I had good intentions; I was going to attend the Climate Crisis action day on the west lawn of the Capitol Building yesterday morning. I got up early and gathered my things together. I was planning to take the metro since I knew it would be difficult to find parking. This would be my first time riding the DC metro, so I looked up the locations of the various stations and decided to go to the Pentagon station because it’s close to where I live.
Maybe one of you Washingtonians can help me out here, but—the Pentagon metro? It’s apparently…at the Pentagon? Are there separate parking lots for metro riders, or was I not supposed to arrive by car? All the parking lots said “Parking by Permit Only” and there were cops all over the place. There was not one single sign that indicated this was where I needed to be to get on the metro.
I couldn’t drive to another metro stop because I hadn’t written down directions to any other station. I hadn’t brought my area map because I didn’t want to carry it around with me. And I didn’t feel like driving home and going back out again. So I decided to get back on 395-N, figuring I’d make an attempt to find a parking space somewhere in the general area. One hour later—after sitting in traffic, passing the Capitol Building, seeing groups of people making their way to where I was trying to go, and not finding anywhere to park—I returned home.
Good going, self! You succeeded in wasting gas this morning. What a perfect way to support the Climate Crisis.
(At least I can live variously through Sweet’s experience. I missed seeing people dressed up in polar bear suits!)
[Tags: Climate Crisis]
10 Comments
i don’t know anything about NoVa (i avoid virginia as much as possible) but there isn’t public parking at all metro stops. you should have asked one of the cops near the pentagon how to get to the metro!
at least you tried!
oh, bookmark http://www.wmata.com – it has everything you need to know about the metro. which stops have parking, maps of where the stations are, a “ride guide” to figure out how to get from anywhere to anywhere.
also, if you park at metro stops during business hours keep in mind that at many of them you can only pay (on your way out) with a smart card, which i assume you don’t have. again, the wmata site will explain everything.
Too funny about burning gas.
Do you get motion sick? I don’t like riding the Metro for that reason. It makes me SO woozy!
I wish I had known, I would have met you!
Don’t you just love it when you attempt to do something and you end up doing the complete opposite? Life is funny sometimes. Better luck next time!
Awww. That reminds me of that song “isn’t it ironic….”
Your best bet is probably to drive to Pentagon City mall and park in the garage there. You enter the metro (Pentagon city stop) through the ground floor of the mall near Ruby Tuesday’s. The mall’s garage is not too expensive for just a few hours. Better luck next time!
Ohhh. The REAL Pentagon? (Gosh, I am SO Australian…)
oh, I’m sorry! Yeah, like Amy said I think Pentagon City is your best bet. I have gotten lost in the maze of Pentagon streets before and been like Sorry! Just lil old me! Please don’t hurt me while I try to get un-lost!
Also, I can’t believe you have never rode the Metro. I think we should add that to your list of 1001 things
i think it IS on her 1001 things!