The District government's belt-tightening has now extended into its vehicular policies.

In an memo issued June 23, Attorney General Peter Nickles addressed two issues: the use of city-owned cars in Department of Motor Vehicles driver tests, and the use of city employees' own private cars while on government business.

Regarding the former, the memo [PDF] notes that as of Aug. 1, DMV "will no longer use government vehicles for its driver's tests." That, Nickles writes, is due to "weak indemnification language" in the waivers the test-takers have to sign---those require the driver to take responsibility for any damage to the cars, unless they are "not financially capable of doing so." Such a policy, Nickles writes, "makes it virtually impossible for the District to successfully obtain reimbursement" in the case of an accident.

This, of course, poses the question: How are unlicensed drivers supposed to find a car to take their test in? And, even if they can, how are they supposed to get the car to the test site?

Read More "Taking a DMV Driver Test? Prepare to Bring Your Own Car" »

Fresh from DDOT:

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) is advising motorists that the 2600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, NW is closed to eastbound traffic because of a sinkhole. A square hole, approximately 4 feet by 4 feet, and 5 feet deep, has developed in the roadway near the bridge over Rock Creek (see attached photo).

DDOT crews are on the scene to make repairs. They are also working with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to try and reopen a lane for eastbound traffic, but delays are likely and motorists are advised to take alternate routes if possible

Any readers got pics?

UPDATE, 5:35 P.M.: WUSA-TV has a photo.

Woman In Cadillac, 1996

Drag Race, 1994

Rats hanging out in cars and eating essential parts is a common enough problem in the District of Columbia. As City Desk previously chronicled, it happens in Adams Morgan. It happens at 15th and U. Kathryn Kailian, an esthetician who lives in Dupont Circle, had to take her car in six times for service because of rat damage. At one point, she submitted a claim for the $1,200 her dealership charged to completely re-wire her vehicle. "Our insurance company dropped us," she says.

Fed up, Kailian Googled for solutions and found coyote pee. She ordered a bottle of it on the Internet, sprayed it on her engine, and hasn't had a problem since. One bottle will last her "for years" since she only spritzes every few months. The smell dissipates pretty quickly and the rats have left her alone, despite the fact that she parks in an alley with Dumpsters filled by Five Guys, Chipotle, Cosi, and other delicious-to-rats restaurants.

But how does a seller of coyote piss collect coyote piss?

Read More "Want to Know How to Get Rid of Rats? Ask the Peeman." »

Jerry of Jim's Mobile Auto Body based out of Jim's or Jerry's car introduced himself to us by talking soundlessly and pointing to the giant dent in our passenger-side door. I couldn't hear him because the giant dent prevented the window from going down. This has been the case for more than a year, when a friend having a party and trying to conserve parking told us to park at the end of her driveway. Then she forgot she needed something for said party, slammed her Honda into reverse, and CRUNCH.

We---OK, well really my husband. It's his car. I take the bus---took the car to the dealership in Northern Virginia which quoted us a price: $2,000. The door, they said, would have to be replaced. Seemed not quite right, so we said no thanks and continued to drive around with a dented door and window that would not go down. When, on occasion, I needed to spit out my gum, I would instruct my husband to roll down his window and then we would see if I had good aim. These are fun times in the car.

Then Jerry came into our lives. Jerry pulled up just as we were about to leave and told us he could fix our door, right there, in about 30 minutes, for $275. We were skeptical, but Jerry told us we could leave the car locked, we could stand right there and watch him work, and we didn't have to pay him until he was done. In cash, natch.

Read More "How to Stick It to Car Dealerships" »