Thursday Traffic | 24 June

Reader, I apologize for skipping last week's Thursday traffic. If it makes you feel better, there was a lot of traffic last Thursday. Anyway, this Thursday wasn't too much better and the tourists have started to invade public transportation. But if it weren't for the tourists, DC would be so boring. Here are a few funny things that tourists do when traveling to the nation's capital. Maybe you can learn from their mistakes?

Directions: Oh me, oh my! Whenever tourists come to DC, they always need directions. First of all, know the name of the landmark/museum/location you are trying to reach. Descriptions will only get you so far. If you are looking for the White House, then being on the National Mall won't help you. (Yeah, I know that the Capitol Building might look like it should be the White House, but it isn't.)

Segway tours: Nothing quite like a good old-fashioned tour of the capitol while riding a Segway. Be careful there.

Metro: No, this is not the subway. This is the Metro—it's run by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. It has five lines—red, orange, yellow, green and blue (apparently, a purple line might be in the works in the future)—and each line goes in two directions and ends. Try asking where you should go before getting on a train. It'll save you time and wasted effort.

Attire: The matching colors are helpful for many tourists traveling with kids. So if one child is lost, you have another child to compare with. If you only have one child, bring a picture. I'm joking, I don't want people losing their children. Keep your eye on your kids. Dress weather appropriate and the weather has been weird lately. You never know what you should bring. It gets hot and humid in DC though, so stay hydrated.

Walking: Even if you have no idea where you are going, walk with purpose. Don't wander aimlessly down sidewalks. Keep your eye on those street signs. You'll probably run into numbers, states or words like "constitution" and "independence". Backtracking doesn't hurt and you can ask for directions if all else fails. I recommend having a GPS device—then you'll always have an idea of where you need to go. Many phones support GPS now, so see if yours does.

I'm not going to talk about driving in DC. Do you not get the whole meaning of the traffic posts, reader? Seriously, I would avoid it because of the hassles and cost of parking. If you must drive, I recommend that you do a bit of research about the location so you are prepared. Valet parking helps out as does Metro parking. Look forward to more tourist antics throughout the summer.

Image via quick internet search