People who don't know much about roads

[yanksfan6129]

Saying "Holland" to mean the entire Netherlands is what we call a synecdoche in the English language-using a part of something to refer to a whole.

[deathtopumpkins]

My driver's ed teacher was the worst... saying "...expressways are limited access highways with no intersections, only interchanges, and are marked with red white and blue signs..."
And a ton of other stuff. In fact she failed my sign project because I said that a vertical line with a diagonal line going off the bottom of it towards the right was a diagonal intersection sign instead of a merge one. Merge signs are curved and have an arrow...

Then there's people who give directions like "get on that big road by that tall building" referring to I-64 by this hotel mid-rise. Drives me insane, I mean come on people, look at signs! That was a quote from my sister who is turning 18. She's driving and calls the interstate "that big road." I pity the day she breaks down and has to call AAA.

[74/171FAN]

My Driver's Ed teacher had us do a Virginia map project from the latest VDOT map and I got a B for going randomly throughout VA instead of using a direct route.  I even used US 13 into Maryland before taking US 50 and I-495/I-95 on the way to Alexandria.

[yanksfan6129]

My driver's ed teacher on navigating NJ's "notorious" traffic circles: "You just gotta guess."

I got really pissed at that remark and said, "ahem, shouldn't you just give way to vehicles already in the circle?"

"Uh, I guess."

[deathtopumpkins]

Argh... ANY driver's ed teacher on right of way.

[Duke87]

This explanation will work best if you can see the interchange I'm talking about, so, Google maps link.

Here's the deal: we're going north on Newark Road, and getting on US 1 north (toward the right of the screen). This involved making a left turn onto the ramp. And that was just fine, but the problem came on the return trip (US 1 south to Newark Road south).
My grandfather was insistent that since we'd made a left turn to get onto the highway going, that we had to make a right turn at the bottom of the ramp coming back. You can see, looking at the map, the fault in that logic, right?
Well, when I told him to go left, he was hesitant, but since he knows I'm good with roads, he listened to me. Then, when I was right and we got where we were going properly, he was thoroughly confused. I tried to explain to him how the left he made going was really effectively a right due to it being a loop ramp, but he didn't understand at all until I grabbed a pen and paper and started drawing diagrams for him.

And my father is confused by milepost numbering. Can't for the life of him understand why you'd number exits any way other than in sequential order.

[Michael]

My driver's ed teacher was the worst... saying "...expressways are limited access highways with no intersections, only interchanges, and are marked with red white and blue signs..."

Wow.  "Red, white, and blue signs" on a highway?  I didn't understand the difference between a freeway and expressway until about last year, but come on now!

And a ton of other stuff. In fact she failed my sign project because I said that a vertical line with a diagonal line going off the bottom of it towards the right was a diagonal intersection sign instead of a merge one. Merge signs are curved and have an arrow...

I could see the confusion for a non-driver, but a teacher should know.  Did you argue the point?

Then there's people who give directions like "get on that big road by that tall building" referring to I-64 by this hotel mid-rise. Drives me insane, I mean come on people, look at signs! That was a quote from my sister who is turning 18. She's driving and calls the interstate "that big road." I pity the day she breaks down and has to call AAA.

I HATE people like that!  Most people could at least call it "Route XX"!

[akotchi]

Quote from yanksfan6129:
My driver's ed teacher on navigating NJ's "notorious" traffic circles: "You just gotta guess."

I got really pissed at that remark and said, "ahem, shouldn't you just give way to vehicles already in the circle?"

"Uh, I guess."

Unfortunately, there is no one right-of-way convention that applies to all of the traffic circles.  Some, in fact, are signalized.  I will say, though, that the right-of-way at each individual circle is better defined than it was in the past.

[akotchi]

Quote from Duke87:

Here's the deal: we're going north on Newark Road, and getting on US 1 north (toward the right of the screen). This involved making a left turn onto the ramp. And that was just fine, but the problem came on the return trip (US 1 south to Newark Road south).
My grandfather was insistent that since we'd made a left turn to get onto the highway going, that we had to make a right turn at the bottom of the ramp coming back. You can see, looking at the map, the fault in that logic, right?
Well, when I told him to go left, he was hesitant, but since he knows I'm good with roads, he listened to me. Then, when I was right and we got where we were going properly, he was thoroughly confused. I tried to explain to him how the left he made going was really effectively a right due to it being a loop ramp, but he didn't understand at all until I grabbed a pen and paper and started drawing diagrams for him.

I would suggest that you accompany your grandfather on trips into New Jersey.  Looking at jughandle signing such as "Left Turn/Keep Right" may do him in . . . 

(P.S.  Sorry for double-posting -- the "quote" function is not working.)

[deathtopumpkins]

I could see the confusion for a non-driver, but a teacher should know.  Did you argue the point?

I did, but did it change my grade, no. 

[Voyager]

Don't get me started on onramps and offramps.

[Michael]

I could see the confusion for a non-driver, but a teacher should know.  Did you argue the point?

I did, but did it change my grade, no. 

You should have had a copy of the MUTCD handy!

[Bryant5493]

^^ 


Be well,

Bryant

[deathtopumpkins]

Actually, I did!   Printed that page out the next day!
But she didn't even know what it was... 

[corco]

In fairness, colloquial usage does tend to override traditional definitions.

I learned most of my words in the Chicagoland Area, so to me "expressway" means full freeway, and a "freeway" is a free road and a "tollway" is a toll road, so an "Expressway" can be either a "Freeway" or a "Tollway"

I now use the traditional definitions, but when somebody from Chicago says "get on the expressway" I know it's going to be a full freeway, and when someone says get on the "freeway," I know it's probably going to be a pretty good road that doesn't have tolls. 

When usage is widespread, it doesn't make it wrong, it just makes it different. The problem arises when someone from Chicago moves somewhere else and everyone gets confused and thinks that person is an idiot.

[mightyace]

In fairness, colloquial usage does tend to override traditional definitions.

I agree, corco.  Before coming to this board, I used expressway and freeway interchangeably and so did most of the people around me.

[Duke87]

Unfortunately, there is no one right-of-way convention that applies to all of the traffic circles.  Some, in fact, are signalized.  I will say, though, that the right-of-way at each individual circle is better defined than it was in the past.

Per Connecticut state law, traffic entering the circle always yields to traffic already in the circle. Per the law in some other states (particularly New Jersey), not necessarily.

The rational behind having traffic in the rotary yield to entering traffic is that it's following the same right hand rule that applies with multi-way stop signs. Problem is, traffic flows better if entering traffic yields, although it's worse for driver visibility, at least for us.

On the other hand, in countries that drive on the left, traffic circles actually work better since in that case the right hand rule means entering traffic yields. This is part of why they love them so much in the UK. They don't pose the same design conundrum there that they do here because they drive on the left.

Still, the idea of roundabouts are starting to be rediscovered in this country - but with smaller radii, designed for lower speeds, and taking pedestrians more into account. Some places are starting to install them as a traffic calming measure.

[yanksfan6129]

^ My NJ drivers manual just says to "use caution" when entering a traffic circle. It offers no instructions on how to navigate it.

[Bryant5493]

corco said:
In fairness, colloquial usage does tend to override traditional definitions.

I learned most of my words in the Chicagoland Area, so to me "expressway" means full freeway, and a "freeway" is a free road and a "tollway" is a toll road, so an "Expressway" can be either a "Freeway" or a "Tollway"

I now use the traditional definitions, but when somebody from Chicago says "get on the expressway" I know it's going to be a full freeway, and when someone says get on the "freeway," I know it's probably going to be a pretty good road that doesn't have tolls. 

When usage is widespread, it doesn't make it wrong, it just makes it different. The problem arises when someone from Chicago moves somewhere else and everyone gets confused and thinks that person is an idiot.

Bryant5493 says:
Expressway is used more often than freeway in the Southeast -- well, I can only speak for Georgia. I've only recently started using freeway, however. I-75, I-85 and I-285 are referred to as "expressways." Divided highways are referred to, well, as highways, not expressways more times than not. Some of these highways are expressways -- roads with fast moving traffic that are not fully grade-separated.

South Fulton Parkway (US 29 Alternate/SR 14 Alternate/14 Connector) and US 19/SR 400 are a mixture of freeway and expressway.

South Fulton Parkway is a freeway westward from I-85 to US 29/SR 14, then it's a four lane expressway (with a wide median) from US 29/SR 14 to Rivertown Road.

SR 400 (b.k.a. GA 400) is a freeway from I-85 northward to SR 306 (Keith Bridge Road), then it's a four lane expressway (with a wide median) from that point northward to its terminus at US 19/SR 60/115, just east of Dahlonega.


Be well,

Bryant

[Sykotyk]

I've always used freeway and expressway as the same thing (limited access divided road with on/off ramps). But, my general term was always "Highway". Anything else was just a 'road'.

I've come to understand the non-eastern term for Expressway. But to me, if there's traffic lights, it's not an expressway. It defeats the key root word, 'express'.

Sykotyk

[deathtopumpkins]

On roundabouts, my Virginia manual says to yield ROW to traffic already in the circle. That only makes sense to me.

[akotchi]

The ROW on NJ circles (not roundabouts) seems to be determined based on the major traffic movements through the circle.

[yanksfan6129]

Just another reason to hate NJ. We should do it the VA way.

[SSOWorld]

roundabouts exist in New Jersey?  Maybe they should replace those jughandles with them

[akotchi]

Just a few, mostly as traffic calming devices.