Random Thoughts

[Scott5114]

This thread is specifically about North Carolina

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=25425.msg2621761#msg2621761

Okay, so? That doesn't actually respond to the problems anyone has here.

Ah, I see what it is now.

Again, you're not actually responding to any of the concerns anyone has raised.

Too many of your posts are you just spouting off what's on your mind and not actually taking the time to understand other users' posts and formulate a meaningful response to them. So you end up talking past them, and people gradually come to the conclusion that talking to you is a waste of time because your replies rarely indicate that you actually read anything anyone ever says to you.

[Scott5114]

Example of a thread I could see happening:

TOLBS: I think they should make a law where everyone has to eat beans for dinner.
ME: Hold up. I don't think that's a good idea. I don't even like beans.
ROTHMAN: How would you even enforce that?
MAX: What about people who don't have a way to cook beans, like when they go camping or something?
TOLBS: Here's a picture on Google of someone eating beans.

A link to a picture of someone on Google eating beans doesn't convince me, Rothman, or Max it's a good idea, and doesn't address the point I raised about me not liking beans, Rothman not thinking that law can be enforced, and Max being concerned that some people don't have a way to cook beans. It also doesn't even explain why you think they should make that a law.

Nobody learns anything as a result of this conversation. It was a waste of time for everyone involved.

[tolbs17]

This thread is specifically about North Carolina

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=25425.msg2621761#msg2621761

Okay, so? That doesn't actually respond to the problems anyone has here.

Ah, I see what it is now.

Again, you're not actually responding to any of the concerns anyone has raised.

Too many of your posts are you just spouting off what's on your mind and not actually taking the time to understand other users' posts and formulate a meaningful response to them. So you end up talking past them, and people gradually come to the conclusion that talking to you is a waste of time because your replies rarely indicate that you actually read anything anyone ever says to you.

Oh man that sucks. I do read what people say. I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about. Maybe I will start posting more pics that are not in NC, and less nitpicking on minor stuff, hopefully that will give people more interest in replying to my comments in a nice way. That way, it will help with me not wasting everyone's time.

[Scott5114]

I think the problem is less the location of pictures you're posting and more so that the pictures you post aren't really something to have a conversation about. Even if you lived in Oklahoma and posted things from around me I probably wouldn't really be all that more interested in them.

I think where you could really stand to improve is in the depth of your posts. Take this post for instance, about California adopting external exit tabs:

Just seeing this; it's about time they switched! The in-set ones looked silly and childish..

This post is more or less identical to:

I like it!

...Cool, but not really a thought that's developed enough to have a conversation about. Sure, you like it. But how is anyone else supposed to carry on that conversation? It's sort of like someone invited you over to their house to have fun with you and you just laid down on the floor and fell asleep.

So here's how you could develop that further:

Just seeing this; it's about time they switched! The in-set ones looked silly and childish..

- Nobody really needs to know when you saw it. It's not like you were supposed to comment on it and you were late or something so you need to justify your lateness. We can't do anything with that information. You can leave that out.
- Why is it about time they switched? What was wrong with the inset tabs that were there before? "Silly" and "childish" are vague and tell us nothing. Clearly someone at Caltrans thinks they're not silly or they wouldn't have used them for 10 years. Why do you think that person is wrong? What do you think is better about the new way of doing tabs? Were there any reasons for doing it the old way? Why do you think those reasons aren't good enough to do it that way? Have you read about this subject outside AARoads? What did you find?

If you make a post that has some degree of depth into it, you will find people will respond to you a lot more positively, because you give them something to actually talk about.

[hotdogPi]

Is posting about North Carolina really the problem? Max Rockatansky almost exclusively posts and creates new threads about California. The difference is the depth of content.

[Max Rockatansky]

Is posting about North Carolina really the problem? Max Rockatansky almost exclusively posts and creates new threads about California. The difference is the depth of content.

Certainly not, in fact the most tags we have on Gribblenation is for blogs about North Carolina topics.  Another major difference is when I post about California or Adam does about North Carolina we don't do it in General topic boards.

The real problem is trying to explain to tolbs what the issue is in some sort of way he understands and can't twist around.  I'm pretty much convinced at this point that he just wants to see things his way and is has learned nothing since the Peekaboo incident.  Camping out in the Southeast board would be a big start but wouldn't really solve the core issue about low quality posting.

[webny99]

Yeah, I'd say random posts about a particular state with not much application to anything else should go in that state's regional board... maybe even in that state's thread if there is one.

[Max Rockatansky]

He actually does post there.  The same he also thinks his topics about random traffic control devices centric to North Carolina belongs in General. 

[formulanone]

I think there's also a lack of understanding that signage doesn't update like software does; it could be twenty years between replacement if something is not seriously out of whack or physically destroyed.

To be entirely fair, until I noticed that other states did things a little different from the next, or that certain design philosophies abound in the field, I was quite ignorant of what happened and why it did. So there's going to be a lot of variety due the times something was created or the changes in terrain...and thank goodness for that! The hobby would be a lot less interesting if everything slavishly obeyed to the letter of a handbook*.

The irony is that North Carolina typically has signage that would be the upper quintile of most roadgeek's rankings, compared to all other states.

* admittedly, I'm still bitter about Florida's colored US shields getting axed.

[Max Rockatansky]

That's why I don't understand why so many in this hobby are obsessed with everything single sign being up to spec with the latest volumes of the MUTCD.  All the memorable signage is far outside current MUTCD and likely wasn't in spec with any edition to begin with. 

[hotdogPi]

That's why I don't understand why so many in this hobby are obsessed with everything single sign being up to spec with the latest volumes of the MUTCD.  All the memorable signage is far outside current MUTCD and likely wasn't in spec with any edition to begin with.

The 2009 MUTCD has an option for push buttons that says "hold for extra time" . I believe this forum doesn't know of a single instance where that sign has been installed.

[tolbs17]

I think the problem is less the location of pictures you're posting and more so that the pictures you post aren't really something to have a conversation about. Even if you lived in Oklahoma and posted things from around me I probably wouldn't really be all that more interested in them.

I think where you could really stand to improve is in the depth of your posts. Take this post for instance, about California adopting external exit tabs:

Just seeing this; it's about time they switched! The in-set ones looked silly and childish..

This post is more or less identical to:

I like it!

...Cool, but not really a thought that's developed enough to have a conversation about. Sure, you like it. But how is anyone else supposed to carry on that conversation? It's sort of like someone invited you over to their house to have fun with you and you just laid down on the floor and fell asleep.

So here's how you could develop that further:

Just seeing this; it's about time they switched! The in-set ones looked silly and childish..

- Nobody really needs to know when you saw it. It's not like you were supposed to comment on it and you were late or something so you need to justify your lateness. We can't do anything with that information. You can leave that out.
- Why is it about time they switched? What was wrong with the inset tabs that were there before? "Silly" and "childish" are vague and tell us nothing. Clearly someone at Caltrans thinks they're not silly or they wouldn't have used them for 10 years. Why do you think that person is wrong? What do you think is better about the new way of doing tabs? Were there any reasons for doing it the old way? Why do you think those reasons aren't good enough to do it that way? Have you read about this subject outside AARoads? What did you find?

If you make a post that has some degree of depth into it, you will find people will respond to you a lot more positively, because you give them something to actually talk about.

because the tabs did not follow the MUTCD guidance?  And the offset ones are better because they follow the guidelines.  And it does not obscure the text on the sign. And no I have not read the subject outside of this forum.  And I will put more depth into my posts about what I'm talking about.

[kphoger]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

[tolbs17]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

[hotdogPi]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

I've met with SectorZ and noelbotevera in person, as well as going to one roadmeet and hanging out the most with PHLBOS during that roadmeet.

I do not recommend the forum chatroom; they're hostile to chat newcomers, even me.

[tolbs17]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

I've met with SectorZ and noelbotevera in person, as well as going to one roadmeet and hanging out the most with PHLBOS during that roadmeet.

Want to meet up? email me for details or add me on discord and we can do it from there. I would be interested in wanting to go to a roadmeet. I've never met any of y'all

[hotdogPi]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

I've met with SectorZ and noelbotevera in person, as well as going to one roadmeet and hanging out the most with PHLBOS during that roadmeet.

Want to meet up? email me for details or add me on discord and we can do it from there. I would be interested in wanting to go to a roadmeet. I've never met any of y'all

We're 600 miles apart. SectorZ lives very close, the Newburyport meet was also fairly close (but slightly farther), and noelbotevera was in the middle of a road trip (it helps that I'm near I-495, a major long-distance corridor).

[tolbs17]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

I've met with SectorZ and noelbotevera in person, as well as going to one roadmeet and hanging out the most with PHLBOS during that roadmeet.

Want to meet up? email me for details or add me on discord and we can do it from there. I would be interested in wanting to go to a roadmeet. I've never met any of y'all

We're 600 miles apart. SectorZ lives very close, the Newburyport meet was also fairly close (but slightly farther), and noelbotevera was in the middle of a road trip (it helps that I'm near I-495, a major long-distance corridor).

So I'm out in the country and not near any roadgeeks. That's fantastic

[hotdogPi]

Maybe the next time someone on this forum takes a trip along US 17, you can meet for lunch or dinner? You will need to plan in advance, though.

[tolbs17]

Maybe the next time someone on this forum takes a trip along US 17, you can meet for lunch or dinner? You will need to plan in advance, though.

Would work. I'm mostly open. Not doing anything at all. Just at home on my computer.

And I will plan in advance

[kphoger]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

I didn't mean take it to a chatroom.  I meant construct your posts in such a way that it invites people in.

A simple example of this would be to say "Why is _________ like this, when the MUTCD says _________?" instead of "Sometimes highway departments put total garbage on their signs."

[tolbs17]

I try my best to make them interesting for them to see what I'm talking about.

It's a forum.  The bulk of your activity should be focused on engaging people in a conversation, not just posting something you hope someone will be interested in seeing.

I get that it's a forum but I don't know what chatroom that's related to roads or any roadgeeks that I can talk to in person about my nitpicks.

I didn't mean take it to a chatroom.  I meant construct your posts in such a way that it invites people in.

A simple example of this would be to say "Why is _________ like this, when the MUTCD says _________?" instead of "Sometimes highway departments put total garbage on their signs."

Ok, so it would be "Why is this sign like this when the MUTCD says it should be like this? It should say EXITS not INTERCHANGES based on the guidance and here is a perfect example.

[kphoger]

Exactly.  Then we can start a discussion about whether "interchanges" was ever an approved alternative, or if they're used in subtly different circumstances, or if it's a state-specific thing, or whatever.

[tolbs17]

Exactly.  Then we can start a discussion about whether "interchanges" was ever an approved alternative, or if they're used in subtly different circumstances, or if it's a state-specific thing, or whatever.

Might as well do that, also there was this thread too but I'm not bumping it because it's a topic that has been discussed almost 9 years ago so it has some inactive members on it such as (agentsteel53, Kacie Jane, etc)

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=9237.0

[webny99]

I do not recommend the forum chatroom; they're hostile to chat newcomers, even me.

Concur. I logged in a couple times and got the sense that if I wasn't going to contribute very actively, I shouldn't bother being there.