Roadgeek Strengths and Weaknesses

[oscar]

I'm really strong on the outer jurisdictions in North America (excluding Mexico and points south, about which I know almost nothing) nobody else here specializes in (Hawaii, Alaska, Canada's Arctic territories, to a lesser extent Newfoundland/Labrador).  Others I'm pretty good at include California (incompletely updated knowledge from when I grew up there), and Canada's western provinces. 

Puerto Rico, I've made the most of a long Labor Day weekend visit a dozen years ago, but almost no updating of my knowledge base (not being comfortable navigating the Spanish-language DTOP website doesn't help).  Texas, I know a lot, but there's also a lot more that I don't know.

The Mid-Atlantic states are a weak spot for me, even though I live there, but since there are lots of experts already I can leave that stuff up to them.

Other such weak spots for me include Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Mississippi, Montana, and Wyoming.  Everything else is kind of a meh.

[Zeffy]

Admittedly, the only knowledge I truly possess is of New Jersey, and even then it's lacking. I tend to blame my ADHD from ever learning about new things because I get easily distracted. That being said, my knowledge on the MUTCD is pretty damn impressive, as I have read the entire document about three times, and know where to find everything I would need should I need it.

I want to learn (over anything else):
* Texas
* Pennsylvania
* New York
* Florida
* Massachusetts

Of course, I don't know where to find good places to learn anything, and most of my knowledge comes from Wikipedia, so my knowledge on history of old alignments is piss poor. The only one I truly know about is the Somerset Freeway in Central New Jersey, probably because it's in my neck of the woods.

you just resurrected a five year old thread.

what the Food?

FTFY 

[hotdogPi]

Strengths: MA, NY (eastern), NH
Semi-strengths: RI, CT, ME, VT, NJ, QC, NY (western), Alanland
Average: DE, PA, NB, ON (what does Depanbon mean?)
Weaknesses: Most states outside the Northeast

[6a]

you just resurrected a five year old thread.

what the poop?

This is going to open Pandora's Box, I'm sure, but what is the big deal about that if it is done so with new information? There have been quite a number of new people to this forum in five years (I'm sure I'm included...no idea when I registered) so to them this may very well be a new thread.  I know I'd never have noticed it was old had I not read your post.

Aaaaaaaanyway, I'm a terrible roadgeek. You would have a better chance with handing me a dart than asking me to point out a specific route in my own state. I guess my main draw comes from the design and geometry and "how are they gonna fix that mess" part of it. I do like old alignments and abandoned bits, etc. but I have no idea if or where SR 729 is in Ohio or anywhere else.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Great Strenght: Spain.
Strenghts: USA, China, most of Europe.
Weaknesses: Rest of the Universe.

[agentsteel53]

I can "navigate like a local" in several large cities (i.e. know how to avoid the traffic), especially San Diego and Los Angeles, but even so there are certain unfamiliarities, like "wow, that 57 shield is a patch and I don't know what it covers up" (no, it's not 210... I'm thinking of a sign at the northbound split with CA-60).

[6a]

I can "navigate like a local" in several large cities (i.e. know how to avoid the traffic), especially San Diego and Los Angeles, but even so there are certain unfamiliarities, like "wow, that 57 shield is a patch and I don't know what it covers up" (no, it's not 210... I'm thinking of a sign at the northbound split with CA-60).

Now that you mention the navigating like a local thing, my wife (who travels a hell of a lot more than I do) is amazed at my ability to navigate in a new city. When I was a kid my dad always had a travel atlas in the bathroom. You know, just some light reading. So I read it too and have always liked maps. I guess I just picture the map even if I've never been there.

[adventurernumber1]

you just resurrected a five year old thread.

what the poop?

This is going to open Pandora's Box, I'm sure, but what is the big deal about that if it is done so with new information? There have been quite a number of new people to this forum in five years (I'm sure I'm included...no idea when I registered) so to them this may very well be a new thread.  I know I'd never have noticed it was old had I not read your post.

Yeah, that's pretty much a good explanation. A lot of times I resurrect old threads, I look around in the deep untreked pits of the forum for stuff to read and possibly comment on, LOL.

I can "navigate like a local" in several large cities (i.e. know how to avoid the traffic), especially San Diego and Los Angeles, but even so there are certain unfamiliarities, like "wow, that 57 shield is a patch and I don't know what it covers up" (no, it's not 210... I'm thinking of a sign at the northbound split with CA-60).

I could navigate like a local in places as far from me as the Miami Metro Area (I have much knowledge of Florida as said).

Of course, I don't know where to find good places to learn anything, and most of my knowledge comes from Wikipedia, so my knowledge on history of old alignments is piss poor. The only one I truly know about is the Somerset Freeway in Central New Jersey, probably because it's in my neck of the woods.

I usually use Wikipedia researching things about roads. It's about 99% trustable tbh, at least with roads. I highly doubt anyone would try to say GA SR 71 runs through Los Angeles and troll everyone. I would laugh my @$$ off if someone did that if they were thinking I'd believe that, then at the same time I would be ticked someone would have messed up a road page on Wikipedia 

[6a]

I usually use Wikipedia researching things about roads. It's about 99% trustable tbh, at least with roads. I highly doubt anyone would try to say GA SR 71 runs through Los Angeles and troll everyone. I would laugh my @$$ off if someone did that if they were thinking I'd believe that, then at the same time I would be ticked someone would have messed up a road page on Wikipedia 

[algorerhythms]

I usually use Wikipedia researching things about roads. It's about 99% trustable tbh, at least with roads. I highly doubt anyone would try to say GA SR 71 runs through Los Angeles and troll everyone. I would laugh my @$$ off if someone did that if they were thinking I'd believe that, then at the same time I would be ticked someone would have messed up a road page on Wikipedia 

Now I'm tempted to make an edit to the page for Georgia State Route 71...

[adventurernumber1]

I usually use Wikipedia researching things about roads. It's about 99% trustable tbh, at least with roads. I highly doubt anyone would try to say GA SR 71 runs through Los Angeles and troll everyone. I would laugh my @$$ off if someone did that if they were thinking I'd believe that, then at the same time I would be ticked someone would have messed up a road page on Wikipedia 

Now I'm tempted to make an edit to the page for Georgia State Route 71...

Haha, I was just kidding. At least the last time I checked, no one has ever messed up that Wikipedia page. But maybe we should check..you never know 

[hotdogPi]

One person messed up MA 28. It ended at I-80, crossed I-995 twice, and had exit numbers on non-freeway portions. This lasted for SEVENTEEN days before I fixed it.

[Thing 342]

I tend to focus on metro areas more than I do entire states. I know a lot about the Atlanta Metro area but very little about the rest of Georgia.

[MillTheRoadgeek]

Strengths:
: DC/Baltimore area
: Richmond area
: Norfolk/SE Virginia area
: Salt Lake City area
: Minneapolis/St. Paul area
: Eastern Maryland/Delaware

OK:
: Connecticut
: New Jersey
: NE Colorado
: SoCal

Rest is weak.

[hbelkins]

On a related subject, I am terrible about geography in California and Florida. I know where SF, LA, San Diego and Sacramento are, but name another decent-sized city and I have no clue where in the state it's located. I couldn't tell you if San Jose is in the bay area or in southern California.

Same is true for Florida. I know Tampa/St. Pete, Tallahassee, Orlando, Jacksonville, Daytona and Miami, but most everything else is a blank. I have no idea if Palm Beach is on the Gulf coast or Atlantic coast, nor if it's in the northern or southern part of the state.

[cpzilliacus]

Strengths:

(1) Maryland
(2) Virginia
(3) District of Columbia
(4) West Virginia
(5) Delaware
(6) Pennsylvania
(7) North Carolina
(8) South Carolina
(9) New Jersey
(10) New York
(11) Georgia
(12) Vermont
(13) New Hampshire
(14) Maine
(15) Massachusetts
(16) California
(17) Sweden
(18) Finland

Medium:

(19) Rhode Island
(20) Ohio
(21) Michigan
(22) Indiana
(23) Illinois
(24) Kentucky
(25) Florida
(26) Oregon
(27) Ontario
(28) Quebec
(29) New Brunswick
(30) Denmark
(31) Estonia
(32) Iceland
(33) Great Britain (England only)
(34) Baja California

[sammi]

Philippines

I know the MacArthur Highway — SCTEX — NLEX ­— EDSA corridor from Laoag City to Pasay City (~500 km), especially in its pre-2010 state. I can probably name you every town and city the roads pass through in order.

I also partly know the SLEX corridor from Parañaque City to Batangas City (~100 km), but I've only been on it twice.

Canada

I know the 401 corridor (Windsor — Cornwall), but I'm less familiar with Pickering and east. Also the other 400-series highways in the Greater Toronto—Hamilton Area. Only the 400-series highways though.

I can name in order the major roads (the ones that form the grid) in Toronto, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill and eastern Brampton and Mississauga. Some downtown city streets I also know, but I sometimes get confused by their order. (Remind me to make a map of where I've been in Toronto.)

I only know a few of the non-400-series highways. I think I've only been on Hwys 3 and 6.

United States

I sorta know I-94 from Chicago to Detroit, especially the part from Chelsea, MI eastward (I did a lot of research around the Chelsea area because of the car accident that happened last winter). That's about it.

[Roadrunner75]

Now that you mention the navigating like a local thing, my wife (who travels a hell of a lot more than I do) is amazed at my ability to navigate in a new city. When I was a kid my dad always had a travel atlas in the bathroom. You know, just some light reading. So I read it too and have always liked maps. I guess I just picture the map even if I've never been there.

Same here.  And the latest Rand McNally atlas sits on top of the pile in the basket in our bathroom.  Thanks to this, and the drawer full of road maps in my childhood home, I can probably do just fine getting around in many American cities that I've never been to.  The internet and with it aerial maps / street view images have made it all the better.

[SSOWorld]

Now that it's been 4 years since last post in this ancient thread...

The strongest
WI, IL, IA, MN, MI, CA (mostly southern 2/3s) and AZ

Strong
MT, Eastern ND, MI (UP mostly, but some sections of the LP),

Moderate
North Jersey, SE NV, UT, OK, MO, ON, IN, New England SW of Portland, ME to NYC

Don't look at me for the SE or NW right now

Not as diverse as Oscar or Jake, but I've covered lots of territory in the last two years alone.

[US81]

Strong on Texas: I'm pretty good on the whole state even though the vast majority of my time and travels are within the Houston/DFW/San Antonio triangle. Moderate on LA, AR, OK, NM, AZ, TN, CO, MS and progressively weaker further away from TX.  Some limited awareness of Mex, Canada and the rest of the world. Often use this board or current events (hurricanes, earthquakes, mud slides, bridges tilting or collapsing, etc) as a starting place to learn more.

[Brandon]

Holy necro thread, Batman!

Now that you mention it...

Very Strong
Illinois
Michigan - LP & UP

Strong
Indiana
Iowa
Wisconsin
Ohio
SW Ontario

Moderate
Missouri
Nebraska

Other than that, not very strong at all, IMHO.

[mrsman]

Very Strong

California (esp. LA area, major highways, Sacramento area)
NYC area
NJ along NJTP and nearby corridor
MD
DC


Strong

Rest of California


OK

Washington
Arizona
Greater Chicago area (IL)
Northern Virigina
Metro Atlanta
SE Florida (Miami area)


The rest of the country is not familiar to me, but if I ever travel to those areas, I'll sure study up on it.  And I'm happy to reference maps to try to be knowledgable on a topic on this forum, even if it's in an area of the country that I'm unfamiliar.

[pianocello]

My scope is pretty limited. I've got a good handle on the interstates nationwide (except sometimes I have to refresh myself on a few short 3dis), and I know the majority of the US highways. Outside the Midwest, I know a few notable state routes, but that's about it.

State-wise, I'm incredibly biased toward the places I frequent. For example, I know eastern Iowa a lot better than western Iowa. My other strengths are northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and the southern half of Michigan.

I would like to familiarize myself more with the rest of the Midwest, and eventually venture into the rest of the country, but that might take a while, especially if I stay around here for the rest of my life.

[Laura]

Now that it's been 4 years since last post in this ancient thread...

The strongest
WI, IL, IA, MN, MI, CA (mostly southern 2/3s) and AZ

Strong
MT, Eastern ND, MI (UP mostly, but some sections of the LP),

Moderate
North Jersey, SE NV, UT, OK, MO, ON, IN, New England SW of Portland, ME to NYC

Don't look at me for the SE or NW right now

Not as diverse as Oscar or Jake, but I've covered lots of territory in the last two years alone.

I'd love for all of the original posters from 5 years ago to comment again on this thread to see if they have expertise in new areas!

I'm decent in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. That's about it. However, I love learning about different roads in different states whenever I can.

[corco]

I'd love for all of the original posters from 5 years ago to comment again on this thread to see if they have expertise in new areas!

I'm decent in Maryland, Virginia, and DC. That's about it. However, I love learning about different roads in different states whenever I can.

Finnnneee. On the whole, I'm pretty sure I know less than I did in 2009 (certainly my knowledge, of, say US routes in Florida is a hell of a lot weaker than it used to be- stupid brain being only so big and more important information taking over), though the knowledge is more targeted.

Super strengths (driven the entire state highway system or in Idaho's case just about the entire state highway system with an end in immediate sight):
WA, WY, AZ, ID

I know a lot, but don't have the level of knowledge that comes from actually driving the entire system:
MT, NE, NM, UT, CO, SD, OR

I can have a competent conversation about:
ND, NV, BC, AB, KS, OK, TX, IA, MO, IL, OH

Meh:
Everything else.