Remind Me Again Why I Live in DC

[Anonymous]

The sparkling water quality?

The perfectly maintained roads?

The effective traffic management?

The well-maintained infrastructure?

The low tax burden?

The affordable housing?

We appear to be on a steep downward slide. I realized how much when I realized I don't even call DC WASA anymore when the water is yellow. I wait until it's dark brown or I would be calling 4 nights a week. And it now takes me almost twice as long to get to work since they pulled the "don't block the box" people and other rush hour enforcement people from their duties. Not to mention my car now needs serious maintenance as a result of all the recent digging up of the streets. Every month, life is materially worse here. I don't get why we just keep accepting it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sparkling water quality?

The perfectly maintained roads?

The effective traffic management?

The well-maintained infrastructure?

The low tax burden?

The affordable housing?

We appear to be on a steep downward slide. I realized how much when I realized I don't even call DC WASA anymore when the water is yellow. I wait until it's dark brown or I would be calling 4 nights a week. And it now takes me almost twice as long to get to work since they pulled the "don't block the box" people and other rush hour enforcement people from their duties. Not to mention my car now needs serious maintenance as a result of all the recent digging up of the streets. Every month, life is materially worse here. I don't get why we just keep accepting it.

[R] Virginia. Because none of these problems exists outside of DC.

[Anonymous]

Only you can answer that question.

[Anonymous]

Except for the water, the rest could be said of Manhattan.

I guess people don't move to a place because of their Department of Public Works. They tolerate what they have because of the other benefits.

[Anonymous]

Really? The water in McLean smells like horse piss. It tastes bad as well. Call the water dept here and theyll tell you to bugger off.

The roads here in Va suck too. Traffic? Well it is a city what do you expect?

You know what, just move already.

[Anonymous]

Answer: Money. Specifically, jobs. We have a better quality of life around here than most Americans. Even when higher costs are factored in.

It's a recession; yes, public services are suffering everywhere.

Maybe if more people like you move away housing will become more affordable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sparkling water quality?

The perfectly maintained roads?

The effective traffic management?

The well-maintained infrastructure?

The low tax burden?

The affordable housing?

We appear to be on a steep downward slide. I realized how much when I realized I don't even call DC WASA anymore when the water is yellow. I wait until it's dark brown or I would be calling 4 nights a week. And it now takes me almost twice as long to get to work since they pulled the "don't block the box" people and other rush hour enforcement people from their duties. Not to mention my car now needs serious maintenance as a result of all the recent digging up of the streets. Every month, life is materially worse here. I don't get why we just keep accepting it.

We should have better services for the taxes. There is a LOT of waste.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I have lived in DC for 14 years, and the slide we are in now is the worst I have ever seen. I thought I knew what to expect from living here, but somebody has radically altered the play book. A couple of years ago, I had no complaints about any of this. Now, I have brown water (that also smells bad, but I'm talking chocolate brown), inconsistent power, and crappy, torn up roads. And, in the last month, my commute time, using the exact same routes I've used for the last 14 years, has mysteriously doubled and is getting even longer. What in the world is going on with this city? It's not a complaint about city life. It's a complaint about how the life here has become materially worse and seems to be heading downhill with the speed of a rolling boulder. Next we'll start having sink holes and fires in the manholes like they did in Georgetown years ago, and the currently erratic trash pick up will stop completely.

[Anonymous]

Hmm. I smell a troll from the burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm. I smell a troll from the burbs.

I wish I were, PP. I live in Upper Northwest. We've lived in the same house the whole time. If you want to come over so I can show you the letter from DC WASA that notes the EPA level violations on our recent water test, and notes that the levels are higher at the hydrant than they are in the house, but then says the problem is likely the pipes in our house so we should run the water longer to draw more water (you know, the stuff with the even higher levels?) from the street into our house, I would be happy to show it to you. Glad you are not experiencing this. What neighborhood are you in? I've told DH we should start househunting in Georgetown, because at least we could solve the commute factor.

[Anonymous]

Because of the stellar snow management services?

Oh, whoops--maybe not that either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm. I smell a troll from the burbs.

I wish I were, PP. I live in Upper Northwest. We've lived in the same house the whole time. If you want to come over so I can show you the letter from DC WASA that notes the EPA level violations on our recent water test, and notes that the levels are higher at the hydrant than they are in the house, but then says the problem is likely the pipes in our house so we should run the water longer to draw more water (you know, the stuff with the even higher levels?) from the street into our house, I would be happy to show it to you. Glad you are not experiencing this. What neighborhood are you in? I've told DH we should start househunting in Georgetown, because at least we could solve the commute factor.

OP you are just too precious...house-hunt in Georgetown...if you can afford 1m+ real estate, buy a whole house high end water filter and stop yer belly-aching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I have lived in DC for 14 years, and the slide we are in now is the worst I have ever seen. I thought I knew what to expect from living here, but somebody has radically altered the play book. A couple of years ago, I had no complaints about any of this. Now, I have brown water (that also smells bad, but I'm talking chocolate brown), inconsistent power, and crappy, torn up roads. And, in the last month, my commute time, using the exact same routes I've used for the last 14 years, has mysteriously doubled and is getting even longer. What in the world is going on with this city? It's not a complaint about city life. It's a complaint about how the life here has become materially worse and seems to be heading downhill with the speed of a rolling boulder. Next we'll start having sink holes and fires in the manholes like they did in Georgetown years ago, and the currently erratic trash pick up will stop completely.

Whoa, you should have lived here when Marion Barry was mayor. THAT was a show! No garbage pickup, hideous rat problems [/i]everywhere[i]. I don't know what you're complaining about! It's like heaven now.

[Anonymous]

1). Convince yourself you have terminal cancer. 2) tell people close to you that you love them 3) go to the doctor to find our that you have miraculously been cured. 4) get a water filter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm. I smell a troll from the burbs.

I wish I were, PP. I live in Upper Northwest. We've lived in the same house the whole time. If you want to come over so I can show you the letter from DC WASA that notes the EPA level violations on our recent water test, and notes that the levels are higher at the hydrant than they are in the house, but then says the problem is likely the pipes in our house so we should run the water longer to draw more water (you know, the stuff with the even higher levels?) from the street into our house, I would be happy to show it to you. Glad you are not experiencing this. What neighborhood are you in? I've told DH we should start househunting in Georgetown, because at least we could solve the commute factor.

That IS the burbs, to a large extent. I have never understood the point of this - living an a suburban style neighborhood, most likely not near any transit options, paying DC taxes for DC services without any of the benefits of actually living in the city. What's the point?