Minor things that bother you

[Rothman]

California puts all of its 100% state-funded projects on their STIP?  That seems like overkill.  NY considers the STIP an enabling document for federal funding.  A few state-funded projects end up there because they somehow involve an interstate or other facility FHWA cares about, but otherwise they're mostly not added.

[Beltway]

California puts all of its 100% state-funded projects on their STIP?  That seems like overkill.  NY considers the STIP an enabling document for federal funding.  A few state-funded projects end up there because they somehow involve an interstate or other facility FHWA cares about, but otherwise they're mostly not added.

Wouldn't that depend on the size of the 100% state-funded project?

Nowadays that could include a project of over $1 billion.

Any project of over $5 or $10 million or so could be there.

[J N Winkler]

California puts all of its 100% state-funded projects on their STIP?  That seems like overkill.  NY considers the STIP an enabling document for federal funding.  A few state-funded projects end up there because they somehow involve an interstate or other facility FHWA cares about, but otherwise they're mostly not added.

I am not big into STIPs/TIPs, but the last time I explored how highway funding is programmed in California, I gathered that the STIP is considered the master list of every transportation project in which California state government has some involvement (not just Caltrans, but also the toll road authorities and regional measure agencies developing projects in coordination with Caltrans' Office of Special Funded Projects), and there is a subset document with just federal-aid projects for federal compliance purposes.

[Rothman]

California puts all of its 100% state-funded projects on their STIP?  That seems like overkill.  NY considers the STIP an enabling document for federal funding.  A few state-funded projects end up there because they somehow involve an interstate or other facility FHWA cares about, but otherwise they're mostly not added.

Wouldn't that depend on the size of the 100% state-funded project?

Nowadays that could include a project of over $1 billion.

Any project of over $5 or $10 million or so could be there.

No.

[Rothman]

California puts all of its 100% state-funded projects on their STIP?  That seems like overkill.  NY considers the STIP an enabling document for federal funding.  A few state-funded projects end up there because they somehow involve an interstate or other facility FHWA cares about, but otherwise they're mostly not added.

I am not big into STIPs/TIPs, but the last time I explored how highway funding is programmed in California, I gathered that the STIP is considered the master list of every transportation project in which California state government has some involvement (not just Caltrans, but also the toll road authorities and regional measure agencies developing projects in coordination with Caltrans' Office of Special Funded Projects), and there is a subset document with just federal-aid projects for federal compliance purposes.

Interesting that they use what is essentially the fed's program to manage their entire program, then.

I know NY is not unique in having a capital projects database separate from the STIP.

(Come to think of it, I wonder if they use eSTIP...I'd be surprised if they didn't)

[jeffandnicole]

Re: Cart Corrals

Describing the following is hard, to the point where I just want to move the corrals around myself some night.

In a normal parking lot, you can place a cart corral in a parking aisle 12 spaces apart.  Then in the adjoining aisle, you can offset it from the first aisle by 6 spaces, then place them 10 spaces apart.  The result: No matter where you park, you are no more than 3 spaces away from a corral!   My bad attempt at drawing this is below.  We'll say the store is at the top; the red X's denote the corrals.  Simply by reducing the spacing by 2, you'll be no more than 2 spots away from a corral!

___________________________________________________
_______________________Store________________________

____         _______           _______          _______         ____
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_X_          _0_|_0_            _X_|_X_          _0_|_0_         _X__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_0_          _X_|_X_            _0_|_0_          _X_|_X_         _0__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_X_          _0_|_0_            _X_|_X_          _0_|_0_         _X__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|

[webny99]

^ Interesting, staggering the corrals just like that is pretty much exactly what Wegmans does!
(I'm not sure of the exact spacing they use, but basically if there's no corral nearby in your own aisle, there will be one in the aisle across from you, just like you described.)

[wanderer2575]

The two screenshots below are from another forum to which I belong. They fit the spirit of this thread perfectly. I responded to ARKHOO by suggesting wahoowad film the discussion and upload it to YouTube.

(first image snipped)

That is hilarious.  And you know more than one guy is taking it as serious advice.

[texaskdog]

Harley Quinn

[texaskdog]

Re: Cart Corrals

Describing the following is hard, to the point where I just want to move the corrals around myself some night.

In a normal parking lot, you can place a cart corral in a parking aisle 12 spaces apart.  Then in the adjoining aisle, you can offset it from the first aisle by 6 spaces, then place them 10 spaces apart.  The result: No matter where you park, you are no more than 3 spaces away from a corral!   My bad attempt at drawing this is below.  We'll say the store is at the top; the red X's denote the corrals.  Simply by reducing the spacing by 2, you'll be no more than 2 spots away from a corral!

___________________________________________________
_______________________Store________________________

____         _______           _______          _______         ____
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_X_          _0_|_0_            _X_|_X_          _0_|_0_         _X__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_0_          _X_|_X_            _0_|_0_          _X_|_X_         _0__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_X_          _0_|_0_            _X_|_X_          _0_|_0_         _X__|
|_1_          _1_|_1_            _1_|_1_          _1_|_1_         _1__|
|_2_          _2_|_2_            _2_|_2_          _2_|_2_         _2__|
|_3_          _3_|_3_            _3_|_3_          _3_|_3_         _3__|

stop applying simple logic to real world problems

[kphoger]

It's amazing how many times I'll put a cart away in one that's "full" but which magically gains room for double the amount of carts when I fix it (yeah, it bothers me so much that I actually take the time to organize them into a row of small carts and a row of big carts).

So I'm not the only one who does that???  Yay!!!

I always organize the cart corral when I put mine away.  This is surely based in part on the fact that my first job was pushing carts.

[jemacedo9]

It's amazing how many times I'll put a cart away in one that's "full" but which magically gains room for double the amount of carts when I fix it (yeah, it bothers me so much that I actually take the time to organize them into a row of small carts and a row of big carts).

So I'm not the only one who does that???  Yay!!!

I always organize the cart corral when I put mine away.  This is surely based in part on the fact that my first job was pushing carts.

Same here.  Yes and yes and an added yes.

[KEVIN_224]

Or those who have undiagnosed O.C.D.? I've put back a few carts at the supermarket or Walmart in my time.

[hbelkins]

^^^
I certainly don't have OCD, but I'll corral and put back loose carts sometimes because it's the polite thing to do. I also do the same with items that may have fallen or been knocked off the shelves and are on the floor.

[J N Winkler]

I organize cart corrals too--the more densely the carts are packed, the easier it is to put more in and the less likely any will be left loose in the lot where the wind can blow them into cars.

[Rushmeister]

Coworkers.  (That's all I have to say about that.)

[Max Rockatansky]

Short handing names for things that could be said easily.  Example; Bay Area Rapid Transit sounds more natural to me than "the BART."   Stuff like "U"  and "Ur"  gets to me in short hand Textese.  Ur to me is one of oldest traces of human civilization. 

[jeffandnicole]

Short handing names for things that could be said easily.  Example; Bay Area Rapid Transit sounds more natural to me than “the BART.”  Stuff like “U” and “Ur” gets to me in short hand Textese.  Ur to me is one of oldest traces of human civilization. 

Local terminology.  If you had to say and hear Bay Area Rapid Transit every day, multiple times a day, it would grate on you rather quickly.  We don't say Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority or Metropolitan Transportation Authority, we say "Septa" or "the Subway" or "the Bus".  Locally, we don't tend to say "the New Jersey Turnpike" or "the Garden State Parkway", we just say the Turnpike or the Parkway.  Someone from California may say the full name, but in NJ we all know what the Turnpike and Parkway means.

[Max Rockatansky]

Short handing names for things that could be said easily.  Example; Bay Area Rapid Transit sounds more natural to me than "the BART."   Stuff like "U"  and "Ur"  gets to me in short hand Textese.  Ur to me is one of oldest traces of human civilization. 

Local terminology.  If you had to say and hear Bay Area Rapid Transit every day, multiple times a day, it would grate on you rather quickly.  We don't say Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority or Metropolitan Transportation Authority, we say "Septa" or "the Subway" or "the Bus".  Locally, we don't tend to say "the New Jersey Turnpike" or "the Garden State Parkway", we just say the Turnpike or the Parkway.  Someone from California may say the full name, but in NJ we all know what the Turnpike and Parkway means.

In my own defense I work in a field where shorthand isn't really acceptable.  To that end I fully acknowledge what seems obtuse to me with shorthand naming conventions usually isn't for almost anyone else.  Example; if I was to fill out a travel voucher with "BART"  it would be rejected for inaccuracy. 

Interestingly though the short hand name of a transportation system is one of the few instances where inserting "The"  would be acceptable as non-California slang.  "The Bart"  sounds much more natural than something akin to "The 101."  

[1995hoo]

The DC Metro should be the "Federal Area Rapid Transit."

[hotdogPi]

"The Bart" doesn't sound natural to me, just like "The Fred" and "The George" don't. People's names don't takes articles.

[jeffandnicole]

And I should note that "Bart" is a stupid name IMO, but what you're trying to find someone that works I guess "Bay IntraCity Transit Hub" probably didn't get many votes.

[Max Rockatansky]

Bay Area Metro Express (Bay-X) might be something that sounds a lot less like it's referring to a person?  In Fresno our mass transit service is Fresno Area Express which is short handed to FAX:  I haven't ridden on a FAX bus myself but I would be greatly amused to tell someone on the phone that "I'm sending myself via FAX."    

[kphoger]

So, this is what I saw on my way into the grocery store yesterday.  Can you guess why I thought of this thread?

Actually, this was on my way back out of the store.  It was slightly better on the way in.  It might not be apparent in the picture, but the entire mess was due to the fact that two (yes, only two!) carts were left side-by-side but at a diagonal in the middle of the corral.  Rather than straighten those two carts out to form lines, the third shopper just rammed his or her cart against the rail behind them, and then not a single shopper after that could be bothered to do any better.

[Beltway]

The DC Metro should be the "Federal Area Rapid Transit."

Wah-mah-ta.  That is how people pronounce WMATA.