Recently moved to Michigan? Have questions for the locals? Let's hear em! (Monroe: travel)

[strangemood]

My only example is Warren, Michigan right off of Van Dyke. You can not take left turns I actually had to come to an intersection 3 lights up to make a left then when I made a left I couldn't make another one to get on the street I wanted, I actually had to turn left into a neighborhood then drive back out to be on the street I wanted!!! Is it like this all over Michigan?!?

Being from VA, u-turns are very common and left turns are plentiful. I am assuming you can still turn right on red after stopping in Michigan (when there is no sign present telling you no turn).

2nd Question:

I am excited for the move to a totally different environment. I am still a little worried about the traffic. I know there is alot of construction......I will be commuting up 75 through Detroit from 'downriver'. I am hoping to leave my place at 6AM. Is the traffic as bad as people say? And what are the worse drive times in the morning and afternoon?

Thanks. MI in two days.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by khfar

Magellan, this makes a lot of sense. Thank you for the pictures, too. LOL! That is exactly what I was talking about.

As far as the driving "rules" go in my area, I think they make sense. Admittedly, I AM annoyed that I have to turn right to make a left, but it seems that the traffic flow is better, and there are less accidents. I come from an area where you can make a U turn almost anywhere, and we see accidents on a daily basis. I've been in MI for 2 months now, and can count on one hand how many accidents I've seen. I love that.

On to my next question. WHY, oh WHY do people in MI not seem to like spicy food?

Actually, the "boulevard with no left turns allowed", where you have to take the next curve you come to to go back the other way and make a right turn, has earned the name FUML (f***ed up Michigan left turn). But traffic engineers swear by how much safer they are than standard left turn lights.



Michigan Highways: The Michigan Left

I can't wait until we get some more round-a-bouts. Having been in Europe several times, I love em!

I love spicy food, but my wife doesn't. It's probably because the Southwest has a lot more Mexican influence than we do here. However, if you go to communities like Holland (or even SW Grand Rapids), where there are large hispanic populations, you can find some very authentic Mexican restaurants that know how to spice it up. I'm not sure where the heavy hispanic areas in the Detroit area are.

Being from VA, u-turns are very common and left turns are plentiful. I am assuming you can still turn right on red after stopping in Michigan (when there is no sign present telling you no turn).

As far as I know, you can make a right turn on red as long as there is no sign that says "No Right Turn on Red". (stretching my memory back many years to driver's ed).

I live on the other side of the State strangemood, so I'll have to defer on the I-75 drive times.

[greenseeker]

Re: is michigan dying...
I do have to say that people are definitely proud to be from Michigan. Even those who have left (myself included). When I first moved, I had Michigan plates on my car for a couple years (lazy) and a UM sticker on the back. I got stopped by so many people saying 'oh my gosh! i'm from Michigan, too, where are you from?!' giggling and cheering the whole time, as if michigan were some tiny obscure place and we had found each other at last! they could be from one corner of the state, me from another and we'd be excited to say hello and be able to say, 'oh yeah, i've heard of novi.' or wherever. even people from, gasp! ohio, would say hello. and people miss it. there's a lot of nostalgia surrounding michigan. i've rarely met someone who says, 'i'm glad i got the h*** outta there!' maybe people complain more who live there... the grass is always greener. i'm trying to get back. perhaps if i get there i'll start complaining too! and i miss the blinking red light. and all that metal to hold up a silly street light? a little excessive, don't you think?!

[khfar]

I have another question! I told you I'd be back!

WHY NO FENCES? I really miss my back yard privacy. Some mornings, I might just want to let the dog out in my robe. I don't feel comfortable doing that here. And speaking of the dog...without a fence, it is a real PITA when he wants to go out.

[mazenblue]

There is a large Mexican contingent in South West Detroit. Lots of restaurants you won't be disapointed in. A friend of ours born in Mexico would take hot sauce and red pepper seeds with him everywhere. Nothing was ever too hot for him, so he broght his own!

[magellan]

Originally Posted by khfar

I have another question! I told you I'd be back!

WHY NO FENCES? I really miss my back yard privacy. Some mornings, I might just want to let the dog out in my robe. I don't feel comfortable doing that here. And speaking of the dog...without a fence, it is a real PITA when he wants to go out.

Boy, you have some tough ones khfar. I'm assuming you live in a newer sub that doesn't allow privacy fences? So do we, and I don't know why that is (not that we really want one). We ended up having a bunch of mature pines planted around the perimeter of our backyard, which gives us a lot of privacy. A lot of people in our neighborhood who have dogs have those invisible fences.

I have a lot of family in Colorado, and some of the newer neighborhoods there looked like cattle stockyards with all the privacy fences. But they needed them because the houses were only about 10 feet apart.

[Zmehappy]

The best part of Michigan is our world re known Michigan U-turn. With the price of gas it's always comforting to drive some times a 1/2 mile past where we have to turn only to drive another 1/2 mile to get back to point A.

Plus what's up with the lights not being timed so we go from green light to red light within a 3 mile stretch, sit for minutes, only to get the same results at the very next light? I liked Idaho's lights, if no one is approaching the side road, the main roads light remains green until the sensor senses an oncoming vehicle from the side road less traveled.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Zmehappy

The best part of Michigan is our world re known Michigan U-turn. With the price of gas it's always comforting to drive some times a 1/2 mile past where we have to turn only to drive another 1/2 mile to get back to point A.

Plus what's up with the lights not being timed so we go from green light to red light within a 3 mile stretch, sit for minutes, only to get the same results at the very next light? I liked Idaho's lights, if no one is approaching the side road, the main roads light remains green until the sensor senses an oncoming vehicle from the side road less traveled.

They have traffic lights in Michigan that are on sensors. It just depends on where you live. I've seen them in Kzoo, Grand Rapids and Lansing.

[Zmehappy]

Magellan, I must be finding all the non sensored lights.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Zmehappy

Magellan, I must be finding all the non sensored lights.

Maybe they are following you.

The one road I travel every day regularly though, the East Beltline in GR, does NOT have them and it does get aggravating. They don't even seem to have the timers right, so you have to stop at about every 4th light.