That is so full of shit. Where did you here this? The beltway is not shut down and the metro is running. You just need to check the schedule and which trainline to get on. You can drive into DC too. Yes they have speed camera’s all over the place so keep to the limit and pay attention. Don’t get stuck in the middle of the intersection if the light turns red during rush hour or you will get a ticket. Other than that. Look at a street map to get the gist of the layout of the city.