Implied traffic norms
It's September 1st, and that means that Boston's roadways stopped working.
Why, you ask? Because we've got an influx of new college students, with their parents driving around town. Other kids are going to new schools, and parents need to figure out the new routes. And, unlike most cities in America, a significant number of Boston's intersections cease to function if people don't follow the rules.
What rules? The ones that aren't written down. Like when people are trying to drive across Comm Ave next to the BU bridge, and trying to get on Storrow drive, pedestrians should stop using that crosswalk. And drivers shouldn't try to pull a fast one from the left lane. Or, when you're getting off I-93S at Storrow drive, you don't race ahead in the right lane and try to merge at the last second. Unless you're competent, of course.
I could race through a whole bunch more (like not driving moving vans on Storrow Drive), but the effect is interesting. For the next few weeks, until people learn their routes, and apply some etiquette to them, commutes are just going to take a bit longer than usual.
I'm sure there is some deep metaphor in there for international social norms.
