The universe according to MMM

[hotdogPi]

When was the Fictional Highways board launched?

No later than May 3, 2009 (forum launched on January 15, 2009). https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=876.0

[Roadgeekteen]

When was the Fictional Highways board launched?

I joined in 2011, and I was primarily interested in signage at that time.  I've never been much into fictional plans.  So, if the Fictional Highways board existed back then, it's certainly not what drew me in.

The existence of an invisible Fictional Highways board only entices people to join if (a) they're serious lurkers who already spend a lot of time reading forum posts, (b) they're savvy enough to realize that certain linked-to threads are off-limits to non-members, and (c) they care enough about the topic to do something about it and join.  The two groups of people who fit all three categories appear to be (1) bona fide roadgeeks whose participation in the forum is value added, and (2) obnoxious misfits with a spectrum disorder whose participation in the forum is distracting and irritating.  That Venn diagram does have a substantial overlapping population, such that there are plenty of value-adding members on the spectrum here, but it's the non-overlapping population that tanks the forum every so often.

However, if Fictional Highways were made visible from the get-go, then all sorts of clowns would join the forum for no other reason than to hang out in Fictional La La Land.

Yeah I was a serious lurker before joining the forum. I probably started lurking in like 2015. I read tons of posts and pretty much knew about all of the hidden boards before joining, especially fictional highways (by far the most mentioned one).

[ethanhopkin14]

The existence of an invisible Fictional Highways board only entices people to join if (a) they're serious lurkers...

I totally read that as "serial killers".  What's wrong with me?

[7/8]

The existence of an invisible Fictional Highways board only entices people to join if (a) they're serious lurkers...

I totally read that as "serial killers".  What's wrong with me?

Guilty conscience?

Yeah I was a serious lurker before joining the forum. I probably started lurking in like 2015. I read tons of posts and pretty much knew about all of the hidden boards before joining, especially fictional highways (by far the most mentioned one).

I also lurked for a while, and the hidden boards were my motivation to register. Ironically I haven't used fictional highways much, but the photo games got me hooked on taking road sign photos on trips.

[Roadgeekteen]

The existence of an invisible Fictional Highways board only entices people to join if (a) they're serious lurkers...

I totally read that as "serial killers".  What's wrong with me?

Guilty conscience?

Yeah I was a serious lurker before joining the forum. I probably started lurking in like 2015. I read tons of posts and pretty much knew about all of the hidden boards before joining, especially fictional highways (by far the most mentioned one).

I also lurked for a while, and the hidden boards were my motivation to register. Ironically I haven't used fictional highways much, but the photo games got me hooked on taking road sign photos on trips.

I don't really post much of my fictional road plans anymore, but looking at others is still fun (and infuriating at times)

[triplemultiplex]

Posting in fictional can be a real mixed bag, depending on what one submits.  There are too many people who've been bombarded with Fritz-Owl level stuff that they lash out at anything that remotely reminds them of that.  People ready to harrumph literally any signing changes are drag.  Then there are the people who look at your map and don't read anything in the post, they go right to reply about something you covered in the post.  That gets frustrating.

Say you post a map of, "Hey this is where I would've built the freeways in City X in like 1960".  Guaranteed, you'll get someone who's like, "You're never gonna build any of those freeways 'cuz of all the demo-crats!"  And it's like, did you even read what was written?  Or did were you just looking for an excuse to get triggered?

Really, the poo-poo army is a drag over in fictional.  The section's description literally says:
"Let slip the horde of bulldozers! Or just renumber everything under the sun, that's cool too."
And yet, some people can't take others having fun with maps.  Frankly, those types of people should just stay away from that section if all they are going to do is shit all over everyone's ideas.  Like in the sports section, I don't care much for soccer, so I leave the soccer threads alone.  I don't go in there shitting on other people's interest in the sport.

Look, I've been guilty of being in the poo-poo army at times myself, but not to nearly the extent I've seen.  Someone was recently ranting about people extending I-40 to Bakersfield and it's like calm down, dude.  It's fictional!  Get over it.

[kphoger]

The preferred alternative, however, seems to be that we should all just say "Great job!" about every single fictional idea.

[kalvado]

The preferred alternative, however, seems to be that we should all just say "Great job!" about every single fictional idea.

Depends on what the goal is. If it is just having fun drawing random lines on the map, it's one thing.
Trying to understand things by trying something new and getting feedback is another.

Discussing possibility of a new long island crossing isn't fully fictional, it is being brought up more or less seriously once in a while. Drawing 5 crossings like MMM did? Great job, can you make it 10?

[kphoger]

Drawing 5 crossings like MMM did? Great job, can you make it 10?

Yes.

I changed my mind about the long island sound, it needs more crossings.

↓  I improved on your plan  ↓

[ethanhopkin14]

The preferred alternative, however, seems to be that we should all just say "Great job!" about every single fictional idea.

Depends on what the goal is. If it is just having fun drawing random lines on the map, it's one thing.
Trying to understand things by trying something new and getting feedback is another.

Discussing possibility of a new long island crossing isn't fully fictional, it is being brought up more or less seriously once in a while. Drawing 5 crossings like MMM did? Great job, can you make it 10?

Back to the nuclear powered plane/helicopters with grappling hooks picking cars up and dropping them on the other side of the Long Island Sound, or boats designed to use the power of the vehicle to "drive" across the sound while your car is outfitted with a poop vaporizing laser system. 

[ethanhopkin14]

Drawing 5 crossings like MMM did? Great job, can you make it 10?

Yes.

I changed my mind about the long island sound, it needs more crossings.

↓  I improved on your plan  ↓

Not sure if the mid water roundabout is my favorite part or the fact you extended I-80 through Long Island then back to the mainland to make it longer and rightfully make I-80 the longest interstate, dethroning that poser and bootlegger I-90.

[kphoger]

Back to the nuclear powered plane/helicopters with grappling hooks picking cars up and dropping them on the other side of the Long Island Sound, or boats designed to use the power of the vehicle to "drive" across the sound while your car is outfitted with a poop vaporizing laser system. 

Because people who can't safely drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike can be trusted to safely drive across open water.

[kphoger]

Not sure if the mid water roundabout is my favorite part or the fact you extended I-80 through Long Island then back to the mainland to make it longer and rightfully make I-80 the longest interstate, dethroning that poser and bootlegger I-90.

The I-80 part was in MultiDozenMiler's original map.

[ethanhopkin14]

Back to the nuclear powered plane/helicopters with grappling hooks picking cars up and dropping them on the other side of the Long Island Sound, or boats designed to use the power of the vehicle to "drive" across the sound while your car is outfitted with a poop vaporizing laser system. 

Because people who can't safely drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike can be trusted to safely drive across open water.

What could possibly go wrong?

[MultiMillionMiler]

Back to the nuclear powered plane/helicopters with grappling hooks picking cars up and dropping them on the other side of the Long Island Sound, or boats designed to use the power of the vehicle to "drive" across the sound while your car is outfitted with a poop vaporizing laser system. 

Because people who can't safely drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike can be trusted to safely drive across open water.

There would be stationary water buoys marking the straight-line path across the water, with interstate shields on it. The Long Island sound crossings will all be bridges or bridge-tunnel combinations. My Road-Water-Modules will only be used along the Lake Michigan crossing of Interstate 90.

[Roadgeekteen]

Back to the nuclear powered plane/helicopters with grappling hooks picking cars up and dropping them on the other side of the Long Island Sound, or boats designed to use the power of the vehicle to "drive" across the sound while your car is outfitted with a poop vaporizing laser system. 

Because people who can't safely drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike can be trusted to safely drive across open water.

There would be stationary water buoys marking the straight-line path across the water, with interstate shields on it. The Long Island sound crossings will all be bridges or bridge-tunnel combinations. My Road-Water-Modules will only be used along the Lake Michigan crossing of Interstate 90.

I'll stop making fun of you for your water driving shit if you just admit that NYC is on the east coast.

[Roadgeekteen]

Well now you're off advocating for giving New York City to New Jersey so I'm not so sure anymore...

[kphoger]

Back to the nuclear powered plane/helicopters with grappling hooks picking cars up and dropping them on the other side of the Long Island Sound, or boats designed to use the power of the vehicle to "drive" across the sound while your car is outfitted with a poop vaporizing laser system. 

Because people who can't safely drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike can be trusted to safely drive across open water.

There would be stationary water buoys marking the straight-line path across the water, with interstate shields on it. The Long Island sound crossings will all be bridges or bridge-tunnel combinations. My Road-Water-Modules will only be used along the Lake Michigan crossing of Interstate 90.

I said nothing about the curviness of the path across the water.

[Roadgeekteen]

Now the only issue is boats. Since they are generally slower, they would have to yield to the cars at any intersection with I-90, but then that wouldn't make I-90 limited access, hmm this is hard.

Just ban all boats

[kphoger]

Now the only issue is boats.

Yes.  The only issue with your boat plan is boats.

[kalvado]

Now the only issue is boats.

Yes.  The only issue with your boat plan is boats.

just use cars with snorkels. What can go wrong with those?

[kphoger]

Maybe all normal boats can be fitted with a submarine mode, where they can temporarily dip down under the water to get around the interstate Route along the surface. Normal boats could be designed like convertibles, in which a glass shield rises up from the sides and completely encloses the boat.

[kalvado]

Maybe all normal boats can be fitted with a submarine mode, where they can temporarily dip down under the water to get around the interstate Route along the surface. Normal boats could be designed like convertibles, in which a glass shield rises up from the sides and completely encloses the boat.

... a little more....

[GaryV]

Now the only issue is boats. Since they are generally slower, they would have to yield to the cars at any intersection with I-90, but then that wouldn't make I-90 limited access, hmm this is hard.

Do you have any idea how long it takes to stop a 1000-foot freighter loaded with 60000 tons of iron ore?

[kphoger]

Now the only issue is boats. Since they are generally slower, they would have to yield to the cars at any intersection with I-90, but then that wouldn't make I-90 limited access, hmm this is hard.

Do you have any idea how long it takes to stop a 1000-foot freighter loaded with 60000 tons of iron ore?

Ballpark?  Engines switched to reverse at full power?  At least 20 minutes.