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xzzy posted:Now compress that down so you have an entrance or exit every block, on both sides of the lanes. That's the Chicago loop and is the only patch of road I've driven on that makes me question my driving abilities.  I used to read the askt/tell Traffic Engineer thread, and that is the first thing that has ever made me scream out loud at google maps. Just WTF were they thinking. Not Wolverine fucked around with this message at 19:11 on Jan 17, 2014 |
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Jan 17, 2014 19:07
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Colonel Sanders posted:
They are supposed to smooth the traffic coming onto freeways during heavy traffic periods. They nearly never do. Often they just back up traffic on the surface streets leading to the on ramp. The on ramp lights are often: 1. On when traffic on the freeway is light 2. "meter on" light is on while the red/green meter light is actually off 3. Off when freeway traffic is heavy 4. Light on when the "meter on" light is off Add in that most drivers have no clue how to deal with them. Carpool lanes are often exempt from stopping, but drivers always stop for it. If it's a "two car per lane per green" light, there will never be two going through. It's either one or three. LA is such a patchwork of signal and road types, and rules that the best thing that could happen is a big 9.0 earthquake destroys a large part of the road infrastructure and we have to start over with everything standardized. Several freeways are so bad that they need to be shut down and rebuilt from the ground up instead of being patched together every 5-10 years. ltr fucked around with this message at 19:14 on Jan 17, 2014 |
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Jan 17, 2014 19:09
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Colonel Sanders posted:At this on ramp in Austin, I got stuck behind a car going exactly 15 miles per hour. The traffic was clear, the ramp is maybe a little short but not terrible, there is a whole extra lane for the entering traffic, I do not want to enter the 70mph free way at 15mph, I don't want to get rear ended. I usually come blazing up the ramp at 80 (unless I can't manage that based on the corners and space available) so I can choose which gap I'm going for and brake to match with it instead of coming in going slower than traffic and hoping a good spot happens to come along. If that scares people, gently caress em, they can deal. If I see someone puttering along on the ramp going way too slow and I realize in time, I usually hang back and go even slower than them until the apex of the last corner, then hammer it, merge, and hope everyone behind me realizes I just did them a favor and gave them more space to accelerate than they would have given themselves otherwise. Yes, I've beaten sportscars out of entrance ramps in a beat up jeep with 230k miles on it and a blown stock suspension before. Learn to drive, fuckers 
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Jan 17, 2014 19:11
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Luckily, all the times I had to use one of these on or off ramps there has never been oncoming traffic. Despite the fact that I know they have a big sign telling the to yield to the ramps, if I'm on the interstate chances are I've been driving with assholes all day long and I don't particularly want to trust someone to know what that yield sign is for.
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I had a first yesterday: some dipshit commuting the same way I was for most of my drive home, shining a high powered green laser (like you'd use for pointing out stars) at one of every three street signs or so. If someone is honestly stupid enough to do that, I have to expect them to be stupid enough to actually shine it at someone's eyes while doing 70mph in rush hour traffic.
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Jan 17, 2014 19:13
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Geoj posted:I'm in the Bay Area for work right now, yesterday I tried taking 101 to the office from my hotel (big mistake It doesn't stay green very long because it's just meant to indicate "Ok, you can go". Light turns green, it's your turn to get on the freeway. If they left it green longer, 3 other shitheads behind you would come in and screw up the merge. The traffic around here gets so bad that if they put a stop/yield sign up, people would just pile up all the way to the freeway. This is intended to let cars in at a smooth rate, giving each one the chance to accelerate and merge properly, rather than a solid line of cars slowly inching into traffic. It's one of the least hosed up driving things around here, and I'm amazed that so many of you are bewildered by the concept.
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Jan 17, 2014 19:16
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) and there was a similar light at the onramp that was working in a similar fashion. It was cycling from red to green and back so rapidly that by the time I stopped at the line it was green, and by the time I started accelerating when it turned green it was already red by the time I drove through it. Seems like a stop/yield sign would have the same effect.
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kastein posted:Yes, I've beaten sportscars out of entrance ramps in a beat up jeep with 230k miles on it and a blown stock suspension before. Learn to drive, fuckers 
Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:44 on Feb 22, 2018 |
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Jan 17, 2014 19:17
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kastein posted:Yes, I've beaten sportscars out of entrance ramps in a beat up jeep with 230k miles on it and a blown stock suspension before. Learn to drive, fuckers Yeah, I don't care what your 0-60 time is, I'm already doing 70 and I'm not stomping on the brakes. People always look stupid when you blow past them in a doorless TJ with a  wave.
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Jan 17, 2014 19:35
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Colonel Sanders posted:I know I have seen plenty of assholes on motorcycles, Japanese bikes that can do 150MPH+ seem to love going that speed regardless of weather or traffic. Not long ago, I was cut off by a Harley downtown, the biker was embarrassed and flustered, and pissed off, he pulled up in the right lane at the next red light, I arrived beside him, he waited until the light turned green and proceeded to do a very long burn out before cutting me off again. Since he was going well above the speed of all the traffic around him, he wove between a couple cars, then came to two cars side by side, and swerved into oncoming traffic forcing the oncoming driver to lock up their brakes and honk their horn. Thanks to the stop lights, I once again pulled up almost beside him. There was a turning lane, then his lane, and my lane, as soon as the left arrow turned green he decided he had to cut off a dump truck and that was the last I saw of him. Twice I've had Harley riders pass me on the right. In my lane. The first I was on the left half of the lane at a light, the dude pulled up on my right, then just took off in front of me when the light turned green. Unexpected, but not that dangerous. The other I was cruising in the left half of the lane on a two lane back road and the Harley rider just drove on by on my right with no warning just as a semi was going by on my left in the opposite direction. His passenger waved and smiled at me as I concentrated on going arrow straight and not dying. As for being invisible, I stopped at a red light in a right turn lane, the car behind me stopped, I looked left to check for traffic, and the car that stopped behind me just went and rear ended me. Her excuse? "Oh, I thought you went. By the way, do you know where the airport is?"
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Jan 17, 2014 20:10
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kastein posted:I usually come blazing up the ramp at 80 (unless I can't manage that based on the corners and space available) so I can choose which gap I'm going for and brake to match with it instead of coming in going slower than traffic and hoping a good spot happens to come along. I'm pretty much the same way, though unfortunately I'm most often stuck behind someone going way slower than I prefer. That said, I'm not driving a beat up jeep with 230k miles on it, so I have no trouble getting up to speed late if I have to, provided said slow person doesn't merge in at 50 mph and then sit at that speed while a truck quickly approaches from behind. I try to avoid dodging in front of trucks doing 70, even if I know I'll be doing 80 by the time they get close.
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Jan 17, 2014 23:57
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xzzy posted:45 won't cut the mustard around here unfortunately. I have to keep the hammer down until I'm pushing 65 or else I end up a hood ornament as I try to merge in. Really loving sucks on those interchanges where the on ramp is only about 100 meters long before it turns into an off ramp. I might end up getting a more aggressive exhaust eventually. If people can hear the engine screaming they might figure out that the reason I'm only puttering along at 50 in a 65 zone is not because I'm an idiot, it's because that's the fastest the car goes up a mountain. Beach Bum posted:When I'm in the Miata, on ramps are my lateral-G threshold testing zones. Around here, I usually have to ease off when I get to Interstate pavement.  and I end up pulling bits of seat cushion out my asscrack later. It disturbs me that a friend I lent the truck while I was out of town said he was impressed by the handling... I didn't even know "handling" was something it was capable of doing at all, let alone well.
Friar Zucchini fucked around with this message at 00:27 on Jan 18, 2014 |
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Jan 18, 2014 00:19
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kastein posted:I usually come blazing up the ramp at 80 (unless I can't manage that based on the corners and space available) so I can choose which gap I'm going for and brake to match with it instead of coming in going slower than traffic and hoping a good spot happens to come along. I've only ever had one car that made more than 200hp, and it only made that for a month before puking expensive bits of valve everywhere, so this is how I drive everything as well. The 240 with nearly 300k has only made it worse, and I loving love passing people in M3s in the outside lane of one particularly long on-ramp I drive every day. gently caress, it's such a lazy sweeper the Volvo has no trouble holding it at 75mph (80 is a bit sphincter puckering though), and every. loving. Day I get stuck behind people that shouldn't be trusted to drive a shopping cart going 45 on that turn. They always immediately hop into the left lane too.
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Jan 18, 2014 01:06
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110hp is my high water mark.  Someday I'll have a midlife crisis and buy a gas guzzler but to this point when it's car buying time it's always "what's cheapest to get me to to work?"
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Jan 18, 2014 04:48
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xzzy posted:110hp is my high water mark. That's kind of the opposite where I live - a ten year old Civic or Polo or whatever will sell for way more than a Maxima sized vehicle of the same age
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Jan 18, 2014 06:10
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The Clio has (or had new) 60bhp, but it'll go faster than most people drive if you keep it on the boil.
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Jan 18, 2014 08:27
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Friar Zucchini posted:I did this in the Taurus I used to have (hey stop laughing, it was all I had!) but getting this Suburban near a turn at any speed other than "kinda slow" makes me go all I managed to get some wheel hop in a Ford Escort wagon on an off ramp. It was terrifying at the time and my first lesson in what cars do at their limit.
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Jan 18, 2014 08:59
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So I'm taking an online defensive driving class. They state you should signal lane changes and turns "one full city block before your turn". That uh.... that seems excessive.
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Jan 18, 2014 09:21
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some texas redneck posted:So I'm taking an online defensive driving class. They state you should signal lane changes and turns "one full city block before your turn". I saw a guy sitting in the left turn lane with his right blinker on, confused the hell out of me. When it went green, he did go left but then at the next block went right. Maybe he took that class.
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Jan 18, 2014 15:00
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Well, you should probably indicate for 3-4 seconds before maneouvering, so if a city block is a few hundred feet, the take-home message is that 50-70mph is a sensible speed for a built up area.
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Jan 18, 2014 15:04
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Blocks in the midwest are normally 1/10th of a mile, so 528 feet. That's a bit excessive.
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Jan 18, 2014 16:00
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I've just had my third near-miss against a local cop here in my city. First two were officers busy with their phones running me into the shoulder on the freeway. This time, a cop came flying up the wrong direction on a one-way street right as I was turning out. _I_ was the one to avoid the accident. Love it.
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Jan 18, 2014 16:34
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dissss posted:That's kind of the opposite where I live - a ten year old Civic or Polo or whatever will sell for way more than a Maxima sized vehicle of the same age Now the Twingo costs me about €200 annually in roadtaxes, the Safrane was over €700 in just roadtaxes per year. Just the difference in roadtaxes lets me drive the Twingo nearly a full year going by just petrol costs, before the Safrane has even moved at all. Add to that the fact that a litre of 95RON will set you back about €1,70 and the picture is complete. Nobody here wants a big, heavy, gas guzzler, because they'll be worth gently caress all when you want to trade it in 7 years down the line, while a small, light, ecobox won't depreciate nearly as much. According to our equivalent of KBB, my car has only depreciated about 500 euro since I got it in 2009.
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Jan 18, 2014 16:37
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some texas redneck posted:So I'm taking an online defensive driving class. They state you should signal lane changes and turns "one full city block before your turn". They taught us to kick it off as soon as it wouldn't cause confusion, so as soon as you're past the turn/driveway before your destination put the signal on. That might be like a block or on the highway several kilometers, so I don't think they even followed their own advice.
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Jan 18, 2014 17:25
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DeusExMachinima posted:So what's with motorcyclists dying lots more in cities than car drivers do? Is that the cars' fault and I can't do anything about it if I get a cycle or are cyclists idiots or both? Population density of drivers who learned on cars and are clueless about motorcycles. I learned to drive in France in the 70s,on a motorcycle. Most everyone started out on a moped or motorcycle; the driving age for the former was 14; you had to be 18 to drive a car - so most spent four years on 2-wheels before transitioning to a car. It appears to have informed most drivers with motorcycle sensibilities; in the two years I drove there, I never had a close call with a car. Driving in the dense East coast, I'd never try driving a motorcycle here. It's suicide. Maybe out west - I have a cousin in Wyoming, and the photos he sends back makes it look like a dream out there. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 03:35 on Jan 19, 2014 |
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Jan 19, 2014 03:28
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In the same vein, a lot of those 'urban motorcyclists' driving the stats are actually small-displacement scooter riders, who don't have a motorcycle license and haven't taken the MSF, think of the scooter as a bicycle with an engine, and ride accordingly. Not saying all scooter riders are like this, but a very non-trivial chunk are. Like PoC said you see this all over EU as well, but I remember the French scooter casualty stats being a horror show too, and that was back when rinky-dink city cars were pumping maybe 40 horse through their skinny little tires, and 50cc 2-strokes weren't nearly at such a power disadvantage. In an American city with land barges and faster speeds the car / moto mix is even less compatible. If you must ride in the city, get a dual-sport / supermoto, the height will help you see and be seen, they've got more than enough power, and the dirtbike suspension will soak up the potholes, ruts, manholes, plates etc. In fact, anything you can do to be more visible and noticeable will help ensure safety - bright colors, waving your left arm wildly, or even lofting the front wheel and keeping it high will all help. Drivers also tend to give groups more room than individual bikers, so if you can find other safety-minded fellow travellers also using high-visibilty techniques, it's a good idea to stick together.
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Jan 19, 2014 04:28
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMQY6k16TU Here's a video featuring safety oriented youth exercising those exact measures.
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Jan 19, 2014 04:40
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I've got a pair of these red led panels hooked up to a one of these brake light wig-wag flashers mounted to my bikes splash guard. I've also got some 3M reflective stuff covering the back of my rather large side cases and replaced the large horizontal reflector with one of the red marker lights used on semi trucks. I'm sure it irritates people that are behind me when I'm braking but I will be seen by even the most inattentive retard when I'm stopped at a red light or whatever. fake edit: also have a bunch of reflective poo poo on my top-of-the-line riding suit and helmet. Still probably going to be killed. Gotta start my new job and get some awesome car that can substitute for a bike.
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Jan 19, 2014 04:46
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Driving home at 3:30 in the morning is interesting. No, guy in a smoked out Civic with lovely rims, pushing 4k RPMs in your ~110hp engine with your lovely muffler isn't fooling anyone into thinking you're going faster than 40 mph.
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Jan 19, 2014 11:57
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I would get a motorbike but I've had such lovely luck that I know if I ever got into a wreck riding I would be dead. Somehow after 8 car accidents I'm still mostly unscathed.
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Jan 19, 2014 14:43
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Group of 8 motorcyclists turning onto CA-1 just north of Santa Cruz today: way to be the very embodiment of the "I can do whatever I please and my safety is everybody else's problem" stereotype. Failing to yield to a string of traffic doing ~60 in a 55 zone probably isn't the best way to stay alive, and you're drat lucky you didn't get run over or cause a five car pileup (not that I would really expect you to care or hang around in the latter case.) Also honorable mention goes to the guy who took his Toyota Sequoia onto Skyline Boulevard today, and couldn't keep it in one lane even at speeds lower than 20 MPH (in a marked 45 MPH zone.) I would suggest you A) buy a more capable vehicle B) learn how to drive in tight turns C) a mix of A & B or D) find a more pedestrian route for your SUV.
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Jan 20, 2014 01:17
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some texas redneck posted:So I'm taking an online defensive driving class. They state you should signal lane changes and turns "one full city block before your turn". I took one recently and they advised honking the horn before backing out of any parking space.
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Jan 20, 2014 05:21
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Shavnir posted:I took one recently and they advised honking the horn before backing out of any parking space. That's not totally terrible advice, the logic is that it warns any pedestrians around that a car will start moving soon. It is a bit overcautious though, I think getting run over in a parking lot is relatively rare.
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Jan 20, 2014 08:12
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xzzy posted:That's not totally terrible advice, the logic is that it warns any pedestrians around that a car will start moving soon. It is a bit overcautious though, I think getting run over in a parking lot is relatively rare. And in my experience people tend to get extremely confused and drive shittier when liberal use of the horn is applied. In today's driving news, good luck to the suicidal motorcyclist I saw on I-70 WB today who was going at least 20 over and weaving in and out of traffic. He even got stuck behind a slow semi truck before he got off the highway. Yup, your suicidal tendencies really saved you a lot of time.
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Jan 20, 2014 16:09
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Some idiot cut me off (like, I had to slam on my brakes to avoid him clipping my bumper) in a dinky commuter car while I was towing a 1500lb trailer yesterday, then slammed on the brakes because he had wedged himself into too small a slot just as the person who was previously in front of me braked. Great life choice, fuckhead. I laid on the horn and he flipped me off, then flipped me off again when I passed him. Apparently this was my fault. Wish I'd had the dashcam going, poo poo like that is making me consider getting a good quality dedicated one. The last thing I need right now is to be listed at fault and have my vehicle totaled because some loving jerkoff decides to cut me off and claim I was following too closely.
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Jan 20, 2014 16:35
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I was giving a city bus enough distance to be able to see the traffic lights still when a Fit cut in between the two of us with about an inch to clear between him and the bus, the light went red and the city bus practically locked 'em up. Never seen a Fit spin in place before, I gave him a healthy dose of my horn to remind him that I can always stop slower next time. When the light went green he waited a very long time for the bus to leave before getting started again.
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Jan 20, 2014 16:57
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There is a park and ride in Kirkland that embodies the special kind of stupid around here. It's a large lot but there just aren't enough parking spots for everyone, so people start parking along curbs wherever they can. It is annoying when you are trying to leave and all the lanes are now tight and clogged with cars, but that's not the special part. No one wants to be the last person to park in a valid spot and have to walk 200 yards when they can just park along a curb right next to the bus stop. So now the curb spots that choke off traffic through the parking lot are the first ones to get taken, even if there are empty real parking spots mere feet away. And no, King County Metro won't ticket or tow like their rules sign says, they say they will just issue warnings to cars parked badly.
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Jan 20, 2014 17:40
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I'd feel justified lobbing a nice dog poop on the windshield.
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Jan 20, 2014 17:53
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The other day I ended up behind this SUV trying to merge from the shoulder into the right lane. Which is fine, it was probably an emergency and I see him coming so I can just coast to slow down a bit. Except that this guy decided to merge in at 10mph and take like 30 seconds to get up to speed. You do understand that you can actually push the pedal down more to go faster right?
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Jan 21, 2014 00:48
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Way home tonight, came up on an Camry with absolutely no lights on about 30 minutes after dark. No DRL's, no nothing. As I drove past I glanced at the dashboard and there weren't even any lights there. Anecdotes aren't data but it suggests to me that full time lit dashboards aren't the only reason people gently caress up turning on their headlights. Just being bad drivers seems like a good candidate.
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Jan 21, 2014 00:54
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Was reminded why I never go downtown anymore tonight. Multiple bicyclists blatantly ignoring traffic laws? Check. Prius turned halfway into my lane waiting to make a left? Check. Pedestrian wearing all black clothing walking into 45mph traffic without looking? Check. Honorable mention to the UVA student that quickly dipped into a street parking spot only to whip right back onto the road (cutting me off) and then went 50yds before slamming on the brakes to pull into another one a few cars up. gently caress you, choke on a thousand dicks, tyia. I've been waffling about it for a month now but I think it's time to buy a dashcam. 
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Jan 21, 2014 02:17
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Tha Chodesweller posted:And in my experience people tend to get extremely confused and drive shittier when liberal use of the horn is applied. I-40 going through Nashville  and a Fit has an opening to go right three lanes from the far left 'A' to the far right 'D' (to stay on I-24). He goes halfway into the far right lane then weaves back into lane 'C'. Then as some midsize starts to pass him on the right he puts on his blinker and starts to move over into 'D'. I had my hand hovering over the horn (my Volvo doesn't have a cord pull for the air horn) and when he started moving, I honked, they kept their lanes, and I was on my way. I was ready to stick around for a police report if they actually hit each other, because I had plenty of time cushion for my trip.I swear sitting way up high just lets me see more of the idiocy, but in my case it's all highway nonsense and none of the middle of town making a left turn from the rightmost lane fun. I should make an effort post about how horrible interstate system in Nashville. But that would be  and the wizards who designed that system already spent way too much effort to make it the least efficient system possible.
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Jan 21, 2014 02:59
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