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#1
Great Lakes and Ohio Valley / Re: Illinois: Round Mile Mark...
Last post by Rothman - Today at 10:56:44 AMQuote from: SSOWorld on Today at 07:50:34 AM... and this is one reason why Travel Mapping only goes off signed routes and mile markers do not qualify as signs*
* Exception provided for US Interstate Routes.
Hm. I see the asterix, but how does TM decide what unsigned Interstates are included in their dataset (e.g., I-124?)? What information do they rely upon?
#2
General Highway Talk / Re: State Line advertisements ...
Last post by 1995hoo - Today at 10:50:25 AM"Oleo." Wow. There's a word I hadn't heard in many years.
In terms of advertising generally, but not so much in terms of billboards, Virginia (as is the case with a number of states) has a statutory limit on the amount of alcoholic beverages you can import into the Commonwealth at one time unless you have a permit. Virginia is also an ABC store state, meaning the only places you can buy liquor in Virginia are state-run stores. Those of us in Northern Virginia have long gone to DC or Maryland to buy liquor because the prices and selection are often better. The ABC knows that, of course. They used to send personnel into DC to spy on people going to liquor stores to see who had Virginia plates and how much they bought. If they bought more than the legal limit, the spies would radio ahead to law enforcement in Virginia, who (assuming the person took the anticipated route) would then pull them over and issue a citation. I'm not aware of that sort of thing happening these days, although it's legal under the terms of the Twenty-First Amendment.
So the liquor stores in DC and Maryland used to run ads targeted to Virginia residents, and I remember at least one of them used to advertise that it wasn't subject to ABC surveillance (which always seemed dumb to me—who's to say the ABC wouldn't say, "Oh yeah?" and show up to prove them wrong). That particular store no longer exists because the shopping center where it was located was demolished and redeveloped.
In terms of advertising generally, but not so much in terms of billboards, Virginia (as is the case with a number of states) has a statutory limit on the amount of alcoholic beverages you can import into the Commonwealth at one time unless you have a permit. Virginia is also an ABC store state, meaning the only places you can buy liquor in Virginia are state-run stores. Those of us in Northern Virginia have long gone to DC or Maryland to buy liquor because the prices and selection are often better. The ABC knows that, of course. They used to send personnel into DC to spy on people going to liquor stores to see who had Virginia plates and how much they bought. If they bought more than the legal limit, the spies would radio ahead to law enforcement in Virginia, who (assuming the person took the anticipated route) would then pull them over and issue a citation. I'm not aware of that sort of thing happening these days, although it's legal under the terms of the Twenty-First Amendment.
So the liquor stores in DC and Maryland used to run ads targeted to Virginia residents, and I remember at least one of them used to advertise that it wasn't subject to ABC surveillance (which always seemed dumb to me—who's to say the ABC wouldn't say, "Oh yeah?" and show up to prove them wrong). That particular store no longer exists because the shopping center where it was located was demolished and redeveloped.
#3
Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...
Last post by Rothman - Today at 10:48:22 AMQuote from: hotdogPi on Today at 09:05:08 AMBrazil appears to use both $ and a comma.
I've gotten good use out of restaurant loyalty programs.
UNO: Essentially 1 in 16 back. When you get your $10 reward for spending $160, you have two months to use it. There's also the very occasional free entree or $10 off via email.
Outback Steakhouse: Essentially 1 in 14 back. Unfinished points do expire unlike UNO, but I believe you have either 3 or 6 months, and the threshold for the $5 reward is only $70. The only Outback close to me closed, though.
99 Restaurant: every 3 visits, you get a random offer that lasts one month. That said, they also send various coupons in emails that are $5 off $25, a $7 burger on Mondays, or similar, and sometimes they're better than the 3-visit coupons.
Bertucci's: one of the two best ones. No points. Instead, there are quite frequent coupons that are usually $10 or 15 off $30, $20 off $40 or $50, or $25 off $50. Yes, that's half off. (They also have free item with purchase on National Whatever Day, which happens several times per year.)
IHOP: the other really good one. For each $5 spent, you get 1 PanCoin, and anything that's not a full $5 is tracked as a partial one, so two $8 purchases will get you three, not two. Rather than a fixed reward, you can get three pancakes or five pancakes for 3 or 5 PanCoins, a kid's meal for 8, a burger for 12, or other things that are less efficient. They also have the occasional "buy this get 5 or 10 additional PanCoins". As each PanCoin is worth about a dollar if you do it correctly, this is essentially 20% back or more if you try to get the bonus ones. In addition, there's a 3 PM - 9 PM menu that's $6 or $8 depending on the item, so you get cheap meals while earning the PanCoins, and if it's lunchtime, you just use them on something instead of paying full price for a meal.
Oof. That's a lot of average food to swallow down.
#4
General Highway Talk / Re: Freeways / Expressways giv...
Last post by Rothman - Today at 10:46:19 AMQuote from: WillWeaverRVA on Today at 08:28:09 AMWhy did this thread get bumped when there is an identical thread on the first page?
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=23290.50
Should be merged.
#5
General Highway Talk / Re: State Line advertisements ...
Last post by OCGuy81 - Today at 10:38:34 AMQuote from: Big John on Today at 10:34:50 AM^^ Fireworks is a popular one where sales are allowed in one state but not the next. An historical one was when oleo (margarine) was not allowed in Wisconsin so there were lots of signs selling it on the state border.
I remember my dad talking about that! He grew up in SE Wisconsin, and talked about how him and my grandpa used to go to Illinois for oleo.
#6
General Highway Talk / Re: State Line advertisements ...
Last post by Big John - Today at 10:34:50 AM^^ Fireworks is a popular one where sales are allowed in one state but not the next. An historical one was when oleo (margarine) was not allowed in Wisconsin so there were lots of signs selling it on the state border.
#7
General Highway Talk / Re: Freeways / Expressways giv...
Last post by Big John - Today at 10:29:21 AMQuote from: OCGuy81 on Today at 10:00:58 AMIn the Twin Cities, is I-394 referred to as Wayzata Blvd anymore?WI 145 is Fond du Lac Ave in the non-freeway portion. For the freeway portion, it is called Fond du Lac freeway and it runs parallel to Fond du Lac Ave.
Another one that comes to mind is WI-145 in the Milwaukee area referred to as Fond du Lac Ave.
#8
General Highway Talk / Re: Road-Geeky Things Of The P...
Last post by OCGuy81 - Today at 10:26:50 AMThe travel sized games that my sister and I used to play in the car!
Small, compact versions of games like Life, Monopoloy, and Sorry!
Small, compact versions of games like Life, Monopoloy, and Sorry!
#9
Off-Topic / Re: Minor things that bother y...
Last post by tchafe1978 - Today at 10:23:30 AMQuote from: SSOWorld on Today at 07:47:14 AMSee the Menards "11% Off Everything"
To get the 11% back, you have to send a rebate receipt in the mail
The 11% comes back as in-store credit
the 11% back gets you back to the MSRP.
Many of the loyalty programs do "sales" by marking up the price and having loyalty program use be required to bring it back down.
I can remember back to when Menards would actually send you a check for the rebate amount. But at the time the rebates were only tied to specific items, not an across the board 11% off everything. My dad would let me fill out the rebate and then keep the money for myself. But the checks would be for like 3 or 4, maybe 5 dollars. To a 10 year old kid, that seemed cool. I got 5 bucks I can spend on soda and candy! Now the merchandise credit check just sits around until I remember to take it with me the next time I go to Menards.
#10
General Highway Talk / State Line advertisements mean...
Last post by OCGuy81 - Today at 10:19:54 AMI was recently driving down to California via I-5 getting ready to cross into California.
There's a LOT of signs advertising cheap liquor stores, since the state still runs the liquor business in Oregon, and California is a LOT cheaper.
I recall visiting family in Wisconsin at Christmas. There are a lot of signs on I-94/41 advertising weed dispensaries just across the border in Illinois.
As a kid, in Wisconsin, I remember a LOT of ads for casinos approaching Iowa too.
What examples can you think of where something legal and/or cheaper in one state is used to lure in travelers from an adjoining state?
There's a LOT of signs advertising cheap liquor stores, since the state still runs the liquor business in Oregon, and California is a LOT cheaper.
I recall visiting family in Wisconsin at Christmas. There are a lot of signs on I-94/41 advertising weed dispensaries just across the border in Illinois.
As a kid, in Wisconsin, I remember a LOT of ads for casinos approaching Iowa too.
What examples can you think of where something legal and/or cheaper in one state is used to lure in travelers from an adjoining state?