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Old 12-14-2019, 11:12 AM   #1
don_61760
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how do you handle construction

I'm sure everyone has at one time or other approached a construction zone with no idea what lane is open or closed. Do you rely on guessing or cb(no idea if anyone is still using them. I think most commercial traffic uses fm?) any suggestions or advice. I don't like the guy in and out of lanes but the closer you get to the closure the harder it gets to be in the right lane.
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Old 12-14-2019, 11:16 AM   #2
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I'm not sure whats the issue. When heading into a construction zone I just look at the road signs. Most are clear enough to help me decide which lane I need.
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Old 12-14-2019, 11:21 AM   #3
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Ideally, it shouldn't matter which is the "right" lane. If everybody played by the rules and just performed the "zipper merge" at the start of the lane restriction, traffic would move most efficiently. Unfortunately, people try to anticipate the lane change and snarl up traffic for miles before the actual restriction.
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Old 12-14-2019, 11:31 AM   #4
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I stay in the right lane until a sign says that lane is closed and then merge over when possible. NO need to stress out over the idiots that lane jump, see those idiots on a daily basis.
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Old 12-14-2019, 11:53 AM   #5
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How about when you are traveling 75 mph at rush hour on a highway with bumper to bumper traffic with four or five lanes each direction and suddenly an "exit left 1/4 mile" sign appears. You have approximately 12 seconds to find a hole in the traffic and change lanes.
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Old 12-14-2019, 11:57 AM   #6
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Originally Posted by comfun1 View Post
How about when you are traveling 75 mph at rush hour on a highway with bumper to bumper traffic with four or five lanes each direction and suddenly an "exit left 1/4 mile" sign appears. You have approximately 12 seconds to find a hole in the traffic and change lanes.
Then your most likely one of the rude drivers out there that cant plan ahead and move over BEFORE they need to. I have been "cut off" by those rude (read stupid) people that can stand to ease in behind a big truck or an RV. That's what my train horns are for 153Db as I press the GO PEDAL!!!
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Old 12-14-2019, 12:06 PM   #7
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Then your most likely one of the rude drivers out there that cant plan ahead and move over BEFORE they need to.
There are tons of drivers who have never been taught the "secret language" of road signs, and never get the memo until they're on top of the exit.

My dad, who was not a full-time trucker but made scheduled deliveries of goods for his employer, clued me in on a lot of these -- road signage standards that you would think they would teach students in Driver's Ed, but don't (at least didn't in the '60s). Like how the little "Exit N" tag on the top of the interstate signs is always positioned on the top right or top left of the sign, corresponding to what side the actual exit will be on. I can't count the number of people I've ridden with who had never heard of that before.

Of course, on non-federal roads, the signs sometimes don't follow the standards.
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Old 12-14-2019, 12:28 PM   #8
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I don't recall but a couple of times that there was an upcoming lane closure where I wasn't aware of it. One was coming down the freeway and there was the beginning of backed up traffic but you didn't know why or which lane to be in. Of course it didn't really matter because things were moving at a snails pace and after 1/2 hour or so you could see a flashing sign....but it was close to the blockage; a traffic accident that had closed down 1 of the 2 lanes. Understandable to me although irritating.

As far as normal road closures they usually give warning 1 or 2 miles out if you pay attention then you position yourself in the proper lane. The problem nowadays is no one wants to be in "that" lane and figure if the just stay in the closed lane until they get to the front of the line they will be ahead assuming someone is going to stop and let them in....and they do....and the line gets longer and longer and slower and slower. Any time I have passed warning signs of a lane closure and have positioned myself in the proper lane and someone comes up the other side and tries to get in....nada, won't happen.

Driving 75 bumper to bumper in 5 lanes of traffic and you suddenly see your exit is 1/4 mile away in the wrong lane? Although I see it every time I go into a city, it shouldn't happen. Most cases are because people don't pay attention and are completely rude. Don't know that I've ever seen an exit on a freeway that didn't have signage telling you how far away the exit is miles beforehand. Left or right might be an issue but that's generally posted as well. End up stuck in the wrong lane? I have on more than one occasion. You just head on down to the next exit and come back.
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Old 12-14-2019, 01:40 PM   #9
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I’m kind of with sourdough on this one. If there’s been an accident up there and nobody knows where to go I don’t mind letting you in because we’re all in the same boat. But if you pass the same sign that I passed 2 miles back down the highway that said the left-hand lane is closed and you think you’re going to run all the way down there to the close part and then cut in line in front of everyone else, I will run you into that wall and not feel bad about it at all.
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Old 12-14-2019, 01:54 PM   #10
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There are strict rules in place for highway/interstate road work. Lots of signs and vehicles warning of road work ahead etc. The start several miles prior to the work site.
I do realize that contracted work by other than the full time state workers at the site can be improper. I once nearly lost my life in a improperly marked construction zone on a interstate with closed lanes. Long story I will not type about.
My opinion is the work zones normally are not the problem, it's the crash sites. When lanes are closed, traffic slowed or stopped. What the heck do you do to find out if a lane is open on a multiple lans road? Watching a lane inch ahead of others does not mean a thing.
In that case watch the 18 wheelers, they can see further ahead and are talking on the CBs. When you see almost all of them merge into the fast lane, middle lane etc. That's the open lane ahead. I just did that 4 nights ago on the interstate. My wife asked why I was switching lanes, I never thought to explain that trick to her.
In this state the responding tow trucks are also required to place "WRECK AHEAD" signs on the shoulder xxx feet before the site. Some do, so do not.
My phone and 2 of our vehicles have traffic alerts on them in the metro areas. When traveling in rush hour I still keep a AM radio channel on that posts traffic backups and mostly know how to avoid the area and still get to where I want.
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Old 12-14-2019, 01:59 PM   #11
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The GPS I have tells me what side of the road the exit ios on AND tells me about construction and back ups. The train horn is handy when people act like "they don't see you". Sometimes that light bar under the grill helps to "be seen" as well.

As for people waiting to the last inches of that merge lane...
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Old 12-14-2019, 04:28 PM   #12
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You all are some very angry people especially Chuckster. I hope you feel proud after pouncing on me for making a comment. I am glad that I am retired and from a friendly, peaceful, rural community free from stress and anger issues. You are the drivers I worry about. Best of luck to all of you.
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Old 12-14-2019, 04:37 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by comfun1 View Post
You all are some very angry people especially Chuckster. I hope you feel proud after pouncing on me for making a comment. I am glad that I am retired and from a friendly, peaceful, rural community free from stress and anger issues. You are the drivers I worry about. Best of luck to all of you.
Angry people ???? Let's take the comments you made for their "literal value":

"How about when you are traveling 75 mph at rush hour on a highway with bumper to bumper traffic with four or five lanes each direction and suddenly an "exit left 1/4 mile" sign appears. You have approximately 12 seconds to find a hole in the traffic and change lanes."

To be perfectly frank, if you're towing a travel trailer under those circumstances in the manner that you describe, you deserve to be run off the road so the only "fool" you hurt is yourself. Simply put, driving 75MPH at rush hour on a highway with bumper to bumper traffic with four or five lanes in each direction with no idea what conditions you'll encounter 1/4 mile in front of you.... That's just plain crazy for anyone towing a travel trailer !!!!!
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Old 12-14-2019, 06:08 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by comfun1 View Post
You all are some very angry people especially Chuckster. I hope you feel proud after pouncing on me for making a comment. I am glad that I am retired and from a friendly, peaceful, rural community free from stress and anger issues. You are the drivers I worry about. Best of luck to all of you.
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Angry people ???? Let's take the comments you made for their "literal value":

"How about when you are traveling 75 mph at rush hour on a highway with bumper to bumper traffic with four or five lanes each direction and suddenly an "exit left 1/4 mile" sign appears. You have approximately 12 seconds to find a hole in the traffic and change lanes."

To be perfectly frank, if you're towing a travel trailer under those circumstances in the manner that you describe, you deserve to be run off the road so the only "fool" you hurt is yourself. Simply put, driving 75MPH at rush hour on a highway with bumper to bumper traffic with four or five lanes in each direction with no idea what conditions you'll encounter 1/4 mile in front of you.... That's just plain crazy for anyone towing a travel trailer !!!!!
Well I have to agree with Chuckster and John on this one for sure!!

#1 when pulling a RV of any size you need to be aware of your upcoming exits.

#2 You are CRAZY if you are traveling at 75 in "RUSH HOUR" traffic Bumper to Bumper traffic pulling a trailer!

This is why when towing or even just driving you need to pay attention to driving!!
Just today had a idiot pull out in front of me requiring me to go from 55 to 0, needless to say I used a bit of air on the Klein 102 truck horns.
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Old 12-14-2019, 06:33 PM   #15
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You all are some very angry people especially Chuckster. I hope you feel proud after pouncing on me for making a comment. I am glad that I am retired and from a friendly, peaceful, rural community free from stress and anger issues. You are the drivers I worry about. Best of luck to all of you.

Well, what can one say? Although, as everyone knows, I'm very laid back and don't interject my opinion....let's just think about this comment...

Angry people? Probably. Angry that anyone caught in the situations you describe are not only unaware of what is happening around them as they drive along pulling an RV but then blame those caught haphazardly by their incompetence.

No one "pounced" on you, they did however post their thoughts on how they view anyone so out of touch and ignorant to be in such a position as you posted.

I am retired as well "from a friendly, peaceful, rural community free from stress and anger issues". I have driven millions of miles working and retired and know the "rules of the road", pay total attention when driving and consider it a total personal failure to get caught in the situation you describe. Many/most feel the same way hence the responses you got. No pouncing, maybe more the increasing unhappiness of good drivers having to endure the incompetence/rudeness of those that you describe.
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Old 12-14-2019, 06:56 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by comfun1 View Post
You all are some very angry people especially Chuckster. I hope you feel proud after pouncing on me for making a comment. I am glad that I am retired and from a friendly, peaceful, rural community free from stress and anger issues. You are the drivers I worry about. Best of luck to all of you.

I am probably one of the least angry people you will ever meet. I drive defensively and very “friendly” until you choose to put my family and yours in eminent danger. I don’t drive 75MPH even in my daily driver let alone going down the highway at 18,000 pounds. I am also retired, and don’t have anger or stress issues. If that’s what you gleamed from my response, you my friend don’t know me at all!
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Old 12-14-2019, 07:36 PM   #17
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Here's my opinion and a complaint on the sudden left lane exit scenario. We can review the obvious that the situation is a result of not be prepared, or being distracted, or whatever during a time and situation demands one's total attention but it does happen.

Now for the complaint part. When this situation arises the true idiot is the one who panics, thinks that making that exit is more important than everyone's safety and they are more important than you. For God's sake, you're not going to "drop off the edge of the earth" if you miss the damned exit. Drive on to the next exit and turn around. Seems simple enough to me.
JMHO
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Old 12-14-2019, 08:15 PM   #18
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I have pounced on many drivers who will cut across 1 to 3 lanes to get to the exit and gladly hand them a yellow coupon thats redeemable at court.
Here's how many end. A driver cuts to damn close changing lanes on a busy freeway. The guy cut off normally hits his brakes hard, avoids a crash. Sometimes the vehicle or two that are behind that guy crash because they cannot slow down as quickly. Than you have 2 or more vehicles piled up. Happens about weekly in PDX. The driver who started the whole thing just keeps going with crashed vehicles in the mirror.
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Old 12-15-2019, 06:24 AM   #19
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December Newspaper Headline:
"Independence man charged with murder after 1 killed during reported home invasion"

But it was such a calm, and "free from stress and anger" murder....

Yes, Comfun, we've been a little harsh with you, maybe even had a little fun at your expense. But if you re-read your post you'll most likely see why.
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Old 12-15-2019, 08:09 AM   #20
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Hey hey there...relax out there you people.

As for the original question, we all rely on signs showing us what's ahead. And yes we sometimes get in the wrong lane but that's life.
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