Attention ATOT Bostonians

[Kreon]

Second, I'ver witnessed and almost rear ended other cars multiple times in Boston because vehicles suddenly slow to let a driver merge. It's nice, but completely unnecessary....it's up to the merging driver to match speeds and fit in. No chicken involved unless you get an ass that speeds up and tries to close the spot, which pretty much sums up the two types of drivers in and around Boston.

You must have driven almost exclusively on Rt 3. That is the only place that happens, except for a couple exits on the northbound Expressway. It happens because the on ramps are so short. It's not possible on some of the ramps to safely hit 75-80 mph on the on ramp, thus why people slow. And I've never seen someone slow fast enough to make me almost rear-end them.

Has everything to do with the entire Cambridge area and esp. around MIT. I got very tired of dodging bicyclists who refuse to obey the rules of the road, which includes using the right hand lane (which doesn't make them a-holes, just law abiding riders, btw). It's much worse at night when they zoom across 4 lanes of traffic, no lights, no reflectors....

Wife was surprised by how stupidly the Boston students were on their bikes, too, and she grew up around there.

I don't disagree with you that many cyclists ignore the rules of the road. But a lot of drivers are pretty ignorant of them as well. Also, many cyclists that I see (especially in Cambridge as you seem to be fond of the area) are not students. Many are young professionals or even older people.

 

[DigDog]

well i didn't drive much around that area, but i had the same "these people don't know how to merge" feeling.

Idk, bad luck?

 

[preCRT]

They don't know how to merge & many don't know how to drive around a rotary.

 

[xanis]

Not worried about merging... I've spent my entire driving career in Philly and Jersey, so I'm well prepared for shitty driving.

For places to stay, how are Dorcester and Jamaica Plains?

 

[Kreon]

Not worried about merging... I've spent my entire driving career in Philly and Jersey, so I'm well prepared for shitty driving.

For places to stay, how are Dorcester and Jamaica Plains?

Both Dorchester and JP vary greatly depending on the area. Remember that Dorchester is basically the size of the rest of Boston. Dorchester has some really bad areas, and some really nice areas. JP is similar (though the bad aren't as bad as some areas in Dorchester). Check out crime maps of Boston to get an idea, or use Street View. I don't know the area especially well, so others will probably be better help.

 

[xanis]

Both Dorchester and JP vary greatly depending on the area. Remember that Dorchester is basically the size of the rest of Boston. Dorchester has some really bad areas, and some really nice areas. JP is similar (though the bad aren't as bad as some areas in Dorchester). Check out crime maps of Boston to get an idea, or use Street View. I don't know the area especially well, so others will probably be better help.

Good to know, thanks.

 

[DeviousTrap]

Not worried about merging... I've spent my entire driving career in Philly and Jersey, so I'm well prepared for shitty driving.

For places to stay, how are Dorcester and Jamaica Plains?

As someone above said, you can easily stay in the city for $200 a night with some looking, especially with how much notice you have.

Take a look at hotwire.com, a hotel in the Seaport area is $150/night for Sept. 13-15th (I just grabbed a random weekend). And plenty more near the commons for $175. There's nothing really wrong with staying outside of the city, but you create a transportation hassle for yourself that can easily be avoided.

As far as those areas, JP is slowly becoming a younger "hipster" type neighborhood, while Dorchester has both nice and bad parts. Neither is really known for having any hotels.

 

[Capt Caveman]

fwiw - my coworker broke up with his gf(who he lives with) and it's so bad, he's renting a hotel room at the Best Western on Commonwealth Ave near Fenway Park for $200/night.

 

[xanis]

The problem I'm running into isn't with the availability of hotels, it's with the extra charges. I've found more than a few good ~$170-180/night hotels... with $43-45/day valet parking. I'd like to stay downtown, but not if I have to pay $200 in parking for the few days that I'm there. Both me and the girlfriend are cool with public transit (I take it daily to work, and she takes it sometimes to NYC) so I'd prefer to save a little money on parking/hotel and spend it on some good dinners/drinks.

 

[DeviousTrap]

The problem I'm running into isn't with the availability of hotels, it's with the extra charges. I've found more than a few good ~$170-180/night hotels... with $43-45/day valet parking. I'd like to stay downtown, but not if I have to pay $200 in parking for the few days that I'm there. Both me and the girlfriend are cool with public transit (I take it daily to work, and she takes it sometimes to NYC) so I'd prefer to save a little money on parking/hotel and spend it on some good dinners/drinks.

What is parking was $80? Don't bother paying the hotel for it. Thursday night will be hard as you have to pay for a business day (Friday), which will cost you +/- $35 anywhere. But beyond that, you can keep the car parked on the weekends for $12-15 a night easily.

Try this link. You can drop your stuff off at the hotel and leave the car in one of the open-air lots in Fort Point. It's a pretty safe area and according to that site, $38 for 3 days.

 

[xanis]

What is parking was $80? Don't bother paying the hotel for it. Thursday night will be hard as you have to pay for a business day (Friday), which will cost you +/- $35 anywhere. But beyond that, you can keep the car parked on the weekends for $12-15 a night easily.

Try this link. You can drop your stuff off at the hotel and leave the car in one of the open-air lots in Fort Point. It's a pretty safe area and according to that site, $38 for 3 days.

Didn't even think about trying a garage. ~$80 total for the whole trip would be okay.

I'll take a look at some more garages. Thanks for the tip!

 

[jaedaliu]

Didn't even think about trying a garage. ~$80 total for the whole trip would be okay.

I'll take a look at some more garages. Thanks for the tip!

I went in for a massage on a Saturday, and the guy that booked the massage told me it wasn't worth it to park at the hotel. I should just park at a lot across the street.