Comments for Roadguy

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by Suz

Suz — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:03:32 +0000

Prof - Thanks for the link to your mental illness post. I couldn’t agree more. While I do think there are many people with actual mental illnesses, I think recent increase in diagnoses is bs. The symptoms of ADHD are the same as the normal personality traits for Myers-Briggs type ESTP.

But I still hate the new roundabouts in Richfield. Maybe I just can’t concentrate long enough to make it around the circle.

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by Wilhelm

Wilhelm — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:20:55 +0000

They are building roundabouts on the state highways in Arizona. I visited recently and was very encouraged by the fact that they are much more efficient and no waiting for red lights to turn green. Traffic is often caused by stoplights rather than too many cars on the road. With roundabouts things keep flowing.

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by Prof. S.

Prof. S. — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:57:40 +0000

Matty - I thought you would appreciate it, which is why I copied you on the email to Roadguy.

Thanks for the endorsement Roadguy. I’m glad you included the commentary (including the parable of the broken window) because it should help people think about these types of projects. Let’s not just spend money to spend money, but when there is a great ROI (return on investment for non-financial people), then we should do it.

Lastly - I actually use to run a blog called “Done as a Society” that had all sorts of stuff on it. Freakonomics - the blog you linked to on road pricing - actually cited a post I drafted once on the percentage of Americans with a mental disorder. In other words, even the NYT thinks I should be writing for the NYT. Not to scare you, but I’m not so sure about the job security of working for a newspaper, however.

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by Froggie

Froggie — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:01:10 +0000

Thanks, Matty. I found the roundabout link of interest first because they directly linked to the Strib article about the Hwy 7 roundabouts, and because of their link to IIHS who argue that roundabouts improve fuel efficiency, which runs directly counter to what one of the Strib article responders claims.

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by RollinOn

RollinOn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:17:53 +0000

I LOVE roundabouts. I realize people here are not used to them and that can cause issues, but once you get used to them (and, more importantly, the other drivers that would otherwise hit you get used to them) they are fantastic!

You only have to wait if there is a reason to wait. No traffic….no wait.

I first drove through them in Ireland where even freeway interchanges and off-”ramps” are sometimes roundabouts. It was nice, no need to stop and wait to get on the freeway, just merge into the roundabout lane and move over to where you want to go.

Biggest challenge here would be that on-pavement markings are the best to direct people to the correct lane and those are worthless half the year.

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by pinecone

pinecone — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:50:26 +0000

The new roundabouts will hopefully offset all the gas we waste while waiting to cross the LRT rails along Hiawatha.

Comment on Mailbag: Roundabout links, subway thoughts, and will Roadguy appear on cable? by Matty

Matty — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:16:35 +0000

“Twin City Bridge”, eh? It looks like the filmmakers heard that the bridge did not connect Minneapolis and St. Paul, hence the singular city. At the same time, the title doesn’t really work for me.

Maybe I’ll trade in watching an episode of Mega Trains and take in this episode of Man-Made. . .

Oh, nice finds Froggie and Prof. S. Thanks for sharing.

Comment on Slippin’ and slidin’, on foot and otherwise by DGB

DGB — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:40:27 +0000

It’s a sorry situation when people relate to dogs.

Comment on Price point: Remembering two-dollar gas by Vicki

Vicki — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:40:43 +0000

I paid more than $4/gallon regularly while moving from Minneapolis to DC over the summer. That made my gas consumption costs nearly equal the cost of the moving truck. Ridiculous!

Comment on Slippin’ and slidin’, on foot and otherwise by Suz

Suz — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:19:49 +0000

Lovetodrivegirl - The sand is just for city residents. But some of the hillier suburbs have their own sand distribution points for their residents. Check with your local street dept.