Lots of visitors.....lots of traffic

Boy is this week busy in Key West. Lots and lots of visitors. And with traffic still an issue due to the ongoing road repairs and improvements, I think I can speak for all locals when I say tempers are running a little high. OK, maybe really high. There is a light at the intersection of Roosevelt and Kennedy where people coming onto the island, leaving the island, or crossing the island converge. The traffic lights aren't set correctly, so when you get the turning arrow you've got to HIT IT to avoid sitting through several cycles of lights. Unfortunately, people are HITTING IT from three different directions. This same intersection is also the one I come to every morning and every afternoon to get to the girls' school. The girls say 'Green Arrow!!' and I go. Lord help the driver who doesn't.....honks and hands thrown up in the air from those behind. I've endured Washington DC Metro area traffic, so I can kind of laugh at all the commotion over adding several minutes onto our daily travels. I don't think Conchs believe me when I say that it sometimes took close to three hours from Frederick to Bethesda during a rain storm, even though it's only about 40 miles.

So these visitors, snowbirds (older folks who spend part of the winter here) and spring breakers (younger folks who are here to party on Smathers Beach) add to the traffic problems in several ways. Some of the older folks aren't the best drivers.....I'll just leave it at that. And some of the younger folks are so busy yelling out the window, texting, or whatever else to pay attention to traffic rules. Add bikes and scooters into the mix - you may be able to HIT IT because there are no cars, but here comes the dude on the bike across Roosevelt Boulevard, causing you to slam on your brakes.

And then there are the complete morons who walk out into traffic. Seriously. They want to get across the street and I swear they don't even look to see if a car is coming. My husband says they should make signs for Key West streets that say 'BECAUSE YOU ARE ON VACATION DOESN'T MEAN YOU WON'T GET HURT IF YOU GET STRUCK BY A MOVING VEHICLE.'

Paradise problems, right? That is why locals love summer. It may be humid as hell, but it's the time of year with less visitors. And less traffic.