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2020 meets

Started by A.J. Bertin, August 01, 2019, 09:46:38 PM

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Alps

Quote from: cl94 on August 13, 2019, 03:42:25 PM
My point was more of that the schedule is heavy in the spring and empty once we get past mid-June. If you only want local people to show up, a bunch of closely-spaced meets is fine. But if you want people to travel (and many of the frequent attendees are a good distance from the proposed locations here), a bunch of closely-spaced meets start cannibalizing each other. People can host whenever they want to host (if I wanted to dictate the date, I would host myself), but the big thing right now is "big turnout" and you're not gonna get that with a meet every other week.

There's a reason fall meets often draw well: there's a lack of meet activity in the fall because it's all concentrated in spring.
Big turnout is a modern phenomenon. 8 people used to be a big turnout and 4-5 was more common at meets back in the day. I'll periodically host mini-meets centered around seeing 1 or 2 projects and only hope for a single digit attendance. So cannibalizing... meh. Host always makes the call, and polling others is really just a courtesy.


A.J. Bertin

Quote from: bandit957 on August 13, 2019, 10:46:05 PM
I've been to 4 meets, and I'm pretty sure 3 of them were in March or April. The other was the 2013 Cincinnati meet, which I think wasn't until October or so.

Yes... the 2013 Cincinnati meet was in October.

But weren't you also at H.B.'s Ashland KY meet in 2013? I believe that one took place in May.
-A.J. from Michigan

Dougtone

Quote from: Alps on August 14, 2019, 12:55:55 AM
Quote from: cl94 on August 13, 2019, 03:42:25 PM
My point was more of that the schedule is heavy in the spring and empty once we get past mid-June. If you only want local people to show up, a bunch of closely-spaced meets is fine. But if you want people to travel (and many of the frequent attendees are a good distance from the proposed locations here), a bunch of closely-spaced meets start cannibalizing each other. People can host whenever they want to host (if I wanted to dictate the date, I would host myself), but the big thing right now is "big turnout" and you're not gonna get that with a meet every other week.

There's a reason fall meets often draw well: there's a lack of meet activity in the fall because it's all concentrated in spring.
Big turnout is a modern phenomenon. 8 people used to be a big turnout and 4-5 was more common at meets back in the day. I'll periodically host mini-meets centered around seeing 1 or 2 projects and only hope for a single digit attendance. So cannibalizing... meh. Host always makes the call, and polling others is really just a courtesy.

It also was typical that meets were announced only a couple of months ahead of time. Now 6-12 months ahead of time seems to be the norm. It helps with folks who want to plan around their work schedules, or may want to make a trip to the meet part of their vacation or what have you.

bandit957

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on August 14, 2019, 05:18:28 AM
But weren't you also at H.B.'s Ashland KY meet in 2013? I believe that one took place in May.

I'm pretty sure that was in April. I know it was during the college basketball playoffs, since that's all that was on the radio.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

bandit957

Quote from: Alps on August 14, 2019, 12:55:55 AM
Big turnout is a modern phenomenon. 8 people used to be a big turnout and 4-5 was more common at meets back in the day. I'll periodically host mini-meets centered around seeing 1 or 2 projects and only hope for a single digit attendance. So cannibalizing... meh. Host always makes the call, and polling others is really just a courtesy.

Roadmeets peaked around 2013-15. Hopefully the 2020 Cincinnati meet will live up to those standards.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

hbelkins

There are several views about big turnouts. Yeah, it looks good, and sometimes there seems to be a bit of unspoken competition as to who can have the biggest meet. I've had 20-plus show up for meets I've hosted, and only a handful. (Had four come to my western Kentucky meet a couple of years ago). Big turnouts can prove to be logistical challenges, such as the 2010 Philly meet when they didn't split the check, or the infamous St. Louis meet that I didn't attend when several people got lost and ended up doing their own thing on the tour.

As for scheduling, if it's based on construction projects, those are usually active in the summer and they often have completion dates in the fall. If your goal is to see the work being done on the project, you have to plan your meet for before the project is finished. I've had to sometimes time my meets to mesh with the construction schedule. I've actually scrapped a few meets I had given consideration to hosting because the job would have been finished by that time.

And July -- it's hot and humid in a good chunk of the country. Not the most fun weather for getting out and wandering around a construction zone.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

bandit957

Quote from: hbelkins on August 14, 2019, 12:05:55 PM
There are several views about big turnouts. Yeah, it looks good, and sometimes there seems to be a bit of unspoken competition as to who can have the biggest meet. I've had 20-plus show up for meets I've hosted, and only a handful. (Had four come to my western Kentucky meet a couple of years ago). Big turnouts can prove to be logistical challenges, such as the 2010 Philly meet when they didn't split the check, or the infamous St. Louis meet that I didn't attend when several people got lost and ended up doing their own thing on the tour.

The St. Louis meet was easily one of the best ever.
Might as well face it, pooing is cool

noelbotevera

I guess that building upon the foundation that was Pittsburgh gave me some ideas for some meets. Here's a short list I've compiled:

-CSVT Round 2 (expanding upon Jason Ilyes' tour, essentially a visual construction update)
-State College (would be co-hosting with someone outside of the forum; primarily covers the Potters Mills freeway gap and I-80/I-99 interchange, going beyond the 2003/2004 meet)
-Washington, DC (last one was 2011; while close, I'm sure the 2011 meet covered most of everything, and it'd be trickier to plan this out)
-Philadelphia (I don't think there was ever a Philly meet, unless it was before I was born/I've never heard about it - some were interested, so it might have merit)
-PA Covered Bridges tour (probably would cover Bedford, Fulton, and Franklin counties; would be new territory for most people, as people rarely take US 30 east of Breezewood)

hbelkins

Quote from: noelbotevera on August 14, 2019, 01:29:31 PM
-State College (would be co-hosting with someone outside of the forum; primarily covers the Potters Mills freeway gap and I-80/I-99 interchange, going beyond the 2003/2004 meet)

There's been one since then. I think it was 2008 or 2009. Memorable because one of the attendees backed into another attendee while on the tour.

Quote-Washington, DC (last one was 2011; while close, I'm sure the 2011 meet covered most of everything, and it'd be trickier to plan this out)

Froggie hosted one in, I think, 2012, that was focused on the toll lanes on the Virginia portion of the Beltway.

Quote-Philadelphia (I don't think there was ever a Philly meet, unless it was before I was born/I've never heard about it - some were interested, so it might have merit)

There have been a couple in the area that I've attended.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

A.J. Bertin

Quote from: bandit957 on August 14, 2019, 08:44:06 AM
Quote from: A.J. Bertin on August 14, 2019, 05:18:28 AM
But weren't you also at H.B.'s Ashland KY meet in 2013? I believe that one took place in May.

I'm pretty sure that was in April. I know it was during the college basketball playoffs, since that's all that was on the radio.

I stand corrected; you are right. It took place on April 6, 2013. (For some reason I was thinking it was early May rather than early April.)
-A.J. from Michigan

A.J. Bertin

Quote from: noelbotevera on August 14, 2019, 01:29:31 PM
I guess that building upon the foundation that was Pittsburgh gave me some ideas for some meets. Here's a short list I've compiled:

-CSVT Round 2 (expanding upon Jason Ilyes' tour, essentially a visual construction update)
-State College (would be co-hosting with someone outside of the forum; primarily covers the Potters Mills freeway gap and I-80/I-99 interchange, going beyond the 2003/2004 meet)
-Washington, DC (last one was 2011; while close, I'm sure the 2011 meet covered most of everything, and it'd be trickier to plan this out)
-Philadelphia (I don't think there was ever a Philly meet, unless it was before I was born/I've never heard about it - some were interested, so it might have merit)
-PA Covered Bridges tour (probably would cover Bedford, Fulton, and Franklin counties; would be new territory for most people, as people rarely take US 30 east of Breezewood)

I would be very interested in attending meets in CSVT (depending on which city the meet is based in), State College, D.C., and/or Philadelphia. You might want to talk to Will Roll about State College.
-A.J. from Michigan

SSOWorld

PAHighways hosted a meet in State College in 2008, and put a meet on around metro Philly (something about US 322 or the DOT situation room?) but I forget the year for that in SE PA.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

froggie

SE PA was 2010 and IIRC focused on their traffic management center.  I skipped that, in part because it was also the "bill snafu meet" and highlighted the issues with having a large turnout and confusion on the lunch bill.

I did indeed host a DC meet in May, 2012, right before I transferred out.  This meet focused on the Beltway HO/T lanes and the new 11th Street Bridges.

State College was April, 2009.  I remember this well because it was Oscar's Prius that got bumped from behind and I was in the back seat.

jpi

I am still eyeing up another York County based meet with the Shrewsbury diverging diamond interchange construction and a possible 3 mile round trip hike on the north central rail trail to check out the oldest active railroad tunnel in the USA, this would be in 2020 or 2021. I am also watching for construction to start taking place at the I-99\ I-80 interchange and sometime next decade possibly host another State Collage area meet. As for the CSVT area, the southern part of construction for this will be again sometime next decade and when that starts I may do a follow up on this.
Jason Ilyes
JPI
Lebanon, TN
Home Of The Barrel

US71

Quote from: Brandon on August 13, 2019, 11:03:54 AM
Quote from: bandit957 on August 13, 2019, 08:09:10 AM
I haven't seen anything about a San Antonio meet anywhere.

Maybe Christopher Cross will give a free concert and perform his bubble gum popping song.

It's on Facebook.  Gene, the host, isn't on AA Roads.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1054428458280602/
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

PHLBOS

#65
Quote from: noelbotevera on August 14, 2019, 01:29:31 PM
-Philadelphia (I don't think there was ever a Philly meet, unless it was before I was born/I've never heard about it - some were interested, so it might have merit)
The most recent AARoads-sponsored/sanctioned meet in the SEPA area was last year's (September) Golden Spike Meet covering the not-yet-opened I-95/PA Turnpike connection in Bristol, Bucks County... just northeast of Philadelphia.  Despite such taking place on a weekday afternoon; there was a fairly decent turnout.  Given the nature & milestone of the meet; many, no doubt, took time off from their jobs to attend.

The reasoning for the oddball date scheduling was due the meet host, briantroutman, having arranged to have some of the on-site field personnel (PennDOT/PTC/Jacobs) available to discuss the project highlights & history beforehand (I missed that part due to arriving late, I couldn't get the time off from work) prior to venturing onto the unopened ramps. 

The original logistics plan for the meet was to gather at one of the construction trailers and ride to the site in one or two vans (provided by the agencies/consultants).  It turned out the vans weren't available and everybody ventured out in their own vehicles (some combined/carpooled).  I'm sure some passer-bys along I-95 wondered why a stream of passenger vehicles were entering a closed road/ramp between the barricades.

This past weekend (Aug. 24), Roadwaywiz95 had an impromptu video/on-line meet in Delaware County & Chester.  The focus was the Commodore Barry Bridge.

Prior to 2018, the last SEPA meet I'm aware of was the Doylestown Meet that took place circa Nov. 2012 & was the first one I attended.  The primary focus for that meet was the then-just-opened US 202 Parkway.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

hbelkins

The 2010 SEPA meet that featured the loss of the lunchroom reservation and the splitting of the check fiasco took place in the general area.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

cl94

Quote from: jpi on August 16, 2019, 09:57:32 AM
I am still eyeing up another York County based meet with the Shrewsbury diverging diamond interchange construction and a possible 3 mile round trip hike on the north central rail trail to check out the oldest active railroad tunnel in the USA, this would be in 2020 or 2021. I am also watching for construction to start taking place at the I-99\ I-80 interchange and sometime next decade possibly host another State Collage area meet. As for the CSVT area, the southern part of construction for this will be again sometime next decade and when that starts I may do a follow up on this.

I see this becoming a mega-meet if it happens. I know I'd be there (close enough to do as a weekend).
Please note: All posts represent my personal opinions and do not represent those of my employer or any of its partner agencies.

Travel Mapping (updated weekly)

Dougtone

Quote from: hbelkins on August 28, 2019, 02:24:59 PM
The 2010 SEPA meet that featured the loss of the lunchroom reservation and the splitting of the check fiasco took place in the general area.

This is the exact reason why I always pay with cash for meals during a road meet now. I don't want to have anything to do with a repeat of the check fiasco.

Rothman

Quote from: Dougtone on August 28, 2019, 07:23:48 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 28, 2019, 02:24:59 PM
The 2010 SEPA meet that featured the loss of the lunchroom reservation and the splitting of the check fiasco took place in the general area.

This is the exact reason why I always pay with cash for meals during a road meet now. I don't want to have anything to do with a repeat of the check fiasco.
There was a mini case of a bad splitting of the check at the Long Island meet I went to.  We will never know who didn't put in their fair share...
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

vdeane

Quote from: cl94 on August 28, 2019, 05:05:51 PM
Quote from: jpi on August 16, 2019, 09:57:32 AM
I am still eyeing up another York County based meet with the Shrewsbury diverging diamond interchange construction and a possible 3 mile round trip hike on the north central rail trail to check out the oldest active railroad tunnel in the USA, this would be in 2020 or 2021. I am also watching for construction to start taking place at the I-99\ I-80 interchange and sometime next decade possibly host another State Collage area meet. As for the CSVT area, the southern part of construction for this will be again sometime next decade and when that starts I may do a follow up on this.

I see this becoming a mega-meet if it happens. I know I'd be there (close enough to do as a weekend).
I'm eyeing that one as well.  I figure I can clinch the new US 301 in Delaware and some odds and ends in Maryland/DC one way and take an extra day to clinch the interstates around Pittsburgh the other.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

A.J. Bertin

Quote from: Rothman on August 28, 2019, 08:03:41 PM
Quote from: Dougtone on August 28, 2019, 07:23:48 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on August 28, 2019, 02:24:59 PM
The 2010 SEPA meet that featured the loss of the lunchroom reservation and the splitting of the check fiasco took place in the general area.

This is the exact reason why I always pay with cash for meals during a road meet now. I don't want to have anything to do with a repeat of the check fiasco.
There was a mini case of a bad splitting of the check at the Long Island meet I went to.  We will never know who didn't put in their fair share...

For the dinner portion of my Providence city meet this past May, I made the mistake of not verifying in advance (when I was making the reservation) that they'd be able to split up the checks. We had something like 18 or 20 people for dinner. It ended up not being too bad because the restaurant did agree to at least split the check in half (half the table on one check and half on the other). I didn't want to do this (I had no choice), but I ended up using a credit card for my half and everyone gave me cash for their share of the meal. One person wasn't able to give me cash for his share the night of the dinner but, luckily, I saw him a couple weeks later and he paid me at that time. Lesson learned for the meets I host in the future.
-A.J. from Michigan

hbelkins

The whole "not splitting checks" concept is a bit foreign to me. Just about everywhere I've ever been, I've always been asked how we wanted the checks handled. It really doesn't even seem like a thing to me that a restaurant wouldn't split out the check.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

MNHighwayMan

Quote from: hbelkins on August 30, 2019, 10:22:13 AM
The whole "not splitting checks" concept is a bit foreign to me. Just about everywhere I've ever been, I've always been asked how we wanted the checks handled. It really doesn't even seem like a thing to me that a restaurant wouldn't split out the check.

I agree. Any competent restaurant should be able to split checks, or if not, ask before orders are taken.

Alps

We were able to split checks reasonably efficiently today despite about 20 people at the meet. The waitress asked. That said, I am not opposed to restaurants that state limitations on check-splitting up front.



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