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Theories about roadgeeks

Started by webny99, May 22, 2017, 12:12:34 PM

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webny99

I have two:

1 Roadgeeks are more likely to be the oldest child in their family
2 Roadgeeks are less likely to be active/coordinated


Max Rockatansky

#1
I don't know about that, I'm a middle child and extremely active.  I've done distance running for over twenty years and I've had several marathons.  A lot of what post about tends to be on back roads which tend to go to some place where I can go hike, run, climb, ect.  That being the case people find it odd that I like to read, like history, and spend time self educating myself.  I'm probably more of an outlier but it seems like stereotyping people based off a hobby like this is a little assumptive.

Now one that kind of threw me for a loop on here is how many people really are into roads but either don't drive or don't like it in general.  There also seems to be a lot of weight towards freeway projects as opposed to something like a scenic drive.  But then again that can probably be chalked up to everyone just having different tastes.

Jbte

You are roadgeek if you;

-Probably you are very informed about places than most of the "normal" people, you know about small towns or national park than anyone and very likely you'll visit those places, geography is a plus on your side, you know those places because of history, you like maps, lurking in google maps or by simply checking out a new place or where the road leads to.

-When you drive sometimes you rather use secondary roads than highways, detour to new places, you don't mind getting there as quick of possible, spending time on driving to somewhere new it's the propose of your trip. You just drive longer.

-You can recall of a bad design in a road or bad font used in a signal, that most of other people won't care or notice. You'll post something you don't like on AAroads or other social media.

I guess those 3 points make us a roadgeek, right?

jp the roadgeek

Well, I'm an only child, and yes I should probably be a little more active than I am.  Yes, I am a geography nut.  As a kid, I would always read the atlas and see where a certain road went and how many states it passed through.  As a challenge, my parents would take me somewhere and challenge me to find the way home from there.  I had a great aunt who always told me a cute story about how when I was 5 we took one way home, and when we got home, I said "Well, if we had taken my way, we would have been here 10 minutes sooner."  A few years later, she gave me a challenge while we were at a fair to find a way to a mini golf course about 30 miles away without using any type of limited access highway.  Pulled it off with flying colors without an atlas (mind you the consumer GPS was not even a thought).

When I go somewhere, I usually take the most direct route to get to my destination, but coming home I like to use secondary roads.  I like to avoid most toll roads unless it's the only option or the secondary road is a parking lot.  Yes, I'll jump on I-295 in Bordentown, and I will take the Delaware toll plaza bypass on DE 896, DE 2, and DE/MD 279.  When driving home from DC, I'll take US 1 north of Baltimore to US 202 to PA 611, cross the Portland Toll Bridge to NJ/NY 94 to NY 300 and jump on I-84 in Newburgh.

Many times, even though I'm not a local, I can give directions as if I'm a local, even if I'm 200 miles from home.

Yes, I'm the type that gets driven crazy by ill timed traffic lights in my town.  I'll always ask if the engineer was on something if the next light turns red just as I arrive at it even though I got stuck at the previous light.  Someone who gets all the way to the right to make a left hand turn on a one lane road is a pet peeve, as does someone who has a rear bumper fetish behind me (if I can't see your headlights, you're too close).   

I tell my friends I have better than GPS technology:  I have JPS.  And friends have suggested they create a Garmin voice track with my voice and mannerisms.
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

jeffandnicole

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on May 22, 2017, 02:41:02 PM
I tell my friends I have better than GPS technology:  I have JPS.  And friends have suggested they create a Garmin voice track with my voice and mannerisms.

I term it JeffGPS for me.  And yeah, occasionally a few friends will call me asking for directions.  Or bitch because their GPS took them the shortest way thru some really, really unscenic neighborhoods.

PHLBOS

Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 22, 2017, 02:46:48 PMAnd yeah, occasionally a few friends will call me asking for directions.  Or bitch because their GPS took them the shortest way thru some really, really unscenic neighborhoods.
I've received similar calls as well.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

J N Winkler

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 22, 2017, 12:24:52 PMI don't know about that, I'm a middle child and extremely active.  I've done distance running for over twenty years and I've had several marathons.  A lot of what post about tends to be on back roads which tend to go to some place where I can go hike, run, climb, etc.  That being the case people find it odd that I like to read, like history, and spend time self educating myself.  I'm probably more of an outlier but it seems like stereotyping people based off a hobby like this is a little assumptive.

I am an only child with BMI under 25 and I probably count as "reasonably active" since I lift weights at the YMCA three times a week.  I don't do much cardio, though, because I worry about running off muscle and wearing out joints.

I read also:  what I have noticed is that few other road enthusiasts report reading genre fiction for pleasure.  There have been threads on road-related books but even in the off-topic boards nobody ever talks about novels they read that they enjoyed.

Among those in this community who are college-educated, geography and STEM fields (especially civil engineering and computer science) seem very well-represented while the humanities are under-represented.  (I have a BS in mathematics and physics and a BA in English, and have worked on a doctorate in economic history.)

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 22, 2017, 12:24:52 PMNow one that kind of threw me for a loop on here is how many people really are into roads but either don't drive or don't like it in general.  There also seems to be a lot of weight towards freeway projects as opposed to something like a scenic drive.  But then again that can probably be chalked up to everyone just having different tastes.

I would say that off-Interstate snobs, a category in which I would at one time have placed myself, represent a minority within the roadgeek community.  I like scenic two-lanes and actively seek them out as alternatives to Interstates I have already driven, but as a car enthusiast I also like my vehicles to stay in "like new" condition as long as possible, so I try to steer clear of potholed or badly surfaced roads.
"It is necessary to spend a hundred lire now to save a thousand lire later."--Piero Puricelli, explaining the need for a first-class road system to Benito Mussolini

vdeane

I majored in science because I don't know what liberal arts majors get jobs in (other than McDonalds), but my favorite classes were all in the realm of sociology/history/geography.  In hindsight, I'd probably do things differently, especially since it turns out that computer science isn't where my career interests lie.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

AsphaltPlanet

I don't really like the "us vs. them" mentality of describing a roadgeek.

Personally, I have lots of friends with varied interests who aren't roadgeeks, I play sports, and try to stay relatively fit.  (Relatively being a key word in that sentence).  I also have various interests other than roads, such as music and sports and the like.  I am definitely an introvert, however.

My educational background is in civil engineering, though my career has taken me elsewhere.

I am a bit of a freeway-lover, and have taken an interest recently in transportation demand management techniques that are being used across many urban freeways in North America.  Hence my recent photo contributions about managed lanes.  I do also quite like scenic back roads, particularly through mountain ranges, though I have a tendency not to share too many photos from those locations online.  That said, this is my current desktop background at home:
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/CA/CA/1/CA1_cl_niceview_south_Apr16_24x16.jpg
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

Roadgeekteen

God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

AsphaltPlanet

^ The basic idea of your thread is to stereotype a roadgeek based on external influences.  Threads such as this come up from time to time on this forum, and I don't agree with the ideology.  I don't think there is a defining characteristic that makes a roadgeek.  Rather, I think a roadgeek is just a person, who among the many things that makes up their personality, also happens to at least like some facet of roads.

But, I also don't really care that much, so for those who wish to argue among themselves, have at it.
AsphaltPlanet.ca  Youtube -- Opinions expressed reflect the viewpoints of others.

davewiecking

This middle child (of 3) spent some of the day replacing a second floor window (partially from extension ladder), popping in a few outlets because the room needs more, and hanging drywall.

Next absurd generalization? "Roadgeeks frequently wear shoes."

Duke87

I am curious about the birth order thing. It has been noted that a lot of personality trends correlate to birth order, which makes sense because having older or younger siblings versus not having them has a very significant impact on a person's formative experience.

I am the oldest in my family. And while I'm not related to any other outright roadgeeks, there are a couple people I'm related to who have tangential/related tendencies (interest in maps, railfanning, etc.). Both are also the oldest in their respective nuclear families.

Thus far in this thread we've seen three people (including me) say they're the oldest, two say they're a middle child, and two say they're an only child. Any youngests out there?
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

cjk374

Add me to the "oldest" (of 4) category. I seem to have a liking of transportation  (railways & roadways). I have a BS in business management. Married with 2 kids. Living ordinary life.
Runnin' roads and polishin' rails.

7/8

I'm a middle child, and neither of my brothers have any interest in roads (in fact, my younger brother's a pilot and my older brother usually has no idea which road we're driving on :-D).

nexus73

Quote from: webny99 on May 22, 2017, 12:12:34 PM
I have two:
Roadgeeks are likely to be the oldest in their family.
Roadgeeks are less likely to be very active/coordinated.

Obviously, I fit in to both of those categories, how about the rest of y'al

I fit into both categories.  Luckily I like roads or otherwise I'd be a lost cause...LOL!

Rick
US 101 is THE backbone of the Pacific coast from Bandon OR to Willits CA.  Industry, tourism and local traffic would be gone or severely crippled without it being in functioning condition in BOTH states.

PHLBOS

I'm actually the youngest in my immediate family.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

kkt

I'm an only child, and I like to walk and hike and am in reasonable shape though no athlete.

pumpkineater2

I'm the youngest of four, and none of my other family members are even close to being a roadgeek. In fact, I've never personally met another one of us (that I know of).
Come ride with me to the distant shore...

jwolfer

I am the middle child but sister 9 years older brother is 14 monts younger.  I am a Doctor of Chiropractic and my BA is in Spanish

I have always loved roads. All kinds. I love driving. I put 20k miles on my car most years. Since my divorce and kids getting older i have more time to drive aimlessly.

My brother is a civil engineer. And my great aunt and great uncle were both Electrical Engineers

I have always been very interested in reading books but i also played 8 years of football, ran track and now i go to gym and do yoga 3-4 nights a week.

I did drama club in hs which eeally helped me "learn" to be an extrovert.

As far.as roadgeekery. My dad likes to see new roads. My moms mom liked to drive. She would take different routes to go to familiar places and she would take a road to see where it went. I noticed my aunts and uncle and a few of my cousins are like me and my granny with driving.

LGMS428


amroad17

I have a theory--roadgeeks are who they are because they like discussions about anything pertaining to highways, maps, signs, and what could be done to make our road system better.

Would that be a theory or a theorem?
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

sparker

Technically, I'm an only child -- although my parents also raised my cousin (family issues) effectively as my older sister; she left for college when I was in grade school.  Roadgeekery was ingrained in me by my dad, who was self-taught in geography and history (the Depression sunk his college chances).  Two fields have largely dominated my life: the first is  music & sound: I worked my way through my undergrad years as a musician -- playing piano in bars as well as being a working studio musician; the experience turned me into a lifelong audiophile -- which became a post-college career.  The second was my interest in transportation; I had a double major in geography and political science.   After 15 years in the audio field I went back to grad school, eventually getting my doctorate (after another 14 years including some unforeseen detours) in public policy.  Had a consulting practice (with one of my old professors) specializing in urban and inter-urban freight movement, but had to suspend that when I started having medical issues in my 50's; had to find a "real" job with health benefits.   Since 2012 I'm back in the audio business as a partner in a retail establishment here in San Jose -- but occasionally I'm still asked to do position papers regarding project feasibility (generally rail and/or road-related -- all with strict confidentiality terms re clients and specific issues -- so don't ask, and I won't tell!).   Been keeping particularly busy lately -- also involved in a start-up business making loudspeakers and vacuum-tube audio equipment; we're in the prototype stage on several products.  Unfortunately, all that means I've been pretty much stuck around Northern California (the start-up is based in Folsom, east of Sacramento); haven't gotten further east than Arizona since about 2011.  So this forum has been something of an outlet for me -- a way for me to keep myself up on road-related issues (no contracted position papers active or pending at this time).  So please bear with me -- even if my experience has resulted in my discerning political motivations or rationales for the various issues discussed here -- often despite prima facie logic (or lack thereof) to the contrary!     



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