Slugging sounds like a great idea.

[Axxon]

I'd never heard of this concept before. How many of you have done this and is it as efficient as it sounds?

About Slugging

Commuter Congestion in and around Washington DC and Northern Virginia.

* What is Slugging?

Slugging is a term used to describe a unique form of commuting found in the Washington, DC area sometimes referred to as "Instant Carpooling" or "Casual Carpooling". It's unique because people commuting into the city stop to pickup other passengers even though they are total strangers! However, slugging is a very organized system with its own set of rules, proper etiquette, and specific pickup and drop-off
locations. It has thousands of vehicles at its disposal, moves thousands of commuters daily, and the best part, it’s FREE! Not only is it free, but it gets people to and from work faster than the typical bus, metro, or train. I think you'll find that it is the most efficient, cost-effective form of commuting in the nation.

* How the Slugging Works

The system of slugging is quite simple. A car needing additional passengers to meet the required 3- person high occupancy vehicle (HOV) minimum pulls up to one of the known slug lines. The driver usually positions the car so that the slugs are on the passenger side. The driver either displays a sign with the destination or simply lowers the passenger window, to call out the destination, such as "Pentagon," "L’Enfant Plaza," or "14th & New York." The slugs first in line for that particular destination then hop into the car, normally confirming the destination, and off they go.

No money is exchanged because of the mutual benefit: the car driver needs riders just as much as the slugs need a ride. Each party needs the other in order to survive. Normally, there is no conversation unless initiated by the driver; usually the only words exchanged are "Thank you" as the driver drops off the slugs at the destination.

There doesn’t need to be any discussion about the destination , such as giving directions, because the drop-off points are generally understood. "Rosslyn" means the Metro station in Rosslyn, not at some other point along the way. The "Pentagon" means the curb along Fern Street, not the North Parking Lot. However, there are a few places where the destination drop-off point is not understood; in these cases, the slug must state where he or she wishes to be dropped off. For example, at "Tackett’s Mill," the driver usually asks "New or Old Lot?" because the driver will take you to either. And there is Crystal City, where drivers drop off slugs anywhere between 12th Street and 23rd streets. Later in the book these exceptions are explained in greater detail.

*

When Did Slugging Begin Anyway?

It’s hard to believe that slugging has been around in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, area for 32 years! That’s right; slugging debuted in about 1971 when the first HOV lanes were constructed. Of course, the exact date is uncertain because there really aren’t any official government records that have studied slugging from its infancy. The best source of information has been individual interviews (I interviewed a man who started slugging back in 1982—that’s 20 years of slugging!). The next source has been the numerous newspaper articles written on the subject over the past few years. I’m sure that whatever I determine as the "origin" of slugging, somebody will have a brother-in-law with a Ph.D. in ‘Slug-ology" with undeniable proof that slugging starting years prior….okay, fine.

Here is an portion of an email I received in November 2004 from a fellow slug which suggests that slugging was working in 1979. "I'd just like to compliment you on your very interesting web site. I worked in Washington DC as a college student in the late 1970's and I would like to confirm your claim that slugging began prior to the 1989 study. During the summer of 1979, I commuted by bus from my sister's house in Annandale to Naval Research Lab. This trip required riding into downtown DC and catching a cross-town in the morning, then the reverse in the afternoon. On a few occasions I slugged the last leg of the trip home in the afternoon. There was an informal slug line in front of the FBI bldg, which took riders down the Shirley Hwy corridor to various endpoints. When I worked in DC from 1981 to 1985, there were indeed firmly established slug lines at the locations you mention on Keene Mill Road, as well as further out close to George Mason where there was a park&ride. I was in a regular carpool at this time and sometimes our driver picked up a slug or two when a regular rider was absent so that we could still get into the HOV lanes. Sincerely, Mary Ann"

* How Slugging Began

Slugging can trace its roots back to the Arab oil embargo of the 1970’s. During this era, gas prices soared, as it became apparent that the United States was dependent on foreign oil. In an attempt to reduce its dependence, the United States adopted a number of measures to curb gasoline consumption. Speed limits were reduced from 65+ m.p.h. to 55 m.p.h., car manufacturers were told to make cars more efficient, and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes were constructed. These lanes were for vehicles with more than three occupants. The benefit for the government was twofold: reduced gasoline consumption as well as some environmental benefits.

* The Shirley Highway

When the HOV lanes on Shirley Highway (I95) opened in 1971, the first slug lines began to emerged. With these high occupancy lanes being strictly enforced, drivers had to abide by the HOV-4 rule (later changed to HOV-3) or pay stiff fines.

When a driver did not have enough passengers for the HOV, he would pull up to a line of commuters waiting for the bus and offer a ride to anybody in the line. Faced with waiting in the summer heat or winter cold for a bus that could be late or full to capacity, some commuters began opting for the car. Soon word began to spread as drivers found an easy solution to meeting the HOV requirements, and bus riders found a faster, cheaper alternative to the bus. I’m sure it took some time for the word to spread, but soon enough people knew which bus stops catered to the offers of free rides.

It is believed that slugging began with people waiting at bus stops on their way to the Pentagon (which was—and still—is a major transportation hub).

* The Very First Slug Line

According to a study by the Urban Institute in 1989, slugging existed in only one location in Springfield, VA. That doesn’t mean slugging began in 1989, only that when the study was conducted, formal slug lines already existed. Since I have interviewed people who have slugged from the Springfield area since 1982, we know that slugging predates the Urban Institute study with evidence that slugging began in the early 1970’s.

Nevertheless, the Urban Institute did recognize that a "formal" slug line was in operation at a place known as "Bob’s," which referred to a line adjacent to Bob’s Big Boy restaurant at the intersection of Bland Street and Old Keene Mill Road in Springfield. As it turned out, Bob’s had all the ingredients normally needed for a slug line: parking, a bus stop (or other mass transit), and easy access to the HOV. Because the Pentagon was—and still is—a major commuter hub, Bob’s line had the Pentagon as its only destination.

Today, some 20 years later, Bob’s has undergone a number of changes. The Big Boy restaurant has been replaced by Shoney’s, and the slug line no longer services the Pentagon but has been replaced with two lines: one for L’Enfant Plaza and the other for the Memorial Bridge area. Furthermore, the lines themselves have moved across the street next to Long John Silver’s.

So, if Bob’s is next to Long John Silver’s, why is it still called "Bob’s"? Either out of respect for tradition, or simply because the name just stuck, the name "Bob’s" has endured the test of time.

* Where Did the Word "Slug" Come From?

The term "slug" itself did not derive from the word that means mollusk, as some people think. Instead, the term appears to have originated from bus drivers as a derogatory term.

The story goes like this. Bus drivers had always been warned to be aware of counterfeit coins (also known as slugs) from people trying to pass off this fake money in the coin collection tray.

When slugging was in its infancy, commuters stood at the bus stops, waiting for a driver to pick them up. Bus drivers, thinking these people were waiting for the bus would stop to pick up the passengers only to be waved off, frustrating many of the drivers. As this event became more and more frequent, bus drivers began recognizing the real bus riders from the fakes. Because the people weren’t really waiting for the bus, drivers began to simply call them "slugs." This definition seems to make sense because these people weren’t real bus riders or even real car poolers in the usual sense of the word. They were, just as the name implies, counterfeit riders or slugs. Hence, the term was born.

Over time, the less-attractive term "slug" has had many contenders, such as "instant car pooler," "hitchhike commuter," and "casual car pooler," but tradition has continued to outlive the newer, more politically correct terms.

hxxp://www.slug-lines.com/Slugging/About_slugging.asp

Oh, and if it is so efficient, why hasn't it caught on elsewhere?

[wade moore]

Folks here who have done it can tell you more, but slugging is VERY popular in the DC Metro Area.

[mrsimperless]

Sounds like an excellent way to get robbed.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by mrsimperless

Sounds like an excellent way to get robbed.

This was my first reaction as well when I heard about this like 10 years ago. But it has been going strong in the DC Area as far as I know without incident, or at least without many.

Looking here - http://www.slug-lines.com/ - it looks like this may have actually started in the DC area almost 30 years ago. I was looking there to try and get a number, but I would say 1,000's of people a day do it in the DC Area and there are not incidents. It is, somehow, very safe.

[Subby]

This is something that keeps the peasants occupied and my advisors tell me that is a good thing.

[Bee]

Originally Posted by Axxon

I'd never heard of this concept before. How many of you have done this and is it as efficient as it sounds?


Oh, and if it is so efficient, why hasn't it caught on elsewhere?

Not many places have the traffic issues that DC has (even places that have as much traffic congestion don't necessarily have the same issues). A lot of things have to fall into place for a slugging line to be successful, otherwise you don't have the demand for it to work.

[Bee]

Originally Posted by wade moore

This was my first reaction as well when I heard about this like 10 years ago. But it has been going strong in the DC Area as far as I know without incident, or at least without many.

Looking here - http://www.slug-lines.com/ - it looks like this may have actually started in the DC area almost 30 years ago. I was looking there to try and get a number, but I would say 1,000's of people a day do it in the DC Area and there are not incidents. It is, somehow, very safe.

I'm guessing it's safe because a criminal isn't going to want to rob someone when they could be identified by dozens of other people.

[Toddzilla]

When I worked in DC, I'd pick up slugs every day for 3 years, and it worked out great. There's a line of people in the parking lot and another line of cars to pick people up. The person at the head of the line asks the cars where they are going (Pentagon, Constitution Ave, K St, etc) and how many riders they need. You pile 'em in and hit the HOV lanes. From Burke, this saved us 30-45 minutes of traffic. On the way home, there are pick-up points and the same thing happens - you tell em where you're going and how many you need. VDOT even provides transportation to the poor slugs left behind at the end of rush hour.

You get to know some regulars - know who's chatty and who wears too much cologne - but by-and-large everyone is friendly and pleasant to be around. I even made a very good friend from the slug line that I still kepp in touch with.

There has never been one single incident of any malfeasance of any sort in the Virginia slug lines.

[gottimd]

Wow, never heard of this, but I commute from the other side of DC, not from NOVA and according to the Map, there are no slug lines near me. I am fine with the metro as it is easy and very accessible and direct for me.

I'm suprised there aren't any carjacking, murders, etc associated with this idea. It's not too often that picking up strangers whether it be going to work in the morning or not is not going to be 100% safe.

Now, if they could only have slug lines of sober people to drive us drunkards home after we stay just a tad bit too long for happy hour and you stumble to the metro only to find out that it has closed.

[rkmsuf]

Right but how do you get to the slug line and where do you park?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Right but how do you get to the slug line and where do you park?

They're generally at commuter parking lots.

If you don't have those where you are, they're used for carpools/buses also. Just essentially gigantic parking lots that are meant for people to store their cars out in the suburbs for the day while they carpool or take the bus.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by wade moore

They're generally at commuter parking lots.

If you don't have those where you are, they're used for carpools/buses also. Just essentially gigantic parking lots that are meant for people to store their cars out in the suburbs for the day while they carpool or take the bus.

And alot of communities, by me at least, offer bus rides either to these lots or to the actual metro itself for free.

Where are these slug lines in DC to go back home?

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by gottimd

And alot of communities, by me at least, offer bus rides either to these lots or to the actual metro itself for free.

Where are these slug lines in DC to go back home?

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

On the way home, there are pick-up points and the same thing happens - you tell em where you're going and how many you need. VDOT even provides transportation to the poor slugs left behind at the end of rush hour.

I haven't ever slugged myself, but my understanding is what Todd says here. There are some "standard" points for drop-off/pickup like the Pentagon, Const. Ave, etc. I don't think they generally drop you at your office door. So, the drop-off points are the same place people go on foot to be picked up.

Someone else can probably give a better answer though.

[rkmsuf]

Orgnaized hitchhiking. Brilliant!

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I haven't ever slugged myself, but my understanding is what Todd says here. There are some "standard" points for drop-off/pickup like the Pentagon, Const. Ave, etc. I don't think they generally drop you at your office door. So, the drop-off points are the same place people go on foot to be picked up.

Someone else can probably give a better answer though.

This would be helpful if the other side of DC/MD did this and not just SW DC and NOVA.

[lordscarlet]

OK. I suppose I am obligated to tell my slug line story.

I will preface this with a lighthearted story, just to set the mood. If you peruse the archives of the message boards at slug-line.com you can probably find references to a situation we had at the Fredericksburg, VA Slug Line when I lived there (doing a quick search all I found was: hxxp://slug-lines.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=937&SearchTerms=smell,fredericksburg). There was a woman who was easily 350 pounds that road the slug line. That issue alone is not all that important. However, she also did not seem to be a fan of bathing. Add the two together and you have a morbidly obese woman that has an excessive body odor problem. Slowly the slug line drivers learned this. Many of them began to wait in the back of the parking lot if she was next in line and waited for an unsuspecting driver to pick her up before they made their way to the line. Eventually people started discussing it on the message board and a lot of people got fed up. Drivers started to pull up and say, "I'll take two riders, but not you."

When I stopped riding the slug line she was still there, so I don't know what ever happened.

Now on to story number two. When I had my house in Fredericksburg I lived with my fiance. We rode the slug line to and from work together. As we did so, we got to know this guy from down the street and he was often the third rider in the car. My fiance was not a fan or riding in the slug line with strangers, so when I worked late she would make sure he was in the car as well. So, for those of you that haven't seen this coming from the third sentence, one thing led to another and we are no longer engaged. For reference, she was 22 and engaged and he was 32, married, with two kids. So, guys, watch your ladies if you let them ride the slug line.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by wade moore

I haven't ever slugged myself, but my understanding is what Todd says here. There are some "standard" points for drop-off/pickup like the Pentagon, Const. Ave, etc. I don't think they generally drop you at your office door. So, the drop-off points are the same place people go on foot to be picked up.

Someone else can probably give a better answer though.

The drop off points are generalized areas - except for the Pentagon which is very specific. For example, I worked on 16th and K, so we could pick up people who wanted to get dropped off at Independence or Constitution, and the people who wanted 14th street could ride further with us if they wanted to.

Driving IN to the city, drivers were very specific as to where you are going, so slugs could choose a car that got them pretty close. Coming back, your destinations were always back to the pick-up points (we dropped off at Bob's in Springfield or the Rolling Valley commuter lot).

To make pick up easier in the evenings - since basically you're stopping at a major intersection in DC - drivers would out signs in their windows and slugs would sometimes hold up little signs where they were going. The slug website even has some you can print out.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Drivers started to pull up and say, "I'll take two riders, but not you."

I'm familiar with a few stories like that. One government type I drove in a few times originally had a pretty bad personal hygiene problem, which went away one day. Talking to other slugs it seems a driver broached the subject with him on a drive one day and he took care of the problem. Everyone wins!

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

Now on to story number two. When I had my house in Fredericksburg I lived with my fiance. We rode the slug line to and from work together. As we did so, we got to know this guy from down the street and he was often the third rider in the car. My fiance was not a fan or riding in the slug line with strangers, so when I worked late she would make sure he was in the car as well. So, for those of you that haven't seen this coming from the third sentence, one thing led to another and we are no longer engaged. For reference, she was 22 and engaged and he was 32, married, with two kids. So, guys, watch your ladies if you let them ride the slug line.

That's horrible! I'm so sorry.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

The drop off points are generalized areas - except for the Pentagon which is very specific. For example, I worked on 16th and K, so we could pick up people who wanted to get dropped off at Independence or Constitution, and the people who wanted 14th street could ride further with us if they wanted to.

I used to work at 16 & K.

Originally Posted by MikeVic

That's horrible! I'm so sorry.

It is, but I'm not. 4 years later and I am engaged to a girl that is 100x better.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

I used to work at 16 & K.

1666 K St. back in 1996-2000 - former Anderoid.

[Butter]

So, what happens to the extra riders who didn't get a ride in?

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

So, what happens to the extra riders who didn't get a ride in?

they get run over

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

1666 K St. back in 1996-2000 - former Anderoid.

1016 K St. in... 2002?

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

So, what happens to the extra riders who didn't get a ride in?

I've never seen it happen. More often cars start showing up and there's no one to pick up (in my experience).

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

It is, but I'm not. 4 years later and I am engaged to a girl that is 100x better.

I can vouch for this.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

1666 K St.

Not too far from there now.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by gottimd

Not too far from there now.

I'm working at 19 & E now. And I live at 13 & P.

[gottimd]

18 and L here. I commute in from the Burbs though on the good old red line.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by Butter_of_69

So, what happens to the extra riders who didn't get a ride in?

Worst case scenario is the riders in the lot go back to their cars and drive in solo - more likely is that they can carpool amongst themselves.

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by lordscarlet

1016 K St. in... 2002?

My office was on the corner next to Farragut Square - where the bike messengers hung out and smoked weed all day.

You're down the block past the BK and Archibalds, right?

BTW, whatever happened to Wall Street Deli? Those used to be everywhere...

[Subby]

I work at 13th & Pennsylvania (overlooking Freedmon Plaza)...used to work at One Dupont Circle

My wife worked at Andersen when Toddzilla was there but at the 18th & M office across from National Geographic (although she occasionally went over to the K street office).

We used to live over in Palisades (near Georgetown) and then moved to Connecticut and Tilden (between Cleveland Park and Van Ness).

Now we live in ze 'burbs...

[Subby]

Originally Posted by gottimd

18 and L here. I commute in from the Burbs though on the good old red line.

The organization I work for now used to have their offices at 18th & L...

[Pumpy Tudors]

I WORK AT 359TH AND Z!!!!!!

[Subby]

YOU HAD ME AT MUSTACHE

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Subby

The organization I work for now used to have their offices at 18th & L...

Eeeewwwwwwwww I sit in Subbys old office

[Subby]

I HOPE YOU ARE ALSO WORKING SANS PANTS! DOES THAT CHAIR STILL SQUEAK????

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by Axxon

I'd never heard of this concept before. How many of you have done this and is it as efficient as it sounds?



hxxp://www.slug-lines.com/Slugging/About_slugging.asp

Oh, and if it is so efficient, why hasn't it caught on elsewhere?

Are you sure it hasn't caught on elsewhere?

I've heard of the same thing in Houston.

[SplitPersonality1]

Damn these old eyes.

I keep mis-reading this thread title as "Shagging sounds like a great idea.".....


Now that I think about it....it does.

[gottimd]

Originally Posted by Subby

I HOPE YOU ARE ALSO WORKING SANS PANTS! DOES THAT CHAIR STILL SQUEAK????

You hope? People work WITH pants on?

[Crim]

Originally Posted by Subby

This is something that keeps the peasants occupied and my advisors tell me that is a good thing.

This cracked me up.

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by SplitPersonality1

Damn these old eyes.

I keep mis-reading this thread title as "Shagging sounds like a great idea.".....


Now that I think about it....it does.

Did you read my story?

[lordscarlet]

I am no longer at 16 & K, but yes, I was past Burger King and Archibald's (for those unaware, he went straight for the strip club reference )

My fiance works at PWC at 13 & K.