I Think I Know Why D.C. Ranked Poorly on GMAC's Driving Survey

This CNN article references a national survey of drivers that GMAC recently conducted, the results of which conclude that about 10% of American drivers would fail a written driving exam. Sounds about right. Out of all the states surveyed, our fair District tied with Maryland and New York as the 5th worst average score on the list (click here to see the full list). Annoyingly, Virginia tied with Alabama and Nevada for 15th best average score. I say "annoyingly" because I fear drivers from the Old Dominion State, especially if they are behind the wheel of a minivan. Through much personal growth, I have come to realize that this is a difference in driving style. And by "style," I mean that I come from a state that thinks it's cool not to know driving rules.

Anyway, since I have a long-running fued with Hubby about who has right-of-way at a four-way stop intersection, I was inspired to look up right-of-way rules. For those of you dying to know, in Maryland and Virginia, right of way goes to whomever gets to the intersection first. Usually. Virginia also offers up this confusing caveat, taken directly from their driver's manual:

"When two vehicles approach an intersection not controlled by traffic lights or signs, neither vehicle has the right-of-way. Generally, Virginia law states that when two or more vehicles approach an uncontrolled intersection from different directions at the same time, the driver on the LEFT must yield to the driver on the right."

So no driver has right-of-way, but the driver of the left must yield? Doesn't that mean that the driver to the right has a little thing called right-of-way?

Hmmm, I thought, wonder what DC's right-of-way rule is? Does it agree with Maryland, or Virginia, sandwiched as it is between them?

Intrigued?

Can you stand the suspense?

Yeah, I can't either. Know why? Because the DC Department of Motor Vehicles does not publish a handbook detailing all the rules of the road online. Go ahead. Go to DC.gov. I'll wait.

I'm sure you found the handy DC Driver's Examination Study Guide. It's a series of multiple-choice questions -- the answers are in the back -- which theoretically allows you to refresh your memory on test topics. I don't know if DC publishes a driver's manual at all, or if it simply declines to post one online. But don't most folks choose to get their goverment forms, booklets, and sundry other documents online these days? So I'd think if they had a manual, you'd be able to find it there. Which leads me to believe that maybe the don't actually have one.

That would explain the ranking, doncha think?

(Maryland still has no excuse, you goobers.)

Only in Maryland

Last night I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to pick up some Playtex Drop-in Liners. Since I am Super Mommy, I make sure the Girl has all of the advantages in life. Like, you know, being able to eat.

Anyway, there was a delightful aroma wafting throughout the store. Silly MCV, you might say, of course there was a delightful aroma. It's a grocery store. They sell food there. But this was a cooked-food smell, and I wasn't anywhere near the prepared food section of the store. It was making my stummy churn in anticipation. And when I turned the corner from the baby supply aisle to the seafood counter, I found the source of the deliciousness:


Yep, steamed shrimp. But these delicacies weren't hanging out behind the counter, waiting to be weighed up and sold to a salivating customer. Oh no, that'd be boring. The powers that be at my grocery store generously set out a platter for customers to sample.

Let's think on that. Seafood. Just hanging out on a table in the middle of a grocery store.

There are two very, very wrong things going on here. First, should seafood ever hang out without the benefit of refrigeration or constant heat? Probably not. Second, this is not a terribly convenient item to enjoy on-the-go. Lemme 'splain: Maryland steamed shrimp are coated in a thick seasoning, and are still in their shells. So if you want a sample, you would have to:

1) Hover over the sample tray;
2) Set down your basket of goods;
3) Peel the shrimp;
4) Toss the shell in the ratty paper grocery bag that the management thoughtfully placed near the platter ("Please place shrimp shells here" was scrawled on the side);
5) Pop the shrimpy goodness into your mouth;
6) Wipe your hands down with a dry paper towel.

Ewwwww, man, I'm shy about dipping my paw into a communal candy bowl, so I'm definitely not going to pluck up a shrimp from a platter that's been handled by the masses. Since the platter looked like it'd been decimated by angry Viking hordes, though, I'm guessing that I'm in the minority on this.