The Slugs of Tackett's Mill

It may prove to be of some interest to Americans across the country to gain some insight into the complexities of living near the nation's capital. Every day, over three hundred thousand people commute from the suburbs of Washington, DC, to their jobs in the District or in Northern Virginia. The resulting traffic congestion is typical of any large city. The commuting methodology is not.

To alleviate traffic, high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are designated (HOV-3 for a total of three in the car, the driver picks up two slugs) to encourage commuters to leave their cars, ride with someone else, and gain the advantage of a less heavily traveled road.

This is a diary of one of these slug pickup sites. This microcosm of society shows the mind-set of the worker bees in our nation's capital as they arrive at work. The game is played out with regularity. The players become familiar, yet nameless characters. They are the slugs of Tackett's Mill.