Survival of the Fittest
Did you know that "survival of the fittest" was not a term used by or about Charles Darwin's book, The Origin of Species. (I didn't, until I started writing this post and did a quick google search!). I don't believe in evolution, nor do I support anything Charles Darwin claimed in his writings, but I have used the term "survival of the fittest" in conversation. I learned, only moments ago, that Charles Darwin didn't coin that phrase, preferring instead "natural selection" (meaning that animals will biologically select the fittest for mating purposes). Actually, it was an economist, Herbert Spencer, who gave us the phrase "survival of the fittest."
Why all this history and (useless) information?
Well, I had a meeting in northern Virginia yesterday, and I drove the Capitol Beltway on my commute. There is a certain section of 495 West that I really find dangerous. If you are driving along 495, headed toward Maryland, and just after crossing the Potomac and passing exit 39, you will see signs for the I-270 split in two miles. At that point, there are approximately 4 lanes of traffic and all but the right lane will split into I-270 toward Frederick. The right lane (or slow lane) will become two lanes and go on toward Silver Spring. So, everyone has two miles to decide where they're headed and change lanes if they need to. At this same point, two lanes of traffic are entering the Beltway from route 190, which is quite a main road. There are hundreds of cars pulling into that right lane trying to figure out where they are headed. This is where it gets hairy: at any given moment, twenty-five cars are changing lanes. They are crossing both left and right and doing it around tractor-trailers that are changing lanes, too, hopefully more slowly. Did you ever play Frogger? It's the same idea--watching in all three mirrors for the momentary opening in the lane next to you, while also making sure no one else gets there first, while also making sure your speed is sufficient to make the jump but not have to slam on your brakes once you get there, while also watching the guy ahead of you in your current lane in case he slams on his brakes to let someone else in. AUGHHHH.
What drives me crazy is those cars that drive 80 mph in the far left lane (fast lane) and decide at the last minute to drive across five lanes of traffic to slide right in front of everyone else just before the cut off. They can't be bothered to slow down and change lanes in a reasoned and responsible manner. No, they'll just drive like a maniac and whip in right in front of me. I am always amazed--shocked, I tell you--that there aren't more accidents in that two miles stretch that rivals Nascar for cutthroat intensity!
The Capitol Beltway, my friends, is survival of the fittest.