| GOT BOOST |
Hi Folks,
Here is something that has crossed my mind many of times today while driving.
While driving several times on the whitemud West after 149th street turn off there is a construction zone that runs to the 156 st Turn off. There are no construction workers, the pilons are up and the speed limits are still reduced to 60 km/hr.
Everyone, including my self went through at 80+.
Can you still be tagged for doing 80 in this zone, even though there is no construction happening on a Sunday or at night? It seems there are more and more vacant construction zones I drive through, the signs to reduce speed are still up.
I seem to recall in the past, when there were no construction workers, or when nothing was happening at night, the limit was brought back up to where it was again?
I thought the idea of "Slow down" for construction zones was to protect workers while working. It is hard to protect them when they are not working and no where to be seen.
Mike |
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| TrevorK |
quote:
Originally posted by GOT BOOST
I seem to recall in the past, when there were no construction workers, or when nothing was happening at night, the limit was brought back up to where it was again?
The construction zones are in effect whenever the signs are present, regardless of whether workers are present.
This is the reason that so many people are up in arms over it, because you can still get a ticket at 3am when no one has been working for a week. |
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| dtjohnst |
quote:
Originally posted by TrevorK
The construction zones are in effect whenever the signs are present, regardless of whether workers are present.
This is the reason that so many people are up in arms over it, because you can still get a ticket at 3am when no one has been working for a week.
However, fines are doubled ONLY where there are workers around. |
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| Lakerfan32 |
The rationale behind the 24 hour speed reduction is safety for motorists. Just because there are no workers present doesn't necessarily mean it's safe to drive the normal speed limit. Often times, there are uneven road conditions, narrower lanes or open excavation that requires motorists to slow down.
I gather from your post that people doing 80 km/h through the zone, the road conditions are close to "normal" ie. safe to drive the normal limit. In this case, I think the limits should be changed back to the normal speed when workers are not present. |
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| GOT BOOST |
Hi Trevor and dtjohnst,
Thanks for the input and clarification.
Lakerfan32,
Yes, that section of the whitemud was fine. They are only doing construction on the retaining wall which is located on the inside lane, and not on the road. They have part of the 156 st exit and 149st entrance lane blocked off to allow a saftey zone for the workers.
Mike |
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| RS13.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by GOT BOOST
Yes, that section of the whitemud was fine. They are only doing construction on the retaining wall which is located on the inside lane, and not on the road. They have part of the 156 st exit and 149st entrance lane blocked off to allow a saftey zone for the workers.
Mike
But how do all motorists know. What if they left a crane or something of that sort in the blocked off lane which came really close to the open lanes.
Parts, equipment, hazzards all change constantly at construction sites. |
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| GOT BOOST |
quote:
Originally posted by RS13.2
But how do all motorists know. What if they left a crane or something of that sort in the blocked off lane which came really close to the open lanes.
Parts, equipment, hazzards all change constantly at construction sites.
Hi Rob,
I'm sorry but if you do not see a crane in the road, or close to the road, much less that section of the freeway, you should not be driving, or at the very least put more than 3 inches of space between you and the vehicle infront of you.
People on the whitemud drive like this:
80 then 70 then 90 then 82, then out of nowhere ..."WTF OMG BRIDGE!!!!!!! BRAKES!!!!!!" It is as if they have never crossed on a bridge before. So if there were some object close to the road on the freeway, I am certain I would view a sea of brakelights in all three lanes as I make my approach from the outside lane. Yes, I always drive in the outside lane. The inside lanes are reserved for seniors, student drivers and morons.
But for uneven roadways and or sharp shoulders they are normally clearly marked for this and there is adequate room to manuvure your vehcile safely and efficiently in all conditions of traffic.
Mike |
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| RS13.2 |
quote:
Originally posted by GOT BOOST
Hi Rob,
I'm sorry but if you do not see a crane in the road, or close to the road, much less that section of the freeway, you should not be driving, or at the very least put more than 3 inches of space between you and the vehicle infront of you.
You would be suprised at some drivers in edmonton. I drive probably 100 kms a day for work and i am no longer shocked at what people do.
quote:
Originally posted by GOT BOOST
People on the whitemud drive like this:
80 then 70 then 90 then 82, then out of nowhere ..."WTF OMG BRIDGE!!!!!!! BRAKES!!!!!!" It is as if they have never crossed on a bridge before. So if there were some object close to the road on the freeway, I am certain I would view a sea of brakelights in all three lanes as I make my approach from the outside lane. Yes, I always drive in the outside lane. The inside lanes are reserved for seniors, student drivers and morons.
But for uneven roadways and or sharp shoulders they are normally clearly marked for this and there is adequate room to manuvure your vehcile safely and efficiently in all conditions of traffic.
Mike
I agree with you on how people drive but sometimes the construction people forget to put up a sharp shoulder sign and this way they just cover their ass. |
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| dtjohnst |
Mike,
I hope you yield when faster cars approach behind you. "keep right except to pass" isn't a suggestion.
Bear in mind too, how much of an inconvenience is it to you really? So it takes you a few minutes longer to get to and from work, to and from the mall, etc. We're talking about making things safer for people working at a crappy job. Is saving a few minutes really that important to you? For all you know they are just barely out of sight and could pop up in sight anytime, or perhaps there are nails or screws on the road that'll blow a tire...
There's lots of reasons why driving slower through construction zones is a wise idea, whether there's construction or not. But it all boils down to "what ifs". Yes, you can argue "maybe not" to every "what if", but that defeats the purpose of safety. Why not say "limits reduced only when workers risk being hit"? Because it's more safe to slow down all the time. Plus now drivers SHOULD get used to where things will be slower. This means they can factor the delay in when chosing when to leave to get places. Otherwise they could argue they didn't know there would be construction going on at that time.
But the end result is that the Legislative Assembly decided that speeds would be reduced whether there were workers there or not. Your elected officials, speaking on your behalf, decided this is what was needed based on all the information they had, information we may not have. That's why we elect officials, to make decisions on these kinds of matters for us. If you don't like it, speak to them. Whether or not it's merited or warranted is an argument that can go on forever, much like tinted windows. |
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| Mobius |
quote:
Originally posted by GOT BOOST
Yes, I always drive in the outside lane. The inside lanes are reserved for seniors, student drivers and morons.
I hope this doesn't include freeways and highways outside of the city limits. |
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| Britain |
Oh.. the reason they are so anal there is cause they're trying out a photo radar trailer.. From the back it looks like one of those signs that flashes your speed.. However, on the back theres 3 ports.. One for the flash, one for the lense, and one for the guy inside.. My bud got 2 tickets on the same day from it like 45 min apart.. (he's going to fight one) They're tricky haha.
COLES NOTES: there's a photo radar trailer in the construction zone. It tells you your speed then gives you a ticket. |
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| GOT BOOST |
Hi dtjohnst,
Good post.
I agree in reducing the limits day and night during heavy road constructions zones. IE) There is construction happening on both sides of the road, in all lanes and you have more signs about dangers than advertisements on gateway blvd.
But if only one lane is used for construction and you have two or three lanes that are clear and far from it then I do not see much point in reducing the limits when there are no construction workers working. However on the flip side I suppose there must be a precedent and it must be consistant through out all construction zones. I think I will call my legislative assembly rep and let him know what I think, in a polite fashion of course.
I am normally moving faster than flow of traffic, but not as fast as the person who is moving much faster than me, whom is infront of me. I am normally at 10-20 above the posted limits on the highway. City maybe 5-10.
As for the cars traveling behind me, yes, I am always checking for them, and move over when I see them approaching quickly. There is nothing more annoying then when you come up behind someone and they are travelling much slower than you and refuse to move over.
Mobius,
Are you refering to my comment on driving in the outside lane, or the inside lane reserved for seniors, student drivers, and morons.
If it is for the outside lane, then yes. I drive in it at all times. Mind you, I am not a speed limit vigilante and enforce the limit in that lane. I am normally travelling faster than the flow of traffic, but not as fast a the speeder trying to make time trials infront of me. As mentioned, when I see someone approaching in my lane who looks like they will at some point overtake me, I will move into the middle lane or inside lane temporarly. According to stats it is more riskier, but I feel safer driving in it, then the middle or inside lane. I witnessed countless times people driving excessively slow, jaming on their brakes for no reason, someone failing to plan ahead and swere into the inside lane so they can make their turn off intime.
Mike |
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