Gridlock Guy: Atlanta traffic lost its mind Thursday…and Friday (Stockbridge: houses, construction)

[LynnHarris1]

There are many “bad traffic days” on Atlanta’s roads, but an 18-hour stretch from Thursday, May 16th, and into Friday, the 17th, was absurd. In particular, the subsequent closures of I-75/northbound between McDonough and Stockbridge on Thursday almost entirely proved Murphy’s Law. This was a period for the ages, and the horror also broke out elsewhere..."

FULL STORY: https://www.ajc.com/news/local/gridl...lB80hXJsDW9cK/

SOURCE: AJC

[MattCW]

The problem are the cops. They think they're entitled to shut everything down and hold it that way for as long as they please. The priorities in any collision are this in this order: survivors, re-open the road. EVERYTHING else, any investigation, even pulling any fatalities out can wait. Why does everyone else get punished, yes, punished, for the actions of others? Our justice system is supposed to be built on innocent until proven guilty, the only reason to investigate is to find guilt. It's better that 1000 guilty go free than 1 innocent be punished, that's the price we pay for a free, functional society. As for clearing the road in a timely fashion, the police cars and HERO units all have push bumpers, [presumably] good tires, and powerful engines. Even a tractor trailer should be able to be shoved off the road quickly.

[DreamerD]

Originally Posted by MattCW

The problem are the cops. They think they're entitled to shut everything down and hold it that way for as long as they please. The priorities in any collision are this in this order: survivors, re-open the road. EVERYTHING else, any investigation, even pulling any fatalities out can wait. Why does everyone else get punished, yes, punished, for the actions of others? Our justice system is supposed to be built on innocent until proven guilty, the only reason to investigate is to find guilt. It's better that 1000 guilty go free than 1 innocent be punished, that's the price we pay for a free, functional society. As for clearing the road in a timely fashion, the police cars and HERO units all have push bumpers, [presumably] good tires, and powerful engines. Even a tractor trailer should be able to be shoved off the road quickly.

Yup. It's the total opposite, especially if you are poor, black/Hispanic. Cops will make sh** up just so that they can arrest you. They are not punished for this and so it happens often. We live in a police-state and people act as if they are immune to what's going on. They do whatever because not enough people are standing up against it. You can get into trouble for almost anything today. Our "justice system" is a for-profit system that targets the demographics I listed mostly but I'm pretty certain is starting to broaden who they pick on because they want the tax revenue. For you to get in the system is far more money and so there's A LOT of incentives for them to ticket you for this, charge you for that. It's crazy!

[citidata18]

I caught in a rush hour-like traffic jam in Henry County the first time I went there on a Saturday (no accidents or construction).

I won't be returning to that side of town. It's a cluster****.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by citidata18

I caught in a rush hour-like traffic jam in Henry County the first time I went there on a Saturday (no accidents or construction).

I won't be returning to that side of town. It's a cluster****.

The section of I-75 around McDonough is pretty much permanently stopped. I have never figured out exactly why.

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by MattCW

The problem are the cops. They think they're entitled to shut everything down and hold it that way for as long as they please. The priorities in any collision are this in this order: survivors, re-open the road. EVERYTHING else, any investigation, even pulling any fatalities out can wait. Why does everyone else get punished, yes, punished, for the actions of others? Our justice system is supposed to be built on innocent until proven guilty, the only reason to investigate is to find guilt. It's better that 1000 guilty go free than 1 innocent be punished, that's the price we pay for a free, functional society. As for clearing the road in a timely fashion, the police cars and HERO units all have push bumpers, [presumably] good tires, and powerful engines. Even a tractor trailer should be able to be shoved off the road quickly.

This is true, I have noticed the ATL metro cops almost obnoxiously close more lanes than needed in crashes than need be, just to prove a point. They close the lane that houses the crash, and one more just for buffer. Not something I was used to in Minnesota.

[Citykid3785]

Yes, so one thing I'm confused about, many on this forum tout lack of traffic as a benefit to living on the southside. Now to be fair I've only driven through Henry county twice, but it was a terrible cluster F. We stopped in Locust Grove to grab a quick dinner on the way back from a road trip, and we were sorry we did. The area near the on/off ramp there was a horrible mess of traffic, unlike what I've seen in East Cobb.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

Yes, so one thing I'm confused about, many on this forum tout lack of traffic as a benefit to living on the southside. Now to be fair I've only driven through Henry county twice, but it was a terrible cluster F. We stopped in Locust Grove to grab a quick dinner on the way back from a road trip, and we were sorry we did. The area near the on/off ramp there was a horrible mess of traffic, unlike what I've seen in East Cobb.

Coweta and Fayette Counties (I-85 south corridor)

[isawooty]

Originally Posted by citidata18

I caught in a rush hour-like traffic jam in Henry County the first time I went there on a Saturday (no accidents or construction).

I won't be returning to that side of town. It's a cluster****.

Originally Posted by samiwas1

The section of I-75 around McDonough is pretty much permanently stopped. I have never figured out exactly why.

I’ve basically stopped talking about traffic all together becuase every so often, you have that “if you think Atlanta’s traffic is bad you should see _____” person that makes me want to gut punch them. I saw that AJC article talking about how bad it was Thursday and Friday and it makes me wonder if his head is in the sand most days. Traffic in Atlanta is absolutely HORRENDOUS! There’s no other way to describe it and it’s only getting worse.

Now that I’ve spoken on that. you two seem aware of a perpetual issue that has perplexed me for at least a decade. Traffic almost always comes to a standstill in Locust Grove, and depending on how bad it is, can run all the way up to the airport. But like Samiwas said: why?

10:30am, 12:15pm, 6:30pm, 11:45pm it’s always a traffic jam. Makes absolutely no sense. And it’s impossible to make it up The Connector without traffic coming to a crawl. This is another choke point (I-20) that makes no sense outside of rush-hour.

[isawooty]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

Yes, so one thing I'm confused about, many on this forum tout lack of traffic as a benefit to living on the southside. Now to be fair I've only driven through Henry county twice, but it was a terrible cluster F. We stopped in Locust Grove to grab a quick dinner on the way back from a road trip, and we were sorry we did. The area near the on/off ramp there was a horrible mess of traffic, unlike what I've seen in East Cobb.

I just said the same thing in my post. It doesn’t matter what time or what day, you’re 99.9 % likely to hit at the very least a 20min delay at Locust Grove. It makes no sense and I’m guilty of thinking that some must be doing this intentionally. Except it’s been this way for over a decade so I know there has to be a reason.

On the other hand, I-85 once you pass the airport is normally easy breezy.