Some of them even based their disagreement with your reporting of an event they did not witness upon a premise that all drivers follow all laws all of the time.

Somebody better run and tell Fenty, so he can give all the traffic cops the early retirement they've clearly earned.

As someone who has driven in D.C. and had backseat drivers actually tell me to speed up and cut off pedestrians trying to cross streets because they were convinced that everyone in D.C. wanted to carjack us, I find your story believable and frustrating.

As a driver, I have also frequently been kept from making turns by other drivers who were apparently in even more of a hurry than I was.

As a frequent pedestrian, I am actually surprised when cars stop for me in crosswalks. Then I remember that they're stopping because at the time I'm in some other city and state (or province). Those of you who are afraid to walk the streets of this affluent city, yet always stop for all pedestrians everywhere, I'd like to thank you both.

On my first day in D.C.'s streets as a bicyclist, I have been passed on the right by a honking car, which then herded me over to the double yellow line, where I faced oncoming rush hour traffic. So, yes, I believe that sometimes people can act selfishly and maliciously, even while operating motor vehicles.

As for whether or not it is practical for everybody to stop owning motor vehicles in order to minimize this danger, I would like to ask you to estimate the practical value of the average human life. No, you may not ever hit a pedestrian, but as long as we all use our cars as much as possible, there will be too much traffic to make respectful, safe driving practical for anyone who wants to get anywhere on time.

If you're not part of the solution, then stop kidding yourself.

I, personally, work a job that is below my qualifications and barely meets my financial requirements, but is walkable from my living situation. If these decisions are not available to you, Don, then I wish you luck in finding better opportunities to practice the enlightenment you so deeply cherish.

No it isn't and when you, as Buddhists would say, reach enlightenment, you will realize the logical fallacies you're making.

It is not actually, for you to comment on at all. In the bible, the suggestion is for one to not covet thy neighbor's oxen, in Buddhism, it's a rejection of material goods. It took me a lot of living to recognize what an obsession with other people's decisions means... I think you might want to look into that internally. Meditate on that if you will.

Because it really isn't all about you, it's not.

Calm down? I was laughing when I wrote that.

This morning I watched a man with his 4-6 year old son on a tandem bicycle attachment run 4(!) stop signs on 17th st, including one where a car had to stop in the intersection to keep from hitting him.

To be fair, I saw no bikes obey the stop signs on 17th st, so it wasn't just him.

Also, I went through an intersection on Mt Pleasant St and a pedestrian walked right in front of my car, leaving me in the middle of the intersection while she used (texted?) on her cell phone. But I'm completely used to that by now.

Quick everyone, help! Someone on the internet is wrong!

So I'ma go ahead and join the author in shouting a big FUCK YOU. When you figure out that what you do hurts everybody else then we can chat more amiably.

I know people with cars who drive their families to school and work too. I don't think they deserve my contempt but neither do they deserve a medal and certainly no more consideration on the road than I do as a walker/pedestrian which is what routinely happens because people in cars seem prone to myopia. Hey, it happens to me too the few times a year I drive. That's why I don't do it much, and when I do do it, I have to remind myself not to honk at people pushing babies in crosswalks where the light is way too short (16th and Irving springs to mind). I think people carry their beltway driving style into the city and it's just not okay! Speeding, swerving, not signaling- if you don't see it happening, you aren't paying attention. It's not great when it's happening on 495, but it's even worse when people and little children are walking around. If you can't drive calmly through areas where people live and children go to school, don't drive. That's all I'm saying.

I think this story is TOTALLY made up by the way, which is ridiculous considering it'd be pretty easy to find actual examples of traffic conflicts from all types of parties, most of which will be valid but steeped in bias. As someone who is predominantly a driver, you are more likely to remember stories that focus on your inconvenience. As a walker/biker, I'm more likely to remember stories that focus on mine. However, there's an added level of danger and potential death for a pedestrian that makes the issue a bit more personal for us (regardless I would never spit on a car because I wouldn't spit on anything).

Anyway, calm down. You're not the only person in the universe with a family's safety to consider.

My drive home through the city looks a lot like a human version of Frogger with human bag of shit after human bag of shit running across streets. I can't say they're walking against the traffic signal every time because there is no signal in the middle of a city block. Oh yes, definitely continue texting during your stroll jackball.

But they race anyway, and my duty to my fellow humans is to continue at my current speed. After all they must have walked or run into the street as part of some kind of daredevil fantasy. Therefore its my pleasure to give them the thrill of near misses as I drive through green lights. If you're in the street against traffic, expect the exhilaration of my 1,500 pounds of car sharing the road with you. I do.

And if it happens to scare you a bit that some car just drove through a green light and got really close to you, good. Thats a healthy fear thats supposed to KEEP YOU OUT OF THE F'ING STREET. Hey look all caps works for me too. sweet.

and to all you politically correct, spineless pricks who object to people telling it how it is, fuck you too. you are an excellent example of why nothing gets done in this town.

Just tonight I saw a bike courier hit the back of an elderly woman's car and yell at her because she was exiting a parking garage and stopped because traffic wouldn't let her through. Frankly, that's assault on an old woman and is far more politically conservative than a car blocking part of the sidewalk for 12 seconds.

2. My gas mileage is none of your affair, seriously. I bought my car, as did my friends who work at the city paper and drive gas guzzlers, based on the safety rating of the car and the ability to transport equipment in the back.

3. I drive 4 people every morning to 4 different locations. Two schools and two offices. If you see me driving alone in DC and you think I should take the subway, you're an ignorant fool who has his head firmly planted up his ***. You are fooling yourself with personal fantasies that have no basis in reality. I've had coworkers tell me to my face that I shouldn't drive ALONE in a big car. Yet I'm only alone for the last 5 minutes of my morning commute.

Grow up. You all are inventing lies about drivers and I'm tired of reading this self-righteous drivel from people who should be more educated than they right.

Matt, this piece will follow you throughout your career and I don't think it makes you look even sane, let alone, a good writer.

Please familiarize yourself with the deplorable state of bike paths in DC before you advise me to take more time finding one. I've got an idea. I'll give you a bike, a helmet, my home address, my office address and YOU be the genius who figures out a safe way for me to get there that doesn't involve nearly getting creamed by buses, cabs, and cars hurtling in from suburban MD. I guess I should just move closer to a bike path? (I did. Rock Creek. And it's been under construction for ages). Get a new job? And you say that I am the person who refuses to be inconvenienced? When all we're asking is that people who are driving slow down, and respect cyclists and peds? I leave myself plenty of time to get to work in the morning safely and respect the rights of others. People who refuse to go the speed limit down 16th, 14th, etc. clearly have not and do not but that is NOT MY FAULT NOR IS IT MY PROBLEM.

And lastly Matt, I see your point, but I agree with the other reader that it's undermined by the F bombs. Swearing is most effective when used judiciously.