East Coasters - what surprised you about moving to Oregon?

[ccjarider]

As a midwesterner, I sure got a kick out of the "snow" reporting and updates on the Portland media this weekend. That was a riot.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

As a midwesterner, I sure got a kick out of the "snow" reporting and updates on the Portland media this weekend. That was a riot.

It's not the snow that is the problem, it's the black ice under it that hovers right at freezing temperatures and is extremely slick. It hasn't been bad yet, but I'd still be careful driving until temperatures get above freezing again.

[Troubleshooter]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Many intersection don't even have a flashing yellow arrow, but it's only used here in some intersections which have a separate set of signals for the left turn. The order in the "tree" is:
Solid red
Solid Yellow or Yellow arrow (flashing and non-flashing)
Solid Green

The solid red and green are pretty obvious - the solid yellow is used between the solid green and the solid red to tell you your right-of-way is ending. The flashing yellow arrow is a yield to tell you that you may turn left if it's clear. The flashing yellow arrow goes to a solid yellow arrow at the end of the cycle, right before it turns red.

More on this.

The old method of using a five-light signal (circular red, circular yellow, circular green, yellow arrow, green arrow) is not prohibited, but it is greatly restricted:

- It can't be placed over the left turn lane. It must be over the lane line separating the left turn lane from the thru lane, or over the thru lane.

- If left turns are allowed in both directions on circular greens, the sequence must be limited so that circular greens facing opposite ways must end at the same time. This is necessary to prevent the yellow trap hazard.

The new flashing yellow arrow four-light signal has the following advantages:

- The sequence of lights is not limited. Circular greens can end at different times.

- The flashing yellow arrow shows whenever the oncoming cars have circular green. This prevents yellow trap.

- The flashing yellow arrow can be shown while the adjacent thru signals have circular yellow or circular red. This is impossible with the circular green left turn.

- The signal shows a red arrow when the cross street has green lights.

- Sequences that are not allowed (or possible) using circular green for left turns are possible with flashing yellow arrows.

- Green light progression is now possible in more two-way streets.

The difference between circular green and flashing yellow arrows is the indication given to drivers who are NOT turning left.

Note that a steady red arrow means you can not go. A flashing yellow arrow allows a turn after a stop.

Note that the word "solid" is confusing here, because some people take it to mean circular, while others take it to mean not flashing. So I (and the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices) use "steady" for not flashing, and "circular" for not an arrow.

In England, the solid yellow is used in both directions to tell you the light is about to change - before the red AND before the green.

This is strictly forbidden in the US. Too many idiots went on the yellow before green, while too many other idiots ran the yellow at the same time.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by hamellr

It's not the snow that is the problem, it's the black ice under it that hovers right at freezing temperatures and is extremely slick. It hasn't been bad yet, but I'd still be careful driving until temperatures get above freezing again.

Sure I get that - my point was to the OP's question that I found the incessant media hype unusual. Isn't it winter?

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Originally Posted by ccjarider

As a midwesterner, I sure got a kick out of the "snow" reporting and updates on the Portland media this weekend. That was a riot.

To tell the truth, even Portlanders laugh at the media circus when snow is forecast.
Usually they forecast snow two or three times before we get any.

It's kind of a Portland tradition.

[WolfBoy914]

I'm sorry, I just have to chuckle at the PDXers abandoning their cars in 3" of snow.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

Well when there's slick ice UNDER that 3" of snow and you have no traction, what are you supposed to do, carry your car home?

Come on, it snows maybe ONCE a year in Portland.

Our cars are set up to drive in 40°F rain, not snow.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by WolfBoy914

I'm sorry, I just have to chuckle at the PDXers abandoning their cars in 3" of snow.

How much black ice was under that snow? Was it on a sloping street? Were the cars slipping and sliding? You have to take in account all potentially dangerous driving conditions and not just the ones you see.

[WolfBoy914]

From a friend who was on the scene, there was no black ice in this spot.

[Ace2010]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Oregon requires studded tires to be removed by April 1. Many times that is just a smidge early, and we have a late winter storm that dumps quite a bit of snow in the Cascades, but by April 15 spring is well on its way. You should be OK anywhere except high in the Rockies, where I have seen snow on the 4th of July.

If you are driving a U-Haul and the weather turns ugly, just pull into a motel and wait it out. Chalk the 2 or 3 extra days up to travel expense.

Larry, thank you so much for your response! Sorry, I am a bit late, but I was away from this forum for some time.