Locations Where Drivers do Things Wrong

[doorknob60]

During rush hour when the normal ramp from WB I-184 to I-84 is backed up, it's not uncommon to see drivers do this, staying in the less congested right lane (headed for I-84 EB) then cutting over into the onramp coming from Franklin Rd to get to another I-84 WB ramp, saving like, 30 seconds maybe? Never seen an accident, but they do it in thick traffic at high speeds, it's an accident waiting to happen. Worse, sometimes people decide to do this last minute and drive over the gore point in front of the Exit 0 sign, then cut all the way over!



Just down the road, when traffic is slow, people feel the need to merge over as soon as it's physically possible. The left lane from the ramp does not end, the right one is ending soon, and the middle one ends a mile down the road. That middle lane everybody gets out of it as soon as possible, making the bottleneck at the actual merge in the picture much worse. I always use the middle lane either until a good gap shows up later, or until it ends (and I zipper merge in).



The whole "merging before necessary and sometimes before it's legal" thing is extremely common in the Boise area, really. I go out of my way to avoid it.

What is that interchange? It looks like I-84 exits to itself.

Western terminus of I-184 in Boise, ID, where it intersects with I-84.

[Flint1979]

During rush hour when the normal ramp from WB I-184 to I-84 is backed up, it's not uncommon to see drivers do this, staying in the less congested right lane (headed for I-84 EB) then cutting over into the onramp coming from Franklin Rd to get to another I-84 WB ramp, saving like, 30 seconds maybe? Never seen an accident, but they do it in thick traffic at high speeds, it's an accident waiting to happen. Worse, sometimes people decide to do this last minute and drive over the gore point in front of the Exit 0 sign, then cut all the way over!



Just down the road, when traffic is slow, people feel the need to merge over as soon as it's physically possible. The left lane from the ramp does not end, the right one is ending soon, and the middle one ends a mile down the road. That middle lane everybody gets out of it as soon as possible, making the bottleneck at the actual merge in the picture much worse. I always use the middle lane either until a good gap shows up later, or until it ends (and I zipper merge in).



The whole "merging before necessary and sometimes before it's legal" thing is extremely common in the Boise area, really. I go out of my way to avoid it.

What is that interchange? It looks like I-84 exits to itself.

Western terminus of I-184 in Boise, ID, where it intersects with I-84.

Oh ok I gotcha I didn't notice I-184 being there. Is there any reason for the double exits though?

[doorknob60]

(snip)

What is that interchange? It looks like I-84 exits to itself.

Western terminus of I-184 in Boise, ID, where it intersects with I-84.

Oh ok I gotcha I didn't notice I-184 being there. Is there any reason for the double exits though?

The exit on the right is for traffic coming up from the Franklin Rd. onramp. Here's the view coming up that. The left lane of the onramp will take you over the flyover to I-84 EB, and the right lane takes you on that "second exit" to I-84 WB. Works pretty well actually.

[adventurernumber1]

Is it just me, or does that sign look like the lane is reserved for Star Wars stormtroopers only? 

It actually looks more like Jabba the Hutt in my opinion (also from Star Wars).

My question is how big of a vehicle will he need to drive in order to fit in it (probably much bigger than an actual bus).

   

[NoGoodNamesAvailable]

Howell Street bus lanes by SounderBruce, on Flickr

Is there camera enforcement? Bus lanes don't work anywhere without actual camera enforcement. If drivers know they'll always get away with it, they'll always do it.

[Flint1979]

I just drove to Detroit and back and while I was in Detroit it was during the peak of the afternoon rush hour. The biggest thing that got to me was left lane camping, I was in the center lane behind a white van and proceeded to move over to the left lane to pass the white van, while I'm in the left lane there is a Jeep ahead of me doing about 68 mph after I had passed the van but didn't have enough room to get back over, so the van re-passes me and at this point I'm fuming at the Jeep, I had to get all the way over to the right lane, pass the van again, get back in the center lane and what I did to the Jeep I probably shouldn't of but I didn't care and nothing happened after this but I flicked the driver of the Jeep off. The biggest thing is people don't use common sense when they are on an Interstate highway, they think the left lane is a travel lane and they have ever right to go their pokey speed in the left lane. I have news for them, that don't fly around here. Don't want to travel at 80 mph? Then stay out of the left lane in Michigan. Just a vent pretty much.

[UCFKnights]

I just drove to Detroit and back and while I was in Detroit it was during the peak of the afternoon rush hour. The biggest thing that got to me was left lane camping, I was in the center lane behind a white van and proceeded to move over to the left lane to pass the white van, while I'm in the left lane there is a Jeep ahead of me doing about 68 mph after I had passed the van but didn't have enough room to get back over, so the van re-passes me and at this point I'm fuming at the Jeep, I had to get all the way over to the right lane, pass the van again, get back in the center lane and what I did to the Jeep I probably shouldn't of but I didn't care and nothing happened after this but I flicked the driver of the Jeep off. The biggest thing is people don't use common sense when they are on an Interstate highway, they think the left lane is a travel lane and they have ever right to go their pokey speed in the left lane. I have news for them, that don't fly around here. Don't want to travel at 80 mph? Then stay out of the left lane in Michigan. Just a vent pretty much.

I'm driven even more crazy by all of the people who won't stay in the right lane literally no matter what. If on a 3 lane highway I pull into the center lane to allow entering traffic to merge and pass them, there is always people around here who immediately feel they need to get out of the right lane, even if nobody at all is in front of them, and they often do it directly in front of other vehicles, so they're forced into the left lane for no friggin reason. The right lane is a travel lane, the center lane is to pass right lane traffic, and the left lane is to pass center lane traffic. I don't get why people are unaware that they can use the right lane to go through when no one is in front of them.

[Flint1979]

I just drove to Detroit and back and while I was in Detroit it was during the peak of the afternoon rush hour. The biggest thing that got to me was left lane camping, I was in the center lane behind a white van and proceeded to move over to the left lane to pass the white van, while I'm in the left lane there is a Jeep ahead of me doing about 68 mph after I had passed the van but didn't have enough room to get back over, so the van re-passes me and at this point I'm fuming at the Jeep, I had to get all the way over to the right lane, pass the van again, get back in the center lane and what I did to the Jeep I probably shouldn't of but I didn't care and nothing happened after this but I flicked the driver of the Jeep off. The biggest thing is people don't use common sense when they are on an Interstate highway, they think the left lane is a travel lane and they have ever right to go their pokey speed in the left lane. I have news for them, that don't fly around here. Don't want to travel at 80 mph? Then stay out of the left lane in Michigan. Just a vent pretty much.

I'm driven even more crazy by all of the people who won't stay in the right lane literally no matter what. If on a 3 lane highway I pull into the center lane to allow entering traffic to merge and pass them, there is always people around here who immediately feel they need to get out of the right lane, even if nobody at all is in front of them, and they often do it directly in front of other vehicles, so they're forced into the left lane for no friggin reason. The right lane is a travel lane, the center lane is to pass right lane traffic, and the left lane is to pass center lane traffic. I don't get why people are unaware that they can use the right lane to go through when no one is in front of them.

Usually when I get on unless someone has riled me up already I drive 70 mph in the right lane, I only get over to pass anyone that's doing under 70 and then bump it up to 75 in the center lanes (I-75 is eight lanes for 23 miles between Saginaw and Flint) and then if I have to get over even further I bump it up to 80 in the left lane and I'll go faster if I have to get around someone. But usually if I'm at 80 and I feel fine driving that speed I'll keep in the left lane and keep passing everyone in the other lanes. But you get down around Detroit and people get on the highway and don't have a clue on how to drive on the highway it gets annoying. The worst is at the curves at Big Beaver and Rochester Roads they are 2 miles apart and I-75 runs east and west in between the curves and the suggested speed is 55, you'll have people slowing down to about 40 mph around them backing traffic up and people staying in the left lane dropping the speed. I-75 is actually pretty obsolete especially between the Rochester Curve and 8 Mile and has a 50 mph curve just south of 9 Mile. MDOT is rebuilding I-75 and adding another lane I believe which is much needed but they did the first part of that project last summer and only have six lanes in the stretch they did last summer so I'm hoping they add a fourth lane in this stretch. It's just too busy of a highway to only have six lanes just outside one of the largest cities in the country which I believe is now down to about 23rd or so, can't believe Detroit is out of the top 20.

[1995hoo]

Heh, if I tried to answer this thread I'd be up all weekend and I'd still be typing tomorrow night. 

[webny99]

Heh, if I tried to answer this thread I'd be up all weekend and I'd still be typing tomorrow night. 

Well, start with a bang 
That's what I did in the OP... all the minor stuff can wait!

[sparker]

I-280 in San Jose between US 101 and I-880 -- in both directions.  Squeeze merges, arbitrary lane drops, several ramps in a very short distance -- it's as if whomever was responsible for the road's design almost deliberately dares drivers to make bad decisions -- and guess what -- they do just that.  Scooting across 4-5 lanes almost diagonally because one knows that's the only way to make it through the next freeway junction is commonplace, as is cutting off adjacent-lane drivers when a lane heads off and down a ramp.  It's been that way since the late '70's when it was completed; it's as if the engineers tried to provide both ample local access as well as a through conduit, and utterly failed to include safety considerations.

[Scott5114]

I-35 SB exit 106 in Goldsby, Oklahoma. The right turn lane from the ramp forms a new lane on SH-9 WB. There's no need to stop there, so there's a permanent green arrow. People stop anyway. It's infuriating.

[Bickendan]

During rush hour when the normal ramp from WB I-184 to I-84 is backed up, it's not uncommon to see drivers do this, staying in the less congested right lane (headed for I-84 EB) then cutting over into the onramp coming from Franklin Rd to get to another I-84 WB ramp, saving like, 30 seconds maybe? Never seen an accident, but they do it in thick traffic at high speeds, it's an accident waiting to happen. Worse, sometimes people decide to do this last minute and drive over the gore point in front of the Exit 0 sign, then cut all the way over!



Just down the road, when traffic is slow, people feel the need to merge over as soon as it's physically possible. The left lane from the ramp does not end, the right one is ending soon, and the middle one ends a mile down the road. That middle lane everybody gets out of it as soon as possible, making the bottleneck at the actual merge in the picture much worse. I always use the middle lane either until a good gap shows up later, or until it ends (and I zipper merge in).



The whole "merging before necessary and sometimes before it's legal" thing is extremely common in the Boise area, really. I go out of my way to avoid it.

What is that interchange? It looks like I-84 exits to itself.

Western terminus of I-184 in Boise, ID, where it intersects with I-84.

Oh ok I gotcha I didn't notice I-184 being there. Is there any reason for the double exits though?

Ramp braiding to minimize weaving to/from Franklin Rd

[Jardine]

see this everywhere frequently:

two lane street with adjacent parking lane and a traffic light at intersection with another 2 lane street, if no cars are parked near light, it becomes the right turn lane even though unmarked as such and a sideswipe risk for folks in the actual correct lane doing it correctly.

[US 89]

There's a drive I do occasionally with four places like this in a row. First, there's a zipper merge, but many drivers do not understand the whole "take turns"  thing.



Then there's this intersection. Despite the large "no stop required"  sign, people still stop.



And then there are two lights with "no turn on red"  signs, where many drivers still turn right on red:

[ftballfan]

US-131 through downtown Grand Rapids. There are solid white lines between the Wealthy St and Pearl St exits, yet people still change lanes

[hotdogPi]

I-93 north in Massachusetts: Breakdown lane open from 3-7 PM. NOT 2:50 PM. Occasionally someone will drive in it at 1 PM or some time that isn't even borderline. Also, the breakdown lane is not an exit lane when it's not from 3-7 PM; I have seen a ½ mile line of cars waiting to get onto I-495 north.

[UCFKnights]

Howell Street bus lanes by SounderBruce, on Flickr

Is there camera enforcement? Bus lanes don't work anywhere without actual camera enforcement. If drivers know they'll always get away with it, they'll always do it.

Eh, can't say I ever really see people riding in the bus lanes in Orlando. The signage and road markings make it clear and they have different signals (the white lines to indicate). That digital bus only sign isn't clear enough its indicating that lane its over is only for buses (needs an arrow), and its kind of hard to tell its a bus in the picture (probably should have text too). Plus, cars seemingly need to go into the bus lanes to switch lanes all the time, and its not always easy for people to switch multiple lanes at once. With all of these problems, its really easy to see why cars ride in the bus lane.

[signalman]

Also, the breakdown lane is not an exit lane when it's not from 3-7 PM; I have seen a ½ mile line of cars waiting to get onto I-495 north.

It may be illegal; but I'd argue that it's not only safer, but better for the flow the thru traffic for cars wishing to access 495 to queue on the shoulder.  A long line of stopped cars in the right lane while the other two are moving is never safe.

[jeffandnicole]

Occasionally someone will drive in it at 1 PM or some time that isn't even borderline. Also, the breakdown lane is not an exit lane when it's not from 3-7 PM; I have seen a ½ mile line of cars waiting to get onto I-495 north.

The 1pm rider is the one usually out there during the rush hour, went to lunch, and completely forgets they're not supposed to be in that lane midday.

The sitting on a shoulder thing...that's a tough one. Yeah it's illegal, and especially if you're not expecting it you wind up slowing down and merging at the last second, but overall it's probably the better option.

[jakeroot]

The exit to Canyon Road from WA-512 eastbound near Tacoma, WA frequently becomes a double lane exit, despite the ramp only being one lane until about halfway up, and the exit just being a normal optional off-ramp (no exit only). There's a couple of peak-use shoulder driving areas in WA, but this isn't one of them.

Common behavior, as I captured yesterday, is for the shoulder to become an exit only lane, and the #2 lane to become an optional exit. So, the exit becomes a double exit. I'm not sure the shoulder was built to handle cars this frequently, but it's certainly being tested:

[jakeroot]

two lane street with adjacent parking lane and a traffic light at intersection with another 2 lane street, if no cars are parked near light, it becomes the right turn lane even though unmarked as such and a sideswipe risk for folks in the actual correct lane doing it correctly.

Actually, the cars turning from the "curb lane" are doing it correctly. You are supposed to turn right from the right-most edge of the roadway (likewise for left turns). Drivers turning left or right from the opposite edge of the lane are risking a ticket (and a collision). Unless they are driving through markings that indicate a shoulder, a second lane (in most states) can legally be formed approaching an intersection, as long as the lane is wide enough to support two lines of cars. Most states don't permit driving off the roadway, but the roadway includes just about everything you can drive on excluding the shoulder.

In Seattle, at Olive Way/John St approaching Broadway, the road is wide enough to support four lines of cars, but only one lane is marked in each direction. The curb lane westbound permits parking, but the eastbound curb lane does not. Common practice is for the left part of the lanes (for both approaches) to be for cars turning left, and the right part of the lane to be for cars going straight or right. Neither is marked, but the maneuver is legal because the roadway is wide enough for two lanes, and drivers are allowed to occupy the same lane as other cars as long as one (or more) cars are turning left or right:

[Bruce]

Howell Street bus lanes by SounderBruce, on Flickr

Is there camera enforcement? Bus lanes don't work anywhere without actual camera enforcement. If drivers know they'll always get away with it, they'll always do it.

Not yet, unfortunately. I think the state legislature is working on getting cameras onto buses to automatically issue warnings and tickets in the mail, which San Francisco already uses to much success.

Seattle PD do camp out at some bus lanes and run stings ("emphasis patrols") for a day or two, then move onto another place. Here's one on Howell from 2015, complete with some driver reactions.

[jakeroot]

Howell Street bus lanes by SounderBruce, on Flickr

Is there camera enforcement? Bus lanes don't work anywhere without actual camera enforcement. If drivers know they'll always get away with it, they'll always do it.

Not yet, unfortunately. I think the state legislature is working on getting cameras onto buses to automatically issue warnings and tickets in the mail, which San Francisco already uses to much success.

Seattle PD do camp out at some bus lanes and run stings ("emphasis patrols") for a day or two, then move onto another place. Here's one on Howell from 2015, complete with some driver reactions.

They should really add some additional signage to the side streets approaching Howell. Drivers frequently turn into the lane they think they need (not always the closest one), and I'm sure more than a few accidentally choose the #3 lane, before realising (after already turning onto Howell) that they've entered a lane they cannot legally occupy. British Columbia has a standard sign for when drivers are supposed to turn into a lane that isn't the closest (due to HOV/transit restrictions in place), but I've never seen the sign in the US:

its kind of hard to tell its a bus in the picture (probably should have text too).

It's the standard bus symbol used all across Washington. I'm sure most drivers understand its meaning. If not, there's plenty of other indications (on masts, on the pavement, etc).

[jeffandnicole]

Howell Street bus lanes by SounderBruce, on Flickr

Is there camera enforcement? Bus lanes don't work anywhere without actual camera enforcement. If drivers know they'll always get away with it, they'll always do it.

Not yet, unfortunately. I think the state legislature is working on getting cameras onto buses to automatically issue warnings and tickets in the mail, which San Francisco already uses to much success.

If it's successful, that means no one drives in the bus lane anymore.