10,000 People Are Slugging Each Other in DC Every Single Day! And it’s a good thing…
- Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:41pm by
Mike Opelka
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Before you question our sanity, ‘slugging’ (in this case) is defined as ‘anonymous carpooling’ and it is happening in on a fairly large scale in the DC area daily.
Ironically, rush hour traffic in the Washington DC area regularly crawls along at speeds of less than 15 mph, and the only way to move faster is to get into the high-occupancy lanes. Access to HOV lanes requires cars have more than just a driver, and so ‘slugging’ was born, organically and without any government support or interference. Slugging is taking cars off the roads while allowing drivers to dramatically reduce their commuting time, and saving money for everyone involved. And let‘s remember that slugging even helps the people who don’t participate, taking a few thousand cars off the road just might even clear the lane ahead of that single passenger commuter. It is working so well, the government has started taking notes.
Here is how slugging works.
People line up at pre-arranged locations, cars start pulling up and drivers announce their destinations, slugs step up and grab a ride to or from work.
There are some generally accepted rules in slugging:
- No money is exchanged.
- The radio is under the control and care of the driver.
- Smoking, eating, and makeup application – all verboten.
- Discussions of sex, politics, and religion are best saved for the office.
- And you never leave a lone woman waiting by herself.
You might be wondering what drives a person to stand in line and accept or provide a ride from a complete stranger? Time and money appear to be the major motivators. Drivers and riders (slugs) claim to have sliced hours off of their weekly commute times.
This is not a new phenomenon. Slugging has been happening for decades and as you might expect, an organically grown, civic-minded community like theirs has developed and published guides for current and future users.
Books have been published about it and the DC groups even have a website (slug-lines.com) that provides regular updates for what they call ‘A Unique Commuter Solution.’
Slugging, a solution that came from the people, not the government.
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Comments (69)
JLSpyder
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:45pmSlugging is very popular in the DC area and it has been going on for decades. A lot of people that live in the outer suburbs work in DC. In my area of Stafford a lot of people work at the Pentagon. They park in the commuter lot and catch a slug. There are also a lot of vanpools that operate in the area. The one thing that VDOT did do was have signs made to identify the slug lines in the commuter lots. If you have ever had to drive down 95 thru NoVA on a Friday afternoon you would appreciate the opportunity to carpool. There aren’t a lot of alternate routes if you need to go North/South on 95. Really it’s just Route 1–not fun on a Friday afternoon.
Most people don’t even talk in the car when they slug–it’s almost taboo.
Report Post »Amica
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:37pmIt works so well the government is taking notes. Now I’m worried.
You certainly can’t allow ignorant citizens to manage something themselves, we’d better step in and regulate it! Don’t people have the right to eat on the way to work??? What about free speech?? They’re eliminating whole topics of conversation!
Report Post »DeeezNuttz
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:25pmI moved to NOVA last year and slugged for the past 8 months just up until last week, as I no longer need to because I now live in the District. It‘s is my understanding that it has been around since the 70’s without any major issues (rapes, robberies, etc), but I could be wrong. It actually is a very organized system in which there are rules and proper etiquette must be followed. If I were to drive from my old residence to my job, it could have easily taken 3-4.5 hours a day (50 miles each way). With slugging, I got from home to work usually within an hour to an hour-fifteen with the afternoons being a little longer (hour and a half tops). Not bad for 50 miles in DC traffic. As a former “slug,” I do feel a sense of duty to stick up for it…
@TERMLIMITSNOW, @Rowgue, & @Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve: A quick google search didnt turn anything up as far as rape and robbery of slugs/drivers. There probably has been deaths related to car accidents involving slugs, but nothing I could find.
@commonsenseguy: Usually 2 slugs. 2 slugs + 1 driver = HOV 3+ lanes. The whole blow up doll/mannequin thing has been tried. Usually doesnt work too well. VA State Police are all over the HOV lanes and in many cases sit on the entry/exit ramps so you actually have to slow down just to get past them. “Violator” tickets start at $187 for first offense and can reach $1200 for three or more. Despite this, you would be amazed at how many violators you see pulled over on any given morning/evening.
@Blacktooth: You can. You can also not get in a car if it looks questionable. I learned that lesson after riding in a car with no a/c in the middle of the summer last year. If it’s July and someone pulls up with all their windows down, chances are they don’t have a/c.
Overall, I think it’s a pretty cool concept and pretty safe. My girlfriend was skeptical at first too, but you quickly learn that if you’re going to sit in traffic, it’s nice to let someone else drive and sleep.
Anywho, sorry for the long post. Just wanted to clarify some of the misconceptions. Here’s a link to the wikipedia article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slugging
Cheeers,
Report Post »Deeez
Rowgue
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:45pmDoesn‘t really matter if it’s happened yet or not. It‘s a sicko’s dream come true. Strangers lining up to get in his car, or strangers lining up to let him in their car. It WILL happen if it hasn’t already, and when it does I don’t want a single dime spent or a single minute wasted finding the killer.
If you knowingly put yourself in a dangerous situation, taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill for the results of your poor decisions.
Report Post »Shellback
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:54pmConcur with Deez.
Report Post »I slug also. Off and on for 10 years and now in the last seven mos, i slug almost everyday. I will drive to help take up the slack. Where I slug, HOV 3 is in effect. This actually works out better for women so when a lone driver pulls up, two people will get in. If you slug for one week during at the same time of day, you will actually get to know people’s faces and cars. I have had one bad experience with a driver who thought he was in a NASCAR race. T When I see that vehicle pull up, i don’t get in and neither do other people. hat person had to start riding the train and a cost of $250/mo. I met one person who slugged for 16 years. 99% of the people who slug are professionals who wear nice clothes and heading to specific locations that have safe drop off places. The return trip is even a hoot for where i work. I work in the Navy Yard of DC and I’m on a email list of people who parked in one of three lots in our area. Some will announce they need riders for a specific time and other will send an email requesting a ride for a specific time. I’ve been picked up inside the yard waiting by parking garage elevators, outside the gate across the street standing next to a green fire plug, or even a street corner outside the yard in front of a business. In all cases you identify yourself with what type of coat, beard or other physical features and they will identify themselves as to what kind and color of car/truck they are driving. And in almost every instance, the driver will thank the passengers for riding since this shaves off 1 1/2 to 2 hours of commute time in the non-HOV lanes. If you can’t get ride from the email list, there is a place in DC where my parking lot can get a ride, i.e. slug. In the worst case, you head over to the Pentagon which is a huge hub for all types of commuters. The HOV is in effect 0600-0900 and 1530-1800. I have a co-worker who has stood in the Pentagon slug line station as late as 2030 and got a ride home. This area is definitely a tale of two cities, the politicians and the commuters.
rightwingheroes
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:07pmslugging will be taxed or banned soon. the first time someone is seen exchanging money, uncle sam will have his mitts on his slice.
Report Post »Veritas
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:05pmI don’t know, but was some of the traffic problems happening because a “carpool” lane was created in the first place? I would imagine that most of the people who are “slugging” would not be driving or don’t have cars to start with and this is just an option that is just better than taking the bus. Is it really taking cars off the road or just allowing single drivers a way to use an under utilized lane to get to their destination faster?
Report Post »JLSpyder
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:57pmThe HOV lanes a reversable lanes. On 95, in the morning they go north and in the afternoons they go south. They are outside of the normal traffic lanes and have entries and exits separate form the other lanes. It is an efficient use of limited right of way.
Report Post »randy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:04pmWait until the unions start losing money. And wait for the day they pick up a serial killer.
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:01pmWith the feds bugging our cars this sounds like a great way to smuggle drugs, in someone else’s car.
Ha, slugging=smuggling.
Wonder if the Muslims will get bent out of shape with women folk riding in the same car as men.
Report Post »thorkyl
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:00pmOld news, in Houston as a driver you just pause at the bus stop and tell them which park and ride your going to. Used to get 3 or 4 riders every day
Report Post »The American
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:56pmWait till the taxi unions get wind of this!
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:49pmO.K., This brings up a question to me. Remember the woman in the news about a year ago who would watch the neighbors kids for about 1 hour so the other parents could get to work on time? She was a stay at home mom, and didn’t take any money for this. The local Govt. came down on her because she did not have a day care license and that other care providers said it wasn’t fair? They even defined how too many sleepovers could result in wrongdoing.
Report Post »How are people getting away with this? Aren’t the cab companies upset? What about the Idiot congressman from NY that wants bicycles registered now, he said it is for safety.
Shouldn’t the people giving the ride have to have a special license? After all, this is DC and there has to be a way for the govt. to make money off of this.
MEnders
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:50pmI was thinking pretty much the same thing. However, you left out the main reason why the government would be tempted to regulate or abolish this behavior, and that it because it apparently works.
What did President Reagan say? If it moves tax it, if it keeps moving regulate it, and if it stops moving subsidize it? I may have the order wrong, but I think I got the gist of it.
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:38pmCOMING SOON! The United States Department of Slugging which in this case falls under the US Dept of Transportation which falls under the US Dept. of Energy which falls under the US Dept. of Commerce, and so on and so on and so on. We love effiency.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:07pmCZAR of Slugging will be annointed within days………..
Report Post »dablooz
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:37pmI lived in DC in 95-96, we did this then. I usually drove since my end of workday was unpredictable. I even met a guy that had “Slugwear”, pens, coffee mugs T-shirts with a lttle slug on them.
Report Post »Telcoman
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:36pmI have had to do allot of work in DC over the years and the traffic there is BAD, just like any big city. One of the reasons I do not live in a big city. My commute to work consist of walking from the kitchen with my morning coffee to my home office, I am lucky. If I had to live in a big city again I would not carpool and here is why. I would not be flexible in my time and at the beck and call of the carpool timing. To many times when I worked in the office I did not leave there until 7 or 8 that night. For people who do work the 8-5 it makes sense as long as the Government does not control it.
Report Post »Mainer forever
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:35pmThats a great idea. True…it is organized thumbing. Good one Showtime
Report Post »Khedewia
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:31pmI wouldn’t feel comfortable driving with a stranger. You just never know what could happen. You have to put your trust in a complete stranger.
That thought aside, an idea which is working and the government is taking notes. Hmmm… The people seems to be handling the commuting problem on their own and it’s working. The government will probably come in and start controlling the whole thing and the rules will start changing. If you refuse someone a ride, that person can claim you were being prejudiced and then the problems start.
Report Post »VRW Conspirator
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:13pmthis would be great….
i believe that most companies already do this to some degreee….
employee A talks with employee B…they live within a few miles of each other..work the same hours… poof…carpool is born….
company A incentivizes the behavior with carpool only parking spots….
employee A and employee B switch driving…week by week or day by day..pick up employee C and maybe D…
company A incentivizes more by buying company van with gas card to give to employee A who now has B, C, D and E in his car…
poof….vanpooling is born….
in steps the government…makes lanes HOV on the freeways…sets up toll roads for HOV…prices for toll roads go up…vanpooling goes down….lanes stand empty as people sit in single passenger cars polluting the air….
is that about right….that is how it has worked here in CA….
Report Post »Midwest Blonde
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:00pmInteresting concept. I know of several places where this would work. We need to get the word out and spread this idea around!
Report Post »Blacktooth
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:00pmMight be a good thing if you could actually refuse to give a person a ride if you deem him or her unacceptable.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:06pmyou can read the rules of slugging in provided link
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:12pmI would imagine it’s like refusing to pick up a hitchhiker…it’s your call.
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:59pmjust how many slugs are in the car??? one driver one blow up doll, and a rain coat, i have seenthese many times,that is what you really call a slug.
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmSounds great. And when one of them ends up dumped in a local creek after having been beaten and killed, I don’t want a single minute of law enforcement time spent trying to find the killer.
Report Post »Amica
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:48pmI just really can’t believe that you said that.
Report Post »Conservative Hippy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 5:18pmParanoid much? How about having some faith in your fellow man?
Report Post »Rowgue
Posted on March 10, 2011 at 12:11amThere’s a difference between having faith in your fellow man and intentionally putting yourself in a ridiculously dangerous situation. This isn’t the Waltons or Little House on the Prairie anymore. Pretending it is doesn’t make you more righteous, it just makes you an easier target.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmunion transportation workers to picket and lawmakers to find a way to tax/ make illegal 3 2 1
Report Post »beckwill
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:14pmMy thoughts exactly. Why else would the government be “taking notes”?
Report Post »DonnaA
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmCool idea! Helping your fellow man. How novel.
Report Post »love the kids
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:51pmSounds to Republican to me. the Dems will put a stop to this.
Report Post »Rothbardian_in_the_Cleve
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmShoot. Bait and switch! I was really looking forward to reading an article about those idiots in the beltway going 3 Stooges on each other.
Just wait until someone gets killed/raped. They’ll ban this too.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:56pmIt sounds like organized thumbing! Great idea.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:22pmGot to thinking about the traffic in Atlanta when I was working downtown.
We would see the same people, the same cars, and the same state vans every morning. It got to where we would wave at each other. So, why not ride with each other, when you knew that they were going to work — and were not some spooky dude up to no good?
Also, if we saw an out-of-state tag, we gave the driver plenty of room because we knew he would not be familiar with the turning lanes, etc.
Report Post »White Ninja
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:58pmWhen you put it like that I’m willing to bet loitering at pick up points is going to be made illegal. Cant have people thinking they can just go anywhere they want, with whoever they want at anytime unsupervised and unregulated. Dont lets be silly.
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:13pmNothing new here. The unions slug all the time when they load up their protesters and bus them to the latest thug rally.
Report Post »Hoosier Daddy
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:53pmGovernment to interfere and screw up something that works in 3…2…1…
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 12:57pmDaddy, I never saw a government work so hard to work against the people who are paying their salaries.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:05pmWhat else is new; only in DC would the term ‘slugging’ be considered appropriate for car pooling, in the rest of the nation, it describes how fed up most of us get with cars, trucks, and other inaniamate objects that frustrate our ability to get anywhere we need to in a decent amount of time.
Politicians being one of the biggest ones at that.
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:07pmI have never heard of this but it sounds like it is working, and that is great. Amazing how without the Government people can actually get things to work and more quickly and better.
Report Post »Blackhawk1
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:07pmNext story we will see is that the IRS wants to impose a Tax on slugging because they aren’t using union run, government subsidized public transportation.
Report Post »Blacktooth
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:09pmThere are so many people I don’t want in my car.
Report Post »fertlmind
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:12pmThey are going to find a way to tax them,…I’m sure of it
Report Post »Maybe a carpool lane toll
a slug tax
Gold Coin & Economic News
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:19pmThere must be a way government can screw this one up. It make them look bad when the people actually solved a problem on their own without Barack and his cronies butting in.
This is real “power to the people”!
Report Post »TERMLIMITSNOW
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:40pmsome crazy dude will ruin before the govt. does…..i can see it now, carpooler kills 3 passengers in fit of carpool rage…..or something like that. Give it a week or two.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:50pmUnlicensed Taxis…That where the gov steps in…They will want their cut…also its undeclared income…MORE TAXES.
Report Post »A Doctors Labor Is Not My Right
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 1:59pm“It is working so well, the government has started taking notes.”
Please don’t.
Report Post »interocitor
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:06pmWait a sec. Government interfered by making the high-occupancy lanes to begin with.
Report Post »Isnt this just an example of Government NUDGING you into a behavior that THEY APPROVE OF ??
poverty.sucks
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:06pmSomeone will be killed, the government media will state there’s no monitoring of safety, sluggers will then have to register and pay tax (fees) that goes directly to the democrat cronie association.
Report Post »ClockKing
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 2:45pmTaxi-cab Union to protest in a few.
Report Post »Class2000Generation
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:19pm“It is working so well, the government has started taking notes.”
Yes, I’m sure they are. How can we (the government) royally screw this up and end up costing the taxpayers thousands of money… hmmm
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:40pmlol, no doubt, I’m sure they will find a way to outlaw it, can’t have the little people doing something outside of a governent program. It about CONTROL.
Report Post »twoifbysea
Posted on March 9, 2011 at 3:50pmHoosier, The DC gov’ment has already interviened. They tried to move a slug line in DC to a less traveled rd. From 14th st to 15th st nw. The slugs haven’t moved.
Report Post »Poverty, unfortunatly someone was seriously injured by an irate driver. He was arrested and last I heard is awaiting trial.