Dealing With Stupid People [Tuesday, August 7, 2nd period]

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

"Today, in a shocking change of pace, we'll deal with even more stupid people," Josh said, waving his hand around the Danger Shop at the simulated Yellow Line Metro stop.

"The combination of just waking up, not wanting to be going to work, not paying attention and being an idiot tourist combine to give Washington, DC some of the most ridiculous morning commutes in the country. You have two choices: You can get on the Metro," he waved his hand over his shoulder towards the station, "where you will have to get yourself a Metro pass, go in the correct direction, transfer through Metro Center, one of the scariest places at 8:15 in the morning known to man, and make your way from there to the Red Line and Farragut North. Which is by the White House and therefore awesome. If you screw up and end up at Farragut West, I will mock you. On this commute, you will encounter tour gaggles of idiot middle schoolers, women with baby carriages who won't move towards the center of the car, and people without enough coffee to be paying attention. You are not allowed to scream or throw things unless they really, really deserve it."

"Or! You can get in one of these handy cars--" he pointed to the provided cars, "get onto I-395, go across the 14th Street Bridge and try to find parking near the White House without getting run over by an illegal cab driver, cut off by someone who thinks merging is a sign of weakness, or exiting at the wrong spot and end up in a giant Pentagon parking lot. At which point I will also mock you."

He clapped his hands together. "Work in teams of two--that gets you into the High Occupancy Vehicle lane on the highway and makes for more entertainment on the Metro. First team to the fake White House gets a real White House tour from me this weekend."

He clapped his hands together. "Don't just stand there like you've wandered off the Greyhound from South Dakota! Move!"

Comments

Drive!

[professor-lyman.livejournal.com]

Having a license, or a working knowledge of what a car is, even, is not required.

Re: Drive!

[falcon-or-blade.livejournal.com]

Faile stood near the cars, staring across at the Metro station. So much of what Josh had said made absolutely no sense and she was starting to think of this class as weekly torture. She'd seen cars on TV at least. She new nothing of how to operate one though. Maybe someone would take pity on her?

Re: Drive!

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

Alec was quite happy to accost a pretty girl. "Hey, wanna lift?" He shot her a grin as he headed over towards one of the cars.

Re: Drive!

[falcon-or-blade.livejournal.com]

Faile grinned back. "If by lift you mean ride with you in the car, then yes," she said. "I didn't understand his directions for the other option at all."

Re: Drive!

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

"The Metro?" Alec glanced back at the station and shrugged. "Hell if I know either," he said, looking to the cars again. "Never had to navigate a transit system. But vehicles? Vehicles I know." He grinned at Faile again as he moved to open the passenger side door for her. "By the way, I'm Alec."

Re: Drive!

[falcon-or-blade.livejournal.com]

Faile nodded her thanks for the open door and climbed in. "It is nice to meet you, Alec. I am called Faile. Thank you for... the lift."

Re: Drive!

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

"Pleasure, Faile. More fun to go with a passenger anyway," Alec said, making sure she was all the way in before closing the door and circling the car to slide into the driver's seat. "All belted in?"

Re: Drive!

[falcon-or-blade.livejournal.com]

Faile gave him a wide eyed stare. "Am I what?" she asked.

Re: Drive!

[x5-alec.livejournal.com]

Alec grinned and reached over his shoulder for his own seat belt to demonstrate, clicking it into the other side. "This thing. Called a seat belt, it's basically a safety harness, in case of accident. Not that I think we'll be in one, but better that than going flying through the windshield," he said, indicating the wide front window of the car.

Turning the car on as I mod the keys being in the ignition, oh-ho, Alec let it idle a second to let Faile get used to it, giving her an appraising look. "Ready now?"

Re: Drive!

[imcalledandros.livejournal.com]

Andros looked at the cars as he waited for someone to work with and wondered if driving one was like flying a spaceship.

Re: Drive!

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah stood next to one of the cars.

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Having a mild case of claustrophobia, Rodney wasn't about to get on the Metro. All those bodies packed into an enclosed space with very little ventilation and no way out. He was getting a little dizzy just imagining it. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the cars.

Re: Drive!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

Leaning against one of the cars, John called out, "Hey, Rodney. You looking for a driver or a passenger?"

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Rodney considered John for an second. "I need a driver," he said, guessing that was what John would prefer. And, honestly, Rodney knew himself well enough to know that there was a high probability he'd panic if the traffic got too stressful and someone merged on top of him.

Re: Drive!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Great, you can be my passenger," John said motioning to the cherry red sports car he was leaning against and moving to take the driver's seat.

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Rodney almost backed away when he saw that the car John had picked was a total deathtrap. But it wasn't like he could actually die in a simulation. He'd handwavily checked the safety protocols the first week he was there. "Oh joy," he said flatly as he got into the passenger's side and fastened his seatbelt. One could never be too careful, even in a simulation.

Re: Drive!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

John fastened his seat belt, put the key in the ignition, and brought the engine to life with a roar. "You don't mind going fast, do you?"

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Rodney's hand was clutching the dashboard before they even started moving. "Just because this is a simulation, that doesn't mean you need to be reckless!"

Re: Drive!

[missed-the-gate.livejournal.com]

"Relax, Rodney," John said, smoothly. "I won't let anything happen to you." And then the cars wheels spun as they headed out onto the road.

"So, navigator, what road are we looking for?" John casually asked, as the car weaved in and out of lanes around other, slower moving cars.

Re: Drive!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

After taking the Metro, Charlie waited for Rodney to get out of the driving simulation, and then waited for a moment when John wasn't right there to talk to him.

"Hey! How'd the driving go?"

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

Rodney looked over his shoulder to make sure that it wasn't John she was talking to. He was quite surprised that Charlie was waiting for him. "Hi. It was, um, you know. I'm still alive," he shrugged. "You braved the Metro?"

Re: Drive!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

Charlie snickered. "Yeah, John said he liked fast things when we met. And I haven't been on a subway or Metro for a while, so I figured it's be nostalgic." She made a face. "Not so much." She bit her lip, and asked, "So. Um. Are you busy tonight?"

There. If he was, no harm, no foul, she could totally back out of her own pep-talk and not ask him out.

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

When Charlie's very first comment was about John, Rodney felt totally discouraged. He figured a polite brush-off was coming next. But wait... that didn't sound like a brush-off. "No. I'm, uh, not doing anything tonight." He hoped he didn't sound too eager.

Re: Drive!

[girlzippo.livejournal.com]

"Well, I was just wondering if you maybe would want to-- break curfew with me?" Charlie bit her lip and gave him a hopeful look. "We don't have to, though, if you don't want to get in trouble? But it's a stupid rule, and I just thought it would be fun to go out tonight."

Re: Drive!

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Oh, yes, absolutely," he nodded. No way was he passing up a chance at a second date. Trouble be damned. "That silly curfew doesn't scare me." And that was the truth. There were a lot more dangerous things out there to be scared of. Like dinosaurs, and bees, and solar radiation, and... yeah. "So, what would you like to do?"