Doubly terrifying given your own accent, jonmc.

Heh. Actually, at the job, I have three co-workers, 2 from 'the J.P.' and one from 'Bevahley.' Whenever those three are in the same place, it's like being on the set of Good Will Hunting or something.

I never understood why people say "Pahk your cah in Hahvahd Yahd." You CAN'T park there. It's a pedestrian area, with foot paths only.

I spent a week in Boston in 1998 for a conference. Things I remember:

* Meeting an Irishman at the Bunker Hill memorial, who said, "Only Americans would put up a memorial to a battle they lost."

* Driving down a street at night and the traffic lights were flashing both red and green. WTH does that mean?

* Getting pulled over by a traffic cop for a legitimately dumb move. He let us off because we were from Seattle and "we love Griffey!".

* We asked the cop for directions to an old fort. He looked at the map and said (honest to god) "You can't get there from here."

t8: At the corner of my Boston hotel last weekend where 6 streets dumped into 1 intersection, 2 streets got green lights simultaneously. That was a WTF moment.

That's not the only place where that happens, Ardiril! When he and I were in the car, even I (a lifelong native) had trouble figuring out what lane we were supposed to be in because so many of them dump you onto a street where you don't want to be. I'm still glad I didn't kill him, or, more accurately, he didn't kill me. Am SO doing all the driving next time.

It's one reason why I'm totally not afraid to drive in Manhattan. The streets make sense, and you can't get lost.

My sister lives in Brookline, every car in her neighborhood has smashed up front and back bumpers. the answer "oh, we parallel park here," to which I had to inform her "that doesn't generally involve hitting the other cars, when done successfully."

I will never drive in Boston. I'd like to see 40.

My sister and her husband used to live out in Somerville. I've heard the Driving in Beantown stories.

Thing is, when you're at a stoplight in Boston and the light turns green, you have to count to 5 before moving forward, because there are at least three oncoming cars that are going to try to turn left at their light before you can go straight through yours. Never fails.

"more accurately, he didn't kill me. Am SO doing all the driving next time."

Me and my big mouth: "It wouldn't be the first time I defied the laws of physics." The good news is next month I get to save the expense of renting a car.