Commute times? (Eagle River, Far South, Everywhere!) (Seward: neighborhoods, stores)

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by AADAD

The 405 and anywhere close to it is a real nightmare no doubt. Its a sure fire way into a major depressive episode. I had to do it several times. My god I thought I would frickin' go postal if I had to do that every day. There is NOTHING redeeming or interesting on that drive zero, nada, just hungry hondas and toyotas on your bumper and on your side mirror.

Now you know why there are all these "drive-by shootings" and "road-rage" incidents.

Every time I feel myself getting upset about the commute from the Valley into Anchorage and visa verca, I just think back to what it was like in Los Angeles and my mood begins to immediately improve.

I used to drive from Reseda to Long Beach every day. That was a 40 mile drive each way. Now I am driving 50 miles each way, but it is taking me less time than that 40 mile commute in Los Angeles.

No matter how bad traffic gets in Alaska, I will never complain ... much.

[AADAD]

Parking is the other issue. Competition is now fierce people will cut one another off for a space 10 feet closer to the store. I mean seriously. I can't remember a time maybe except downtown in Anchortown that I ever had to worry about parking.

And then there is tailgating....a whole new game here.

Love my 4Runner bumper. You should see the little rice wagons hit their disc brakes when I slow down suddenly when they are 1 foot from my bumper....now that is some funny sht their facial expressions are some serious comedy....

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by AADAD

And then there is tailgating....a whole new game here....

No kidding.

And the pulling out in front of you from a side street without even slowing down! Or even bothering to turn their head and look for oncoming traffic! WTF?

And on icy roads no less!

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

No kidding.

And the pulling out in front of you from a side street without even slowing down! Or even bothering to turn their head and look for oncoming traffic! WTF?

And on icy roads no less!

Yea, this is a tense situation because some of thoes side streets are impossible to get out of so they have to do that otherwise they will never get out. It usually comes down to the guy that is not part of a light cycle that is going to fast or to slow and prevents that person from turning out of the side street so they miss their window and the next round is let loose from the light (usually someone else pulling out of another side street first or turning right on red). This is a serious issue and it is why more and more lights are going up because people cant be curtious and just yeild to the person turning out even though they dont technically have right of way.

Turning right on red was a bad idea because light cycles should totally close off segments of road to allow side street turners a chance to get out but when you sprinkle in right on red turners and other side street turners and in some situations turn arrow turners it can create a frustrating sitaution. If the traffic engineers were on top of it they would have a pause in the light cycle where ALL the lights were red to allow side street turners a chance to get out without adding more and more lights everywhere of course then traffic backs up and also prevents side street turners from getting out so then we are back to more lights

[LittleJazzyP]

Originally Posted by highlife2

Yea, this is a tense situation because some of thoes side streets are impossible to get out of so they have to do that otherwise they will never get out. It usually comes down to the guy that is not part of a light cycle that is going to fast or to slow and prevents that person from turning out of the side street so they miss their window and the next round is let loose from the light (usually someone else pulling out of another side street first or turning right on red). This is a serious issue and it is why more and more lights are going up because people cant be curtious and just yeild to the person turning out even though they dont technically have right of way.

Turning right on red was a bad idea because light cycles should totally close off segments of road to allow side street turners a chance to get out but when you sprinkle in right on red turners and other side street turners and in some situations turn arrow turners it can create a frustrating sitaution. If the traffic engineers were on top of it they would have a pause in the light cycle where ALL the lights were red to allow side street turners a chance to get out without adding more and more lights everywhere of course then traffic backs up and also prevents side street turners from getting out so then we are back to more lights

This is quite possibly the most sensible thing you have said on this forum.

Are you going into urban planning, by any chance, specializing in traffic patterns? Seriously, no sarcasm here.

[bthorn31]

Originally Posted by Moose Whisperer

No kidding.

And the pulling out in front of you from a side street without even slowing down! Or even bothering to turn their head and look for oncoming traffic! WTF?

And on icy roads no less!

One thing about our big old suburban, people don't usually pull out in front of that big red tank... which is good because it goes, but it doesn't stop so easy

My little jeep has been handling great, but I do have people tailing me or pulling out in front of me all the time.

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by LittleJazzyP

This is quite possibly the most sensible thing you have said on this forum.

Are you going into urban planning, by any chance, specializing in traffic patterns? Seriously, no sarcasm here.

I applied for a job with the state/city a number of years ago in traffic engineering and light cycles but did not get the job. Would have been fun, could have modeled the wave pattern of traffic to make intersections flow better. I am in oil and gas now so probably will not reapply.

[highlife2]

Originally Posted by bthorn31

One thing about our big old suburban, people don't usually pull out in front of that big red tank... which is good because it goes, but it doesn't stop so easy

My little jeep has been handling great, but I do have people tailing me or pulling out in front of me all the time.

I dont pull out in front of people based on what kind of vehical you have (unless your a dump truck or full blown semi), its usually a spit second decision if I think I can fully get on the road and get going while only making you break a little bit. It might irritate someone but im not going to make you slam on your breaks and I still have to get from point A to pt B as well. Turning out of side streets is the worse.

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by highlife2

I dont pull out in front of people based on what kind of vehical you have (unless your a dump truck or full blown semi), its usually a spit second decision if I think I can fully get on the road and get going while only making you break a little bit. It might irritate someone but im not going to make you slam on your breaks and I still have to get from point A to pt B as well. Turning out of side streets is the worse.

It is called "patience." You might consider exercising it from time to time rather than violating the law and putting everyone's life in danger. If it bothers you that much to wait an extra 30 seconds in order to pull out safely, you should not be allowed to drive. You are an accident waiting to happen.

[Moose Whisperer]

Originally Posted by highlife2

Yea, this is a tense situation because some of thoes side streets are impossible to get out of so they have to do that otherwise they will never get out. It usually comes down to the guy that is not part of a light cycle that is going to fast or to slow and prevents that person from turning out of the side street so they miss their window and the next round is let loose from the light (usually someone else pulling out of another side street first or turning right on red). This is a serious issue and it is why more and more lights are going up because people cant be curtious and just yeild to the person turning out even though they dont technically have right of way.

Turning right on red was a bad idea because light cycles should totally close off segments of road to allow side street turners a chance to get out but when you sprinkle in right on red turners and other side street turners and in some situations turn arrow turners it can create a frustrating sitaution. If the traffic engineers were on top of it they would have a pause in the light cycle where ALL the lights were red to allow side street turners a chance to get out without adding more and more lights everywhere of course then traffic backs up and also prevents side street turners from getting out so then we are back to more lights

Originally Posted by highlife2

I dont pull out in front of people based on what kind of vehical you have (unless your a dump truck or full blown semi), its usually a spit second decision if I think I can fully get on the road and get going while only making you break a little bit. It might irritate someone but im not going to make you slam on your breaks and I still have to get from point A to pt B as well. Turning out of side streets is the worse.

I beleive you are somewhat correct on this. I have definitely been in these situations where it is clear the timing of the lights has created a near impossible condition. However, my solution to this situation is not to put myself or others at risk, but to seek an alternate route. For example, sections of Tudor between Lake Otis and the Seward are particularly bad like this, especially in the spots where you have to pass your destination and make a U-Turn across all oncoming lanes. But I am aware of these places and take other streets such a 36th past my destination then come down a side street and make a right turn.

However, the bad behavior of cutting people off is exhibited in more places than just heavily congested areas. Maybe it's the "bad spots" that "train" some drivers to behave this way all the time, but that's still no excuse. For example, on my commute to work (DeArmoun) there is only one Stop Sign (on Hillside) between my house and the New Seward. I frequently encounter this behavior when I am the only vehicle on the road. I see people pull out in front of me all the time, and I pay special attention to watch them very closely. Some don't even bother to slow down at their Stop Sign, and some don't even bother to turn their head to look.

I also routinely see people blowing through the Stop Sign at Hillside without so much as even slowing down, and I routinely see people aggressivly "merge" onto the Highway at speeds well below the flow of traffic, again without ever bothering to turn their head or even check their mirror. Clearly the behavior is intentional.

I even wathched one dumb lady in a mini-van once in such a hury to get in front of me she pulled out from a side street so fast as to lose traction in the rear end and slide out into the opposing ditch. But I was the only car on the road so if she had waited an extra 2 seconds she would have had the entire road to herself! (needless to say I didn't bother to stop and lend her assistance either).

I think in the end it comes down to phsycological conditioning, coupled with a selfish attitude. If you ever watch a wild animal such as a rabbit, deer, etc crossing a road, they will often wait until the last split second at which they think the can dart out in front of the car, then run for dear life trying to beat the vehicle. Their primitive brains are not capable (in that instant) of the more abstract thought processes necessary to realize they only need wait a split second, then have all the time in the world to cross at a leisurly (and safe) pace. I think this same primitive thought process exists in humans - though some are able to conciously control it, while others apparently can not. Mix this with the selfish, me-first, entitelment attitude found in much of America and you get the resulting unsafe behavior seen on the roads.