Road quirks

jon f mn · Jan 28, 2014

In Nj. today and enjoying the time here. They have
some unusual road quirks that can cause some
confusion for out of towners. on the main roads
they have places where you make right turns only,
even for left turns. Sometimes you just turn
right, then left on the cross street. Other times
you go past the intersection and turn right and go
around the block to the cross street. That is
unless it is a left turn, which happens too,
sometimes, but not always, unless they do
something else. Then there are the u-turns which
should not be confused with the Michigan suicide
u-turns or the Texas u-turns on the interstate
exits, which are pretty ingenious but very
confusing for non-texans.

So what are the most confusing or strange road
systems you've been on?

casecollectorsc · Jan 28, 2014

Yes, the New Jersey thing kinda throws a guy for a loop. When I first trucked into Texas getting off the big road a mile before the crossroad and running beside the interstate made it interesting also. Use to get to Trenton NJ and load flooring for Minneapolis. What you haulin out of there??

John_PA · Jan 28, 2014

Our area is quickly become like jolly ol' England. They keep installing more and more round-about intersections, or traffic circles. The other thing they keep doing is like what you are talking about. They call the new built ones, "jug-handles." because you turn right then go around a road shaped like a jug handle to come 90 degrees to your original direction of travel. They say that it eliminates the need for a turning lane in each direction. I seem to think it is done more to keep people from being tempted to try to beat a light or traffic in a turning lane. When you have people turned 90 degrees to traffic, they are a lot less likely to run a red light, rather than putting them in a turning lane with a red signal.

Steve A W · Jan 28, 2014

"Michigan suicide U-turn"
That describes it good.
I would really like to have an explanation
for them.

Steve A W

NCWayne · Jan 28, 2014

I can"t say I"ve been anywhere as bad as you describe, even in downtown Charlotte, but in town there are a lot of one way streets, etc that often require going around the block to get somewhere. As far as a quirk, I don"t know if you"d call a traffic circle a quirk, but that seems to be the latest fad around here. Funny thing is they tend to put them in places like parking lots where there is no "traffic" flow that needs to be maintained, which is supposed to be the main reason for putting them in. Too they put them in around shopping centers, and other places where tractor trailer trucks have to be able to get in and out to deliver goods to the stores. In those cases they make the radius of the circle so tight that a trucker will have no choice but to run all over the middle of the think to get through it because his turning radius is tighter than that of the circle. To make matters even worse they waste tons of money putting them in out in the middle of nowhere, where a regular intersection worked just fine for 60 plus years. In those cases they"re usually on a main road that used to have a flashing yellow light and a side road that had a stop sign. All that causes is for the folks on the main road, that always had right of way before, now have to slow down to negotiate the stupid circle vs driving right on through the original intersection.

Having been to Europe I"ve seen traffic circles in many places, and have seen them actually work....Problem is, bad as I hate to say say it, I think those folks have a lot more common sense when it comes to driving around one than most folks here in the US do....because there are many around here that don"t know how to use one without making a complete stop to turn...just like they did at the intersection.....

Nancy Howell · Jan 28, 2014

Years ago when visiting a relative in Oklahoma, I was warned that a "squiggle" painted in the street meant school zone and slow down.

What brainiac came up with that one? How in the world would a non-resident know what that meant?

rrlund · Jan 28, 2014

As if the suicide u-turns weren't enough here,now MDOT is going all European on us and putting those blasted roundabouts everywhere.

RayP(MI) · Jan 28, 2014

Which requires you to make a left loop, and a right merge to turn right to get your left turn in. That right merge cam be a serious problem in heavy traffic.

Then there are those unnecessary traffic circles (roundabouts) - what a pain!

Billy NY · Jan 28, 2014

You've experienced the NJ jug handle, also against the law to pump your own gasoline or at least it was, an attendant has to do it. We have a bunch of new rotaries in this area, like compound rotaries, NYS DOT must have a dislike of tractor trailers on state 2 lane roads, last trip to the other place, on the way back, a passenger vehicle was on the inside lane when tractor trailer was on the outside, the 2 met with the car ending up under the trailer, thankfully before the trailer wheels met ! I have a photo, had to snap a shot of that one, on my old phone with a bad screen, or I'd post it, I think these put a lot of stress on a driver, they are not very friendly and some are really confusing at first, theres a bigger set of these west of here, and the first time I went through them heading to a friends house, remembering the road before they were built, wow..... confusing and you better watch out for the other guy or you will get t-boned. I guess they are there to keep traffic flowing, no fun for any first timer, once you get to know them, might be different.

Bill(Wis) · Jan 28, 2014

At least New Jersey has been getting rid of their infamous "traffic circles" as fast as they can. Wisconsin has been putting "round-a-bouts" in as many places as possible. If Wisconsin ever gets any traffic on their roads (questionable) they will rue the day they ever dreamed up or, more correctly, copied the ones they saw in Europe. One of the dumbest ideas ever. Now, they're planting trees in the middle of them so you won't be able to see the traffic until it's too late. If they had ever seen what one accident in a jerk circle can do to traffic....but why waste my time. They're idiots who should be taken out and shot.

Fordfarmer · Jan 28, 2014

I agree. And coming up to those things at night is not any fun, either.

JMS/.MN · Jan 28, 2014

Maybe if they did it in crayon it would be a hint. But too many planning engineers can"t be trusted with pointy objects.

Leroy · Jan 28, 2014

Planning on putting one of those round-a-bouts in around here on a road I take every once in a while, will have to find a different road. Town 40 mile away has one that is very dangerous. They are just death traps. Seems like drivers speed up when they get to them so they are going above the speed limits instead of slowing down and if you have any side vision problems it is impossible to see other traffic.

Nancy Howell · Jan 28, 2014

that's funny!

thurlow · Jan 28, 2014

Bill.........I sometimes worry about you when you suppress your pheelings; it's not healthy; what do you REALLY think? :>)

Dave H (MI) · Jan 28, 2014

You boys need to come over to my area. Just south of the I96/US23 intersection the first overpass on 23 is a triple roundabout which doubles as the entrance to a major shopping center on the east side of 23 AND also is the on/off ramp for 23. A friggin nightmare with two RA's on the west side of 23 and one on the east with the overpass between and ramps to freeway as well as the side streets feeding traffic in and out. Lots of accidents. Do Google maps and you should be able to see it.

When is your episode on Dr Pol, Ray? I been watching it but haven't seen you.

Goose · Jan 28, 2014

Sounds like Washington DC. It's legal to make a U-turn anywhere.

I was once in a taxi that needed to make a left turn onto a street that was blocked by traffic coming from the right. The driver simply made a right turn, went about a half block, and made a U-turn right into the oncoming traffic. And got away with it.

ShadetreeRet · Jan 28, 2014

NCWayne mentioned traffic circles or "roundabouts" in his part of NC. Couple years ago they built two roundabouts in Randleman, NC, at two of the towns busiest intersections. Problem is, those Southern rednecks think that a "traffic circle" is something pertaining to NASCAR, and no one knows how to properly negotiate the things. And I will have to agree as well that they are not large enough,especially for a semi, to negotiate properly.

gab · Jan 28, 2014

What's it like running a semi through a round about? Last time I was up to the Wisc. Dells I went through 4 of them, got lost on the last one, pulled in a motel parking lot, asked a maintenance guy directions, said I wasn't the first,he does it all day long. When the kids were little we went to the Dells about twice a year, never got lost then.

old popper · Jan 28, 2014

About the ONLY place I see people make a complete stop to turn, is where there is a red light camera watching them. In my opinion 90% of the population does not understand what the word on that octaganal sign means!

Janicholson · Jan 28, 2014

An Indiana Construction sign for a missing bridge that had you drive through a portage of 3 inch stone. The sign said "Temporary Runaround Ahead" Jim

Anonymous-0 · Jan 28, 2014

Sounds like our part of the country. They cleaned off and widened a 2 lane highway, really made it nice. You could see deer and wildlife on the edge of the road real good. Then they came along and planted a bunch of brush at every driveway and intersection and places in between. Funny though, the trees seemed to die at a lot of driveways. I guess the soil was just not right. LOL.

Pops1532 · Jan 28, 2014

(quoted from post at 14:58:09 01/28/14) Years ago when visiting a relative in Oklahoma, I was warned that a "squiggle" painted in the street meant school zone and slow down.

What brainiac came up with that one? How in the world would a non-resident know what that meant?

Maybe the squiggle was supposed to represent a kid running across the road?

They recently repainted the markings on a local bridge that has a T intersection. The two eastbound lanes are left turn only. They painted the traditional left turn arrows and instead of painting "only" as they have always been they painted "AHD" which I suppose stands for "ahead". Several people said AHD, WTF when commenting on the new markings.

I once saw a sign on a busy 2 lane highway in the middle of a town that said "to make a left turn make three right turns."

David G · Jan 28, 2014

Jon M excluded, you guys complain about everything.

jon f mn · Jan 28, 2014

Swim suits!!!!

Mike (WA) · Jan 28, 2014

Son was an engineer for our state DOT- they were going to put a series of roundabouts in a congested area near the freeway bunch of shopping malls going in). Son had the same question- how big should they be? So he called a friend of mine who has a trucking company and asked him to bring a conventional and his longest trailer to find out.

They found out that their 3 roundabouts would end up almost on top of each other, and wipe out significant areas of parking lots on both sides. They finally gave up on the idea when Walmart announced that there was no fracking way they were giving up any of their lot, condemnation or not, and implied that they were quite willing and able to keep the matter in the courts for as long as it took.

jon f mn · Jan 28, 2014

Another good one is texans making exits off the freeway where ever they like. Never seen anything like it anywhere else, you want off the freeway just jump the ditch. Some places they do it so much there is a wide road worn into the grass.

wilson ind · Jan 28, 2014

fellow once gave me directions Go to the whirligig take hwy xx. I never been in area before. Well just go to whirligig you cannot miss it. I drove in area for 30 min,stopped at 2 different businesses to ask directions. Not one local knew where the whirligig was. Called fellow back at ford place which turned out to sit adjacent to the so called whirligig. Fellow said let me talk. to guy at ford garage.Guy said I have been here 20 years, what is the whirligig , a restaurant bar what kind of business are you talking about?? This was fron local ford man. Turns out he was calling a traffic circle which was only 2oo feet fron garage a whirligig. After finally getting to destinastion guy said well I am only person who calls it that. Kinda reminds me of post 2-3 months ago when I discussed difference between stop light and traffic signal where 50% said I was correct if its green its not stoplight and 50 % said they were the same.

howdy1960 · Jan 28, 2014

30 yrs ago Houston Tx I-10 merge with 610 loop 6 lanes wide. Was in 4th lane wrong side of highway. Could see exit 1/4 mile away in stand still rush hour but made it. Found out if your bigger then vehicle next to you they 'will' let you in ~grinz~

donjr · Jan 28, 2014

Two things. They tried to slow down traffic at a local town intersection, so they placed a 'mini-roundabout' there. It wasn't two days that some guy with a semi came through it and had to make a left turn. He ran over the big sign that said "Caution- Roundabout" that the county planted in the middle of the stupid thing.

Second, a buddy's kid was telling all of his buddies at school that if a stop sign had a white band around the outside edge, you didn't have to stop to make a right turn. I don't know how many times he got beat up for that one.....

Jim in Ma. · Jan 28, 2014

Years ago, My traffic crew was painting a solid line down the middle of a two lane road. When they came to a fork in the road they painted a question mark at the end of the line. The office didn't see the humor and gave all four men a one day vacation without pay,

paul · Jan 28, 2014

Here in your home state they are adding roundabouts like crazy.

The first ones were too small - see Hutchenson.

Now they are modifying them, to the point every one is different, some have early exit lanes for making right turns, some are 2 lane, some have little mini exit lanes built into the roundabout.

Maybe you can follow the lines and arrows on the pavement, but here in MN those are covered with ice, snow, and salt spray half the year, a person is just totally lost by the signs on the side of them.

Very, very confusing.

The basic idea of a simple roundabout is fine, but it confuses so many right there. They added one to my town, an access road to a major overloaded US highway. Well semis drive through it they ain't gonna stop for anything, and local older people I've seen them stop at each corner going through. And this is a simple T roundabout.

Those modified ones, people who travel every day blow through on 2 wheels it seems, newcomers are totally lost.

Just seems like turning vehicles loose in an egg beater, mass confusion.

Paul

Anonymous-0 · Jan 28, 2014

I have bean told that if yo come to a fork in the road, take it!"

Dick2 · Jan 28, 2014

I think that the Round-about goes back to the time of the Romans -- it was a dumb idea then and it's still a dumb idea!!!

Spook · Jan 28, 2014

I used to go thru that roundabout 2 or 3 times per day, my wife's old shop was near there. I got used to it, but from what I've seen, a lot of older folks hate it. I think it really takes a little more skill, and maybe more periphereal vision than some old folks have. My neiece's and nephews buzz right thru, my older neighbor's drive miles out of the way to avoid it. I think part of the reason for them is they might have more fender bender's, but fewer fatal accidents, because fewer folks are getting t boned at the intersection.

BAnNC · Jan 28, 2014

Similar thing happened in a "fancy" neighborhood here. Fire truck couldn't make the round-a-bout and splattered the flower pot looking thing about 50 ft. up the street.

They kept fixing the brickwork til the delivery drivers told the homeowners that they weren't coming up there, they'd have to make arrangements (at their own expense) to pick up their packages.
Somehow it got widened for even a semi.

JML755 · Jan 28, 2014

(quoted from post at 11:11:29 01/28/14) Which requires you to make a left loop, and a right merge to turn right to get your left turn in. That right merge cam be a serious problem in heavy traffic.

Then there are those unnecessary traffic circles (roundabouts) - what a pain!

Here in Clinton Twp, MI, they put TWO new roundabouts right next to a high school. School buses, new 16 yr old drivers plus just the normal confusion associated with them and I've seen dozens of near misses. don't know the accident statistics, but I hate them (roundabouts).

FBH44 · Jan 28, 2014

Userta think the English round-a-bouts were the most suddenly confusing, on the left side and all, drivers sitting in their passenger seat, coming at you in the wrong lane. But now MODOT in Springfield MO. has built a few Diverging-Diamond interchanges, where a major street crosses over an interstate. You enter these things, then you"re switched to the left-hand lanes, then you divert across traffic, drive on the left-hand side, cross the interstate, then have a few choices before you are thrown back onto the right side..... I sorta half-way have it figgered out, except in the dark in the rain. Don"t know what my old Gran-Ma would make of it at night.

John Fulton · Jan 28, 2014

Local elementary school, very close to a busy highway, no fence, with a very large state highway sign right in front of school: SPEED LIMIT 55 MPH

wilson ind · Jan 28, 2014

Blinking caution light possibly one half mile before traffic signal. Indiana the light blinks continually, western Nebraska coming into Scottsbluff if caution light is blinking you will need to stop at signal. If it's not blinking you will have a green light at normal speed. Sure seem like a good plan as continually blinking caution light tends to be ignored. also saves trucks slowing anticapiting possibly of stop.

VicS · Jan 28, 2014

I'll probably get outvoted, but I kinda like them. Swim suits that is. And I think I will get usted to rounda-bouts. Marion Il. and a lot of other towns have them around their court house. If you miss your turn just go around again.

BushogPapa · Jan 28, 2014

In NJ, those are called "Jug-Handles" and work real good..
Turning traffic does not slow the flow on the highway..but does take getting used to..
Here in Oh10, they are on a stupid kick of putting "Round-abouts"..you won't like round-abouts.
They are Expensive and waste a great deal of property (and they think they need Flowers, lights, etc...!!!!
In a time of need for Conserving AND Cutting back, this is Asinine..!!
Wonder who is appropriating this Money..??
We NEED to know..

Ron..

BushogPapa · Jan 28, 2014

Neighbor was stopped this Summer heading into the small Village of Powell with his Full-Grown Combine (no Header) early on a Sunday morning, when a local yoakle stopped him and told him "He could not bring that through town"..
Scott politely asked him if he would rather he bring it through town about 8:00AM on Monday...!!!
Upon re-considering it, the Constable let him pass on through Town..!!!

Ron.

EricInSEI · Jan 28, 2014

Harrison, OH has announced that they are going to build a traffic circle as part of a road realignment. They are claiming that it will cost hundreds of thousands less than a 4-way stop. Boy, those must be expensive stop signs.

BushogPapa · Jan 28, 2014

Round-Abouts completely Break-Down when they become over loaded with traffic..once traqffic is going steady in one direction, they never yield to let the other traffic pass..
Lawyers LOVE them, as there are no clear-cut evidences of who was to Blame..
BAD IDEA...

Ron.

BushogPapa · Jan 28, 2014

Come to think of it....IF you are supposed to "Stop-Look & Listen" at RR Crossings, WHY didn't they just use STOP SIGNS instead of "CrossBucks".??

Ron.

massey333 · Jan 28, 2014

Who has one besides Urbana in that area??

JMS/.MN · Jan 28, 2014

Yeah- Hutch put in 3 years ago- all too small. STC is going nuts on them too, but finally getting larger ones in so semi"s don"t crunch the cars. STC also put in a diverging diamond----google it for traffic flow. It works pretty well.

Big change with roundabouts is.....only place where left traffic has right of way.

JMS/.MN · Jan 28, 2014

How can they be a problem for Nascar? Aren"t they the "turn left" experts?

Janicholson · Jan 28, 2014

We do have them in STC (St. Cloud) I kinds like the diverging Diamond!! Roundabouts not so much. Jim

samn40 · Jan 28, 2014

Don't know what sort of drivers you guys are, We use roundabouts everywhere and we love them. Our road was always congested every morning at either end. We finally got roundabout safter 30 years of petitioning! Now my Mrs knows what time she will have the children at school instead of sitting parked for nearly an hour trying to get out onto the main road between two towns.....MEANS SHE GETS AN EXTRA BIT OF SLEEP and that is better for me!
.................Sam

valleview · Jan 28, 2014

Mankato , Minn. is planning to build 2 round-abouts on Hwy 22 at the east side of town. It is 4 lane in every direction and a fair amount of truck traffic. Considering that Mankato has a lot of poor or inconsiderate drivers and heavy traffic, how well do you think it's going to work?

jon f mn · Jan 28, 2014

They know that roud-a-bouts slow traffic, (the point)and they know they cause more accidents. The advantage is that the accidents are less severe with virtually no fatalities. They put them where they have a lot of deaths or where they need to slow traffic, like at malls where there are pedestrians getting hit or rural intersections with lots of fatalities.

Leroy · Jan 28, 2014

One they are planning is in Allen County. That one in Urbana I call a death trap. Bypass it if I can. Can't place any others now.

Frank 41 · Jan 28, 2014

Coming out of a tunnel in Boston, needed to make a left turn for the road we wanted. NO LEFT TURN sign, so went right and made it back to where we started. I thought we read the sign wrong. The 3rd time we made a left turn.

hrRoss · Jan 29, 2014

here in Oshkosh wis. we have to go thru 4 roundabouts to cross over hwy 41. that's on 3 different roads, 4 roundabouts each! only 1 road crosses without roundabout, they must have forgot that one.not a fan.

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