Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
For how many years have you been driving?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm thirty six. I've been driving for about twenty years now.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Yeah, let's call it twenty years and give or take
a question for you. Have you ever been pulled over
or busted for rat running?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Oh? Rat running?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Rat running?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I have been pulled over recently, but I don't know
what rat running is.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
What is that?
Speaker 5 (00:24):
You know that term rat running? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yeah, it's a very common to me?
Speaker 5 (00:29):
Is that because you get pulled over all the time?
Speaker 6 (00:31):
Why was he pulled over?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
I'm going to get there, I'm going to go.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I had like a brake light out, you know, it's
you know, DC traffics to dickens. Those the lights, there's
like five different arrows. It gets dark.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
So wait, so you got busted for having a tail
light that was out?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
No, they just keep checking on me, that's all. I
don't know what rat racing is though yet.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Well it's rat running, rat running, rat running. I can't believe.
Aren't you familiar rat running? Seriously, rat running, it's very
common rat running. Oh the okay, don't you.
Speaker 6 (01:13):
Have the term right?
Speaker 1 (01:15):
The term right?
Speaker 6 (01:16):
Because rat racing that is a thing that's where you
race rats.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
This has this has nothing of.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
The rat race. Let's just go go go.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Oh this has nothing. Oh you know what, isn't that funny?
So rat running?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Okay, So let's say, for example, let's say, for example,
you're approaching an intersection right, so you are, you're going
you're going north. There's north, south, east, west, right, so
you're going north. You thank you, you're going north. And
you get to you get to a light and it
is congested like it is a long backup.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So you would either cut through.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Like a oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
A gas station, a parking lot or what ever. So
that way you could kind of get off to the right,
circle back on, and then make another right and jump
past that light.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
That is called rat running.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
That's kind of like what we do when we go
down Pubic Alley.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
No see, I'll tell you what the difference is there.
I'll tell you what the difference is there. If you
were so we cut through so we don't have to
get to that light at Rockville Pike. Right, If you
cut through Pubic Alley and then found a way to
get back onto Montrose and cross Rockville Pike, that would
be rat running because you're avoiding that intersection.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But I do it regularly.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
The like, Yes, sir, I do it all the time.
I think I stopped being insane about two years ago.
I mean, it's open, it's why open. I'm freeing the
space for the guy behind me too.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
You know, indeed, what is is rat running is rat running.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I got a job to do.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Amen. Is rat running illegal?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I heard someone tell me it was technically illegal, but
I mean they weren't an expert, so I don't know.
Speaker 7 (03:09):
I remember when my favorite guy have probably going to Benson.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I remember, I remember in Houston when we.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yeah, when I used to when I that's where I
first started driving, when I was in high school in Houston.
I remember always being told you can't cut through a
parking lot to beat the traffic. But I don't know
if that was like you were just told that, or
if it was against the law.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
I've never get on the books.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I've never gotten Yes, I never Christian.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Will you do me a favor? A matt stick with me?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
You're the co host of the show today, will you
CHRISTI will you do me a favorite?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Will you see? Will you find me somebody who knows
the rules and the laws of rat running? Please? First
of all, I hope I'm not using a term.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
That people don't know, And how come nobody is.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Said, oh, okay, never mind, my bad, My bad, I
shouldn't have dumped you there, I shouldn't have dumped you.
Oh no, no, Christian, will you do me? Will you
do me a favor? Will you find me somebody who
knows either the laws or the ins and outs of
rat running. And again, if I'm if I'm using a
term that you don't know, this term is used globally,
(04:24):
does go by any other names? Cutting through parking lot
I don't know?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know eight sixty six to Elliott
eight six six two three five five four six eight.
However they do they do say it's dangerous, which it
can be. I do understand that. Yeah, Like there there
is a light on Langston on my way in that
(04:53):
is that that takes forever? And if I get stuck there,
I will cut through.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I'll get Now, I'm not doing it to beat traffic,
but I am doing it to beat the lame time.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
So I'll get there. I'll make a right into seven eleven.
I drive through the seven eleven parking lot. I come
out on the other side, which is the cross street.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
I then make a right on red, which is illegal
to get back on the Langston. And by the way,
if any Arlington.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
County police are listening and it's illegal, just say the
word and then I keep going. And I always beat
the light before it turns because I can see as
I go down the hill the light's just starting to
turn green, and I have now passed.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
I probably saved myself a minute. Now.
Speaker 7 (05:34):
I know you're saying that you're not avoiding traffic, you're
avoiding a light. But isn't by your definition rat running
avoiding a light too?
Speaker 6 (05:43):
Yeah, I mean you're a reason there's congestion.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
You're avoiding the congestion or the light at the intersection.
Speaker 6 (05:49):
Yea, the same thing.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Mean, yes, it is. It is.
Speaker 7 (05:52):
Do you always have to make it to the cross
street or is it also considered rat running if you
just cut through a parking lot to then cut back
into the same road.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
So like the traffic is really back. Ye So I'm
just trying to cut off some traffic.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
The way that I understand it is you're doing it
to beat the cross street.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
You're doing it to beat to get beyond the congestion.
So you need to get to the other side the
next road. That's my understanding. That's my understanding.
Speaker 7 (06:23):
I feel like I'm with you that growing up, I
was under the impression it was illegal.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, but is it illegal or you just being told
don't do it?
Speaker 6 (06:31):
Is it just bad form?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Because I mean, I mean we just do it all
the time through gas stations. Gas stations are the best.
I'll tell you seven corners do it over there all
the time by Alamo Flag.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Absolutely do it all the time.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Now, what if you screw yourself and there's a median
on the cross street.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I've been caught on that. Then you got to make
that right, you gotta go all the way down and
that's where you go. I know it says no turn,
but I am U turn?
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Is anybody around the no?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
And at that point then you lose the time, right,
That's where that's where rat running got you.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Like they were like, ah, but yeah, we used to do.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
And then again like you would see or you'd have
to turn like into the entry too, like a neighborhood
and you're like, uh, this sucks. But you would see
the no U turn sign and just be like nope,
I'm U turn and I don't care.
Speaker 6 (07:22):
And have you picked out.
Speaker 7 (07:24):
When you do this, a car nearby you in that
original line, so you can kind of track gauge your.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
How much how much you saved?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Uh, yeah, that's part of being American is to know
how far how they didn't even make it through. Yeah,
you want to make sure that that red Subaru isn't also.
Speaker 7 (07:40):
Up there, but your progress, like you said, can be thwarted.
And then you see that red Subaru go right on
it's mery way, and.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Then you curse them like they did anything wrong. Where
am I going kristin line too? Hi Ellie in the morning, Yes, sir, yes,
sir rat run. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (08:01):
So I actually did that when I was going through
Driver's ed with my driving instruct a whun. I was
like fifteen, and I didn't think anything of it because
my I saw my dad do it.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
All the time, like growing up.
Speaker 8 (08:12):
So he was like, had the light light turn right,
but there's a lot of traffic, So I turned into
the far right lane for the gas station cut through
and kept going Ali go over.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
He just staring at me.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
He's like, what the hell was that?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I was like, Oh, my bad.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Same time, By the way, that is a ballsy move
in Driver's a dude, that is a ballsy move.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Now I do have a I didn't feel me.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, good for you. I do have a question.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
If you're just trying to beat the right and you
cut through the parking lot, now you're not trying to
get to the other side of the cross street, is
that still technically rat running.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Boarding the traffic? So it might be.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I mean, you're you're still cutting the light. I'm just
gonna say yes, I'm gonna say yet when it's broken down. Yeah,
I'll give you that. I'll give you that.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Good for you. And again, great set a nuts on
you doing it during driver's ad. Damn, I would have
been terrified.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
The most nervous I've ever been driving.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yes, is in driver's ad.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
No no, no, no, turned behind the wheel stuff?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yeah no, No. Driver's test is worse than driver's ad.
Where am I going? Line one?
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Hi?
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Elliot the morning? Hey, Hey, who's this?
Speaker 4 (09:27):
This is Tim from Richmond.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yes, sir, rat running.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
In Virginia. It is illegal.
Speaker 9 (09:35):
It was roughly I'm the same maybe ten or fifteen
years ago. That law of change where you cannot cut
through a parking lot to avoid a light.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Why why?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I don't know how to change it, but changed it.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
No, but so when they so they did change you
said they changed that about ten fifteen years ago.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
I think I'm right on that timeframe.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
That sounds about right, you know, I don't why do
I have no memory of that?
Speaker 1 (10:03):
And that would stick out to me? That would stick
out to me. I have no memory of that law change.
Speaker 8 (10:09):
That's the only.
Speaker 9 (10:09):
Reason I remember it, because it just stuck out, like damn,
I can't do that anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Do you still do it?
Speaker 7 (10:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Yeah, of course, of course.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Everybody, by the way, find me the way, Hey, thank you, sir.
Find me the one person that says they've never done it,
I'm going to find you a liar.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
But if that law has changed, are people really getting
ticketed for this?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Well, if it's against the law, But.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
Is it something that cops are pulling people.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Over for, Well, wouldn't they have to see you do it?
Speaker 6 (10:36):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Like if I just pull into the gas or seven
eleven or gas station, which is and this is a biggie,
depending on how much traffic there is, you pull through
the gas station, you drive by, and you say, look
at the pump, like you're gonna guess.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
I'm not doing it? Yes, can you do expensive? I
guess I don't know.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I mean, the cop would have to follow you through
to make sure that's what you're doing. If I just
pull through seven eleven, they don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
Right. If you leaned over and looked at the prices
because maybe the big board was off or obscured or whatever,
and shook your head, that could seem pretty legitimate.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yeah, but it's also like, now I'm wasting time. I'm
trying to get there quicker, and it's then I'm like
driving by looking at how much.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
The gas is stops, Like he said, you got to
beat your act to well, that's highlight robbery and then
go on your ring.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I'd rather run out.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
Josh says he does this all the time.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I believe that. I believe that at.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
At least three times a week. And he does it
on ninety five through the rest stops. So he was
just in New York over the weekend. I wonder if
he did it on his trip up or down.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Of course he did.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Now I will say this, where you have freeways that
Josh isn't alone here, freeways that have easy on, easy off.
If there's a backup, sometimes I'll take the exit and
they get.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Rid of John. Thank you. I do it all the time,
and I counted. I'm like, where's that red super.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Way back line six? Hi elliot in the morning?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
All right, good morning, yes, sir.
Speaker 8 (12:15):
And this bank that people used to cut through all
the time put up a sign said and next time
you cut through our parker, please stop, buy and use
our bank.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Happens all the time.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
The oh, well, you know what. Nice on them to
be kind. But now let me ask you. This is it?
And where where is this bank? Where are you calling
me from?
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well, I'm from southern Maryland, but this is from Waldorf.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
My brother used to live there.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Oh, so I wonder if but so they said in Virginia.
Well that one guy said, Virginia change it in Maryland?
Is it illegal?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I do not know, That's what I told Christian.
Speaker 8 (12:47):
I did not know the laws, but I thought it
was funny as a kid when I was starting to
learn to drive and we saw that sign, and trust me,
my parents and my brother used it every time.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
So yeah, I mean, what is the what is the horn?
Like I'm trying to say, thank you sir, like other
than you're putting more traffic into parking lots. But parking
lots are meant for traffic.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
For the businesses that hope to be patronized.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
Yeah, but yeah, they want you to park.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Okay, But like I'm trying to think, like Walmart, Right,
I went to Walmart this weekend. Well, there are a
bunch of businesses around there that share the same parking lot.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
They're not pissed that. They're probably pissed that I'm going
to not using all of them. But I'm going to Walmart.
I'm still cutting through quote their parking lot to park
my car and go to Walmart.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
That's the other reason ours would never count because technically
our parking lot is connected to.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Yeah, ours isn't ours? Isn't?
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Now?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I do bet there is a technicality that you are
cutting through to not go to the light.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
The light you can't turn left.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
No, No, you gotta go all the way down then
come back.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Well, what you should do is just not make that turn,
go straight on mantros, make the left on three pot
fifty five, come up, and then make the illegal you
turn to get back into the.
Speaker 5 (14:01):
Parking again, illegal U turn.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
What's worse? What's worse? Rat running?
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Because we're all like it's the middle of the night.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yes, by the way, I do it during the day, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Danielle writes, I have been told since ninety six never
to do it, and I have never done it.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
A liar.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
When I'm trying to think back, I've.
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Been driving since the nineties, I don't think I've done it.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
You've never cut through a parking lot to save time.
I don't believe I have.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Nothing stands out, So it's certainly not three times a
week like down the hall.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
I do know. Oh, I wish I could remember the
name of the road.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
There was a road that I used to have to
go down to when Menino lived in Leesburg. There was
a road that had a right turn lane that was
right turn only, and there was bad traffic, and Menino
was always like, don't get in that right turn lane
to think that you're going to go all the way
up and then cut the traffic, Yeah, because cops are
up there all the time. Well, sure as f I
drove up in that right turn lane, cop up there
(14:58):
in the corner, I was like, well, I'm taking a.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Right and do you know how far I had to
go to come back? Oh God, they got me. I'm sorry.
Where am I going Kristen Line seven? Hi Ellie in
the morning.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Good morning, sir. How are you?
Speaker 1 (15:10):
I am doing great? Thank you? You're a rat runner?
Speaker 4 (15:14):
No, well to I'm retired police.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Oh where where? Where are you an officer? Maryland, Virginia or.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
D C elsewhere in Maryland? I was up in Maryland.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Is is rat running against the law in Maryland? Yes?
Speaker 4 (15:31):
So what is the law?
Speaker 10 (15:32):
What the law says is driving across private property to
avoid a traffic control device?
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Which is now?
Speaker 10 (15:38):
Yes, yes, parking lots, the gas station, seven elevens, they
are all technically private property that's open to the public.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Oh, yes, but open to the public. It's the prepositional phrase,
open to the public. Thank you so? And what is
the what is the what is the ticket?
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Uh? I think it's uh. When I was working ou,
I think it was a ninety dollars one point violation.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
One point?
Speaker 5 (16:03):
You you can't handle points? No, I don't have any room.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
I don't need points.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Hey, what is the But how does the no disrespect officer?
But how do you guys know that that's what we're doing.
Speaker 10 (16:14):
It's kind of one of those luck of the draw
seeing things. Unless we have a specific problem with a
specific intersection, like you just be sitting across the intersection
from somebody and nobody sees you. You watch somebody do it,
and yes, every time you pull somebody over for it,
especially through a gas station. Well I thought about getting gas,
but idn't know I decided not to.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Oh so it wasn't a novel.
Speaker 10 (16:39):
Thought that I had, No sir, No, you were not
the first, but you ask somebody why earlier, And the
only reason I ever came up with is because it
messes up the traffic flow of the intersection itself. Each
traffic intersection is studied. That's why they have the cameras
that aren't like, let me give you a ticket camera,
(16:59):
but they observed the intersection in the traffic. That's what
sets how the lights change for which side of the
intersection needs to go longer or shorter, and sometimes that
you cutting through there could mess up that traffic flow.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Is the only reason I was ever told that. That's
the reason it was illegal.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
So it's not like safety, like, oh, pedestrians in the
parking lot.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
I mean, yeah, I'm sure that has something to do
with it.
Speaker 10 (17:24):
If you you're trying to do you know, forty mile
an hour through a seven to eleven parking lot while
mom's walking out with her kidd and slurpy.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
Probably a bad idea.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Well, I was going to get a slurpee, but the
prices off a serve too. Hi, I thought it was
July eleventh. All right, very good, very good, Thank you, sir,
Thank you. My f ouch shadwrights On X received the
ticket for this.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Several years ago in Harrisonburg, business had complained about rat
running and a cop posted up there during peak hours.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Oof.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
I want to know what business it is. Could you
have told a.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
Story and claimed you were going to stop there but
change your mind?
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Oh, I let you know. I forgot my wallet. Now,
well you can't do that because then you don't have
a lot.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
No, you gotta be real expressive so he can see
the windows.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
Here's a tinted the Uh.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
When there's a cop around there? All down, all down?
I know it's raining. Hi, elliot in the morning. Hello, Yeah, Hi,
here's that.
Speaker 8 (18:28):
There's me as Dave Burke, Virginia.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Hey, what's going on?
Speaker 10 (18:30):
Dude?
Speaker 1 (18:30):
How are you?
Speaker 8 (18:32):
Pretty good? Way back when I'm an old geezer, but
back about nineteen I think it was nineteen eighty eight.
It was a high school down in Florida. We had
a two main roads lead into the beach, and we
had a big old gas station on the corner. So
I used to breathe through it all the time. So
one time this led to two charges.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I did it.
Speaker 8 (18:51):
One time I cut through and all of a sudden
I get.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Down the road.
Speaker 8 (18:55):
I start speed down the road on the main road.
All sudden the cop comes flying at me, and so
I I do, like a wise ass thing, being a
young guy, I tried to cut to a subdivision and hide.
He pulls up on me and here here he was
so back in those days, fleeing the loot as long
as it didn't anybody was endangered or anything like that.
Erect anybody. They just give you a citation. But I
(19:17):
got two tickets. I got for fleeing the lout and
using a commercial zone to cut traffic.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Oh so they got you by the way taken over
avoiding the police like fleeing all day.
Speaker 8 (19:30):
Well, Well, what it was is I was going down
the road and after I after I cut through, I
was gotting down the road and I decided, okay, being
a little wise, but I decided to duck into because
there's cars around me. I was like, maybe it was me,
maybe it was not. And then they got me, and
then they didn't even rasp me or anything, because back
then it wasn't arrestable fence for fleeing. But yeah, I
(19:50):
got citation for using it was called it was back then,
it was called using a commercial zone to avoid that's
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Exactly hey, thank you sir, that's exactly that's exactly what
the officer said.
For how many years have you been driving?
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm thirty six. I've been driving for about twenty years now.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Yeah, let's call it twenty years and give or take
a question for you. Have you ever been pulled over
or busted for rat running?
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Oh? Rat running?
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Rat running?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
I have been pulled over recently, but I don't know
what rat running is.
Speaker 4 (00:23):
What is that?
Speaker 5 (00:24):
You know that term rat running? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yeah, it's a very common to me?
Speaker 5 (00:29):
Is that because you get pulled over all the time?
Speaker 6 (00:31):
Why was he pulled over?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
I'm going to get there, I'm going to go.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I had like a brake light out, you know, it's
you know, DC traffics to dickens. Those the lights, there's
like five different arrows. It gets dark.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
So wait, so you got busted for having a tail
light that was out?
Speaker 2 (00:53):
No, they just keep checking on me, that's all. I
don't know what rat racing is though yet.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Well it's rat running, rat running, rat running. I can't believe.
Aren't you familiar rat running? Seriously, rat running, it's very
common rat running. Oh the okay, don't you.
Speaker 6 (01:13):
Have the term right?
Speaker 1 (01:15):
The term right?
Speaker 6 (01:16):
Because rat racing that is a thing that's where you
race rats.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
This has this has nothing of.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
The rat race. Let's just go go go.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Oh this has nothing. Oh you know what, isn't that funny?
So rat running?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Okay, So let's say, for example, let's say, for example,
you're approaching an intersection right, so you are, you're going
you're going north. There's north, south, east, west, right, so
you're going north. You thank you, you're going north. And
you get to you get to a light and it
is congested like it is a long backup.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
So you would either cut through.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Like a oh yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
A gas station, a parking lot or what ever. So
that way you could kind of get off to the right,
circle back on, and then make another right and jump
past that light.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
That is called rat running.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
That's kind of like what we do when we go
down Pubic Alley.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
No see, I'll tell you what the difference is there.
I'll tell you what the difference is there. If you
were so we cut through so we don't have to
get to that light at Rockville Pike. Right, If you
cut through Pubic Alley and then found a way to
get back onto Montrose and cross Rockville Pike, that would
be rat running because you're avoiding that intersection.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
But I do it regularly.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
The like, Yes, sir, I do it all the time.
I think I stopped being insane about two years ago.
I mean, it's open, it's why open. I'm freeing the
space for the guy behind me too.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
You know, indeed, what is is rat running is rat running.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I got a job to do.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Amen. Is rat running illegal?
Speaker 2 (03:02):
I heard someone tell me it was technically illegal, but
I mean they weren't an expert, so I don't know.
Speaker 7 (03:09):
I remember when my favorite guy have probably going to Benson.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I remember, I remember in Houston when we.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yeah, when I used to when I that's where I
first started driving, when I was in high school in Houston.
I remember always being told you can't cut through a
parking lot to beat the traffic. But I don't know
if that was like you were just told that, or
if it was against the law.
Speaker 5 (03:38):
I've never get on the books.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
I've never gotten Yes, I never Christian.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Will you do me a favor? A matt stick with me?
Speaker 3 (03:47):
You're the co host of the show today, will you
CHRISTI will you do me a favorite?
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Will you see? Will you find me somebody who knows
the rules and the laws of rat running? Please? First
of all, I hope I'm not using a term.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
That people don't know, And how come nobody is.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Said, oh, okay, never mind, my bad, My bad, I
shouldn't have dumped you there, I shouldn't have dumped you.
Oh no, no, Christian, will you do me? Will you
do me a favor? Will you find me somebody who
knows either the laws or the ins and outs of
rat running. And again, if I'm if I'm using a
term that you don't know, this term is used globally,
(04:24):
does go by any other names? Cutting through parking lot
I don't know?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know eight sixty six to Elliott
eight six six two three five five four six eight.
However they do they do say it's dangerous, which it
can be. I do understand that. Yeah, Like there there
is a light on Langston on my way in that
(04:53):
is that that takes forever? And if I get stuck there,
I will cut through.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
I'll get Now, I'm not doing it to beat traffic,
but I am doing it to beat the lame time.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
So I'll get there. I'll make a right into seven eleven.
I drive through the seven eleven parking lot. I come
out on the other side, which is the cross street.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
I then make a right on red, which is illegal
to get back on the Langston. And by the way,
if any Arlington.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
County police are listening and it's illegal, just say the
word and then I keep going. And I always beat
the light before it turns because I can see as
I go down the hill the light's just starting to
turn green, and I have now passed.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
I probably saved myself a minute. Now.
Speaker 7 (05:34):
I know you're saying that you're not avoiding traffic, you're
avoiding a light. But isn't by your definition rat running
avoiding a light too?
Speaker 6 (05:43):
Yeah, I mean you're a reason there's congestion.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
You're avoiding the congestion or the light at the intersection.
Speaker 6 (05:49):
Yea, the same thing.
Speaker 5 (05:50):
Yeah, yeah, I.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Mean, yes, it is. It is.
Speaker 7 (05:52):
Do you always have to make it to the cross
street or is it also considered rat running if you
just cut through a parking lot to then cut back
into the same road.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
So like the traffic is really back. Ye So I'm
just trying to cut off some traffic.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
The way that I understand it is you're doing it
to beat the cross street.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
You're doing it to beat to get beyond the congestion.
So you need to get to the other side the
next road. That's my understanding. That's my understanding.
Speaker 7 (06:23):
I feel like I'm with you that growing up, I
was under the impression it was illegal.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
Yeah, but is it illegal or you just being told
don't do it?
Speaker 6 (06:31):
Is it just bad form?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Because I mean, I mean we just do it all
the time through gas stations. Gas stations are the best.
I'll tell you seven corners do it over there all
the time by Alamo Flag.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Absolutely do it all the time.
Speaker 7 (06:46):
Now, what if you screw yourself and there's a median
on the cross street.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
I've been caught on that. Then you got to make
that right, you gotta go all the way down and
that's where you go. I know it says no turn,
but I am U turn?
Speaker 5 (07:01):
Is anybody around the no?
Speaker 3 (07:02):
And at that point then you lose the time, right,
That's where that's where rat running got you.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
Like they were like, ah, but yeah, we used to do.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
And then again like you would see or you'd have
to turn like into the entry too, like a neighborhood
and you're like, uh, this sucks. But you would see
the no U turn sign and just be like nope,
I'm U turn and I don't care.
Speaker 6 (07:22):
And have you picked out.
Speaker 7 (07:24):
When you do this, a car nearby you in that
original line, so you can kind of track gauge your.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
How much how much you saved?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Uh, yeah, that's part of being American is to know
how far how they didn't even make it through. Yeah,
you want to make sure that that red Subaru isn't also.
Speaker 7 (07:40):
Up there, but your progress, like you said, can be thwarted.
And then you see that red Subaru go right on
it's mery way, and.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Then you curse them like they did anything wrong. Where
am I going kristin line too? Hi Ellie in the morning, Yes, sir, yes,
sir rat run. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (08:01):
So I actually did that when I was going through
Driver's ed with my driving instruct a whun. I was
like fifteen, and I didn't think anything of it because
my I saw my dad do it.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
All the time, like growing up.
Speaker 8 (08:12):
So he was like, had the light light turn right,
but there's a lot of traffic, So I turned into
the far right lane for the gas station cut through
and kept going Ali go over.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
He just staring at me.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
He's like, what the hell was that?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
I was like, Oh, my bad.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Same time, By the way, that is a ballsy move
in Driver's a dude, that is a ballsy move.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Now I do have a I didn't feel me.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, good for you. I do have a question.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
If you're just trying to beat the right and you
cut through the parking lot, now you're not trying to
get to the other side of the cross street, is
that still technically rat running.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Boarding the traffic? So it might be.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I mean, you're you're still cutting the light. I'm just
gonna say yes, I'm gonna say yet when it's broken down. Yeah,
I'll give you that. I'll give you that.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Good for you. And again, great set a nuts on
you doing it during driver's ad. Damn, I would have
been terrified.
Speaker 6 (09:05):
The most nervous I've ever been driving.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yes, is in driver's ad.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
No no, no, no, turned behind the wheel stuff?
Speaker 1 (09:12):
Yeah no, No. Driver's test is worse than driver's ad.
Where am I going? Line one?
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Hi?
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Elliot the morning? Hey, Hey, who's this?
Speaker 4 (09:27):
This is Tim from Richmond.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yes, sir, rat running.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
In Virginia. It is illegal.
Speaker 9 (09:35):
It was roughly I'm the same maybe ten or fifteen
years ago. That law of change where you cannot cut
through a parking lot to avoid a light.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Why why?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
I don't know how to change it, but changed it.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
No, but so when they so they did change you
said they changed that about ten fifteen years ago.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
I think I'm right on that timeframe.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
That sounds about right, you know, I don't why do
I have no memory of that?
Speaker 1 (10:03):
And that would stick out to me? That would stick
out to me. I have no memory of that law change.
Speaker 8 (10:09):
That's the only.
Speaker 9 (10:09):
Reason I remember it, because it just stuck out, like damn,
I can't do that anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
Do you still do it?
Speaker 7 (10:15):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (10:16):
Yeah, of course, of course.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Everybody, by the way, find me the way, Hey, thank you, sir.
Find me the one person that says they've never done it,
I'm going to find you a liar.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
But if that law has changed, are people really getting
ticketed for this?
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Well, if it's against the law, But.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
Is it something that cops are pulling people.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
Over for, Well, wouldn't they have to see you do it?
Speaker 6 (10:36):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Like if I just pull into the gas or seven
eleven or gas station, which is and this is a biggie,
depending on how much traffic there is, you pull through
the gas station, you drive by, and you say, look
at the pump, like you're gonna guess.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
I'm not doing it? Yes, can you do expensive? I
guess I don't know.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I mean, the cop would have to follow you through
to make sure that's what you're doing. If I just
pull through seven eleven, they don't know what I'm doing.
Speaker 7 (11:01):
Right. If you leaned over and looked at the prices
because maybe the big board was off or obscured or whatever,
and shook your head, that could seem pretty legitimate.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Yeah, but it's also like, now I'm wasting time. I'm
trying to get there quicker, and it's then I'm like
driving by looking at how much.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
The gas is stops, Like he said, you got to
beat your act to well, that's highlight robbery and then
go on your ring.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
I'd rather run out.
Speaker 6 (11:27):
Josh says he does this all the time.
Speaker 1 (11:30):
I believe that. I believe that at.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
At least three times a week. And he does it
on ninety five through the rest stops. So he was
just in New York over the weekend. I wonder if
he did it on his trip up or down.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Of course he did.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Now I will say this, where you have freeways that
Josh isn't alone here, freeways that have easy on, easy off.
If there's a backup, sometimes I'll take the exit and
they get.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
Rid of John. Thank you. I do it all the time,
and I counted. I'm like, where's that red super.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Way back line six? Hi elliot in the morning?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
All right, good morning, yes, sir.
Speaker 8 (12:15):
And this bank that people used to cut through all
the time put up a sign said and next time
you cut through our parker, please stop, buy and use
our bank.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
Happens all the time.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
The oh, well, you know what. Nice on them to
be kind. But now let me ask you. This is it?
And where where is this bank? Where are you calling
me from?
Speaker 2 (12:34):
Well, I'm from southern Maryland, but this is from Waldorf.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
My brother used to live there.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
Oh, so I wonder if but so they said in Virginia.
Well that one guy said, Virginia change it in Maryland?
Is it illegal?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I do not know, That's what I told Christian.
Speaker 8 (12:47):
I did not know the laws, but I thought it
was funny as a kid when I was starting to
learn to drive and we saw that sign, and trust me,
my parents and my brother used it every time.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
So yeah, I mean, what is the what is the horn?
Like I'm trying to say, thank you sir, like other
than you're putting more traffic into parking lots. But parking
lots are meant for traffic.
Speaker 6 (13:11):
For the businesses that hope to be patronized.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
Yeah, but yeah, they want you to park.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Okay, But like I'm trying to think, like Walmart, Right,
I went to Walmart this weekend. Well, there are a
bunch of businesses around there that share the same parking lot.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
They're not pissed that. They're probably pissed that I'm going
to not using all of them. But I'm going to Walmart.
I'm still cutting through quote their parking lot to park
my car and go to Walmart.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
That's the other reason ours would never count because technically
our parking lot is connected to.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Yeah, ours isn't ours? Isn't?
Speaker 4 (13:42):
Now?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
I do bet there is a technicality that you are
cutting through to not go to the light.
Speaker 6 (13:48):
The light you can't turn left.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
No, No, you gotta go all the way down then
come back.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
Well, what you should do is just not make that turn,
go straight on mantros, make the left on three pot
fifty five, come up, and then make the illegal you
turn to get back into the.
Speaker 5 (14:01):
Parking again, illegal U turn.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
What's worse? What's worse? Rat running?
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Because we're all like it's the middle of the night.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Yes, by the way, I do it during the day, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Danielle writes, I have been told since ninety six never
to do it, and I have never done it.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
A liar.
Speaker 6 (14:18):
When I'm trying to think back, I've.
Speaker 7 (14:20):
Been driving since the nineties, I don't think I've done it.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
You've never cut through a parking lot to save time.
I don't believe I have.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Nothing stands out, So it's certainly not three times a
week like down the hall.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
I do know. Oh, I wish I could remember the
name of the road.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
There was a road that I used to have to
go down to when Menino lived in Leesburg. There was
a road that had a right turn lane that was
right turn only, and there was bad traffic, and Menino
was always like, don't get in that right turn lane
to think that you're going to go all the way
up and then cut the traffic, Yeah, because cops are
up there all the time. Well, sure as f I
drove up in that right turn lane, cop up there
(14:58):
in the corner, I was like, well, I'm taking a.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Right and do you know how far I had to
go to come back? Oh God, they got me. I'm sorry.
Where am I going Kristen Line seven? Hi Ellie in
the morning.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Good morning, sir. How are you?
Speaker 1 (15:10):
I am doing great? Thank you? You're a rat runner?
Speaker 4 (15:14):
No, well to I'm retired police.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Oh where where? Where are you an officer? Maryland, Virginia or.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
D C elsewhere in Maryland? I was up in Maryland.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Is is rat running against the law in Maryland? Yes?
Speaker 4 (15:31):
So what is the law?
Speaker 10 (15:32):
What the law says is driving across private property to
avoid a traffic control device?
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Which is now?
Speaker 10 (15:38):
Yes, yes, parking lots, the gas station, seven elevens, they
are all technically private property that's open to the public.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Oh, yes, but open to the public. It's the prepositional phrase,
open to the public. Thank you so? And what is
the what is the what is the ticket?
Speaker 4 (15:56):
Uh? I think it's uh. When I was working ou,
I think it was a ninety dollars one point violation.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
One point?
Speaker 5 (16:03):
You you can't handle points? No, I don't have any room.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
I don't need points.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
Hey, what is the But how does the no disrespect officer?
But how do you guys know that that's what we're doing.
Speaker 10 (16:14):
It's kind of one of those luck of the draw
seeing things. Unless we have a specific problem with a
specific intersection, like you just be sitting across the intersection
from somebody and nobody sees you. You watch somebody do it,
and yes, every time you pull somebody over for it,
especially through a gas station. Well I thought about getting gas,
but idn't know I decided not to.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Oh so it wasn't a novel.
Speaker 10 (16:39):
Thought that I had, No sir, No, you were not
the first, but you ask somebody why earlier, And the
only reason I ever came up with is because it
messes up the traffic flow of the intersection itself. Each
traffic intersection is studied. That's why they have the cameras
that aren't like, let me give you a ticket camera,
(16:59):
but they observed the intersection in the traffic. That's what
sets how the lights change for which side of the
intersection needs to go longer or shorter, and sometimes that
you cutting through there could mess up that traffic flow.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Is the only reason I was ever told that. That's
the reason it was illegal.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
So it's not like safety, like, oh, pedestrians in the
parking lot.
Speaker 4 (17:20):
I mean, yeah, I'm sure that has something to do
with it.
Speaker 10 (17:24):
If you you're trying to do you know, forty mile
an hour through a seven to eleven parking lot while
mom's walking out with her kidd and slurpy.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
Probably a bad idea.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Well, I was going to get a slurpee, but the
prices off a serve too. Hi, I thought it was
July eleventh. All right, very good, very good, Thank you, sir,
Thank you. My f ouch shadwrights On X received the
ticket for this.
Speaker 7 (17:44):
Several years ago in Harrisonburg, business had complained about rat
running and a cop posted up there during peak hours.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Oof.
Speaker 6 (17:53):
I want to know what business it is. Could you
have told a.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
Story and claimed you were going to stop there but
change your mind?
Speaker 1 (18:00):
Oh, I let you know. I forgot my wallet. Now,
well you can't do that because then you don't have
a lot.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
No, you gotta be real expressive so he can see
the windows.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
Here's a tinted the Uh.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
When there's a cop around there? All down, all down?
I know it's raining. Hi, elliot in the morning. Hello, Yeah, Hi,
here's that.
Speaker 8 (18:28):
There's me as Dave Burke, Virginia.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
Hey, what's going on?
Speaker 10 (18:30):
Dude?
Speaker 1 (18:30):
How are you?
Speaker 8 (18:32):
Pretty good? Way back when I'm an old geezer, but
back about nineteen I think it was nineteen eighty eight.
It was a high school down in Florida. We had
a two main roads lead into the beach, and we
had a big old gas station on the corner. So
I used to breathe through it all the time. So
one time this led to two charges.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I did it.
Speaker 8 (18:51):
One time I cut through and all of a sudden
I get.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Down the road.
Speaker 8 (18:55):
I start speed down the road on the main road.
All sudden the cop comes flying at me, and so
I I do, like a wise ass thing, being a
young guy, I tried to cut to a subdivision and hide.
He pulls up on me and here here he was
so back in those days, fleeing the loot as long
as it didn't anybody was endangered or anything like that.
Erect anybody. They just give you a citation. But I
(19:17):
got two tickets. I got for fleeing the lout and
using a commercial zone to cut traffic.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Oh so they got you by the way taken over
avoiding the police like fleeing all day.
Speaker 8 (19:30):
Well, Well, what it was is I was going down
the road and after I after I cut through, I
was gotting down the road and I decided, okay, being
a little wise, but I decided to duck into because
there's cars around me. I was like, maybe it was me,
maybe it was not. And then they got me, and
then they didn't even rasp me or anything, because back
then it wasn't arrestable fence for fleeing. But yeah, I
(19:50):
got citation for using it was called it was back then,
it was called using a commercial zone to avoid that's
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Exactly hey, thank you sir, that's exactly that's exactly what
the officer said.
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