Wednesday’s post detailed a traffic issue near my home, a description that was supposed to run in October. (Whoops.) Today again we examine a traffic issue near Virginia State Route 7, just a few miles down the road, also serving as a great lesson in economics.

God bless the folks in Loudoun County. (That would be the wealthiest county in America.) On Wednesday morning the county and Mako Medical, its contractor, administered free coronavirus testing to those who came to Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park, henceforth known as the epicenter of the largest traffic jam Loudoun County has ever seen. Hours before testing was even scheduled to begin, cars had packed the park and surrounding highways, causing delays for those out there still in the habit of leaving their homes.

Officials seemed surprised.

Hours before the event was scheduled to end, administrators were turning customers away, “demand” having already exceeded supply.

Officials, again, seemed surprised.

Yup. Take something valuable and give it away for nothing, then act surprised when a lot of people want it. Classic government. Classic econ lesson.

Again.

Well, at least they tried.

And at least there are plans in the works to try this again.

With different expected results of course.