New Jersey

[Zeffy]

"When I'm already doing 5 above the speed limit"...that would be nearly the entire population going at least that speed!

It really depends on the town. The normal flow of traffic is usually 5 above the limit, which is what I do. Now, if I'm in a known speed trap, I won't go more than 2 above the limit. But ultimately it depends on the cop, because someone doing ~67 on the freeway portion of NJ 18 in Colts Neck got tagged by a cop while I did 65.

[Pete from Boston]

I have a suspicion that we all think drivers from State X are lousy because we immediately notice something glaringly different about their car, while we have no neat identifier to categorize bad drivers from our own state.  There is a useless sociological study waiting to be done here if anyone is interested.

[noelbotevera]

"When I'm already doing 5 above the speed limit"...that would be nearly the entire population going at least that speed!

It really depends on the town. The normal flow of traffic is usually 5 above the limit, which is what I do. Now, if I'm in a known speed trap, I won't go more than 2 above the limit. But ultimately it depends on the cop, because someone doing ~67 on the freeway portion of NJ 18 in Colts Neck got tagged by a cop while I did 65.

True. My family has drove I-287 SB and the flow was 70 mph. There was a cop, to boot, but he didn't seem to catch anyone.

[Rothman]

I have a suspicion that we all think drivers from State X are lousy because we immediately notice something glaringly different about their car, while we have no neat identifier to categorize bad drivers from our own state.  There is a useless sociological study waiting to be done here if anyone is interested.

Wait, did you say "useless sociological study" that is related to transportation?  Don't you know if you say that three times, NCHRP comes running?!

[cl94]

"When I'm already doing 5 above the speed limit"...that would be nearly the entire population going at least that speed!

It really depends on the town. The normal flow of traffic is usually 5 above the limit, which is what I do. Now, if I'm in a known speed trap, I won't go more than 2 above the limit. But ultimately it depends on the cop, because someone doing ~67 on the freeway portion of NJ 18 in Colts Neck got tagged by a cop while I did 65.

Agree completely. I set cruise control to the speed limit if I'm driving past a known speed trap in a small town. Else, it really depends. Flow in Buffalo is usually 5 above on limited-access highways and 50 MPH on surface roads outside of dense residential areas regardless of speed limit, even if the limit is 55. In other places, it's as fast as people are willing to go. A lot of I-87 flows at however fast the lead person is willing to drive.

[bzakharin]

I have a suspicion that we all think drivers from State X are lousy because we immediately notice something glaringly different about their car, while we have no neat identifier to categorize bad drivers from our own state.  There is a useless sociological study waiting to be done here if anyone is interested.

Most cars have clearly identifiable models. Why is no-one railing against Toyota or Ford drivers or something?

[cl94]

I have a suspicion that we all think drivers from State X are lousy because we immediately notice something glaringly different about their car, while we have no neat identifier to categorize bad drivers from our own state.  There is a useless sociological study waiting to be done here if anyone is interested.

Most cars have clearly identifiable models. Why is no-one railing against Toyota or Ford drivers or something?

Prius drivers 

[Alps]

I miss the county identification scheme of the New York license plates, it made it much easier to know what part of the state to swear at when the drivers on the Thruway were being stupid. On the other hand, it was my experience that if there was a car off the road and into the median in the wintertime on the Thruway somewhere between Utica and Albany, they would have Jersey tags.

Jersey drivers can't handle snow. (Exception for those who live up in Sussex and maybe Warren where we have "mountains".) When it snows, I typically stay off the freeway because everyone does 10 mph in every lane and refuses to pass the snow plow. (They can be passed. It's not much snowier ahead of them than it is behind, believe it or not.) If I hit a hill, I'm not making it up at 10. I stand a chance at 30.

[noelbotevera]

I miss the county identification scheme of the New York license plates, it made it much easier to know what part of the state to swear at when the drivers on the Thruway were being stupid. On the other hand, it was my experience that if there was a car off the road and into the median in the wintertime on the Thruway somewhere between Utica and Albany, they would have Jersey tags.

Jersey drivers can't handle snow. (Exception for those who live up in Sussex and maybe Warren where we have "mountains".) When it snows, I typically stay off the freeway because everyone does 10 mph in every lane and refuses to pass the snow plow. (They can be passed. It's not much snowier ahead of them than it is behind, believe it or not.) If I hit a hill, I'm not making it up at 10. I stand a chance at 30.

Top Jersey driver of the year goes to Alps. Good job.

[jeffandnicole]

I miss the county identification scheme of the New York license plates, it made it much easier to know what part of the state to swear at when the drivers on the Thruway were being stupid. On the other hand, it was my experience that if there was a car off the road and into the median in the wintertime on the Thruway somewhere between Utica and Albany, they would have Jersey tags.

Jersey drivers can't handle snow. (Exception for those who live up in Sussex and maybe Warren where we have "mountains".) When it snows, I typically stay off the freeway because everyone does 10 mph in every lane and refuses to pass the snow plow. (They can be passed. It's not much snowier ahead of them than it is behind, believe it or not.) If I hit a hill, I'm not making it up at 10. I stand a chance at 30.

Oh, trust me.  They pass snow plows. 

Since the road probably has been plowed previously, generally, it's not too bad.  It's the roads (or lanes) which hadn't been plowed for a while which causes the issues...the driver thinks the road ahead is fine. Then, they pass the plow, and realize the road ahead wasn't fine.  Then, they slow down SLOWER than the plow...and now the plow driver is stuck behind Mr. I'm-Afraid-For-My-Life-But-I'm-Not-Putting-2-Hands-On-The-Wheel-Because-I'm-Talking-On-The-Phone.  Yep...see it all the time.

[roadman65]

I was noticing something interesting about the control cities along US 40 at both NJ 55 and NJ 47.  IF you notice that at the cloverleaf interchange just west of Malaga between US 40 and NJ 55, Glassboro and Bellmawr are the control cities for NB NJ 55.  Then a mile of so east of US 40 for NJ 47 North is Camden.  I know that all is correct, but at the same time very strange.

NJ 55 is the freeway and it does not get the ultimate destination like NJ 47, the local roadway, plus Glassboro is not at all mentioned for NJ 47 anywhere during its two route overlap on any signs.  NJ 47 goes directly there as well.  Glassboro is a big place along NJ 47 that is hardly not noticeable on its route to Camden, yet ignored. 

Also, NJ 55 uses its ending point over the ultimate city it indirectly serves.  Even though the MUTCD would rather use direct places, so is NJ 47 with Camden as it terminates at US 130 in Westville several miles before that particular city.

I am guessing that its an oversight on engineers part and most likely the signs were erected on separate projects for the way the destinations are used in Malaga.

[storm2k]

"When I'm already doing 5 above the speed limit"...that would be nearly the entire population going at least that speed!

It really depends on the town. The normal flow of traffic is usually 5 above the limit, which is what I do. Now, if I'm in a known speed trap, I won't go more than 2 above the limit. But ultimately it depends on the cop, because someone doing ~67 on the freeway portion of NJ 18 in Colts Neck got tagged by a cop while I did 65.

Staties will usually leave you alone unless you're going ridiculously fast (over 85 or so) or are weaving in and out of traffic to create a dangerous condition. Townie cops are much stricter, especially if they're under pressure to fill up the coffers a bit.

[jeffandnicole]

One thing that doesn't happen every day is a true road widening project by NJDOT.  However, they are planning on doing one with NJ's Route 66 (not to be confused with some other famous Route 66).

It's not the longest widening project in the world...it'll consist of about 1.5 mile of dualizing a current 1 lane-per-direction roadway.  This stretch is between sections of Rt. 66 which are already 2 lanes in each direction. 

One thing that helps is that the Right of Way has always existed for a widening.  The only ROW needed will be for a stormwater detention basin. 

Construction is projected to start in 2019.

News Release: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/community/meetings/documents/handout102115rt.pdf

Map of General Area: https://goo.gl/maps/B5djRKKsDjC2

[Pete from Boston]

I was noticing something interesting about the control cities along US 40 at both NJ 55 and NJ 47.  IF you notice that at the cloverleaf interchange just west of Malaga between US 40 and NJ 55, Glassboro and Bellmawr are the control cities for NB NJ 55.  Then a mile of so east of US 40 for NJ 47 North is Camden.  I know that all is correct, but at the same time very strange.

NJ 55 is the freeway and it does not get the ultimate destination like NJ 47, the local roadway, plus Glassboro is not at all mentioned for NJ 47 anywhere during its two route overlap on any signs.  NJ 47 goes directly there as well.  Glassboro is a big place along NJ 47 that is hardly not noticeable on its route to Camden, yet ignored. 

Also, NJ 55 uses its ending point over the ultimate city it indirectly serves.  Even though the MUTCD would rather use direct places, so is NJ 47 with Camden as it terminates at US 130 in Westville several miles before that particular city.

I am guessing that its an oversight on engineers part and most likely the signs were erected on separate projects for the way the destinations are used in Malaga.

How is "Malaga" pronounced in New Jersey?  Like it is in Spain (MAH-lah-gah)?  In North Jersey it never came up.

[jeffandnicole]

I was noticing something interesting about the control cities along US 40 at both NJ 55 and NJ 47.  IF you notice that at the cloverleaf interchange just west of Malaga between US 40 and NJ 55, Glassboro and Bellmawr are the control cities for NB NJ 55.  Then a mile of so east of US 40 for NJ 47 North is Camden.  I know that all is correct, but at the same time very strange.

NJ 55 is the freeway and it does not get the ultimate destination like NJ 47, the local roadway, plus Glassboro is not at all mentioned for NJ 47 anywhere during its two route overlap on any signs.  NJ 47 goes directly there as well.  Glassboro is a big place along NJ 47 that is hardly not noticeable on its route to Camden, yet ignored. 

Also, NJ 55 uses its ending point over the ultimate city it indirectly serves.  Even though the MUTCD would rather use direct places, so is NJ 47 with Camden as it terminates at US 130 in Westville several miles before that particular city.

I am guessing that its an oversight on engineers part and most likely the signs were erected on separate projects for the way the destinations are used in Malaga.

How is "Malaga" pronounced in New Jersey?  Like it is in Spain (MAH-lah-gah)?  In North Jersey it never came up.

I always pronounced it 'Mal-la-ga', but that doesn't mean everyone else pronounces it that way!

[odditude]

MA luh guh, with the initial "A" sound as in apple and the other two syllables unstressed schwa sounds

[roadman65]

Age old question how do South Jerseyians pronounce Gloucester?  I always say Glaw- Stur, but is that correct?

[Pete from Boston]

Age old question how do South Jerseyians pronounce Gloucester?  I always say Glaw- Stur, but is that correct?

I only know that North Jerseyans pronounce it "Where?"

Your pronunciation is more or less the one used in Mass., but in the alternating-two-and-three-syllables streets of Boston's Back Bay, it's a three syllable street, supposedly based upon some old pronunciation.

[mariethefoxy]

I always thought it was Glow-chest-er

(Yes I got scolded quite a bit from my Massachusetts friends calling it War-chest-er)

[roadman65]

That is why I asked.  I know its named after a former Duke in the Old Country hence Gloucester, MA and the main street in Colonial Williamsburg is named "Duke of Gloucester Street."

Yes us in North Jersey did always say Glaw-Stur in two syllables, which is why I ask.   Just like El Dorado is pronounced El Door- Rod- Doh, but in Kansas they say El Door- Ray- Doh!  Also the Arkansas River, named after the state is pronounced by many in Kansas as Are-Kan- Sas using the word are before the Kansas state name.  Yet we all know how the state its named after is pronounced.

[jeffandnicole]

Glaw-ster. 

Most people pronounce it like that.  But spelling it...wow...it's almost universally spelled incorrectly.  They usually get the -ter right, but the Glouces- part confuses a lot of people.

[Alps]

Glaw-ster. 

Most people pronounce it like that.  But spelling it...wow...it's almost universally spelled incorrectly.  They usually get the -ter right, but the Glouces- part confuses a lot of people.

I pronounce it Gloss-ster.

[noelbotevera]

Me, since I was originally from the South, I pronounce it weirdly. gl-low-cest-er

[KEVIN_224]

Try not to mangle WORCESTER, MA. Of course it's WUSS-tur, but I've heard WAR-chest-ER a couple of times!

[Rothman]

Try not to mangle WORCESTER, MA. Of course it's WUSS-tur, but I've heard WAR-chest-ER a couple of times!

People who say WOHR-ces-ter or WAR-chest-er deserve to be pointed at and laughed at.