What roadgeek opinions of yours have un-soured over the years?
As for me:
mixed case street blades
Yoga
Spending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:12:05 AMWhat roadgeek opinions ...
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:23:27 AMSpending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
Do please explain.
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:23:13 AMQuote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:12:05 AMWhat roadgeek opinions ...
Quote from: JayhawkCO on July 14, 2025, 10:21:57 AMYoga
Do please explain...
Well, firstly, I didn't read your OP that thoroughly so I missed that.
Secondly, doing yoga helps prevent my back seizing up when going on long road trips.
Quote from: JayhawkCO on July 14, 2025, 10:25:46 AMdoing yoga helps prevent my back seizing up when going on long road trips.
Well done!
(I don't even care if it's true. You pulled off an explanation.)
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:24:40 AMQuote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:12:05 AMWhat roadgeek opinions ...
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:23:27 AMSpending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
Do please explain.
There is a newish neon yellow, but still text based bus stop sign that can be irritating to weed wack around.
Another one for me:
road diets
Every instance I've personally seen of reducing two lanes in one direction with a single lane plus either a TWLTL, bike lane, or parallel parking has been a success in my opinion. I expected to hate them, but now I welcome them.
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:32:19 AMThere is a newish neon yellow, but still text based bus stop sign that can be irritating to weed wack around.
And you were worried that the alcohol would make you even more irritated, but it turns out you're a mellow drunk rather than an angry drunk?
Yeah, sorry, but I think you're reaching a little too far with that one...
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:35:54 AMQuote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:32:19 AMThere is a newish neon yellow, but still text based bus stop sign that can be irritating to weed wack around.
And you were worried that the alcohol would make you even more irritated, but it turns out you're a mellow drunk rather than an angry drunk?
Yeah, sorry, but I think you're reaching a little too far with that one...
Fair enough. (I may already be a bit... #nightshiftlife)
I remember when most people were against the flashing yellow arrow. But now most like it, even if they're at intersections where they do nothing but duplicate what left turning on green has always meant and doesn't use the FYA to its full capability.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on July 14, 2025, 11:18:57 AMI remember when most people were against the flashing yellow arrow. But now most like it, even if they're at intersections where they do nothing but duplicate what left turning on green has always meant and doesn't use the FYA to its full capability.
Yes, this one looms large in my mind. However, I don't recall that I was ever personally against them in the beginning, so I didn't mention it in the OP.
Just the other day, due to a weird way that the stoplights at a particular diamond interchange are timed together, my direction went from all red to red with left FYA but red through movement, even with no oncoming traffic. I was turning left, so I was quite happy.
You'd think I hate Clearview as a self-respecting roadgeek, but considering Québec has the best implementation of it, I don't care as much.
Uni-signs, if there's some attempt to align and/or space text, borders, diagrams, and objects properly.
Yeah, I have to agree with mixed-case street name signs, especially given that I've lived in places where those are standard most recently.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on July 14, 2025, 12:09:49 PMYou'd think I hate Clearview as a self-respecting roadgeek, but considering Québec has the best implementation of it, I don't care as much.
The first Clearview signs I remember seeing were all designed well, so I never hated it to begin with. But it still has no place in route shields or stop signs.
If we are talking anything highway adjacent then Japanese cars. My entire family worked for the Big Three when I was growing up in Michigan. There was a pretty negative outlook towards any foreign automakers by those around me. I used to also get family discounts on GM and Ford products.
In recent years the Big Three stopped making small cars. The Japanese automakers are pretty much the only option left. Turns out they make way more reliable cars that are easier to work on.
A traffic feature that I didn't use to like long ago is roundabouts. Nowadays I would prefer a four lane roundabout over a traditional traffic signal. CA 156 in particular has been vastly improved since it received two between CA 25 and US 101.
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:12:05 AMWhat roadgeek opinions of yours have un-soured over the years?
Clearview.
I'm still not sold on FYAs, though. And I'll always hate roundabouts.
When I first saw Clearview, I thought it was ugly and I disliked it for that reason. I still think it's ugly, but as I advance through my 50s I do find it considerably easier to read from a distance, and for that reason I like it.
Similarly, when I first saw flashing yellow arrows I didn't quite understand what message they were intended to convey, so I didn't see how they were an improvement over the familiar doghouse signals. Once I understood their purpose, I concluded that they are indeed an improvement. I've affirmatively come to like them as they are implemented here in Northern Virginia (at least in VDOT installations) because the flashing yellow arrows have some features the doghouse signals did not. At the one closest to my house, for example, I may be facing a flashing yellow arrow waiting to turn left into my neighborhood, but sometimes traffic coming the other way will get a red and my green arrow will come on while my side stays green. That never happened in the doghouse era—I would not get a green arrow unless the other street at that intersection first got a green light (either due to vehicular traffic or due to a pedestrian pressing the button for the walk sign). So that is a real improvement and a reason for me to like the flashing arrow.
I was nervous about DDIs at first but the logic in that design is impressive. They have worked out fine.
Unlike many people, I generally like roundabouts. My only objection is that sometimes the driver entering the roundabout can get so fully engaged in merging into the traffic already in the circle so as to be unprepared for pedestrians in the crosswalks. (That can happen on a right turn on red too, though.)
Back-up cameras in my vehicles.
I refused to use them at first. Now, if my vehicle isn't equipped with one, I'm always worried that I'm about to hit something/someone that I can't see in my mirrors.
Quote from: gonealookin on July 14, 2025, 02:19:07 PMI was nervous about DDIs at first but the logic in that design is impressive. They have worked out fine.
Provided they are properly done. Two in our area are only a couple hundred yards from another traffic signal in both directions. Inevitably you end up having to stop more than once.
Also one of them has a lane that suddenly becomes a left-only turn onto the freeway ramp. No advance notice until you are in the DDI itself. The street goes from 3 thru lanes to 2.
My earliest experience with a roundabout left me hateful of them. But the more I drive, the more I like how they work. I think I had a similar thing with DDIs, as well.
I still hate HAWKs, though, and I don't think anything will make me change that.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on July 14, 2025, 01:31:18 PMNowadays I would prefer a four lane roundabout over a traditional traffic signal.
I, uh, can't say I'm familiar with those. And a quick Google search only turned up this monstrosity (https://www.reddit.com/r/CitiesSkylines/comments/rflfjw/light_controlled_4way_roundabout/).
Quote from: vdeane on July 14, 2025, 08:31:58 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on July 14, 2025, 01:31:18 PMNowadays I would prefer a four lane roundabout over a traditional traffic signal.
I, uh, can't say I'm familiar with those. And a quick Google search only turned up this monstrosity (https://www.reddit.com/r/CitiesSkylines/comments/rflfjw/light_controlled_4way_roundabout/).
Quote from: vdeane on July 14, 2025, 08:31:58 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on July 14, 2025, 01:31:18 PMNowadays I would prefer a four lane roundabout over a traditional traffic signal.
I, uh, can't say I'm familiar with those. And a quick Google search only turned up this monstrosity (https://www.reddit.com/r/CitiesSkylines/comments/rflfjw/light_controlled_4way_roundabout/).
As if I needed any further convincing that Reddit is a cesspool of bad ideas.
I thought I hated freeway revolts until I got a more nuanced view on urban areas and their relationships with freeways.
Depends on the revolt. San Francisco made sense, the revolts in metro Sacramento not so much.
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:34:20 AMAnother one for me:
road diets
Every instance I've personally seen of reducing two lanes in one direction with a single lane plus either a TWLTL, bike lane, or parallel parking has been a success in my opinion. I expected to hate them, but now I welcome them.
You know what? I actually agree with this, and I didn't think I'd ever say it either. To the point where I think I'd actually prefer one lane per direction + TWLTL than two per direction with no turn lanes or shoulders in most cases. I've even found myself wishing that
more four lane roads would be converted to three if they're lacking sidewalks and/or shoulders.
There's still some exceptions, though.
This section of NY 104 (https://maps.app.goo.gl/m2NpMfqb3edvmLwe8), for example,
used to be 4.5 lanes (https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZLdP4phmZsw4Z2r5). It was converted to three with an extra-wide TWLTL and extra-wide shoulders. That seemed wasteful to me. It's a busy stretch that carries quite a bit of medium- to long-distance traffic, and not being able to pass for miles while the super-TWLTL hardly gets used is annoying. They would have barely had to widen the road to get
five lanes here and still get the benefit of the TWLTL while allowing two through lanes per direction.
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:23:27 AMSpending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
That sounds to me more like something you thought you'd like but ended up hating. :-P
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:23:27 AMSpending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
Quote from: webny99 on July 15, 2025, 04:35:36 PMThat sounds to me more like something you thought you'd like but ended up hating. :-P
Or... I hate yard work, but it's a lot more fun when yer drunk, amirite!!
This website.
I don't know why I thought I was gonna hate it, it's fun.
Quote from: kphoger on July 14, 2025, 10:34:20 AMAnother one for me:
road diets
Every instance I've personally seen of reducing two lanes in one direction with a single lane plus either a TWLTL, bike lane, or parallel parking has been a success in my opinion. I expected to hate them, but now I welcome them.
+1. Minneapolis has done plenty and I have yet to dislike one. I consider myself a very pro-freeway but also very anti-stroad person.
Quote from: kphoger on July 15, 2025, 04:56:57 PMQuote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:23:27 AMSpending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
Quote from: webny99 on July 15, 2025, 04:35:36 PMThat sounds to me more like something you thought you'd like but ended up hating. :-P
Or... I hate yard work, but it's a lot more fun when yer drunk, amirite!!
I never tried doing yard work while under the influence of a substance (too much risk of injury for me to be comfortable for that) but it does really help make doing the dishes more tolerable.
I mowed the lawn one time at 2 AM while I was tripped out on Percocet. It certainly gave me a shit ton of energy and motivation to keep up with chores despite only have use my of right arm (my left was broken). I called my doctor the next day and asked to be put on another type of pain killer.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on July 15, 2025, 09:12:59 PMI mowed the lawn one time at 2 AM while I was tripped out on Percocet. It certainly gave me a shit ton of energy and motivation to keep up with chores despite only have use my of right arm (my left was broken). I called my doctor the next day and asked to be put on another type of pain killer.
I'll bet the neighbors loved that. :D
Quote from: webny99 on July 15, 2025, 09:20:37 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on July 15, 2025, 09:12:59 PMI mowed the lawn one time at 2 AM while I was tripped out on Percocet. It certainly gave me a shit ton of energy and motivation to keep up with chores despite only have use my of right arm (my left was broken). I called my doctor the next day and asked to be put on another type of pain killer.
I'll bet the neighbors loved that. :D
I had a corner lot that backed up to a cinder block sound barrier. If they had complaints they didn't voice them. But then again it was probably super apparent to the eye that I was recently in a car accident and was acting weird because of some sort of drug reaction.
Quote from: on_wisconsin on July 14, 2025, 10:23:27 AMSpending several hours a day doing yard work while partially inebriated.
Your username checks out.
As mentioned before, the roundabouts kick that Wisconsin was on for the last 2 decades especially in Oshkosh and Appleton interchanges on 41.
And I was skeptical of the DDI at 88 & 59 but it is so much better now.
Still not a fan of HOT Toll lanes.
Quote from: Scott5114 on July 15, 2025, 09:01:04 PMI never tried doing yard work while under the influence of a substance (too much risk of injury for me to be comfortable for that) but it does really help make doing the dishes more tolerable.
I once had an afternoon cocktail forgetting that I had to mow the lawn that day. And rain was coming, so I couldn't put it off. And, when I make a cocktail, I always make it a double, because otherwise what's the point.
So take it from my experience: it wasn't the risk of injury that makes me recommend not doing so. It's that I felt like total crap and could barely finish the job. Alcohol and physical exertion do not go well together. I think it might be a hydration thing, but I'm sure there are other factors involved too.
Speed limits above 70mph
I had grown up in the east coast generally, and rarely traveled west of the Mississippi River except for the 2 years I'd lived in California. Additionally, there was FIERCE opposition to the bill that would have allowed 75 in Florida in 2014. Tbh I was a bit skeptical of any limit above 55 for quite a bit of my childhood lmao (this ladies and gentlemen is why kids can't, and shouldn't be able to, vote). I had a good experience seeing my first 75 in Texas, and after extensive travels within the state I can gladly say I'm comfortable at that speed. Same thing for 85, except this time I was still under the impression that if you post one speed, then "everyone" would go 5-10 over said speed (after all, I'm in the club of holding 3-8 over most speed limits I see, usually 3-5 unless I know the road's enforcement patterns). I'm still flabbergasted that no one passed me at 89mph the three times I've used SH-130. Same thing again for speed limits higher than 60 on 2-lane roads.
Clearview
If used appropriately, I'm now a massive fan. I've been so used to seeing it used inappropriately that I rarely got a good impression of it (my first impression was in Louisiana on I-10...). Seeing how FDOT has been verrrrrry slowly trying to phase in Clearview (even if it's completely unofficial) has given me a better picture, and has even opened me up to being accepting of the font in non-road settings (such as the building signs in the FL Turnpike Service Plazas).
Road Diets
While I'm still not a huge fan of them, I no longer oppose some transportation tool blanketly in the possible event that it could work in some places if done correctly. For a road that is 4 lanes and only sees 500 vehicles per day, does it need to be 4 lanes? The only thing that excess capacity does is cause speeding...
Gotta say the pushback against Clearview. I wanted it to replace every Highway Gothic sign everywhere, but now I don't mind not witnessing such a takeover.
California's internal exit tabs.
These still don't exactly fit the OP, but as for road things I thought I'd hate but ended up liking:
US24 in northwestern Kansas
US160 in south central Kansas
Quote from: JayhawkCO on July 24, 2025, 04:24:07 PMUS160 in south central Kansas
Heck yeah, that's surprisingly beautiful!
Quote from: kphoger on July 24, 2025, 04:27:45 PMQuote from: JayhawkCO on July 24, 2025, 04:24:07 PMUS160 in south central Kansas
Heck yeah, that's surprisingly beautiful!
I was just trying to finish off my Kansas county clinch and needed a bunch of the southern tier counties and just kind of assumed US160 across Kansas looked the same as US160 in eastern Colorado, but it was surprisingly lush and hilly.
Given I'm still only 24 and I grew up in Illinois, where there is next to zero transportation innovation, I never got to experience a lot of "new stuff". I've generally been positive about newer initiatives like FYAs, DDIs, roundabouts, SPUIs... (not Clearview, I'll never be a fan of that).
There is one thing I have grown accustomed to, or rather, understand why it's done:
narrow lane widths. Over a decade ago, a road nearby was expanded from two lanes to four, but the lanes were narrower than what I just felt was usual. I complained to my dad who is a civil engineer about it at the time. But now, with the brief experience I have as an engineer so far, and knowledge of traffic engineering as a whole, I understand that the narrower lanes through something like a downtown are good because they intuitively reduce speeds without completely artificially lower limits.
I could use a thread discussing the opposite. There's a few things that I thought I'd like when they started making the rounds (i.e., black traffic signal heads) but don't anymore.
Quote from: hobsini2 on July 16, 2025, 07:24:41 PMAnd I was skeptical of the DDI at 88 & 59 but it is so much better now.
Too bad that IL-59 south of I-88 is still a slog with all the poorly-timed and excessive stoplights. IDOT doesn't know how to design that kind of road at all.
Vancouver on my recent trip was something I didn't think I'd end up liking. The city actually very pleasant and it wasn't hard to drive around in. I thought the experience was going to be more akin to slogging around Seattle. I don't generally like modern architecture but the downtown area is hitting on something that pleases the eye. Definitely was the most unique downtown in a Canadian city which I've been to.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 09:28:03 AMVancouver on my recent trip was something I didn't think I'd end up liking. The city actually very pleasant and it wasn't hard to drive around in. I thought the experience was going to be more akin to slogging around Seattle. I don't generally like modern architecture but the downtown area is hitting on something that pleases the eye. Definitely was the most unique downtown in a Canadian city which I've been to.
One interesting thing about Vancouver is that there are no freeways into downtown. To get there, you have to drive five miles of BC-99 from the south, a few miles from TC-1 in the east, or a few miles of BC-99 from the north over Lions Gate Bridge. Also, the highways feel to me like the highways I learned to drive on fifty years ago in New England.
But I do love the downtown. I think Vancouver has more hi-rises than any other city in North America except NYC, and all in a small area. With the harbor, North Vancouver, and the mountains as a backdrop, it looks like a tiny chunk of Hong Kong from a distance.
Quote from: pderocco on August 15, 2025, 04:32:19 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 09:28:03 AMVancouver on my recent trip was something I didn't think I'd end up liking. The city actually very pleasant and it wasn't hard to drive around in. I thought the experience was going to be more akin to slogging around Seattle. I don't generally like modern architecture but the downtown area is hitting on something that pleases the eye. Definitely was the most unique downtown in a Canadian city which I've been to.
One interesting thing about Vancouver is that there are no freeways into downtown. To get there, you have to drive five miles of BC-99 from the south, a few miles from TC-1 in the east, or a few miles of BC-99 from the north over Lions Gate Bridge. Also, the highways feel to me like the highways I learned to drive on fifty years ago in New England.
But I do love the downtown. I think Vancouver has more hi-rises than any other city in North America except NYC, and all in a small area. With the harbor, North Vancouver, and the mountains as a backdrop, it looks like a tiny chunk of Hong Kong from a distance.
I think you hit on what I found appealing. I'm used to a particular European aesthetic with the downtowns in other big Canadian cities. Downtown Vancouver definitely felt like it has a far more Asian aesthetic with the modern largely glass facade high rises. There also wasn't much in the way of American-style Brutalism to be found either.
I've wondered about how Vancouver has all those buildings but a relatively small population.
Helps having the highest population density in Canada. Surrey has a similar population but has almost three times as much land to work with.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 06:10:36 PMQuote from: pderocco on August 15, 2025, 04:32:19 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 09:28:03 AMVancouver on my recent trip was something I didn't think I'd end up liking. The city actually very pleasant and it wasn't hard to drive around in. I thought the experience was going to be more akin to slogging around Seattle. I don't generally like modern architecture but the downtown area is hitting on something that pleases the eye. Definitely was the most unique downtown in a Canadian city which I've been to.
One interesting thing about Vancouver is that there are no freeways into downtown. To get there, you have to drive five miles of BC-99 from the south, a few miles from TC-1 in the east, or a few miles of BC-99 from the north over Lions Gate Bridge. Also, the highways feel to me like the highways I learned to drive on fifty years ago in New England.
But I do love the downtown. I think Vancouver has more hi-rises than any other city in North America except NYC, and all in a small area. With the harbor, North Vancouver, and the mountains as a backdrop, it looks like a tiny chunk of Hong Kong from a distance.
I think you hit on what I found appealing. I'm used to a particular European aesthetic with the downtowns in other big Canadian cities. Downtown Vancouver definitely felt like it has a far more Asian aesthetic with the modern largely glass facade high rises. There also wasn't much in the way of American-style Brutalism to be found either.
It also has a substantial wealthy Asian population, or so I've heard.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 11:51:00 PMHelps having the highest population density in Canada. Surrey has a similar population but has almost three times as much land to work with.
That would explain Surrey's huge library. Did you happen to see that building on your trip? It's pretty dramatic. I first saw it in a Mercedes TV ad.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hAKAtPVuxA9EkjgUA (https://maps.app.goo.gl/hAKAtPVuxA9EkjgUA)
Quote from: pderocco on August 16, 2025, 01:51:22 AMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 11:51:00 PMHelps having the highest population density in Canada. Surrey has a similar population but has almost three times as much land to work with.
That would explain Surrey's huge library. Did you happen to see that building on your trip? It's pretty dramatic. I first saw it in a Mercedes TV ad.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/hAKAtPVuxA9EkjgUA (https://maps.app.goo.gl/hAKAtPVuxA9EkjgUA)
Missed much of central Surrey since our hotel was out on the river in Stevenston.
Quote from: pderocco on August 15, 2025, 04:32:19 PMOne interesting thing about Vancouver is that there are no freeways into downtown. To get there, you have to drive five miles of BC-99 from the south, a few miles from TC-1 in the east, or a few miles of BC-99 from the north over Lions Gate Bridge.
And requires passing through some rough neighborhoods, too, especially from the east. In the US you could hardly find anything comparable to E Hastings St as a primary route between downtown and suburbs. Even San Fran has freeways much closer to the business district.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 06:10:36 PMI think you hit on what I found appealing. I'm used to a particular European aesthetic with the downtowns in other big Canadian cities. Downtown Vancouver definitely felt like it has a far more Asian aesthetic with the modern largely glass facade high rises.
Toronto is probably the closest comparison in terms of Canadian cities.
Quote from: webny99 on August 17, 2025, 10:58:02 PMQuote from: pderocco on August 15, 2025, 04:32:19 PMOne interesting thing about Vancouver is that there are no freeways into downtown. To get there, you have to drive five miles of BC-99 from the south, a few miles from TC-1 in the east, or a few miles of BC-99 from the north over Lions Gate Bridge.
And requires passing through some rough neighborhoods, too, especially from the east. In the US you could hardly find anything comparable to E Hastings St as a primary route between downtown and suburbs. Even San Fran has freeways much closer to the business district.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 15, 2025, 06:10:36 PMI think you hit on what I found appealing. I'm used to a particular European aesthetic with the downtowns in other big Canadian cities. Downtown Vancouver definitely felt like it has a far more Asian aesthetic with the modern largely glass facade high rises.
Toronto is probably the closest comparison in terms of Canadian cities.
Toronto's skyscrapers look like they're all designed by the same three architects and built all around the same era. Love the place, but it does seem to have less architectural diversity than, say Boston, New York or Chicago...
I must've have missed those rough neighborhoods in Vancouver. Then again I was staying on Aurora Avenue in Seattle for a couple nights on the same trip. The variance between a Sprouts Farmers Market on one block to several questionable adult establishments a couple blocks down is an interesting contrast.
Open-road tolling, and toll roads in general: When I first started driving, I tried my best to avoid the Tollways because of the obvious charges to drive them, and my parents despised them to no end. But now I've grown to appreciate the fact that ISTHA is better at maintenance than IDOT, and although I've never stopped at an Oasis, I'm sure that they're well-maintained. Similarly, when E-ZPass and its regional equivalents first came out, I wasn't sure what to make of them, especially since I was more familiar with stopping at toll booths to pay and refused to pay extra money for using a toll road without a transponder, but I've come around to ORT as well, having tried out a Good To Go account from WSDOT a few years ago and concluding that they're worth it.
(Good luck trying to get my parents on board with I-Pass, though)
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on August 19, 2025, 08:04:02 AMThe variance between a Sprouts Farmers Market on one block to several questionable adult establishments a couple blocks down is an interesting contrast.
Las Vegas is really weird in how much variance you get between close-by areas. From my old apartment, if I walked west, I would be in a neighborhood with seven-figure houses. If I walked the same distance north, I would be in the hood.
Clearview