Traffic congestion

[XP100]

I am in West Central Fl. I drive to the club I shoot at on Wed. It is 21.5 miles. It takes between 50 min. and 1 hr & 15 minutes to get there and back. This is even after the snowbirds have left to go back home. 90% of the people don't use turn signals and is seems no one is happy with the lane they are in. I have a stretch where there are 3 lanes and a few are in the far left lane and they know they need to get into the far right lane to turn but wait until they are damn near on top of their turnoff and move over 2 lanes without even looking into their rearview mirror or signal their lane change.

 

[Terry Morgan]

Retired now, but for around 30 years my 8 mile commute took 12 minutes from my driveway to my parking spot at school. Sometimes I made the trip without seeing another moving vehicle. Life in rural Western New York ain't all bad.

 

[Killer Bee]

I almost always shake my head when I hear someone say, "America, the greatest country in the world!" B/S I say...

<snip - blah blah blah >

disputing that America is the greatest country in the world? really? :rolleyes:

if you have such a low regard for America, no one is stopping you from leaving for whatever other country you covet so highly.

someone so worldly such as yourself should know that a major reason other countries have more robust mass transit systems is because the peasants there can't afford the luxuries of vehicle ownership and operation that Americans can.

and let's not overlook how many thousands of years civilizations have been developing in europe while we're coming up on a mere 250 years.

I've lived in Germany and Italy and traveled extensively through most of western europe and some eastern europe. most you're-a-peons don't have multiple cars in the driveway, or big SUVs and trucks, etc. most drive puny little shitboxes if they even own a car at all.

Americans enjoy the luxury of the freedom to choose.. and the majority have chosen to drive themselves in their own vehicle.

 

[xTopGun]

during my first career I had to drive 7.8 miles door to door, and normal time was 15 minutes max. If I had to get there before the boss hung up I could make it in 10 minutes. That last 1.5 miles now days can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 50 minutes, anyone's guess - - - so now, I avoid that city like the plague . . . . .

 

[xTopGun]

disputing that America is the greatest country in the world? really? :rolleyes:

if you have such a low regard for America, no one is stopping you from leaving for whatever other country you covet so highly.

someone so worldly such as yourself should know that a major reason other countries have more robust mass transit systems is because the peasants there can't afford the luxuries of vehicle ownership and operation that Americans can.

and let's not overlook how many thousands of years civilizations have been developing in europe while we're coming up on a mere 250 years.

I've lived in Germany and Italy and traveled extensively through most of western europe and some eastern europe. most you're-a-peons don't have multiple cars in the driveway, or big SUVs and trucks, etc. most drive puny little shitboxes if they even own a car at all.

Americans enjoy the luxury of the freedom to choose.. and the majority have chosen to drive themselves in their own vehicle.

you do realize don't you that the "wheel" was invented in Iraq, and "electricity" in Europe . . . . .

 

[Fox Mike]

XUSNORDIE didn't mention getting behind an Amish buggy and nowhere to pass. That always makes for an interesting drive also.

 

[Terry Morgan]

you do realize don't you that the "wheel" was invented in Iraq, and "electricity" in Europe . . . . .

But we've got rock 'n roll and the blues :)

 

[Killer Bee]

<snip>

14 more days and I won't have to. It's strange because I go from traffic jams with cars to getting behind trucks and tractors/farm equipment. I have about 40 minutes of back roads to get home....easily clogged by farm equipment. 14 more days..........

congrats in advance there shipmate!

I just retired officially March 1st. one of the biggest blessings was no more commute!! and of course moving back to the United States!

distance from our house in orange county to my office in the san fernando valley was 50mi and downtown la 30mi.. these could average anywhere from 1-4 hours one way! even off peak times early in the morning or late in the evening could be jacked up.

but I survived and the pension is worth it. ;)

now it's just two lane state routes and county roads to the farm with my copilot Fritz. :D

 

[XUSNORDIE]

XUSNORDIE didn't mention getting behind an Amish buggy and nowhere to pass. That always makes for an interesting drive also.

Yep....between Taneytown and Emmitsburg the buggy traffic has increased....140 is a difficult stretch to pass on. A few months ago there was a terrible accident involving a school bus, a buggy and another car. Accidents on that stretch you may as well pull over, park and take a nap.

I normally see the buggy movement very early in the morning. Not so much in the evening.

congrats in advance there shipmate!

Thanks! 14 and a wake up.....

now it's just two lane state routes and county roads

Ahhhh yes.......add in some logging/fire roads and that's me....can't wait to take the top off the Jeep and "let my hair down"

 

[xTopGun]

But we've got rock 'n roll and the blues :)

did that gig a couple years ago down on the delta . . . "FUN!"

If anyone stops in at Ground Zero look up when you get on the porch - there's a story behind the hooks up there

and, put in some ear plugs when going inside.... the music sounds best from across the street sh

the food is scrumptious

 

[jav]

I live in California it on the northern side traffic is not as bad as Los Angeles southern side it still get bad certain times but not always like LA their traffic is 24 /7

 

[Mobuck]

Last week the hwy dept was resurfacing the main north/south highway and people wanting to avoid the waiting and 'follow me' car were cutting through the county road past our house.
GA commented about the number of vehicles on the road "This road's been SOOO busy, there were 4 or 5 cars past here today".:eek:o_O

 

[Yaworski]

you do realize don't you that the "wheel" was invented in Iraq, and "electricity" in Europe . . . . .

So? Gunpowder was invented in China.

 

[Killer Bee]

Last week the hwy dept was resurfacing the main north/south highway and people wanting to avoid the waiting and 'follow me' car were cutting through the county road past our house.
GA commented about the number of vehicles on the road "This road's been SOOO busy, there were 4 or 5 cars past here today".:eek:o_O

I say the same thing when I see another car before I get to the highway..

well something similar but a little more spirited :D

 

[coachk64]

Spending this week at a trade show in Chicago. Staying in a hotel downtown, and about 8 miles from the venue of the trade show. In the mornings it takes around 20-25 minutes to get there because we leave a little earlier than most. Getting back to the hotel in the evenings takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. I also wonder how people can put up with this every day of their working lives, but it just goes to show that you get used to anything.

 

[coachk64]

And by the way, just because the USA isn't first in everything, that doesn't mean we aren't overall the greatest country on earth. Very few (more likely none) of the Super Bowl winners led the league in every aspect of the game.

 

[johnp]

I'm so glad my daily commute is about 15ft down the hallway from the living room.

 

[Crockett12]

Any large metro area and freeways will have traffic congestion! I've traveled all over the nation with my business and have been through Seattle, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Boise, Salt Lake City, Denver and many points east during high congestion times! If there is ever an emergency where people have to evacuate, they won't be able to get out!
I've always told my wife, while driving through such areas, even during low traffic times: "Remind me to never move here"!

​

 

[GSP7]

Aint got no traffic where I live in Idaho, no traffic signals either , just speeding hillbilly's with the mufflers cut off with a hack saw, and some speeding city boys relocated from Boise or Oregon or washington

 

[xTopGun]

Any large metro area and freeways will have traffic congestion! I've traveled all over the nation with my business and have been through Seattle, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Boise, Salt Lake City, Denver and many points east during high congestion times! If there is ever an emergency where people have to evacuate, they won't be able to get out!
I've always told my wife, while driving through such areas, even during low traffic times: "Remind me to never move here"!

​

if/when an event along the lines of a tsunami, cat 5 hurricane, an EF5 tornado hits a metro area those folks will be under Darwins thumb . . . . they don't stand a chance of evacuating because somewhere at the front of the line some moron will somehow cause a traffic jam and they will all pay the price . . . bet on it ​

 

[Jeepnik]

if/when an event along the lines of a tsunami, cat 5 hurricane, an EF5 tornado hits a metro area those folks will be under Darwins thumb . . . . they don't stand a chance of evacuating because somewhere at the front of the line some moron will somehow cause a traffic jam and they will all pay the price . . . bet on it ​

Well, ignorance again raises it' ugly head. First, we don't have hurricanes or EF5 tornados here. As to tsunami, the solution is simple, head out to sea. The dreaded tsunami wave is only a few meters high in deep water. Shoaling near the coast is what causes it to rise up. And even then, very few tsunami waves get high enough to do any damage at my altitude. I might be on a new island for a bit until the water recedes.