Driving in DC takes some skill and a whole lot of patience. There is a reason that most Washingtonians recommend public transportation. If you have dared to drive in DC, it’s likely that one of these 12 things have happened to you!

1. You will miss your turn on the traffic circle and have to go around again.
Flickr/Marco Verch
Because traffic circles are the worst! Dupont Circle just might be your nemesis.
2. Someone will cut you off.
Flickr/vaxcillate
You will slam on your brakes, curse them and complain about how no one knows how to drive until…
3. You will cut someone else off.
Flickr/wck
Because you will forget where you are and be distracted and realize your exit is forty feet away.
4. You curse when you go over another pothole.
Flickr/Stephen Rees
Doesn't it alway seem that even though there is always construction that they never fix the potholes? And no matter what, you can’t avoid at least one.
5. You will narrowly hit missing a biker.
Flickr/Elvert Barnes
Every Washingtonian has a story about narrowly missing a biker (who may or may not have been in the bike lane).
6. You can never remember HOV hours or what exact time lanes open to one way traffic.
Courtesy of Wikimedia
Is it 2:45-6:10 or 3:45 to 7:10? It’s impossible to remember until you see the sign.

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7. You are detoured because of construction and 10 minutes is quickly added to your drive.
Flickr/Elvert Barnes
Or there’s construction and it shuts down an entire lane which adds 30 minutes to your drive. Basically, construction is the worst.
8. You have to slam on the brakes for a pedestrian who’s crossing at the wrong time.
Flickr/Elvert Barnes
It’s always the worst around the tourist attractions where they just think they can make the light and sprint across.
9. You keep an eye out for the red light cameras.
Flickr/takomabibelot
The second you stop looking is the second you get caught running a red light by one.
10. You get stuck behind the tourist who is driving 10 miles an hour because they are looking for parking spaces, of which there are none.
Flickr/cherryblossomwatch
We know you probably have high hopes if you have never been to DC. But trust us - there are no parking spots. Please drive the speed limit.
11. You will get a parking ticket.
Flickr/Elvert Barnes
The DC Metro police will get you at some point or another for being parked in a no parking zone, an expired meter or maybe for just being too far into the street. Anything is possible.
12. And finally, you will, without a shadow of a doubt, sit in traffic.
Flickr/Joe Schlabotnik
It doesn’t matter where you are going or what time of day it is, you will sit in traffic in DC.

So will you be driving in DC any time soon? Or maybe you just want to stick to these 11 walkable streets in DC.

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