Recent posts

#1

Mid-South / Re: Texas

Last post by Plutonic Panda - Today at 12:14:39 AM

If the land is cheap enough, I always thought turbines were cheaper than stacks.

#2

Traffic Control / Re: Road Sign UNO

Last post by TBKS1 - April 19, 2024, 11:57:40 PM

Exit 880 -> My personal highest exit number, Exit 686 on US 82 in far North Texas (taken 5 November 2021)

#3

Road Enthusiasts Meetings / Re: SWPA25 Road Enthusiast Mee...

Last post by jeffandnicole - April 19, 2024, 11:40:49 PM

There's a Pirates game the Friday night before that I would happily attend. I've heard the park is a wonderful experience. If anyone wants to join me please text, email or otherwise drop me a line so we can get tickets together!

It's doubtful I'll make it to this meet, but you heard right. If you or others can take in a game here, do so. And upper deck seating between 1st and 3rd will give you a wonderful view of the bridges, river and city skyline.

Also, Fatheads beer has a large gazebo-type bar area behind left-center field. One of my favorite breweries.

Between 1st and 3rd?

Yeah. That's what the call the seating area in the infield area.

#4

Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Michigan Notes

Last post by vdeane - April 19, 2024, 11:28:17 PM

Driving sure seems simpler staying within 10 mph of the speed limit.  Now if only the northeast would raise its speed limits so I could go exactly the speed limit (without substantially affecting my travel time) and make it simpler still; while most places won't pull you over for 5-7 over, some do, and that's even more common with cameras.

I would extend that to 15 over on freeways. The risk of getting pulled over for 10-14 over in a 55 or 65 mph zone in NY is pretty low, especially because you usually won't be the fastest one on the road, you can slow down to 10 over almost instantly, and might not even be going as fast to begin with depending on your speedometer error. 15-19 over is what I think of as the calculated risk zone, meaning I wouldn't typically drive this fast on a road trip nor set the cruise in this range, but am comfortable with it intermittently on local highways. And 20+ over is the true danger zone due to standing out from other traffic, 6 points on your license if ticketed, and mandatory $300 fine.

Surface streets are trickier. There are some where I speed 10-14 over quite regularly, and others where that feels too fast (or where traffic rarely/never allows for it anyways).

If I were to do it, I'd raise the speed limit on the Thruway to 70 (or even 75) but keep the enforcement threshold exactly the same (around 80).  The tolerance should be for ensuring that speedometer and radar calibration errors don't result in a ticket, not a cushion for people who want to speed - but that should be done after the limit is raised to something reasonable, not before.

I don't know.  I'd think the speed limit would have to be raised pretty high to lessen the "buffer effect" up here.

On my eclipse trip, I was taken aback by how slowly Texans drive -- at least where I was in San Antonio and the adjacent Hill Country.  Seemed to me there was more of a compliance with the speed limit compared to the Thruway, where 80 mph+ in a 65 mph zone is common in the left lane.

Camera speed enforcement in NY is posted and signed.  In my personal opinion, I believe there is a buffer of sorts even with them.

Anyway, speeding anywhere has a risk of a ticket, I suppose.  But, I have found that a combination of not speeding too much (<15 mph over) and keeping one's eyes peeled for enforcement is effective.

Haven't got a ticket in over a decade now and I'm driving more than ever.

Sure, NY's work zone speed cameras are signed.  NYC's "school zone" cameras aren't.  Nor are many in other jurisdictions, at least not as precisely as the NY work zone ones.  Take this one in Iowa, which I happen to know about only because I happened to be poking around in street view (I didn't even know Iowa had speed cameras until I did!).  No signage, and from what I've read, no tolerance either.  Already my "5 over on surface roads, 7 over on freeways and some divided highways" has carve-outs for Emporia, VA; Hopewell Junction, VA; Washington, DC; Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) in Philadelphia; and Québec (from what I've heard, their cameras photo everyone going any amount over the limit and from their it's at the discretion of the police officer reviewing the photos, and that they have less tolerance with the cameras than in person).  I hate having carve-outs, and like I said, keeping track of how different jurisdictions handle these matters isn't a game I want to play.  But changing the policy to "just go the limit exactly" would make my drive between Rochester and Albany close to half an hour longer, and reduce the amount I could travel in a day for longer trips by about 60 miles.

When Michigan increased speed limits to 75mph in the rural areas, most people still only do 80mph. The speed limits were supposed to be set to 80mph because everyone is driving that speed already but was changed in order for the bill to be passed.
80mph is like the perfect speed for a freeway, any higher and fuel efficiency greatly decreases. Speeds are pretty much the same on the 70 and 75mph sections, both speed limits, the normal flow is 80mph

Exactly.

#5

Off-Topic / Re: Buc-ees outside of Texas.

Last post by Road Hog - April 19, 2024, 11:14:54 PM

I first visited a Buc-ee's in Madisonville in 2015. It was the Friday before Christmas and the joint was packed. I took two steps in and did an immediate about-face. No beaver nuggets for me that day.

I got one closer to me in Melissa now on Future I-45. I'm due to buy another T-shirt soon and I might get a tank of their ethanol-free gas.

#6

Mid-South / Re: Texas

Last post by Road Hog - April 19, 2024, 11:06:13 PM

I don't know what the advantage is of a turbine as opposed to a 4-level stack. You need lots more real estate for it and more piers to install since piers aren't being shared. It's "innovative" and "looks purty" but that's about it.

#7

Southeast / Re: I-55 Bridge in Memphis

Last post by vdeane - April 19, 2024, 10:53:33 PM

And Arkansas likely won't extend that third lane much past the first exit, since ultimately there is a duplex with 40 up ahead.

Exit 3B would seem to be a nice place to end it, since that's where US 70 merges in with the West Memphis traffic.

#8

Off-Topic / Re: Atlantic Coast Fall Line

Last post by Road Hog - April 19, 2024, 10:49:18 PM

Here is a map showing the fall line not only along the Atlantic Seaboard but also the Gulf Coast (which is not as well known, probably because river navigation became less important in 1800s settlement):

#9

Northeast / Re: NYC Roads

Last post by vdeane - April 19, 2024, 10:48:20 PM

I guess the people calling for this are forgetting that we have cars so we can go faster than horses and buggies. That and not having to leave horse or other animal shit on the streets. Are they seriously trying to bring us back to 19th Century speed limits?

It's not so much as they forgot as they view the proliferation of cars as a mistake which they seek to undo.

#10

General Highway Talk / Re: How are 3 digit interstate...

Last post by vdeane - April 19, 2024, 10:43:00 PM

On thing that's worth noting is that 3di numbers don't duplicate within a state, and I-495 exists in both MD and VA (and a tiny piece of DC).  Thus, I-295 for Richmond, I-495 for DC, and I-695 for Baltimore was somewhat dictated by the fact that I-495 exists.