What’s the one rule you need to know before moving to DC? Vice DC correspondent Alexis Johnson posed that very question to Twitter on Monday, yielding a viral wave of responses from the city’s highly-opinionated populace. Here are some of the takes:
Stand on the correct side of the escalator—or else.
On all escalators, especially metro, you stand on the right side and walk on the left. Do not break this rule.
— Robyn Swirling (@RSwirling) February 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/arya_kidding_me/status/1358950231958839297
STAND ON THE RIGHT OF THE DAMN METRO ESCALATORS, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
Also, the Smithsonian is both singular and plural.
Oh, and WELCOME to the District! 🙂— Amanda Elizabeth (@AnEloquentDane) February 9, 2021
people will literally scream at you if you’re on the left side of the metro escalator and not sprinting up
— Connor Perrett (@connorperrett) February 9, 2021
Show love for DC’s Ethiopian and Salvadoran spots.
Sorry, not just one but… Malcolm X park on Sunday afternoons (when the weather gets better/maybe post pandemic); pupusas and Habesha food; the National Arboretum
But most important: people who say “no one is actually FROM DC” are not to be trusted on anything about DC
— Elahe Izadi | الهه (@ElaheIzadi) February 9, 2021
When things open back up, stand to the right and walk to the left in escalators. The Ethiopian and Salvadoran mom and pop restaurants are the crown jewels of this city.
— Shreya Singh Hernández (@shresing) February 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/EmperorADB/status/1359052245988495361
Baked and wired for cupcakes. @andpizza for, well, pizza. Ethiopian food scene is 🔥 Summer = late nights at the monuments and jazz in the gardens. As for the metro…eh, good luck?
— Zinhle (@simplyzinhle) February 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/CIVIL1AN/status/1358959995417743360
Explore the city by foot.
this isn’t so much a rule as a suggestion: get some good walking shoes and you can see so much of the city by foot! + find your nearest farmers market, it’ll bring you so much joy! (welcome to the city!! you’ll love it here ❤️)
— natalie escobar 🎷🐛 (@_NatalieEscobar) February 9, 2021
Walk everywhere and see how the neighborhoods connect. Everything is closer than it seems. Much easier to do in the summer, but it’s the only way to really get a grasp of the city!!
— Scott Nover (@ScottNover) February 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/KatiesOrr/status/1358987142471557121
1) “The toes you step on today will be connected to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow.” Perennial advice but esp true in DC 2) Walk everywhere as much as you can. On foot you’ll see all the charms and little beauty marks of the city. Also helps with stress lol
— Del. Lesley Lopez (@LesleyJLopez) February 9, 2021
Drive at your own risk.
https://twitter.com/alanrothdc/status/1358985007398871042
Do not drive to Georgetown on Friday or Saturday night (you would will not find parking). It is definitely great to go to DC’s “playground”don’t be the driver. Actually, this probably doesn’t apply during covid. & be sure to take advantage of all the museums!
— Chrissyghoran 🇺🇦 (@Chrissyghoran1) February 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/penstone/status/1358957304738181123
You will rack up at least $2,000.00 in parking tickets. Budget for it now.
— Larry Miller (@LarryMillerTV) February 9, 2021
If you have to drive, note there are three different driving cultures. VA drivers always move immediately to the left-most lane and then drive slow. MD drivers are insane. DC drivers will do anything, at any time, with no warning – except drive faster than 35mph. Even on I-95.
— Joshua Henson (@the1henson) February 9, 2021
WEIRD and SCARY lane / traffic changes on major avenues during rush hour!!!
That lane you are driving southbound on?
Suddenly there are CARS COMING AT YOU GOING NORTHBOUND!!!
Other than that, have fun in DC!!!
— mollyswordmcdonough 🌊 (@mollysmcdonough) February 9, 2021
And finally, never compare DC to that other city:
Never start a sentence, “It’s not New York, but…”
— Kasie Hunt (@kasie) February 9, 2021
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Northeast DC.
