silvrsvt Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-autonomous-infrastructure-insig-idUSKCN0WX131 More fuel for the fire.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I don't know what I find more amusing.... ...the fact that Volvo's people didn't pre-run a route or this insistence that a fortune be spent in order to make everything uniform so that this silly autonomous car experiment can continue. Oh, and re: failing infrastructure. US has the most miles of paved roads per capita in the G25; possibly the most in the world. They're not going to be as well manicured as densely populated Sweden's. And nobody should expect otherwise. TANSTAAFL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) I don't know what I find more amusing.... ...the fact that Volvo's people didn't pre-run a route or this insistence that a fortune be spent in order to make everything uniform so that this silly autonomous car experiment can continue. Oh, and re: failing infrastructure. US has the most miles of paved roads per capita in the G25; possibly the most in the world. They're not going to be as well manicured as densely populated Sweden's. And nobody should expect otherwise. TANSTAAFL. I don't expect it to be as good as other parts of the world, but dammit we can do way better that what is currently being done. I don't know if it happens in other areas, but for people needing to spray paint penises in potholes in order for them to be filled is absolutely absurd. EDIT: ok so the penises in potholes thing was in England (I swear I remember a local news station doing a story on it around me, but anyway...) people did however plant flowers in some potholes in Hamtramck http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/wayne-county/woman-uses-flowers-to-spruce-up-and-fill-potholes-in-hamtramck One neighborhood filled a couple of pickup trucks with asphalt they bought themselves and did it on their own. That's third world country stuff if you ask me.... Edited April 1, 2016 by fuzzymoomoo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 I don't know if it happens in other areas, but for people needing to spray paint penises in potholes in order for them to be filled is absolutely absurd. Its not that bad in New Jersey....the roads are taken care of ok...not as good as they where about 20 years ago, but still not as bad as that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Its not that bad in New Jersey....the roads are taken care of ok...not as good as they where about 20 years ago, but still not as bad as that! oh yeah, then there's this little gem http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/260817/detroit-pothole-fishing-hole/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 I don't expect it to be as good as other parts of the world, but dammit we can do way better that what is currently being done. On average, when you look at nationwide, per capita numbers, you can't expect Sweden/Germany level road maintenance. There are more roads, more drivers, and more miles driven per capita. But when you get to state and local levels, yeah, there are some places that are just atrocious. Take, for instance, Iowa and Minnesota. Minnesota's roads are for no clearly discernible reason in much better shape than Iowa's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 On average, when you look at nationwide, per capita numbers, you can't expect Sweden/Germany level road maintenance. There are more roads, more drivers, and more miles driven per capita. But when you get to state and local levels, yeah, there are some places that are just atrocious. Take, for instance, Iowa and Minnesota. Minnesota's roads are for no clearly discernible reason in much better shape than Iowa's. Michigan and Ohio are pretty similar. Coming north up I-75 and once you hit the Michigan border, its like you're instantly in Fallujah with as bad as the road turns. Its downright embarrassing. Without getting too political, but its one of the reasons why if it weren't for my wife and her family, I would seriously consider taking a transfer out of state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-bird Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 You pussies. Try driving on this crap every spring. http://cjme.com/article/197309/sask-highways-minister-agrees-highways-220-322-terrible How do you think autonomous cars would handle this? haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Its not that bad in New Jersey....the roads are taken care of ok...not as good as they where about 20 years ago, but still not as bad as that! That's because the mafia doesn't have as many bodies to hide... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Michigan and Ohio are pretty similar. Coming north up I-75 and once you hit the Michigan border, its like you're instantly in Fallujah with as bad as the road turns. Its downright embarrassing. Without getting too political, but its one of the reasons why if it weren't for my wife and her family, I would seriously consider taking a transfer out of state. Ohio maximum truck weight is 80,000lbs Michigan's is 163,000 lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Ohio maximum truck weight is 80,000lbs Michigan's is 163,000 lbs Between that and the incompetent state government, this is a pretty miserable place to drive and live in anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker16 Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Between that and the incompetent state government, this is a pretty miserable place to drive and live in anymore. all you do is drive in SE Michigan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 all you do is drive in SE Michigan. False. I drive all over the state, granted less now than I did prior to working at ford. When I worked for the floor company I drove everywhere from Port Huron to Lansing Flint and Toledo. Occasionally as far as Indianapolis or Cleveland. I also travel up to my cousin's place 20mi west of Big Rapids several times a year. This fall I will also be making the trek up to Traverse City and possibly during shutdown up to Mackinac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullynd Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 The roads in SW Michigan are pretty decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Ohio maximum truck weight is 80,000lbs Michigan's is 163,000 lbs http://www.livingstonroads.org/Portals/5/docs/old/MichiganWeightandAxleLoadLimits.pdf "Weight cannot exceed 700 pounds per inch of the width of the tire" You will likely find that Michigan's axle and tire load limits are hardly exceptional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Hatter Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 You pussies. Try driving on this crap every spring. http://cjme.com/article/197309/sask-highways-minister-agrees-highways-220-322-terrible How do you think autonomous cars would handle this? haha That looks like some of the roads around here (Texas) from the shale field activity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fgts Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Till recently many southern states had concrete interstates to keep maintenance down but switch back to smoother but high maintenance asphalt, is it political reasons they do this?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosetang Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Till recently many southern states had concrete interstates to keep maintenance down but switch back to smoother but high maintenance asphalt, is it political reasons they do this?.Noise, safety, lower repair costs despite higher repair frequency, and Oil Industry pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted April 2, 2016 Share Posted April 2, 2016 Till recently many southern states had concrete interstates to keep maintenance down but switch back to smoother but high maintenance asphalt, is it political reasons they do this?. Asphalt is 100% reusable. All they do is mix the old stuff in when making new asphalt. There's probably an initial cost factor too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrewfanGRB Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Take, for instance, Iowa and Minnesota. Minnesota's roads are for no clearly discernible reason in much better shape than Iowa's. Right. No discernible reason. Hmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANTAUS Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 And to think, my area is paving streets in brick as "traffic calming" which I find annoying. If anything, I drive faster thru it just to be done with it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfeg Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Self driving cars will never be practical in many places. Many residential areas have no lane marking, as people know enough to keep to the right side curb or ditch. What about in many rural areas where the road is just over one lane wide? Would an autonomous vehicle know enough to steer partially onto the grass or weeds when there is an oncoming vehicle? What about where there are variable setbacks from one side to the other? Varying vegetation with trees and bushes that encroach on the roadway? The roads are nor all interstates or in well manicured cities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BORG Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Michigan has some of the most innovative road engineering in the country and some of the safest road designs. As far as maintenance goes, Detroit tends to get shafted more than other regions of the State, that much is clear when you drive through perfectly manicured rural roads but the most populated roads are broken up. Part of the problem is climate, very wet and extreme freeze thaw cycles. The other is heavy trucks on those buckling roads, weather the weight is better distributed or not. I don't think you can make an excuse for US road maintenance relative to other nations, we should certainly expect and demand better. Part of the problem is that roads are funded and maintained under many different jurisdictions so there is enormous inequality because of that. I think road maintenance and funding needs far more oversight and regulation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aneekr Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Michigan has some of the most innovative road engineering in the country and some of the safest road designs. As far as maintenance goes, Detroit tends to get shafted more than other regions of the State, that much is clear when you drive through perfectly manicured rural roads but the most populated roads are broken up. Interestingly, The Road Information Program (TRIP) found that Michigan had by far the highest percentage of rural road and highway pavement in poor condition among the U.S. states. However, Michigan's fatality rate on rural roads was lower than the national average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardJensen Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 If the road has been engineered properly, trucks are not an issue. Also, you can demand all you want... nothing's going to change until you get out your checkbook. It is going to cost significantly more per capita to maintain US roads at the same quality as Germany's roads. Significantly more. Are you prepared to pay? The other is heavy trucks on those buckling roads demand better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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