tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-118643392024-03-07T18:43:35.885-05:00Boston Crazy DrivingDocumenting all the weird, unusual and just-plain-crazy driving by Bostonians - without being redundant.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-90534677559474191662008-07-23T08:35:00.004-04:002008-07-23T08:50:11.326-04:00Big Dig Diner updateAnyone who was a regular reader of this blog space may remember <a href="http://masscrazydriving.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html">a post </a>from about two years ago which featured the defunct Big Dig Diner. It turns out the diner has been hauled away. I don't know if anyone noticed because it was tucked in Marine Industrial Park in Southie, far away from any measureable foot traffic.<br /><br /><br />A commenter on that post recently pointed me to <a href="http://dinerhistory.blogspot.com/2008/07/former-big-dig-diner.html">this post </a>on <a href="http://dinerhistory.blogspot.com/">Diner Talk Blog V1.0 </a>which talks about the diner car's history and its present location. It's future will most likely take it out of Boston.<br /><br />I've always enjoyed the nostalgia that diner's carry, like that of trains and train travel, but I've never been an enthusiast on either subject where I would commit myself to learning the particulars of certain cars. Therefore, I'm grateful to the folks at Diner Talk who are committed to bringing the history to my attention. It does amaze me that the diners can be picked up, hauled away, completely remodeled, and then plunked down somewhere else entirely. What's more, because of their period detail (often Art Deco and Art Neuveau), they look like they've always been in their particular spots since the early 20th century.<br /><br />Well, that said, happy reading. I'm going to crawl back into my hole now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-83262618757428810382007-07-12T11:19:00.000-04:002007-07-12T11:44:01.332-04:00New (old) blogI once heard a Boston-area detective-fiction author/BU professor whose name escapes me (and it's not Robert B. Parker because I'm a big fan of his work) posthumously quoted on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">WBUR</span> as telling his BU students: "Nobody asked you to write." The quote went on, but I can't remember the exact wording, so I will try to paraphrase the rest: so at least make what you write interesting.<br /><br />It was meant to be a harsh dose of reality for his wide-eyed college students who all secretly had dreams of walking into a Barnes and Noble and seeing the center display dedicated entirely to their work. Basically, the point was: since no one asked you to write, give them a reason a read.<br /><br />That is what I tried to do here. I know no one really cared specifically about my travails on the highways and byways of eastern Massachusetts. Some probably read for the light amount of entertainment I tried to provide. While others probably got mad at how I presented my opinions. Either way, I felt, people were reading, so I must have been doing something right.<br /><br />I have been pleased to see that this blog is still generating about 100 unique visits a week, considering it hasn't had a new post in almost six months. That surprises and flatters me. I enjoyed writing this blog mainly because it was cathartic. And I was always grateful for the increased traffic I got when Adam at <a href="http://www.universalhub.com/">Universal Hub</a> would link. Most of all, though, I found that I really enjoyed the medium. There's a lot of clutter in my brain, and blogging gave me the opportunity to remove some of that clutter, and at the same time satisfy my narcissism.<br /><br />So, it seemed logical to me that I should blog about becoming a dad when Mrs. Boston Crazy Driving became pregnant. This, however, was not an appropriate place to do that given the highly focused nature of my topic. Putting the two together seemed like eating ice cream and scrambled eggs. That's why I started <a href="http://daddyrific.blogspot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Daddyrific</span></a>. It became its own place where I could write about being a new dad.<br /><br />Both blogs were interrupted last year, though, when I moved to Raleigh, NC to change careers. I left behind Mrs. Boston Crazy Driving and son to teach. This was a decision made as a family. After 10 months of separation, we were finally reunited as a family on July 1, and are happily living in the Triangle of North Carolina. Of course, that means there's no more writing about Boston-area driving to be done, but I can carry on with being a dad again. And having summers off means I get to be a stay-at-home dad for a couple of months, too!<br /><br />If anyone who used to read this blog had any interest in me personally, you can continue to read about me at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Daddyrific</span>.<br /><br />Otherwise, thanks for reading, and happy driving!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-41674701501467493282007-01-18T17:43:00.000-05:002007-01-18T18:05:00.833-05:00Snowin' in the SouthI eagerly anticipated snow days as I prepared for a career change from journalism to education. Just like when I was a wee lad, the prospect of an unplanned day off without being sick made me giddy.<br /><br />Then of course, in changing careers, I changed location -- from Boston to Raleigh, NC. So much for snow days, I thought. Today was a snow day and our second day off for inclement weather Since Sept. 1. Awesome!<br /><br />I left for work this morning not knowing for sure if we had school. The county (which runs the public schools) had canceled school, but the private school I teach at hadn't by the time I needed to leave. So, being a hardy New Englander by upbringing, I hit the roads. All told, this storm wasn't anything more than the typical early December storm that is more an annoyance than trouble. The snow was sticking to the roads and grassy surfaces, but it wasn't going to amount to a large accumulation.<br /><br />Of course, as I drove, the radio announcers kept updating wary travelers with "wrecks" all over the Triangle (the area encompassing Greater Raleigh). The thing that made me laugh most of all came while listening to a reporter describing snow removal apparatus.<br /><br />"They brined the roads this morning, and the sand/salt trucks are out treating the roads now. The sand is for traction and the salt is to melt the ice. They haven't had to bring out the large trucks with the enormous grinding blade wedge thingies yet that are used to actually MOVE the snow."<br /><br />The quotes make my reiteration seem verbatim, but it's really an abstract, for the record.<br /><br />After snorting some coffee out of my nose, I said to the radio, "Um, those grinding blade wedge thingies are called PLOWS!"<br /><br />I know it's easy for me to make fun of the Bible Belt locals and call them rubes for not being able to handle winter driving as well as someone from the Snow Belt. It's really a lack of experience more than a disability on their part, so I try not to boast too much. After all, it would be my luck that I cause a major accident some time when it's icy.<br /><br />In the end, though, this bit of winter weather is enough for me to remember one of the reasons I left Boston. As much as I love the region of my birth, I've been enjoying the winter down here. The unseasonable warmth has translated to 75-degree days recently, and while unusual even for North Carolina, it has still been 10-15 degrees warmer than Boston, and for that I am thankful.<br /><br />Oh, and as Adam at Universal Hub <a href="http://www.universalhub.com/node/7292">asks</a>, I will gladly send this north. We're supposed to get more on Sunday. Hey, Adam, it's all yours if you want to come get some!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-40108027221389991692006-12-17T10:36:00.000-05:002006-12-17T11:07:20.901-05:00I am Time's Person of Year!Thanks to the editors at Time Magazine, I am in league with U.S. presidents, Nobel laureates, and (rather regrettably) Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. That's right. I'm <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1569514,00.html">Time's Person of the Year</a>!<br /><br />Thank you, Time Magazine, for the honor, and for recognizing my hard work creating content on the Internet. My citizen journalism has brought me much joy and has been a source of therapy while I was driving around Greater Boston.<br /><br />For anyone who hasn't heard yet, Time chose "You" as its Persona of the Year (Persona is correct, more later). The "You" is anyone who is creating content on the Internet. Well, heck, I fall into the category.<br /><br />I write Persona because, quite honestly, the editors' choice of "You" implies anyone who looks at the cover. But anyone in at South Station or Out of Town News or Roche Bros. looking at the cover might find themselves excluded after further inspection. The explanation is somewhat limiting. Only people creating Internet content are included. Excluded, for example, is the tireless mom who only checks e-mail in between working 45 hours, managing the schedules of three school-aged children and being socially or politically active.<br /><br />Taking that limitation into consideration, I also use the term Persona because it is actually very fitting of almost anyone creating content on the Internet. My blog, for example, has its own persona. I don't post with my own name, but a compound abbreviation of my first and last names. And although the opinions herein are truthful, there is a certain amount of internal monologue that got posted here that wouldn't otherwise have an outlet.<br /><br />I'm not alone by any means. There's my blogging patron <a href="http://www.universalhub.com/">AdamG at Universal Hub,</a> and my fellow new Bostonian-turned-Raleighan, Abby, aka <a href="http://proactivebusybody.com/">Dr. Lady Cutie Troublemaker</a>. There's the Back Bay government lawyer, former state cop, father, conservative, car lover: <a href="http://www.carpundit.typepad.com/">Carpundit</a>. Not to be forgotten is blogging friend, <a href="http://1smootshort.blogspot.com/">Eeka</a>, whose online companionship I have enjoyed for the better part of two years. And, finally, my favorite blog discovered by way of Blogger's "Blogs of Note" section: <a href="http://www.waiterrant.net/wordpress2/">WaiterRant</a>, whose author has turned his blog into a book deal. All are personas.<br /><br />While some might argue that Time copped out with its Person of the Year, I would say that it was pretty bold and astute. Although I really would have liked to have seen them choose someone more along the lines of their traditional selection criteria (such as who was grabbing the most prominent headlines across the nation or world), but I can understand why they chose "You." Never before in human history has information sharing been so easy and cheap. For the price of a beat-up old computer and a dial-up connection -- or the cost of an hour at an Internet cafe -- people have the power to report their observations on any topic any time of day. When we look at the pantheon of human history, one has to ask "How amazing is that?"<br /><br />I must go now and figure out how I can justify adding this honor to my resume.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1164673825754224622006-11-27T18:57:00.000-05:002006-11-27T19:30:26.206-05:00It's true, you can't go home againThat's pretty common knowledge. In my 30 years, I've learned this the hard way. Going back to visit places I had once called a "home" always seemed to result in the same awkward and hurried meetings where nothing more than pleasantries were exchanged.<br /><br />For example, when I was in college, I stopped back at my old high school to pick up my yearbook. I was received warmly, but it was clear life had moved on at the alma mater ... without me.<br /><br />Since moving to Raleigh in late August, I have established a new home, and it was never more clear to me than during my visit "home" to Boston over Thanksgiving. It was my first return, and the city somehow seemed very different to me. It was distant. There wasn't the same connection with it I had once loved and cherished. I was now an outsider.<br /><br />One of my colleagues here asked me about my trip this weekend. She, too, is a Yankee transplant, but by years rather than my mere three months. I told her, as I told a friend who asked by e-mail, the trip was strangely similar to a reacquaintance date with an old girlfriend. Not for the people. On the contrary, those bonds are still just as strong. It was clearly with the region.<br /><br />Most have had at least one reacquaintance date. It's the one that follows some chance meeting in a mall or some other public place. Both exchange pleasantries, reminisce briefly about the "good times," and then someone gets the idea that it would be good to get together. Contact info is exchanged and eventually a date is set up. (This, of course, can happen between friends, too, but the former-lover scenario works better for this example.)<br /><br />When the prearranged re-meeting comes, both are nervous and trying to put their best foot forward, just as if on a real first date, except in this case the stakes are higher because each knows the other's best. Things are usually a bit clumsy at first, and somewhere during the date one or both realize that whatever there was between them will never be again. They will part company for good this time, only to exchange pleasantries and quick life updates at the next chance meeting.<br /><br />All that comes to mind in such an instance is the new colloquialism, "I am so over him."<br /><br />I am so over Boston, and it's sad. I'm sad because of it. It was the only home I knew my whole life until three months ago, and if I never life another day there I wouldn't be upset. I feel like I owe her more than that, but I know that I don't. And that was reinforced on Sunday when I went to the Office Max about five minutes from my apartment down here.<br /><br />I was talking to an associate about a computer chair and he mentioned something about the "ahms." I listened politely until he was done speaking but I didn't care anymore what came out of his mouth. I was dying to ask him where from in Massachusetts he moved. I had to wait because interrupting down here is a very rude thing. When he was done, I asked. He's from Natick. Just moved down this month. Same reasons as me. Tired of winter. Tired of traffic. Tired of the high cost of living. Tired of angry/self-important people who believe they set the rules in all instances. Guess what. He's only been here three weeks and he's not moving back either.<br /><br />I should make a disclaimer here, and let it be very clear. I don't hate Boston. On the contrary. I love it for all that it is, and just as it is. But I can't live there anymore. I know that sounds like the contradictory dichotomy of, "I'm against the war, but I support the troops," but it's true. Now as a visitor, rather than resident, of Boston, I will have the benefit of a native's knowledge while there, and the outsider's knowledge that in a few days I will rest my head far away from Beantown. That is, of course, if my house sells.<br /><br />Anyone looking for a three-bed Cape on a cul-de-sac in a residential neighborhood of Boston? It has a fenced back yard, front yard irrigation, granite counters and custom maple cabinets. Two full baths, including one with high-end Kohler fixtures and an extra deep soaking tub. The first floor has impeccable original 1941 hardwoods. Almost all rooms have crown molding, and there's a formal dining and living room. Oh, and a screened porch with a barbecue deck attached. This place is a perfect condo alternative with off-street parking. E-mail me at bostoncrazydriving[at]yahoo.com if interested.<br /><br />The street also has three cops living on it, and has a nice mix of young families and retirees. Steps to Commuter Rail and Dunkin' Donuts. Short drive to 93 and 95 and downtown Boston.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1162955798387036242006-11-07T22:08:00.000-05:002006-11-07T22:16:38.743-05:00Who the hell is Edmund L. Kennedy?OK, I can understand that boston.com is run by a lot of non-native Bostonians, so while irksome, I can overlook the occasional miscue. Recently, I just shook my head when I saw a cutline on the front page referring to the Boston Common<span style="font-weight: bold;">s</span>. Anyone who is FROM Boston knows there is only one Common.<br /><br />Tonight's F-up is inexcusable.<br /><br />Under a breaking news banner, the site quoted the state's senior Senator Emund L. Kennedy from a post-election rally.<br /><br />I copied the gaffe and I paste it here.<br /><blockquote><br />At a gubernatorial victory rally for Deval L. Patrick, Senator Edmund L. Kennedy said "victory's in the air, gang, victory's in the air.'' <span class="small-bold">--Developing</span></blockquote><span class="small-bold"></span>A Google search for Senator Kennedy would have yielded the correct name.<br /><br />It was corrected a moment later when I refreshed.<br /><br />On another note, congratulations to Deval Patrick and Massachusetts. While it is significant that the state has chosen its first African American governor, it shouldn't be the only story of this election. I had the occasion to meet and pointedly question both Governor-elect Patrick early in his campaign and Lt. Gov. Kerry Healy during her last campaign in 2002. I had the impression that Patrick was the better prepared of the two for the job of governing.<br /><br />On the off chance I move back to Massachusetts, I know I would return to a state in good hands.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1162949396439757402006-11-07T20:12:00.000-05:002006-11-07T20:30:09.723-05:0050,000 Watts of Power with a skipI have the fortune of listening to Massachusetts election returns on WBZ 1030 AM while in Raleigh, NC. What? You say? Yes.<br /><br />BZ's signal, beamed with 50,000 watts of power to cover most of the dead zones around Massachusetts and New England, reaches down here loud and clear.<br /><br />How? Well a former member of the Army Signal Corps could probably explain it much better than I, but the basic idea is that radio waves travel like waves on the ocean. Radio waves get an extra boost from the phenomenon of atmospheric skip. Basically, the waves rise into the upper reaches of the amosphere, where the air is lighter, and the waves skip freely, like Tiny Tim in his tulips.<br /><br />I discovered the power of this phenomenon, all 50,000 watts of it, on Sunday night. I was scanning the AM band down here while driving to a friend's house to watch the Patriots' JV team play the Colts. I was hunting for pregame chatter in hopes of finding the game itself for later because I planned to leave during halftime.<br /><br />The radio version of 60 Minutes was playing on 1030, so I stopped to listen. I hung around for the commercial for a station ID and to listen if they did a promo for the game's broadcast. I was stunned that it was BZ, loud and clear.<br /><br />Excited, I tuned in the next morning to listen to the morning news in Boston and the world, but I instead got a dose of hellfire from a preacher who wasn't going to yield to the gentle voices from Boston.<br /><br />However, tonight, I decided to give it another shot. Sure enough, BZ was there for me on my drive home. I was so happy. The signal was worse thanks to the heavy rain we're having here in Raleigh tonight, but it was still as strong in some spots as it would have been in Boston.<br /><br />Ahhhhh, a bit of home right here in Tobacco Country.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1160323526980082382006-10-08T11:08:00.000-04:002006-10-08T12:05:27.076-04:00Hi Y'all!<span style="font-family: georgia;">It's official, my Boston identity is gone from the Boston Crazy Driving reconnaissance vehicle. The Red Sox license plates have been replaced with general-issue NC tags. The MA window sticker was scraped off and replaced on the driver's side with an NC one. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">The difference struck Mrs. Boston Crazy Driving when she and Boston Crazy Driving </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;">fils </span><span style="font-family: georgia;">came to visit last weekend. As one quick aside, I went to pick her up at the airport, had to pay a whole dollar to park, and could only park three rows from the door. Tough. Sadly, there were no poorly constructed, closed tunnel connectors to bypass. There wasn't even any traffic? What's a Boston-bred driver to do without a hassle getting to the airport? </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">Actually, the driving habits have been a bit of an adjustment for me. See, the surface roads are built to handle the traffic. Most of the main roads are two lanes in each direction with a turn lane in the center. The intersections have turning lanes for right and left turns, sometimes two each. I can hardly think of a time when (other than because of an accident) it has taken me more than one cycle to get through a traffic light -- even during rush hour. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">On the rare occasion when I do get cut off or passed aggressively, I can usually spot a Red Sox, Patriots, Yankees, Giants or Jets logo on the car. It's uncanny, actually, that I can find it on such cars so frequently. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">People down here actually stop at the stop line painted on the road. They stop BEFORE making a right on red. They honor the lane markings painted on the roadways. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;">It is so refreshing because I started this blog as an outlet for my road aggression. It was my Zen to counteract the maddening experiences I encountered every day on Boston-area roads. I knew I could breath deeply and go home and post my frustrations rather than drive aggressively.<br /><br />My life has gotten better since I moved down here, and one palpable way is that I don't have to drive like I'm a boxer in a championship match. It is such a relief to just enjoy my ride to work.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1156477464485837662006-08-24T23:32:00.000-04:002006-08-24T23:44:24.820-04:00Southbound on Route 95Well, all good things must come to an end, and this is one of those good things.<br /><br />Mrs. Boston Crazy Driving and I are moving to North Carolina Friday, where I will also change my career to teaching.<br /><br />We've been investigating a move down to the Raleigh area for about a year and while down there earlier this month to do some house scouting, a job opportunity came up at the school my friends' kids attend. Everything clicked and now we're off.<br /><br />The reasons are many and are similar to all the others who have moved out of state in recent years. We (my wife and I) are tired of the high cost of living that continues to increase beyond the pace of our wage increases. Although we are both hardy New Englanders, having grown up together in the same town south of Boston, we are also tired of the winters.<br /><br />I would also be remiss if I didn't mention a few things about driving in this post. We are tired of rude drivers; of rutted roads; $15 billion killer tunnels; the fact that it will cost us $3,600 to insure two cars in Boston this year; and, yes, the traffic.<br /><br />I'm sure we won't find relief in NC from all that plagues us here, but it's a pretty safe bet we will be relieved from ones we are frustrated by the most.<br /><br />Before signing off, I would like to thank everyone who has visited over the past year and a half. It has been fun sharing my experiences with the world via this blog. I hope to post here occasionally over the next few months as our move will be dragged out that long anyway, but (with the exception of a few backlogged posts I've had in mind but no time to write) I won't be posting here very regularly.<br /><br />Cheers, and happy motoring!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1154392841426848672006-07-31T20:16:00.000-04:002006-07-31T20:40:41.740-04:00Hood ornament<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3864/505/1600/100_0262.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3864/505/320/100_0262.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I was nearly blind with boredom on tonight's ride home. Traffic was moving well, and the ride was particularly mundane. By chance, I noticed a Volvo ahead with something on it's roof. Immediately, I knew it wasn't one of those rooftop pods, but I couldn't tell what it was right away. I thought maybe it was some kind of missile. Then I got closer and thought, "No Freakin' Way! Is it? No way! It is!"<br /><br />I grabbed my camera knowing I only had one shot at getting it. I got lucky and nailed the shot! I know it would have been hard to believe without photographic evidence.<br /><br />Later, I took my exit, I wondered about the driver. Was this a particularly unique symbol of his membership of Red Sox Nation since the Hood Blimp, as <a href="http://www.redsoxblimp.com/">chronicled</a> by <a href="http://1smootshort.blogspot.com/">Eeka</a>, is a staple over Fenway during Red Sox home games? Is the guy a Hood dairy employee or heir and helps with the advertising? Or is this guy just a fan of blimps?<br /><br />I want to know his story. I want to know how he came upon this blimp. Did he make it himself? If so, how long did it take to make it? What is it made of? How much did it cost? If he's married, did his spouse willingly or grudgingly approve it. And, how about this one, even though it's aerodynamic, does the blimp cause a drag that makes him lose gas mileage?<br /><br />If anyone knows this guy, <a href="mailto:bostoncrazydriving@yahoo.com">e-mail me</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153772140809382122006-07-24T16:04:00.000-04:002006-07-24T16:15:40.936-04:00Duct tape and twine fixes everythingI know I'm coming to this part of the story a bit late, but the fact that <a href="http://hubblog.blogspot.com/2006/07/they-used-duct-tape-to-fix-bolts.html">duct tape</a> was used to secure anything in these tunnels other than a sign to a wall really pisses me off. <br /><br />In high school, I had this friend who would play street hockey with guys from his neighborhood. I joined them on the driveway/half court at one kid's house one day. The host, who also insisted on always being the goalie, had on his "street hockey sneakers," as he called them. They were a sorry pair of formerly white leather low tops. His feet were sticking out of holes all over the place and the only thing keeping them together was duct tape and twine.<br /><br />I remember making a comment about them, and the guy smiled broadly and said, "Duct tape and twine fixes everything." In the years since, I've come to realize that was a very wise and true statement as I used both separately and in tandem to repair many things. It was invaluable advice. It seems, maybe, the kid with the busted sneakers knew some guys on the Big Dig with a fastening problem and he shared his wisdom with them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153487584125021802006-07-21T08:30:00.000-04:002006-07-21T09:13:04.183-04:00The other proposed Big Dig is dead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bostonforum.com/images/met14.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.bostonforum.com/images/met14.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a>There was another tunnel project proposed for downtown Boston around the same time as the Central Artery/Tunnel. It was called the <a href="http://www.mbta.com/projects_underway/northsouthstation.asp">North-South Rail Link</a> and it was meant to connect the two rail termini in Boston at North and South stations. Like Artery, it was meant to be underground, and there was supposed to be a station at Aquarium, and here's a computer <a href="http://www.bostonforum.com/massrail.avi">model</a>. According to the Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-South_Rail_Link">entry</a>, the state withdrew support for the project in May.<br /><br />The link was deemed necessary two decades ago, especially when rail-friendly Michael Dukakis was governor, but support waned as the Big Dig construction costs continued to balloon. I gather that as the public has learned about the shoddy construction of the highway tunnels, planners decided the state couldn't stomach another 15-year, $15 billion-dollar tunnel system.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153483995727658342006-07-21T07:52:00.000-04:002006-07-21T08:13:15.883-04:00Inspector general's report on Big Dig boltsAlmost since the news first broke about the ceiling collapse in the connector tunnel on the Route 90, I have heard over and over about a report by former state Inspector General Robert Cerasoli on the inferior bolt system used to hang ceiling panels.<br /><br />I heard about it again as I was listening to the radio on my alarm clock this morning and decided to see if I could find it online. You know what? It took two seconds to get to the page where <a href="http://www.mass.gov/ig/igpubl.htm">all of the IG reports</a> dating back to 1997 are posted in some form. Here's a link to the <a href="http://www.mass.gov/ig/publ/catboltx.htm">executive summary</a> and the PDF download of the <a href="http://www.mass.gov/ig/publ/catboltr.pdf">whole report</a>.<br /><br />Scroll through the list. There's more than one report on the Big Dig there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153449731378172882006-07-20T22:14:00.000-04:002006-07-20T22:59:16.096-04:00A Mini Masshole<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.minimania.com/motoring/BOOK45.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://www.minimania.com/motoring/BOOK45.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>There's little I hate more about driving around these parts than being cut off. It is the same kind of rudeness as someone cutting in a line of people. At least in a line of people, however, those in the line are more likely to speak up and shame the person into waiting like the rest of them. It's not as easy in a car. Even though we blow our horns, the cutting driver is more likely to gun it and power ahead rather than admit fault and yield to the rightful flow of traffic.<br /><br />This morning, for example, I came across a Mini driver who believed the best way to enter the rotary on Salem Street in Medford was at about 35 miles per hour with his foot pressing hard on the gas, rather than feathering the brake. What's more, he looked right at me coming around the rotary and judged that if he pressed harder on the accelerator he could beat me. And he was right. He sped past me as I gave a long horn blast.<br /><br />I can be forgiving of someone who makes a simple mistake or misjudgment, but based on how the Mini driver behaved as he continued towards Medford Square on Salem Street. The road is a one-way street heading towards the intersection of several streets: High, Main, Forest and Riverside. It is four lanes wide and at any given time, there could be cars double-parked. And this guy just barreled down, changing lanes to try to find the fastest way through the square. It was evident he was a completely self-involved jerk as he crowded other drivers and even tailgated as he seemingly nudged his way through the intersection to head towards Mystic Ave.<br /><br />It is times like these when I wish it had some kind of device to shame the driver the way people standing in a line can do to a cutter. Blowing my horn was ineffective, because at the time he cut me off, we were the only cars around. He didn't care if I blew the horn all the way to Timbuktu; he had beaten me. And if I followed him and continued to blow my horn, the other drivers sure would have thought that I was the jerk.<br /><br />When I first thought about starting this blog, I had the idea of reporting people's license plates. But as the idea progressed, I thought better because chances were the driver wouldn't be reading my screeds, and if he or she did actually read this blog, I would only be inviting trouble. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153427734278793152006-07-20T16:04:00.000-04:002006-07-20T16:35:34.453-04:00Falling sky prompts more closuresGov. Mitt Romney ordered the eastbound Ted Williams Tunnel closed today because another panel was found to be unsafe. How long until he closes both sides of the Tip O'Neill tunnel?<br /><br />Another ticking timebomb in Boston is the UMass Boston garage. The school <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2006/07/17/daily35.html?hbx=e_du">closed</a> that crumbling facility today, finally. I attended <a href="http://www.umb.edu">UMB</a> from 2000 to finish my bachelor's as an adult student. I graduated (magna) in June. I can tell you that I was never more afraid for my life than <a href="http://www.the-mass-media.com/media/storage/paper445/news/2006/04/10/News/Restructuring.The.Substructure-1844284.shtml?norewrite200607201616&sourcedomain=www.the-mass-media.com">when I was in that garage</a>. It was very clearly falling apart in many areas, and I have seen bridges closed in this state that were in better condition. After the new Campus Center was built, I started to park in its outdoor lot when I could, and eventually just finished my degree with online classes through the university. The online environment was great in that I didn't have to leave my house, but better yet that I didn't have to go to campus and risk my life.<br /><br />The closure comes on the heels, though unrelated to, a call for another <a href="http://www.pioneerinstitute.org/research/opeds/subbids.cfm">Ward Commission</a> by state Sen. Marian Walsh. Via Univeral Hub, Walsh has <a href="http://www.universalhub.com/node/5086">called for</a> a special commission to investigate all of the wrongdoing on the Big Dig the way the Ward Commission <a href="http://www.mass.gov/ig/mission.htm">did</a> following the construction of the campus at UMass Boston.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153403318213912562006-07-20T09:48:00.000-04:002006-07-20T16:01:51.670-04:00Big Dig boondoggle videoFollowing one of my Technorati <a href="http://technorati.com/blogs/http%3A%2F%2Fmasscrazydriving.blogspot.com">links</a>, I stumbled upon this gem of a video compilation. I have only watched a couple of minutes of it, but if the whole thing is as good as the first few minutes, then this will stand in my mind as the best video about the whole Big Dig project's problems. The video is done in the style of a Michael Moore bit, though without narrative commentary. Apart from that, like Moore, the video's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/banditosyanquis">maker</a> seems to relish in splicing together bits of video that produces a great mini documentary on the Big Dig. It doesn't break new ground, just puts a lot of great Big Dig info in one stream. Note how former Turnpike Chairman Andrew Natsios takes credit for cleaning up the Big Dig in an interview as the top honcho at US AID.<br /><br /><object height="329" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PNc1NGlZpN0"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PNc1NGlZpN0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="329" width="400"></embed></object><br /><br />This comes to Boston Crazy Driving via Universal Hub's <a href="http://www.universalhub.com/blog">blogs</a> section, as posted by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/25445559">John Guilfoil</a>, who also <a href="http://www.prrag.com/2006/07/boondoggle-video.html">embeds </a>the video on his site, <a href="http://www.prrag.com/">PRrag.com</a>.<br /><br />Update 3 p.m.: I finally had the chance to watch the video in full. There is a bit of commentary; white lettering on black screens, so it is more like a Michael Moore piece than I thought. Sorry if I misled anyone.<br /><br />I was intrigued by the amount of screen time dedicated to Natsios in the piece. Let me add a bit of history here. Local lore places Natsios among four Republicans in Massachusetts known adoringly (and I mean that sincerely) as the Four Horsemen: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Natsios">Natsios</a>, former Gov. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Cellucci">Paul Cellucci</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Card"> Andrew Card</a> and <a href="http://www.dutkoworldwide.com/professionals/ron_kaufman/">Ron Kaufman</a>. The four of them, if my memory and legend hold true, supported <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush">George H.W. Bush</a> in his candidacy for president in 1980 before Ronald Reagan got the nomination.<br /><br />Massachusetts was a blue state even then, and these four men were remembered by the Bushes for their early loyalty. After George W. Bush was elected in 2000, all of them could be accounted for on the national level. Kaufman was Republican National Committee chairman, Card, of course, became Bush's chief of staff. Cellucci, as is well known around these parts, left the Massachusetts governorship to be ambassador to Canada. Natsios was tapped to head USAID. It was his departure that allowed Amorello to move from MassHighway chief to head the Turnpike and Big Dig.<br /><br />And while on the subject of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilateral_Commission">connections</a>, here's a Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riley_P._Bechtel">entry</a> for the head of Bechtel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153332949987893952006-07-19T14:14:00.000-04:002006-07-19T14:29:20.080-04:00More Mass. Pike traffic troubleBoy am I glad I am safely ensconced in an office park today. A sand truck <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/07/truck_flips_on.html">rolled</a> on the Pike near Boston University today. Yikes.<br /><br />Oh, and if anyone is wondering, <a href="http://www.astrologycom.com/mercret.html">Mercury is retrograde.</a> I'm not much into astrology, but I'm told that means mass chaos. It went retrograde on July 4. Just think of everything that's happened in the world since then beside the tunnel collapse. There's fighting between Hezbollah and Israel leading to a major evacuation of noncombatants in Lebanon. An underwarter earthquake caused another deadly tsunami. Beloved French footie ZiZu snaps over a comment about his mum and headbuts an Itlian teammember in the World Cup final, possibly costing l'republique it's bragging rights. And the Red Sox bats have been pretty silent.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153331943628486702006-07-19T13:43:00.000-04:002006-07-19T13:59:08.003-04:00Big Dig detour changes<p class="Body">The braintrust at the Big Dig has apparently <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/breaking_news/2006/07/officials_chang.html">switched the detour</a> caused by the closed I-90 connector tunnel that links to the Ted Williams Tunnel. Now traffic heading Logan Airport is being routed over the not so lovely Mysitc Tobin Bridge. The good news is the bridge is toll free on the lower deck/northbound side, so going to the airport won't be an extra charge.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153253238984355922006-07-18T15:54:00.000-04:002006-07-18T22:18:45.263-04:00Big Dig chief on the plankGov. Mitt Romney is trying to do what others, and even he, couldn't before: Fire Turnpike Chairman Matt Amorello.<br /><br />The Daily Briefing and several other news outlets are <a href="http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/politicsBlog/?p=191">reporting</a> that the state's CEO governor has sent "the letter" to Amorello, as <a href="http://www.howiecarr.com">Howie Carr</a> called it last night when he revealed a rumor that this was going to happen on his radio who on <a href="http://www.wrko.com">WRKO 680AM</a>. The letter, as it were, is a list of charges against Amorello in the wake of the fatal ceiling collapse last week in the connector tunnel to the Ted Williams Tunnel on Route 90. The collapse killed Jamaica Plain mother and newlywed Milena Del Valle, who will be buried soon in her native Costa Rica.<br /><br />The charges attempt to lay out the reasons why Romney is seeking to fire Amorello, who has had the benefit of a previous Turnpike firing case that ruled the governor must have cause to fire someone on the Turnpike Board of Directors, of which Amorello is the $200,000-a-year chairman.<br /><br />I say, go get him, Mitt, for the public's and my own safety.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153226122517961522006-07-18T08:12:00.000-04:002006-07-18T08:36:10.616-04:00Big Dig's O'Neill tunnel now suspect?Remember when Mass. Turnpike Chairman Matt Amorello and Gov. Mitt Romney assured the motoring public that the Tip O'Neill tunnel (Route 93) was safe because the ceiling system used in those tunnels was completely different than the one that collapsed last week in the Ted Williams tunnel connector?<br /><br />Guess what. Fox25 Morning News reported that apparently 60 areas in the Tip are suspect. They will now be subject to daily inspections. Great.<br /><br />I took a small measure of comfort that the ceiling's hanging system in the Tip was different than the one that failed. Even though I looked at the ceiling panels in the Tip and saw that the panels themselves were very similar to the ones in the Ted connector, I had to convince myself that this time Amorello was telling the truth. For my own peace of mind, I had to believe that for once something coming from Amorello's mouth would be truthful.<br /><br />I wish I could give the guy the benefit of the doubt, but most of the Tip tunnel was completed on his watch. The parts that matter in this discussion at least; meaning the ceiling system. Therefore, he should know what's holding it up. I can't blame Romney for misleading us, because I don't think he has paid much attention to detail on the project until now, just like the governors before him. That's not a slam. Romney wasn't managing the project. That was Amorello's job.<br /><br />Maybe the hanging system is indeed different, but does different make it safe? No. And I was stupid to put even a modicum of faith in Amorello's statements.<br /><br />At least Romney, who is now managing the project, has the guts to admit there could be problem with other tunnels. He may be late to the game, but his relief appearance so far has been reassuring (to turn a baseball metaphor).<br /><br />I will be glad when this is behind us, but I know it the threat of tunnel collapse will always be hanging over my head, pun intended.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153224736286740572006-07-18T08:04:00.000-04:002006-07-19T23:11:13.710-04:00Crazy driver causes accidentIt's a call everyone dreads: someone has been in a car accident.<br /><br />In this case yesterday, it was my mother-in-law, who was taken from an accident in an ambulance, and later released from the hospital. Luckily, she wasn't severely injured with cuts or broken bones, but she will have a recovery period after being rear-ended in Braintree. She was sitting in her car, stopped at a red light, when one of Boston's famous crazy drivers crashed rear-ended the car behind her. The force of that impact pushed the car into my mother-in-law's and she got rocked pretty hard.<br /><br />This was the classic example of someone not paying attention, and it caused injury. We're all fortunate it wasn't something extremely serious.<br /><br />UPDATE 7/19/06: A commenter noticed a typo. I have fixed it where it said my mother-in-law <span style="font-weight: bold;">was</span> severely injured. She wasn't severly injured. She is getting better as of today, but still feeling strong effects of the accident.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153151892639185972006-07-17T11:37:00.000-04:002006-07-17T11:58:12.723-04:00Re-name the Rose Kennedy GreenwayAngel Del Valle, whose wife Milena died in the Route 90 connector tunnel a week ago, has said he won't sue anyone for his wife's death by falling ceiling tiles. In our hyper-litigious society, it's actually kind of refreshing to hear. I'm sure there will still be some kind of government (and I would hope private industry) remuneration to Ms. Del Valle's family in Costa Rica since she was their primary breadwinner.<br /><br />But what about another way, instead of money, to honor the sacrifice Ms. Del Valle made? One that would ensure she is never forgotten. I suggest the Rose Kennedy Greenway be re-named the Milena Del Valle Memorial Greenway.<br /><br />I understand the historical context of why Rose Kennedy, the mother of a president and two U.S. senators, was chosen. In addition to giving birth to and raising them, she also was the daughter of the city's mayor, John F. "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald. The greenway, a phoenix of the former Central Artery's ashes, will be a new boulevard in the city where the former John F. Fitzgerald Expressway once cut through. It was a very convenient way to honor someone who begat three men who have shaped history in this country. (That's not an endorsement of them. Like them or not, they cannot be erased from history. By my count, only Abigail Adams and Barbara Bush can compare to Rose Kennedy.)<br /><br />But there are other Rose Kennedy memorials around these parts. None as grand as the greenway; still they exist.<br /><br />Rose Kennedy, however, had the benefit of living to age 105. She died of old age, which is an experience Milena Del Valle was deprived of having. She won't live her full life thanks to bolts that were installed improperly, and a tunnel ceiling system made of 3-ton concrete panels. At least, by naming the greenway after her, she will live forever in our collective consciousness and collective conscience.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1153142133663863742006-07-17T08:55:00.000-04:002006-07-17T09:40:47.500-04:00Big Dig detoursThe "experts" are now saying the deadly Route 90 connector tunnel to the Ted Williams Tunnel will likely be closed for MONTHS. I'm glad someone is finally taking this seriously, because it seems like this whole project has been nothing but a big joke played on the public and each time a contractor cut a corner, he and the Turnpike chairman at the time would meet together for a beer in the Financial District to have a laugh at our expense.<br /><br />Since the tunnels are going to be closed for a few months, there needs to be a clearer temporary route to get drivers to the old tunnels. Mac Daniel's Starts and Stops blog has the proposed routes posted <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/startsandstops/blog/2006/07/detour_update_m.html">here</a>. I know one thing for sure, the Turnpike needs to reopen one of the HOV lanes. The last exit before the tunnel, I think it's labeled Exit 22, is a high-occupancy alternative to the Ted Williams Tunnel and South Station. The ramps diverge at one point, allowing the South Station traffic to access surface roads, and since last Tuesday morning the exit has been closed entirely. I don't know why exactly, because it would seem to me that allowing HOV access to South Station would be another detour alternative for drivers.<br /><br />I say, why not close the Ted Williams Tunnel portion of the HOV ramp and allow traffic to flow as normal on the South Station HOV ramp.<br /><br />On the other hand, I'm glad to see they're allowing all traffic on the South Boston Bypass Road, also known as Haul Road. It's a secret little expressway from the Southie waterfront to Route 93 at Mass. Ave. It's for commercial vehicles only, and I don't understand why because whenever I've been in a commercial vehicle on it, there's never been too many other vehicles. It will be a rare treat for most Boston drivers to get on this road. It's a bolt-straight, two-lane road that has the potential of shaving some serious time off the commute under normal circumstances, and it has been preserved for commercial vehicle access only and enforced with regular police patrols who hand out expensive tickets.<br /><br />I'm sure traffic will be a mess as drivers get used to these detours. As such, I've had to modify my commuting times. I now go into the office later and leave later, and I'm thankful I have a boss and a job that allows me to do that. Otherwise I'd be crankier than normal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1152897386823978942006-07-14T13:12:00.000-04:002006-07-14T13:16:26.840-04:00Big Dig fraud hotlineHere's a <a href="http://www.mass.gov/catocc/fraud.html">link</a> to the state's page to report Big Dig fraud. Let's all call and say that a fraud has been perpetrated on the public trust.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11864339.post-1152896869632564582006-07-14T12:57:00.000-04:002006-07-14T13:42:53.180-04:00A sign of hope?Hanging signs and banners from highway overpasses has become pretty popular in these parts, and it seems like MassHighway tolerates it. Many are done by veterans, patriots and Blue Star families who wish to welcome home a loved one. I think they're really nice tributes.<br /><br />Some have displayed other messages, like the person who is promoting his Web site: <a href="http://www.cancelmyglobe.com">www.cancelmyglobe.com</a> on bridges around Lexington.<br /><br />Today, hanging from Savin Hill Avenue bridge over the northbound lanes of the Expressway was a sign displaying someone's unrequited love. "I miss you Marybeth. Smile. Chris," it read. If it's still up on Monday, I'll try to get a picture of it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0