You Know You're A Roadgeek If...

[Dr Frankenstein]

You spend your breaks at work designing a city-level numbered road system (à la Ottawa and Winnipeg) for Montreal.

[sammi]

You use Google StreetView to explore neighborhoods you used to live in, to see what has/hasn't changed.

I've been wanting to do this for a while now, but Street View can't come to the Philippines soon enough.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Likewise, an M1, M3, or M5 would mean either a Michigan state highway near Detroit (although I think hyphenation is proper) or a motorway in Great Britain on this forum. On an automotive-related board, it almost always defines a BMW Motorsport-tuned vehicle.

I wouldn't confuse the Michigan routes with the British motorways because I would refer to the former as MI XX, although I know this isn't the official designation.

[US71]

When I was a kid, I had a roadsign bedspread.

[cpzilliacus]

You spend your breaks at work designing a city-level numbered road system (à la Ottawa and Winnipeg) for Montreal.

You regard ESRI's ARCGIS software as a video game to be played with.

[Dr Frankenstein]

A very expensive video game, that I would otherwise probably use.

[Zeffy]

A very expensive video game, that I would otherwise probably use.

I'm not saying anything here, but I already found a secret place where one could get their hands on it for free. (And if you ask me, personal hobby use of a program should really be free anyway...)

[sammi]

I already found a secret place where one could get their hands on it for free.

It's not a secret.

[Jardine]

You've all had some influence on me in the roadgeek department.

I noticed yesterday an odd mix of upper and lower case and different sized upper case lettering on some BGS around an interchange.


I did NOT used to be like that.

[NE2]

QGIS is actually pretty good these days. Ignore CP's shilling.

[yakra]

...when watching Doctor Who, you see A3200 markings on the pavement, and immediately head to the CHM Highway Browser to see where exactly the Doctor and Clara are.

[english si]

...when watching Doctor Who, you see A3200 markings on the pavement, and immediately head to the CHM Highway Browser to see where exactly the Doctor and Clara are.

Glad to a have provided a service. Where on the South Bank were they?

Oh yea, you know if you're a roadgeek if you don't need to look at CHM to know where an A road is.

[Molandfreak]

You saw this and thought Breezewood (and low gas prices) before you thought about the message picture actually conveys.

[Alps]

You saw this and thought Breezewood (and low gas prices) before you thought about the message picture actually conveys.

Correct - and then I thought, "what, I peed on the side of Route 66 in Arizona, what's the big deal?"

[hotdogPi]

I definitely saw the low gas prices.

[PHLBOS]

what's the big deal?"

A more fitting photo for the 2nd situation (When I have to pee) IMHO.



Yes, I'm aware that the road in question is no longer there; but you get the idea.

[formulanone]

^ ...and it's raining.

[hbelkins]

If we have to wait until gas goes back down to $1.329 a gallon before we pee, we are going to be waiting for a long time.

[Mr_Northside]

I also noticed the old-school Sheetz sign in the Breezewood photo as well.

[Molandfreak]

I also noticed the old-school Sheetz sign in the Breezewood photo as well.

Sheet, How did I miss that? I guess I was too busy looking at the old-school BP sign.

[amroad17]

^And the little Stuckey's sign under the Exxon sign.

We could interchange "POOP" for "PEE" when the feeling hits us.

[rickmastfan67]

I also noticed the old-school Sheetz sign in the Breezewood photo as well.

Sheet, How did I miss that? I guess I was too busy looking at the old-school BP sign.

Don't forget the old-school Taco Bell sign too!

[roadman]

[/quote

God, I'd forgotten how awful those signs looked after they added the exit tabs.

[Brandon]

[/quote

God, I'd forgotten how awful those signs looked after they added the exit tabs.

How the hell can you even tell what lane you're supposed to be in or how far to the next exit with those signs?  The tabs are bad, but the signs are horrible for conveying information.

[PHLBOS]

God, I'd forgotten how awful those signs looked after they added the exit tabs.

How the hell can you even tell what lane you're supposed to be in or how far to the next exit with those signs?  The tabs are bad, but the signs are horrible for conveying information.

Those tabs were erected back when most of MA's existing BGS' had exit tabs placed on the top-center of the main panel.

The majority of exit ramps to/from the Central Artery were spaced so close together that placing distances was not practical nor mandated.  It was just assumed that the next BGS to the right of the mainline corridor was the next upcoming exit. 

It's worth noting that several ramps to/from the Artery were eliminated back in the 70s.  One of them, my father used to get on the northbound Artery to the Mystic (Tobin) Bridge but avoid the jam-up for the Callahan Tunnel exit ramp (this was back when the crossings were all 2-way tolls).  He and my older brother were ticked when that on-ramp was eliminated.

Roadman, one has to wonder why the old BGS' weren't just outright replaced when it was finally assigned exit numbers.  The new BGS' would come out roughly a year or two later.

Tid bit: the original BGS for Exit 25 read CAUSEWAY STREET - NO. STATION.  IIRC, that replacement BGS was added when the CANA (Central Artery North Area) project started; hence the listing of CHARLESTOWN.