OT: Name some things that drive you fucking nuts

[Bloody Brian Burke]

They both sound insane. Traffic is one of the joys of my life.

Seriously, especially in areas where roads freeze there should be a better substance to pave roads with that doesn't need resurfacing every few years.

There is. It's called concrete. It's cheaper than asphalt and lasts like 20x as long.

But as long as the asphalt lobby exists and pours millions into the pockets of politicians, don't expect to see many concrete roadways anytime soon.

 

[Comeds]

There is. It's called concrete. It's cheaper than asphalt and lasts like 20x as long.

But as long as the asphalt lobby exists and pours millions into the pockets of politicians, don't expect to see many concrete roadways anytime soon.

In my area we have mainly asphalt roads but a lot of bridges and overpasses are concrete. They don't really have the pothole problems that asphalt has, but it seems like they are worked on as often as the asphalt roads.

We were promised flying cars dammit.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

In my area we have mainly asphalt roads but a lot of bridges and overpasses are concrete. They don't really have the pothole problems that asphalt has, but it seems like they are worked on as often as the asphalt roads.

We were promised flying cars dammit.

Bridge/overpass maintenance is a whole different beast. Be thankful they're worked on.

Most of the highways around Toronto are asphalt and I swear they're repairing them these days even when there's nothing wrong with them. One highway is all concrete, a tolled bypass to the north of the city that opened up in the mid 90s and I swear the roadway may have had repair work done once, and even then it was probably just out of convenience because they were widening it. I don't think I've ever driven over a pothole on it (and I use it at least three times a week).

 

[pixburgher66]

Haha, Pittsburgh can help you with that too. I don't remember which road (279 maybe), but they were guaranteed that something called Superpave would last 10+ years. But certain sections had to be redone after only 2-3 years around 2003-04 when it was already crumbling.

Pix might be able to provide more details on that than me.

We're proud of our potholes...and yeah, nothing has really done any good around here that I know of.

Spent quite a bit of time in Pittsburgh actually, though generally only driving on 79 or 279.

The entire route for 28 has at least been open for most of this time though, right?

That's the thing that's been so bad in Charlotte is that there isn't even a road there to use yet in one section. They screwed up in a big way by under-designing the road in other areas, but there was at least a road of some form.

They also cost us something like $92M by building a major interchange as a terminus (rather than just partially completing a full interchange) in one spot since the other side wasn't even under construction yet and having to completely replace it then when they finally got around to building the other side.

You're right. The beauty of where I live is that I had access to 28 in addition to 279 to get into town, so it came down to a choice: McKnight(mare) or 28. McKnight usually wins. It's just incredible to me how long the process has been to get that road going.

 

[dare2be]

You're right. The beauty of where I live is that I had access to 28 in addition to 279 to get into town, so it came down to a choice: McKnight(mare) or 28. McKnight usually wins. It's just incredible to me how long the process has been to get that road going.

I grew up in the north hills (Pix knows), but lived in Bethel Park for 7 years after college. McKnightmare and 28 are a breeze compared to coming in from the south. At least I had the Trolley and kept my car in the garage most days. It was still a 55 minute commute to go 12 miles but at least I could sleep.

 

[Ojb81]

To sum up the thread:

Those who push crosswalk buttons and then don't wait
Take the whole escalator lane up with their weight
People who use the turn lane to make cuts
These are the things that drive us fucking nuts

DEATHsonic speakers that blast Gangnam Style
Digging for change in the express lane aisle
Drivers who try to stuff cars up our butts
These are the things that drive us fucking nuts

Folks who don't pick up their cell phones when they're called
Hockey announcers (read: jerk Paul Steigerwald)
Drug ads that warn they will rip out our guts
These are the things that drive us fucking nuts

EBT cards
For pricey things
Drivers who are bad
I simply remember these annoying things
And then I just feel
So MAAAAAAAAD!

 

[forty_three]

Clearly you've never been to Pittsburgh. Route 28 laughs at you. Major construction began in 1968, and the Pittsburgh portion hasn't seen more than a few months without construction since probably the mid-70s. As someone who grew up north of town, it always drove me mad that this wasn't easier to use (they spent YEARS buying land on the side of the road so they could widen it).

Well, I can tell you from experience that the 70/79 interchange is almost 25% done and it was in total construction chaos a mere 7 years ago when I moved out west.

They both sound insane. Traffic is one of the joys of my life.

Seriously, especially in areas where roads freeze there should be a better substance to pave roads with that doesn't need resurfacing every few years.

In Ohio, they make roads out of potholes. Then when the potholes fill with snow and freeze, they are nice and smooth.

In my area we have mainly asphalt roads but a lot of bridges and overpasses are concrete. They don't really have the pothole problems that asphalt has, but it seems like they are worked on as often as the asphalt roads.

We were promised flying cars dammit.

I don't know if you remember but the entire west side of 695 was concrete. From like Liberty road all the way to the Key Bridge. My Dad was in charge of the BCPD barracks at Wilkens and he said that 2-3 times a month a chunk of concrete would get knocked loose and go through someone's windshield. Seems they went with the lowest bid contract and the concrete they used was, shall we say, only suitable for making "shoes".

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

I don't know if you remember but the entire west side of 695 was concrete. From like Liberty road all the way to the Key Bridge. My Dad was in charge of the BCPD barracks at Wilkens and he said that 2-3 times a month a chunk of concrete would get knocked loose and go through someone's windshield. Seems they went with the lowest bid contract and the concrete they used was, shall we say, only suitable for making "shoes".

I believe they call that the Big Dig method.

 

[pixburgher66]

I grew up in the north hills (Pix knows), but lived in Bethel Park for 7 years after college. McKnightmare and 28 are a breeze compared to coming in from the south. At least I had the Trolley and kept my car in the garage most days. It was still a 55 minute commute to go 12 miles but at least I could sleep.

Don't even get me started on 51. That road is hell. I was at CalU last year, so my drive was McKnight-279-Liberty Bridge/Tunnel-51-43. 51 is a high traffic road built for cars half the size of many today. It's four lanes across, but has the space of about 3.5. That interchange of 51/Library Road is HELL. 19 in the South Hills sucks too. Trust me, when it comes to the debate of South v. North Hills traffic, South Hills wins and it isn't close. It's a much more congested area.

 

[Comeds]

I don't know if you remember but the entire west side of 695 was concrete. From like Liberty road all the way to the Key Bridge. My Dad was in charge of the BCPD barracks at Wilkens and he said that 2-3 times a month a chunk of concrete would get knocked loose and go through someone's windshield. Seems they went with the lowest bid contract and the concrete they used was, shall we say, only suitable for making "shoes".

Tangent, remember the concrete ships that were built and tested then partially sunk somewhere near Hart Miller Island?

 

[pixburgher66]

Well, I can tell you from experience that the 70/79 interchange is almost 25% done and it was in total construction chaos a mere 7 years ago when I moved out west.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. That's the bane of my existence. I live in Greene County (yes...the one with spitoons and bull rides on the weekends), so if I ever visit my parents I take 79N basically the whole way up until I hit town or I take Mt. Nebo, and the portion in Washington where they're overlapped...*composes self* they're fixing it right now, which makes it worse, but at least the on ramps will be ACTUAL ON RAMPS. Last year I worked in Washington, and it was like a kamikaze to get onto 70. The ramp is less than 100 feet in many places, and in some they overlap with an off ramp. No idea how there aren't more wrecks there. It's very white knuckle.

 

[forty_three]

Tangent, remember the concrete ships that were built and tested then partially sunk somewhere near Hart Miller Island?

This does not sound familiar to me, but yet makes me laugh.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. That's the bane of my existence. I live in Greene County (yes...the one with spitoons and bull rides on the weekends), so if I ever visit my parents I take 79N basically the whole way up until I hit town or I take Mt. Nebo, and the portion in Washington where they're overlapped...*composes self* they're fixing it right now, which makes it worse, but at least the on ramps will be ACTUAL ON RAMPS. Last year I worked in Washington, and it was like a kamikaze to get onto 70. The ramp is less than 100 feet in many places, and in some they overlap with an off ramp. No idea how there aren't more wrecks there. It's very white knuckle.

We usually hit Washington about 2.5 hours into the trip to Baltimore, so it was a decent place to stop and eat and potty. But now it's a fucking DMZ. Coming back yesterday, a dump truck was getting on westbound at the ramp by the Target. Those things do not have good acceleration. I thought he was going to get slammed by a tractor trailer in the slow lane. What the fuck is it with Pennsylvania and their 15 foot long merge lanes? They have them around York too. Stupid.

 

[pixburgher66]

This does not sound familiar to me, but yet makes me laugh.



We usually hit Washington about 2.5 hours into the trip to Baltimore, so it was a decent place to stop and eat and potty. But now it's a fucking DMZ. Coming back yesterday, a dump truck was getting on westbound at the ramp by the Target. Those things do not have good acceleration. I thought he was going to get slammed by a tractor trailer in the slow lane. What the fuck is it with Pennsylvania and their 15 foot long merge lanes? They have them around York too. Stupid.

Yeah, that's the worst part of it too, the exits to get on/off 19. I avoid it to the point I drive through town to get on to 79S past the 70 interchange. Awful. The other night I was driving the team vans (southbound, thank God) and they had northbound down to one lane (7pm on a Friday) and the backup was about a mile onto 79S toward Morgantown. My mom refuses to drive to see me on her own, because she can't do that 3/4 mile part of the trip, hah. I think I wrote about it on here, but my favorite story was being right at that on ramp near Target, on 70W in the right lane to get on 79N, and a yinzer driver in front of me wanted to let someone on *flashes lights*, guy doesn't see, *slows down* *flashes lights*, guy sees and thinks "this is a bad idea" and hesitates, *STOPS IN THE EFFING MIDDLE OF 70 GOING A MAX OF 20MPH WHILE VEHICLES ARE SPEEDING TOWARD MY BUMPER*, guy sees and guns it. Never been more worried for my well being.

 

[Comeds]

This does not sound familiar to me, but yet makes me laugh.

As a kid I fished near some and was fascinated by them. About a 3rd of the ships were above water.

 

[Wamu]

-Hipsters
-People that need to always be on their damns cell phone's while driving
-Monday's
-The Cleveland Browns

 

[dare2be]

but at least the on ramps will be ACTUAL ON RAMPS.

Hey, I kinda miss the "wall of death" coming up 79 N to get onto 70W

 

[forty_three]

Hey, I kinda miss the "wall of death" coming up 79 N to get onto 70W

I always wished they'd bank it so we could rail around it like Daytona. Carry 100+ onto 70.

 

[dare2be]

Here in Jax, I'm amazed that people don't know what to do at a traffic circle.

 

[Ojb81]

Hey, I kinda miss the "wall of death" coming up 79 N to get onto 70W

Fuck. That . Interchange!!

 

[pixburgher66]

I always wished they'd bank it so we could rail around it like Daytona. Carry 100+ onto 70.

What it is now is sort of close-ish. It's that nice little bend. And the recent construction at least has a decent on ramp lane. One thing people in this area don't do: get into the left lane to allow people to get on. Drives me bonkers.