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Thanks to everyone for the feedback on what errors you encountered at https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=33904.0
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Author Topic: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]  (Read 24427 times)

SkyPesos

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The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« on: July 15, 2021, 10:40:39 AM »

Thought this would be useful for new members here, as they're mentioned outside of their respective thread a good amount of times.

Alanland: It does and does not exist at the same time. That's all I can say about it. And something about goats... Here's a better description:
Quote
Alanland is what the Perkins Union renames itself after it secedes from the U.S. Law enforcement is accomplished through swarms of bees. BGSes are red, stoplights are as well. Walmart has to operate under the trade name "Pfangle" for legal reasons. Rattlesnakes are strictly required to register with county governments. The maximum speed limit is 52, the minimum 26, and the relative humidity 75%. The color gray is punishable by death. The official currency is the Numberwang. Alanland has pi houses of parliament, each of which are headed by an executive entitled "The Warbler". The chief executive is "The Grand Unified Alan of Alanland", whose official limousine gets ninety-three rods to the hogshead by statute. The capital is Quindaro and its chief export is Clearview.

(Source: Alanland Tourism and Armoire Standardization Department)

Hypotenuse: The longest side of a right triangle, and in this case, the other two sides of this right triangle are I-290 and I-90/I-94. The official description of it is "the I-90 missing link in Chicago".

I-366: An interstate highway upgrade of Virginia Route 28, and comes with an 85 mph speed limit.

Illinois: The least flat state in the nation.

Anything I'm missing?

EDIT: Removed usernames from definitions.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2021, 11:30:40 PM by SkyPesos »
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Rothman

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2021, 11:06:29 AM »

Isn't the m.t.r. f.a.q. still up somewhere?
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Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

paulthemapguy

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2021, 11:33:20 AM »

More glossary terms:

2di: 2-digit Interstate, or an Interstate with a number less than 100 (also includes what are technically one-digit Interstates)
3di: 3-digit Interstate, or an Interstate with a number from 100-999
2du: 2-digit US Route, or a US Route with a number from 1-101
3du: 3-digit US Route, or a US Route with a number from 102-999
BGS: Big green sign, usually used over freeways and tollways
Rural expressway:  Divided limited-access highway, having 4 lanes or sometimes more, with grade-separated interchanges at major crossroads and grade crossings at minor crossroads.
Freeway:  A limited-access high-speed highway, free of roadway tolls.
Expressway: Can refer to a rural expressway, or can refer to any high-speed limited-access highway with grade-separated interchanges.
Carriageway: a corridor of pavement carrying traffic moving in one certain direction, usually separate from another such corridor moving in the opposite direction.  One stretch of divided highway will consist of two carriageways, or sometimes more.
DDI:  Diverging Diamond Interchange
SPUI:  Single-Point Urban Interchange
FHWA:  Can refer to the Federal Highway Administration or their official font, considered the classic font on roadway signage.
Clearview:  The new font that some roadway agencies have adopted; other agencies go back and forth on using it on roadway signage.
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JoePCool14

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2021, 12:03:09 PM »

AARoads Thread Starter Pack

The actual Worst of Road Signs: No permission to post anything here unless the mighty Gatekeepers allow it.  :spin:

Unique, Odd, or Interesting Signs aka The good, the bad, and the ugly: The best place currently for any weird signs you might find.

Traffic signal: The least descriptive thread title still on the forum.

Illinois 53 Extension: A thread that may as well be on the Fictional Highways board at this point.

Olive Garden is gone bad: Most relevant discussion. A must-read for all newbies.

Minor things that bother you: The roadgeek whine thread. (Or is that this whole forum? :-P)

Alanland: yes and no
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US 89

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2021, 12:29:45 PM »

SkyPesos

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2021, 12:36:53 PM »

Clearview:  The new font that some roadway agencies have adopted; other agencies go back and forth on using it on roadway signage Comic Sans of highway fonts.
FTFY  :bigass:

Max Rockatansky

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2021, 02:43:46 PM »

Gross:  A descriptor applied to anything not related to Virginia Oblast.

Oblast:  An Alanlandian equivalent to a State. 

Vegan:  What people from Virginia Oblast use to describe anything from California. 

Goat Jesus:  Our lord and savior who not only loves you but hates you as well.
« Last Edit: October 13, 2021, 11:13:25 PM by Alps »
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kphoger

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #7 on: July 15, 2021, 03:44:33 PM »

NIMBYs – Any opponents to any highway project for any reason whatsoever

Craig County bad – Hyperbole, as the bar is so low that every other sign you can think of is above it

Raise the gas tax – My fictional idea cannot be done in the real world   or    I don't understand politics

Clearview – A sign font that deserves far less hate than I'm about to dump on it

IDiOT – An agency not much worse than many others, but it's fun to be snarky
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Male pronouns, please.

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GaryV

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #8 on: July 15, 2021, 04:05:11 PM »

Viatology/viatologist:  Made up words for road-geekery, used by only one person in the world.
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Roadgeekteen

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2021, 04:07:43 PM »

Don't read the 2020 Olympics thread. Or do, at your own risk.
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Big John

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2021, 04:32:15 PM »

NIMBYs – Any opponents to any highway project for any reason whatsoever

NIMBY - Not In My Back Yard.  Opposed to building in their area, but not opposed to building elsewhere.

BANANA - Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything.  Applies to any project including highways.
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kphoger

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #11 on: July 15, 2021, 04:47:13 PM »

Oh, fine.  Give the actual definitions...
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formulanone

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #12 on: July 15, 2021, 05:41:06 PM »

Daylight Savings Time - Officer, I meant to type Daylight Donuts Time.

Exit Renumbering - A process that's fine for every state except for the states which don't use it.

GPS - Many people swear you'll go blind if you use it too much.

Interstate - The most important thing a town needs, if you set your watch back 50-60 years.

Pop versus Cola - An argument by people who claim to be well-travelled but dig their heels at the suggestion of a synonym.

Radio Stations - Something that still exists if you forgot your phone, favorite MP3 player, passenger, and recorded music.

Renumbering - A great idea for use in all places with no present road maintenance nor level-of-service issues.

Roadgeek Card - Something people swear must be turned in, but was never distributed in the first place.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 07:24:07 PM by formulanone »
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Roadgeekteen

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #13 on: July 15, 2021, 05:51:28 PM »

This thread should be in Suggestions and Questions.
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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

Max Rockatansky

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #14 on: July 15, 2021, 06:53:04 PM »

This thread should be in Suggestions and Questions.

Alangoatteen:  Leader of a failed coup against the Grand Alan of Alanland.  Punished to seven years of hard labor constructing the Nevada Test Site Interstate for Lord FritzOwl.  Had a hard time keeping up with known Alanlandian norms and current events.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 06:56:28 PM by Max Rockatansky »
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Scott5114

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #15 on: July 15, 2021, 07:18:47 PM »

ODOT–Theoretically could mean Ohio DOT or Oregon DOT, but nearly always refers to Oklahoma DOT, an organization of individuals with no strong feelings for or against proper spelling, capitalization, font usage, spacing, or measuring. Generally spoken of the same way you'd discuss a five-year-old with an aptitude for getting foreign objects wedged up their nose. A rich source of entertainment.

Craig County bad – Hyperbole, as the bar is so low that every other sign you can think of is above it

Craig County–a county in Oklahoma whose welcome signage was so legendarily bad that roadgeeks have been chasing the high of finding something that terrible ever since. Oklahoma DOT is more than happy to string them along with other signs approaching, but not yet exceeding, that holy grail of suckitude.

Orleans County–a county in New York which is sort of the reverse of the above; one roadgeek's attestation that the place itself was legendarily bad meant that all of the other roadgeeks were searching for any redeeming quality it might possess. Apparently you can ban swimming in natural bodies of water somehow?

McClain County–a county in Oklahoma that, due to the above discussion of Orleans County, was found to lack any redeeming qualities whatsoever.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 07:22:08 PM by Scott5114 »
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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #16 on: July 15, 2021, 08:35:38 PM »

ODOT–Theoretically could mean Ohio DOT or Oregon DOT, but nearly always refers to Oklahoma DOT, an organization of individuals with no strong feelings for or against proper spelling, capitalization, font usage, spacing, or measuring. Generally spoken of the same way you'd discuss a five-year-old with an aptitude for getting foreign objects wedged up their nose. A rich source of entertainment.

Craig County bad – Hyperbole, as the bar is so low that every other sign you can think of is above it

Craig County–a county in Oklahoma whose welcome signage was so legendarily bad that roadgeeks have been chasing the high of finding something that terrible ever since. Oklahoma DOT is more than happy to string them along with other signs approaching, but not yet exceeding, that holy grail of suckitude.

Orleans County–a county in New York which is sort of the reverse of the above; one roadgeek's attestation that the place itself was legendarily bad meant that all of the other roadgeeks were searching for any redeeming quality it might possess. Apparently you can ban swimming in natural bodies of water somehow?

McClain County–a county in Oklahoma that, due to the above discussion of Orleans County, was found to lack any redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Rental County–doesn't actually exist, but needs to be created in a state that puts county names on their license plates.
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Clinched, minus I-93 (I'm missing a few miles and my file is incorrect)

Traveled, plus US 13, 44, and 50, and several state routes

I will be in Burlington VT for the eclipse.

CtrlAltDel

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #17 on: July 15, 2021, 10:56:44 PM »

More glossary terms:

2di: 2-digit Interstate, or an Interstate with a number less than 100 (also includes what are technically one-digit Interstates)
3di: 3-digit Interstate, or an Interstate with a number from 100-999
2du: 2-digit US Route, or a US Route with a number from 1-101
3du: 3-digit US Route, or a US Route with a number from 102-999
BGS: Big green sign, usually used over freeways and tollways
Rural expressway:  Divided limited-access highway, having 4 lanes or sometimes more, with grade-separated interchanges at major crossroads and grade crossings at minor crossroads.
Freeway:  A limited-access high-speed highway, free of roadway tolls.
Expressway: Can refer to a rural expressway, or can refer to any high-speed limited-access highway with grade-separated interchanges.
Carriageway: a corridor of pavement carrying traffic moving in one certain direction, usually separate from another such corridor moving in the opposite direction.  One stretch of divided highway will consist of two carriageways, or sometimes more.
DDI:  Diverging Diamond Interchange
SPUI:  Single-Point Urban Interchange
FHWA:  Can refer to the Federal Highway Administration or their official font, considered the classic font on roadway signage.
Clearview:  The new font that some roadway agencies have adopted; other agencies go back and forth on using it on roadway signage.

I don't know about some of these, in particular the notation 2du instead of 2dus and the exclusion of tolls from freeways. Unless they're supposed to be funny, but not all of them seem so. Like there's nothing funny in the DDI entry.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 11:00:28 PM by CtrlAltDel »
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Interstates clinched: 4, 57, 275 (IN-KY-OH), 465 (IN), 640 (TN), 985
State Interstates clinched: I-26 (TN), I-75 (GA), I-75 (KY), I-75 (TN), I-81 (WV), I-95 (NH)

SkyPesos

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #18 on: July 15, 2021, 11:11:55 PM »

...exclusion of tolls from freeways.
I thought the word "freeway" is meant for toll-free roads, with words like "tollway" or "turnpike" defining toll roads.

Max Rockatansky

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2021, 11:19:48 PM »

Some serious ones related to California:

LRN:  Pre-1964 Legislative Route Number

NOTR:  National Old Trails Road

Ridge Route:  Two mountainous alignments of US Route 99 between Los Angeles and San Joaquin Valley.  The Old Ridge Route refers to the road completed in 1915 whereas Ridge Route Alternate is the 1930s realignment.

The "insert highway":  Southern California slang to describe a highway.  Example; I took "The Five" over the Grapevine to Bakersfield.

The Grapevine:  A modernized term to describe Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles to San Joaquin Valley.  The name takes it's origin from Grapevine Canyon approaching San Joaquin Valley.

ACSC:  Automobile Club of Southern California

CSAA:  California State Automobile Club

DOH:  Division of Highways (existed prior to the creation of Caltrans in 1975)

Spade:  The shape of the California State Route shield.  The original run of spades are typically referred to as "Bear Spades."

CHPW:  California Highways & Public Works

CTC:  California Transportation Commission

CHC:  California Highway Commission

Sign County Route:  The lettered County Routes which are laid out in geographic areas.

G28-1:  A bare bones variant of the California Spade which lacks "California" in the crest.

Redwood Highway:  A well used name for US Route 101 north of San Francisco and US Route 199 north of Crescent City.

Golden State Highway:  A common use name for the corridor of California State Route 99 in San Joaquin Valley

El Camino Real:  The name commonly used to refer to US Route 101 from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

El Camino Sierra:  California State Route 14 from I-5 north to US Route 395, US Route 395 to California State Route 89 and California State Route 89 north to Lake Tahoe.

West Side Freeway:  The name of Interstate 5 in San Joaquin Valley

Golden State Freeway:  Interstate 5 north of downtown Los Angeles to San Joaquin Valley.  Sometimes also used for California State Route 99 north to Sacramento

Hollywood Freeway:  California State Route 170 and US 101 looping from Interstate 5 in San Fernando south to downtown Los Angeles.

Four-oh-Five:  Interstate 405 which also happens to be known as the San Diego Freeway

Ventura Freeway:  California State Route 134 and US Route 101 west from Pasadena to Venture (sometimes also used for US Route 101 west to Goleta).

Pacific Coast Highway:  The entirety of California State Route 1.  Sometimes California State Route 1 is known as the Cabrillo Highway or Roosevelt Highway.

Ojai Freeway:  Current CA 33/Old US 399 north of US 101 in Ventura.

Maricopa Highway:  Current CA 33/Old US 399 from CA 150 to CA 166


I can probably go with highway names but I'll let others chime in if they feel so inclined.
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CtrlAltDel

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #20 on: July 15, 2021, 11:22:17 PM »

...exclusion of tolls from freeways.

I thought the word "freeway" is meant for toll-free roads, with words like "tollway" or "turnpike" defining toll roads.

From the MUTCD: "Freeway–a divided highway with full control of access." As you can see, it says nothing about means of financing.
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Interstates clinched: 4, 57, 275 (IN-KY-OH), 465 (IN), 640 (TN), 985
State Interstates clinched: I-26 (TN), I-75 (GA), I-75 (KY), I-75 (TN), I-81 (WV), I-95 (NH)

SkyPesos

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #21 on: July 15, 2021, 11:27:36 PM »

Here's three specifically for Ohio:

Dancing Arrows: The state's lazy way of providing APL like information while not using an APL.

Flashing Yellow Arrow: What is that again?

I-73: 404 error, page not found.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2021, 11:45:43 PM by SkyPesos »
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Takumi

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #22 on: July 15, 2021, 11:28:21 PM »

The Racetrack: A seemingly random 4-lane section of US 33 in rural West Virginia.
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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #23 on: July 15, 2021, 11:42:37 PM »

IDiOT – An agency not much worse than many others, but it's fun to be snarky

You mean the agency that let's sign installers install a left turn only sign for the right lane don't deserve to be called idiots? I beg to differ.
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jeffandnicole

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Re: The AARoads Pocket Dictionary [For New Members]
« Reply #24 on: July 16, 2021, 12:07:10 AM »

Here's three specifically for Ohio...

Dancing Arrows: The state's lazy way of providing APL like information while not using an APL.

Maryland was better at this. They would have entire chorus lines of dancing arrows.
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