have to keep downshifting in normal speed conditions, none of that would have happened.

At least I had enough sense to use what power was left to pull out of traffic.

Alright I digress. Construction picked up after that time and I couldn't take the freeway anymore. A 13 minute drive to work was lasting 45 minutes or more depending upon time. 45 was the best I was averaging.

Since that time I've been going through the city to get to work. Now this means that I go through the inner city. This isn't something that bothers me because I'm the Queen of Ghetto Routes but even my resolve is starting to be tested with all of the shootings we are having in the city. Throughout the History of Jones I've had pretty good safety karma in this department, but with the sharp increase in shootings, my odds of being near a shooting have increased.

And these are only the shootings we hear of. Shots are fired in the city all the damn time.

I'm kind of concerned about my lack of options now. I drive stick and there is no way I'll subject my car to construction conditions and I'm not going to reroute to a given perimeter and burn up precious fuel and scree. To reiterate one of my earlier postings, I'm just a little concerned about summer and that's defensible with our crime and activity statistics.

6 Comments:

Blogger Chris said...

Please explain again to a Waukesha county Resident "Why do you all continue to live in Milwaukee"? Even when the Gruppenfuhrer worked in the US Bank Building downtown we lived in Nashotah.

10:56 PM, mai 04, 2006  
Blogger Nick said...

I'm pretty much in the same situation as you... driving directly into downtown. I gave up the freeway months ago, and with all the bridges being blown up and rebuilt, it limited the options considerably.

I have a route, which isn't too ghetto right now which moves pretty quick... so I don't tell anyone about it lest they start using it, and telling their friends.... which would start making it slow.

6:49 AM, mai 05, 2006  
Blogger Phelony Jones said...

Chris, I know what you're saying.

It might just be because I'm a city mouse...and I love where I live. It's where I grew up and despite the fluctuations over the years, I still love it there.

Which is why it's really hard for me to see what's going on in the 'hood. Especially the sharp increase, downhill movement + gravity ='s disaster. I have many good memories of going to friends' houses and good times in the city. I sure hope they can get things done ahead of schedule....

Nick, I might just have to pry that route out of you. I can keep secrets!!!

1:19 PM, mai 05, 2006  
Blogger Billiam said...

Wnat to have my job? I drive Semi. I can't take my 73 ft long truck on those streets. I have to try to time it so as not to sit too much. Sometimes it's a royal pain in the nether regions!I look forward to the finished product, however. I deal with it 6 days a week, so it's completion will be cause for a celebration.

8:04 AM, mai 06, 2006  
Blogger Chris said...

what are you saying no good can come from rebuilding highway, the choo choo people in Milwaukee keep telling us that so it must be true ;)

8:43 AM, mai 06, 2006  
Blogger Phelony Jones said...

Bill, I see the truck drivers trying to navigate not only the twists and turns of the crossovers, but the *angle* of the temporary lanes and I hold my breath each time I see a trucker unfamiliar with the area take them at full speed. I have nooooo problems with waiting for the ones who take their time!!

4:24 PM, mai 07, 2006  

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