It’s not often that I complain about my daily commute here in the Charlotte metro area. I’m pretty lucky – I enjoy one of the shortest commutes I’ve ever had in twenty years of post-high school working. Only when I worked retail in high school did I have a shorter commute. And only just barely.
Yesterday there was a bad accident on I-77 in the early afternoon, which shut down the highway in both directions. Add to that a nearby shooting, a pedestrian getting hit by a car at another intersection close to I-77 and TONS of rubbernecking, and you basically get the worst commute you can get.
I left at 5:20 p.m. to get the kids – knowing I’d still be late, but hoping that my normal 25 minute commute would only go up to an hour. I got into South Tryon which basically runs all the way down to Rivergate in Steele Creek, which is near where I live. South Tryon was a MESS because EVERYONE was going that way since I-77 was closed. It took me thirty minutes just to get to my regular exit (which normally takes me 5 minutes). I called daycare to let them know I’d be REALLY late.
I spent the next hour on South Tryon, attempting to get down to Arrowood Road, which was the I-77 entrance just south of where the big accident was. I finally got there at 6:50 p.m. What’s amazing? There was ANOTHER accident at Exit 3!!! Apparently two cars collided when a car on the exit ramp attempted to merge into I-77 traffic!! Once I got past that I managed to get to daycare within 10 minutes, pulling into the parking lot at 7 p.m. on the dot. As expected, mine were the only kids there, since all other parents work in the local area as opposed to Charlotte.
This morning’s commute? The perfect dream – managed to go 60 mph the whole way and got to the office 10 minutes early. I guess everyone was on their best behavior to make up for last night’s craziness.