Roadgeek Cold Takes

[Max Rockatansky]

Signage can convey important information about the conditions of a road. 

[NE2]

Inland border checkpoints serve no legitimate purpose.

[kphoger]

Driving at highway speed is safer than it would be without any lane lines.

[jeffandnicole]

Control Cities are generally useless except for locations of significant importance and for significant distances.

[Henry]

The only acceptable use of a full-length gantry for one sign is if it's an APL, diagrammatical or VMS.

[kphoger]

Control Cities are generally useless except for locations of significant importance and for significant distances.

I'd say that's more of a hot take than a cold take.  Especially if I'm not entirely sure what direction my destination is in, I like having more than just a route shield assembly to guide me the right way.

[Rothman]

Asphalt is better than concrete for pavement in NY, except when it isn't.

[kphoger]

Asphalt is better than concrete for pavement in NY, except when it isn't.

Asphalt is concrete.

[/pedant]

[jeffandnicole]

Control Cities are generally useless except for locations of significant importance and for significant distances.

I'd say that's more of a hot take than a cold take.  Especially if I'm not entirely sure what direction my destination is in, I like having more than just a route shield assembly to guide me the right way.

As I said, importance counts. New York and Chicago are good. Small Town PA and Small Town IL are not.

[kphoger]

As I said, importance counts. New York and Chicago are good. Small Town PA and Small Town IL are not.

But that's not my experience.

If I'm unfamiliar with the area, and kind of turned around from driving in the hills, and I'm trying to get to Small Town PA because everyone keeps recommending I try Reggie's Pizza Shack, then a sign assembly for...

[WEST PA-422 →] [Small Town PA →]

... is a lot more useful than a sign for just...

[WEST PA-422 →]

[Scott5114]

Any sign placed on the highway right-of-way without authority, by a private organization or individual, constitutes a public nuisance.

[NE2]

Any sign placed on the highway right-of-way without authority, by a private organization or individual, constitutes a public nuisance.

Even a tiny historic US 20 sign?

[kphoger]

Any sign placed on the highway right-of-way without authority, by a private organization or individual, constitutes a public nuisance.

Even a tiny historic US 20 sign?

I wonder how many 'Historic US 66' shields were placed on the highway right-of-way without authority by a private organization.

[Scott5114]

I figured the most stone-cold take a roadgeek could have would be a copy-paste from the 1961 MUTCD, but apparently I was wrong.

[Great Lakes Roads]

A traffic signal is better than a roundabout or a 4-way stop.

[NE2]

A traffic signal is better than a roundabout or a 4-way stop.

No it's not.

[kphoger]

A traffic signal is better than a roundabout or a 4-way stop.

No it's not.

Correct.

(And all four-way stops should be burned with fire.  Any intersection design that requires every single vehicle to come to a complete stop, every single time, no matter what, is a failure.)

[kphoger]

I figured the most stone-cold take a roadgeek could have would be a copy-paste from the 1961 MUTCD, but apparently I was wrong.

Technically, no one has disagreed with it.

[sprjus4]

A traffic signal is better than a roundabout or a 4-way stop.

Ehh... it depends. Roundabouts have a place and can be more advantageous than a traditional intersection in a certain number of applications. Particularly in slower speed, lighter traffic areas, or intersections with bad geometry paired with low enough traffic volumes that a roundabout could fix a serious safety issue without compromising traffic flow.

[Scott5114]

And all four-way stops should be burned with fire.  Any intersection design that requires every single vehicle to come to a complete stop, every single time, no matter what, is a failure.

I can forgive them for that when it's a state highway intersection in the middle of nowhere where you're basically just making everyone stop to reduce the chances of someone getting T-boned at 65 mph. But once they start getting enough traffic that safe operation depends on everyone remembering and complying with the order they're supposed to go in, they become a horror show.

[Max Rockatansky]

And all four-way stops should be burned with fire.  Any intersection design that requires every single vehicle to come to a complete stop, every single time, no matter what, is a failure.

I can forgive them for that when it's a state highway intersection in the middle of nowhere where you're basically just making everyone stop to reduce the chances of someone getting T-boned at 65 mph. But once they start getting enough traffic that safe operation depends on everyone remembering and complying with the order they're supposed to go in, they become a horror show.

The four lane expressway segments of Golden State Boulevard and Academy Avenue in Fresno County that have four way stop signs are something I probably should have documented on this forum already. 

[thspfc]

(And all four-way stops should be burned with fire.  Any intersection design that requires every single vehicle to come to a complete stop, every single time, no matter what, is a failure.)

If humans were perfect drivers this would be true.

[kphoger]

And all four-way stops should be burned with fire.  Any intersection design that requires every single vehicle to come to a complete stop, every single time, no matter what, is a failure.

I can forgive them for that when it's a state highway intersection in the middle of nowhere where you're basically just making everyone stop to reduce the chances of someone getting T-boned at 65 mph.

Roundabouts have entered the conversation.

Tell me how a four-way stop accomplishes that better than a roundabout.

[Scott5114]

The only benefit I could see if I squint real hard is that if, somehow, you completely miss all of the pagentry leading up to such an intersection (and in Oklahoma there is normally quite a lot, including usually multiple signs, rumble strips, and flashing red lights), and happen to be there when nobody else is, you could theoretically blow right through without running into something like a roundabout's central reservation.

But assuming you keep all the signs and rumble strips so everyone SHOULD be aware they are coming up to a roundabout...you're correct, they do that job better.

[kphoger]

you're basically just making everyone stop

Tell me how a four-way stop accomplishes that better than a roundabout.

you could theoretically blow right through

So . . . it doesn't.