Road construction questions (West Jordan, Layton, St. George: law, move, cars)

[VC dreamer]

I have a couple of questions that maybe someone can help answer for me.

They are doing roadwork on Redwood, and they have the speed limit signs lowered down to 45mph. OK, that's fine. But, why do they have flaggers out there making everyone slow down to 35 as you go through? If they wanted people to go 35, why don't they post the signs at 35?

Yes, I understand that there will be times when going slower and even stopping are necessary, as they may be doing something in a particular area. But some areas are just marked with the orange cones and the flaggers are still having everyone slow down to 35......?

Also, what is the rule for freeway merging? I was taught that when you merge onto a freeway that you merge at freeway speeds to ease into the flow of traffic. Is that not the case in Utah? Many times I am trying to get on the 15 and someone ahead of me is merging on at 40. This happens so often that I'm wondering if it is some kind of law or something?

[Moonlight melvin]

LOL Welcome to Utah....the land of oblivious drivers.

My thoughts on the construction zones is if there are flaggers out, in my experience, no matter what the sign posted says, they're always motioning you to slow down even more, so maybe that's happening? I donno.

As far as the freeway merging....eh, you'll have to get used to it. I hate it, I hate it so bad! Yeah, people will mosey onto the freeway going 40. I'm forever dodging around them if the coast is clear and hit the pedal and zoom by them and hope they get the hint.

[newtoutah]

What I hate about construction is they give u NO warnings about what lanes are closed until u are right on top of it...it drives me nuts..people around here don't yield at all and when u finally get a chance to go do u think they will get in the other lane so u can..heck no

[lolagranola]

Welcome to Utah....Land of the Orange Cone

[Aerorick]

I'm pretty sure the flaggers have the final say-so about how to drive in a construction area. They also have radios to notify the crews and other flaggers ahead of errant or callous drivers that may have just blown by them. One, to warn trouble is coming and two, to provide plenty of witnesses to discribe the vehicle and driver to police who take peticular pleasure in stopping cars that are a danger to road crews.
As far as onramps are concerned I guess you just have to beware. I was coming back from Mesquite northbound on the 15 approaching the Bluff Street onramp. There was a truck ahead that had just entered the freeway going north but was only going about 40 mph. I slowed quickly and merged over to the fast lane. As I passed the truck I could see why it was going so slow. It was being towed by another truck by a single chain wrapped around their bumpers. Don't know where they were going but the next offramp was St. George Blvd about 3 miles ahead. I just shook my head and put distance between us.

[newtoutah]

This is what others don't remember...trucks move slower than cars and they can't break the same as a car...here is a big hint....when someone is merging and u can see from a distance..get over out of respect..oh thats right im in Utah and no one has courtesy on the roads..its all for one and none for the rest...i also notice when I let people over they can't even lift their hand for a simple acknowledgement of thanking me...ugh

[Chickrae]

All I know is I rented a car last week when I was there and was driving around West Jordan by Jordan Commons and Bangater highway and was almost in three accidents as people cut in front of me and then were slowing for construction. Then on I-15 by Farmington heading north everything was slowed down to one lane for what? It was a work day, no one was working and I sat on the freeway for an hour trying to get back to Layton. I can see this at rush hour but this was 1pm

[newtoutah]

to me its rush hour all the time in this state...except Sundays..i love Sundays

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Chickrae

All I know is I rented a car last week when I was there and was driving around West Jordan by Jordan Commons and Bangater highway and was almost in three accidents as people cut in front of me and then were slowing for construction. Then on I-15 by Farmington heading north everything was slowed down to one lane for what? It was a work day, no one was working and I sat on the freeway for an hour trying to get back to Layton. I can see this at rush hour but this was 1pm

Yeah the "LaneGain" project up by Kaysville is hell, but it's supposed to be finished by December. Just because there's not people out working on the roads doesn't mean you can drive in the lanes that they're working on...they're not going to be out working on an urban freeway during rush hour. It's not like "the lanes are closed even if we're not working on it at this exact moment!" is a Utah-only thing...it's a basic construction thing...

[DP525]

Originally Posted by newtoutah

i also notice when I let people over they can't even lift their hand for a simple acknowledgement of thanking me...ugh

Which hand do you propose they use? The one on the steering wheel or the one holding the cell phone?