What is so confusing about highway on ramps?
- Thread starter SLT223
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LVSteve
Member
Here's another behavior that baffles me and I had a reminder of it just this morning.
All merge/off lanes have a different style of line separating them from the travel lanes. So, if you are to the right of that different line and you want to progress down the freeway, you had better make plans to move left.
Oh no, no, no. That involves too much forward thought. Let's wait until the exit marker is 30 yards away and the gore paint is about to begin. THEN we slap on the left turn signal and attempt a God Almighty Blinker Brigade (GABB) lane change.
All merge/off lanes have a different style of line separating them from the travel lanes. So, if you are to the right of that different line and you want to progress down the freeway, you had better make plans to move left.
Oh no, no, no. That involves too much forward thought. Let's wait until the exit marker is 30 yards away and the gore paint is about to begin. THEN we slap on the left turn signal and attempt a God Almighty Blinker Brigade (GABB) lane change.
This, of course, is why you occasionally see an oldster or some other timid soul parked at the merge. However, the traffic is almost NEVER bumper to bumper, except when it is stopped. Even in MA, one of the worst states in the union for tailgating, a merge is possible. I see it every time I drive to Boston, IN TRAFFIC.
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Old TexMex
Member
To safely navigate the on/off ramps in South Texas a degree from the Joie Chitwood school of creative driving is a necessity.
Most of the competition has neither insurance nor an understanding of the English language, and are often borracho.
Most of the competition has neither insurance nor an understanding of the English language, and are often borracho.
REM 3200
US Veteran
When did we quit calling them "Traffic Circle" and start with "Round-About"?
I'll have you know that "Traffic Engineers" are required to finish the third grade before designing a round-about.
Oh yeah, we manage.....
Just pointing out that speed alone does not a merge make. I-526 to I-126 is always backed up, but a keen eye, good timing and a little luck will enable a merge if somebody wants to merge right and the guy behind him doesn't rush to fill in the gap.
Just pointing out that speed alone does not a merge make. I-526 to I-126 is always backed up, but a keen eye, good timing and a little luck will enable a merge if somebody wants to merge right and the guy behind him doesn't rush to fill in the gap.
When did we quit calling them "Traffic Circle" and start with "Round-About"?
I'll have you know that "Traffic Engineers" are required to finish the third grade before designing a round-about.
Another requirement of designing Roundies is to always get people that live the farthest away to design those infernal things. No sense getting people from the Albany area to design ours. Use people that live in Buffalo, Rochester or NYC as they just look at maps and traffic studies.
No sense confusing them with local information. Of course our Albany Schenectady people design ones that go to the other cities I mentioned.
There is a roundabout in Hilton Head with an open air restaurant near it. We would sit, eat, drink and watch the show as tourists who had never experienced one were suddenly thrust into it.
We learned a lot of new words, too.
We learned a lot of new words, too.
Because they are.....
Because they are numerous in England and there they are Roundabouts. And I guess they are one less syllable.
I also think that 'traffic circles' or 'roundabouts' should be a tad bigger than the dinky things around here. We had one in our old town that was a half mile around and the inside was very useful. The 'corners' were generous so that you only had to slow a little to get on and off the circle. Of course that's large but it's better than 40' across.
One that they put in a complex of medical buildings HAD NO MARKINGS at all for years, not even arrows or yield signs and I almost had a head on with another car. It wasn't obvious at all that it was a roundabout, When it was apparent that they weren't going to do anything about it I started to find the property owners but someone beat me to it.
When did we quit calling them "Traffic Circle" and start with "Round-About"?
I'll have you know that "Traffic Engineers" are required to finish the third grade before designing a round-about.
Because they are numerous in England and there they are Roundabouts. And I guess they are one less syllable.
I also think that 'traffic circles' or 'roundabouts' should be a tad bigger than the dinky things around here. We had one in our old town that was a half mile around and the inside was very useful. The 'corners' were generous so that you only had to slow a little to get on and off the circle. Of course that's large but it's better than 40' across.
One that they put in a complex of medical buildings HAD NO MARKINGS at all for years, not even arrows or yield signs and I almost had a head on with another car. It wasn't obvious at all that it was a roundabout, When it was apparent that they weren't going to do anything about it I started to find the property owners but someone beat me to it.
gman51
Member
People just drive like they are the only car on the road. On ramps and off ramps are the biggest cause of traffic jams. Traffic will move close to speed limits till where an exit or entrance ramp is then slowing to jam up jelly tight.
I imagine from a sky view of traffic it must look like a bunch of drunk drivers. I am so glad my commuting days are over.
I imagine from a sky view of traffic it must look like a bunch of drunk drivers. I am so glad my commuting days are over.
A lot of roundabouts in London are the size of normal intersections, but instead of traffic signals there is a dot in the center.
LVSteve
Member
Yep, the now infamous mini-roundabout. You put those in when the old buildings at the junction are listed (British official term) and you cannot knock them down.
meaneyedcatz
Member
Always be at highway speed when exiting the acceleration lane and getting onto a traffic lane.
meaneyedcatz
Member
Another dangerous situation,
When the acceleration lane turns into a traffic lane plenty of drivers automatically get into the center lane or far left lane as quick as they can and poke along and clog the lanes.
When the acceleration lane turns into a traffic lane plenty of drivers automatically get into the center lane or far left lane as quick as they can and poke along and clog the lanes.
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