Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

Today's featured post from the Streetsblog Network comes from member blog Greater Greater Washington. David Alpert has identified an all-too-common strain of a problem familiar to our readers, Entitled Driver Syndrome. A particularly dangerous variant of this common affliction, writes Alpert, is Entitled Driving Journalist Syndrome, or EDJS:

231502.jpgPhoto by PDXdj.

This week, epidemiologists discovered a particularly virulent caseof EDJS in WTOP's Adam Tuss, who penned a series of columns which hitthe double whammy of capitalizing on motorist frustration and financialinsecurity at the same time. Each starts out by saying, "Money issomething everyone is trying to hold onto right now, so why does itseem like local governments are trying to pick your pocket? This weekWTOP takes a look at some of the tricky ways drivers are falling victimto revenue generators around the region."

These poor victimized drivers have to contend with such "tricky" things as being ticketed for parking illegally or paying something slightly closer to a market rate for parking.The parking meter column, for example, exposes the absolute outragethat, as DC raises parking meter fares, some of the blocks still havethe old rate, and sometimes the rates on a block change from the oldrate to the new in a single day when DDOT gets the chance to updatethem. What a travesty. Government can't move fast enough, so they'removing too fast.

So far, none of Tuss's columns have cited "swiping yourSmarTrip on the Metro" as one of the ways government "picks yourpocket." One of the symptoms of EDJS is "transit blindness": theafflicted individual seems to see anything that hinders theunrestricted, cost-free movement of automobiles (tolls, gas taxes,parking fees, buildings that are in the way of more lanes, sidewalks,rivers, etc.) as an unwarranted government intrusion, but that costssuch as transit fares are just "paying your share."

Got any examples of EDJS you'd like to alert us to? Hit us in the comments.

Other stories from around the network: Sustainable Savannah wonders why bicyclists and pedestrians have to advocate for infrastructure while motorists can just sit back and enjoy the ride; WorldChanging examines a plan to revitalize Toronto's modernist highrises; and Trains for America has a video on how high-speed rail could rejuvenate the country's economy.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Bigger and Beautiful-er

There's a lot of bad news in the Big Beautiful Bill — but it also may have helped kill a major highway expansion in Oregon.

July 9, 2025

Removing ‘Rainbow Crosswalks’ Won’t Make America’s Arterials Safer

Secretary Duffy wants to tackle dangerous arterials. So why is he coming after rainbow crosswalks most often seen on narrow city roads?

July 9, 2025

The ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Is About Our Transportation Future, Too

Transportation didn't get a lot of mention in the public discussion of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. But it's everywhere.

July 8, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines of Many Colors

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called rainbow crosswalks "a distraction" and called on cities to eliminate them.

July 8, 2025

Form-Based Codes Mean More Sustainable Cities

New research shows that prioritizing building "form" over their use leads to more sustainable cities.

July 8, 2025

Monday’s Headlines Are Big and Beautiful

The ginormous GOP tax and spending bill President Trump signed on July 4 will make the air dirtier, a lot of it from tailpipe emissions.

July 7, 2025
See all posts