Car dealers using our roads as their loading zones

[PeoplesElbow]

Call me old fashioned but I think the local car dealers should not be using our roads as their loading and unloading zones. It seems that most of the dealers here have a car carrier parked right in the road loading and unloading during the busiest times of the day. If the dealer didn't account for enough room on their property to properly unload a car carrier I say that is their problem not that of the drivers in southern maryland.

Great Mills Road is bad enough but RT235 at 4PM during the week, seriously wtf. If they must use the roads then I think they should have to do it at night.

If I lived in one of the houses on RT235 I think the police would have something to say to me parking a U-Haul on 235 and loading my furniture in it.

 

[spr1975wshs]

I have the same concern.

 

[jazz lady]

I agree totally. My experience is turning onto Chancellor's Run Road from southbound 235 at rush hour is risky enough (must get in turn lane as soon you can and fly down it to block others from entering OR zoom up from the 2nd lane and bully your way over into the turn lane) without adding the obstacle of a car carrier parked in the turn lane in front of the new Nissan dealer. It is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Bonehead]

I wonder if a call to the Leonardtown Barracks non emergency number would do anything ?

 

[lucky_bee]

I agree totally. My experience is turning onto Chancellor's Run Road from southbound 235 at rush hour is risky enough (must get in turn lane as soon you can and fly down it to block others from entering OR zoom up from the 2nd lane and bully your way over into the turn lane) without adding the obstacle of a car carrier parked in the turn lane in front of the new Nissan dealer. It is an accident waiting to happen.

This has also been my issue. And when they were still building, I witnessed several close calls of drivers not realizing a dump truck or supplies trailer was parked and unloading before zooming back out of the turn lane, around the truck, and back in.

 

[MiddleGround]

I agree totally. My experience is turning onto Chancellor's Run Road from southbound 235 at rush hour is risky enough (must get in turn lane as soon you can and fly down it to block others from entering OR zoom up from the 2nd lane and bully your way over into the turn lane) without adding the obstacle of a car carrier parked in the turn lane in front of the new Nissan dealer. It is an accident waiting to happen.

Although I do not agree with the dealership using the turn/merge lane to unload, I will say that there is PLENTY of room for cars to get into the turn lane and make the right onto Chancellor's AFTER the Nissan entrance. The problem is when people get into the turn lane 3/4 of a mile before their turn.

And when you say "blaocking others from entering," those are actually the people who are getting into the turn lane at a proper and reasonable distance from their turn/exit.

 

[SamSpade]

The problem is when people get into the turn lane 3/4 of a mile before their turn.

My wife makes the same observation - although the truck isn't much help if you are trying to turn into the Hickory Hills shopping plaza.

I do have a general beef with people zooming down these dotted line side lanes as though they were for regular traffic.
They're not - I wonder how it would work if they painted SOLID white lines instead of dotted ones. I drive down that way in the evening
a few times a week to make the turn - only to realize that if I DON'T do what they do - hop in and cruise all the way to Chancellor's Run -
I could easily be fighting my way into the lane with others who chose to zoom down it - or face a collision with someone stopped
at the light.

Funny, however, when I saw the title of this thread - I knew EXACTLY where the problem was. Because I'm unaware of any other place
it's done.

 

[GWguy]

Although I do not agree with the dealership using the turn/merge lane to unload, I will say that there is PLENTY of room for cars to get into the turn lane and make the right onto Chancellor's AFTER the Nissan entrance. The problem is when people get into the turn lane 3/4 of a mile before their turn.

With the traffic we have on that section of road during heavy traffic time, if you don't get in the turn lane early, you can't get into the lane without cutting someone off.

There was another thread talking about this and the rental place on the opposite side of the road doing the same thing, using the turn lane as their personal unloading zone. At a bare minimum, they should be required to place lane markers at least 1/4 mile down the road to let drivers know the lane is blocked, and not get surprised at the last second.

 

[MiddleGround]

At a bare minimum, they should be required to place lane markers at least 1/4 mile down the road to let drivers know the lane is blocked, and not get surprised at the last second.

Agreed however, when there is no enforcement going on (235 at rush hour is like the Wild West) then no one seems to give a crap about the rules.

 

[CrashTest]

Using State Highways as loading and unloading zones for local businesses is part of Leonardtown's Master Development Plan.

 

[jazz lady]

Although I do not agree with the dealership using the turn/merge lane to unload, I will say that there is PLENTY of room for cars to get into the turn lane and make the right onto Chancellor's AFTER the Nissan entrance. The problem is when people get into the turn lane 3/4 of a mile before their turn.

And when you say "blocking others from entering," those are actually the people who are getting into the turn lane at a proper and reasonable distance from their turn/exit.

Go ahead and just try that last portion, then let us know how that works for you. I use that merge/turn lane every day and have tried "getting into the turn lane at a proper and reasonable distance from their turn/exit" and the asshats will NOT let you in because by that time it is a rolling blockade of vehicles. I know what is supposed to happen and how that lane should be used, but in reality that is NOT what happens. You have traffic exiting from Walmart trying to get onto S/B 235 and lots of people trying to turn either in one of the many businesses or exit onto Chancellor's Run Road. Now add the unexpected hazard of a car carrier blocking the lane and you have a real recipe for disaster waiting to happen.

 

[beamher]

Although I do not agree with the dealership using the turn/merge lane to unload, I will say that there is PLENTY of room for cars to get into the turn lane and make the right onto Chancellor's AFTER the Nissan entrance. The problem is when people get into the turn lane 3/4 of a mile before their turn.

And when you say "blaocking others from entering," those are actually the people who are getting into the turn lane at a proper and reasonable distance from their turn/exit.

I totally agree; although I would normally get over right after the Mexican restaurant and still drive at a safe speed do to those who may turn into that shopping center. However, trying to get over after the dealer can be a slight hassle during rush hour.

 

[MiddleGround]

Go ahead and just try that last portion, then let us know how that works for you. I use that merge/turn lane every day and have tried "getting into the turn lane at a proper and reasonable distance from their turn/exit" and the asshats will NOT let you in because by that time it is a rolling blockade of vehicles. I know what is supposed to happen and how that lane should be used, but in reality that is NOT what happens. You have traffic exiting from Walmart trying to get onto S/B 235 and lots of people trying to turn either in one of the many businesses or exit onto Chancellor's Run Road. Now add the unexpected hazard of a car carrier blocking the lane and you have a real recipe for disaster waiting to happen.

I totally agree; although I would normally get over right after the Mexican restaurant and still drive at a safe speed do to those who may turn into that shopping center. However, trying to get over after the dealer can be a slight hassle during rush hour.

I am not chastizing anyone. I am just saying that it is a shame that occurs.

Thank you local road planners for all of this.

I will say though, that I have seen that lane used more as a relief lane (as in the people in front of them are not moving fast enough so they cut over quickly to pass them)

 

[PeoplesElbow]

My wife makes the same observation - although the truck isn't much help if you are trying to turn into the Hickory Hills shopping plaza.

I do have a general beef with people zooming down these dotted line side lanes as though they were for regular traffic.
They're not - I wonder how it would work if they painted SOLID white lines instead of dotted ones. I drive down that way in the evening
a few times a week to make the turn - only to realize that if I DON'T do what they do - hop in and cruise all the way to Chancellor's Run -
I could easily be fighting my way into the lane with others who chose to zoom down it - or face a collision with someone stopped
at the light.

Funny, however, when I saw the title of this thread - I knew EXACTLY where the problem was. Because I'm unaware of any other place
it's done.

The Toyota dealer does it too, last week it was 4PM in rush hour traffic, and they have a ton of room.

The Ford dealer on Great Mills Rd does it too.

 

[GregV814]

You didn’t build that road...Obammmmmma told you!!

 

[Salmon]

We need more mass transit in Southern MD. It would take many of these cars off the road.

 

[GWguy]

We need more mass transit in Southern MD. It would take many of these cars off the road.

I agree with you in part. I've thought a mag-lev running down the center of Rt 235 between DC and the base would be a great idea to showcase our tech prowess and eliminate high traffic volumes.

But that would also lead to a degradation of the area as a whole. Higher noise levels, importing crime from DC because it's now easy to get here, it would look like Waldorf or a suburb of DC in no time at all. I'd prefer rural, than you.

 

[Salmon]

I agree with you in part. I've thought a mag-lev running down the center of Rt 235 between DC and the base would be a great idea to showcase our tech prowess and eliminate high traffic volumes.

But that would also lead to a degradation of the area as a whole. Higher noise levels, importing crime from DC because it's now easy to get here, it would look like Waldorf or a suburb of DC in no time at all. I'd prefer rural, than you.

I don’t support the Maglev. I am thinking more buses and rail lines

 

[GWguy]

I don’t support the Maglev. I am thinking more buses and rail lines

There's no difference at all between a rail line and a mag-lev except the propulsion tech. The are both commuter trains.

 

[Gilligan]

I don’t support the Maglev. I am thinking more buses and rail lines