Be careful on Route 234

LtownTaxpayer

Active Member
The daily commute on Route 234 is definitely getting more dangerous. We have a new traffic circle at Clements. Currently, it requires a full stop prior to entering the circle. The stop signs are HUGE. But clearly they must be difficult to see, because very few people even slow down before entering the circle. When someone wrecks in the circle, it will be very difficult to get around it. This is an issue for both northbound and southbound commutes.

Then we have the problem of people passing on the right whenever they feel like it. Technically, we are not supposed to pass on the shoulder unless the road has been marked with a passing lane. Clearly there are other places that it is safe to pass. We definitely are NOT supposed to pass on the right within 100 feet of an intersection. Unfortunately on Route 234, people seem to believe that intersections are made for passing. The Penns Hill/Allens Fresh intersection is the worst for southbound traffic. The left hand turn goes to Penns Hill Road. That is a major cross county connector, so a lot of vehicles stop to make the left. But since Allens Fresh is the right hand turn, it is illegal to go around at that point. Sadly even LEOs do it - yes, I reported it. I stay out of people's way. But I do get pissed off when I follow the traffic laws and get the horn or finger when I go straight after waiting for someone to turn. The same thing happens at other intersections on the road, but Penns Hill is the worst.

Please remember that we all share the same roads. Drive safely and follow the traffic laws.

Thanks!

LtownTaxpayer
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Then we have the problem of people passing on the right whenever they feel like it. Technically, we are not supposed to pass on the shoulder unless the road has been marked with a passing lane.

Effective 1 October, 2017: " Drivers may pass on the right shoulder if a vehicle is making a left turn ahead and the driver does not leave the paved surface."
 

luvmygdaughters

Well-Known Member
What traffic circle has stop signs? Isn't the point of a circle to yield?

I believe the Stop signs are temporary until the work is completed at the turn around. I'll be glad when they finish the bridge. They're working on the bridge on Rt. 6 also, however, the traffic on 234 is much lighter than on Rt. 6 in the evening. I have sat in traffic on 6 for close to 30 minutes, waiting to go thru.
 

spclopr8tr

New Member
Putting stop signs at a traffic circle is counter-intuitive. This isn't the first/only traffic circle on 234, and none of the others I've ever encountered had stop signs. People are just doing what they have been trained to do, and that is yield to traffic already in the circle and to enter it with caution. If there is no traffic in the circle, there is no reason to come to a stop, again, the whole point of having a circle.

General Purpose of Shoulders
They are used by motorized vehicles for parking, emergency stopping, emergency
maneuvers, and bypassing left turning vehicles.

Do your homework before complaining about how people use shoulders. If you are following "rules" that don't exist, it is no wonder you are getting honked or fingered.

http://www.sha.maryland.gov/oots/Chapter 2 - Paved Shoulders.pdf
 
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LtownTaxpayer

Active Member
Putting stop signs at a traffic circle is counter-intuitive. This isn't the first/only traffic circle on 234, and none of the others I've ever encountered had stop signs. People are just doing what they have been trained to do, and that is yield to traffic already in the circle and to enter it with caution. If there is no traffic in the circle, there is no reason to come to a stop, again, the whole point of having a circle.

General Purpose of Shoulders
They are used by motorized vehicles for parking, emergency stopping, emergency
maneuvers, and bypassing left turning vehicles.

Do your homework before complaining about how people use shoulders. If you are following "rules" that don't exist, it is no wonder you are getting honked or fingered.

http://www.sha.maryland.gov/oots/Chapter 2 - Paved Shoulders.pdf

I don't give a crap about people passing on the shoulder. I care about people passing through INTERSECTIONS. If you are passing while crossing another road - like the INTERSECTION of Penns Hill Road and Allens Fresh Road, there is no shoulder. Perhaps you should actually read a post before commenting.

BuddsCreek.jpg
 
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LtownTaxpayer

Active Member
Except..that's clearly not what you posted. To wit:



:coffee:

Wow! You got me. You picked out a very minute part of my post to be able to point out my mistake. And I confess that I have passed on the SHOULDER of the road before. But no comment about passing through INTERSECTIONS? It almost seems like you were just looking for something to pick apart.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Wow! You got me. You picked out a very minute part of my post to be able to point out my mistake. And I confess that I have passed on the SHOULDER of the road before. But no comment about passing through INTERSECTIONS? It almost seems like you were just looking for something to pick apart.

I had no comment about passing through intersections because I saw nothing needing a comment. See how that works? ;-)

Minute part?? LMAO..it was the opening sentence and premise of an entire paragraph.
 

DannyMotorcycle

Active Member
uhmm yea, people tend to object to the objectionable part, don't take it personal.

Looking at that pic i dont' see a problem with passing a left turning vehicles. The side road has stop signs where they must yeild to the traffic on the main road
so they s houldnt' be entering unless it's clear, and that road would get backed up for left turning vehicles. that is not a 4 way stop.
 

ginwoman

Well-Known Member
I believe the Stop signs are temporary until the work is completed at the turn around. I'll be glad when they finish the bridge. They're working on the bridge on Rt. 6 also, however, the traffic on 234 is much lighter than on Rt. 6 in the evening. I have sat in traffic on 6 for close to 30 minutes, waiting to go thru.


I'm thinking the stop signs are temporary too and I'll admit I don't always stop ..not if the coast is clear
 

tipsymcgee

Active Member
I don't give a crap about people passing on the shoulder. I care about people passing through INTERSECTIONS. If you are passing while crossing another road - like the INTERSECTION of Penns Hill Road and Allens Fresh Road, there is no shoulder. Perhaps you should actually read a post before commenting.

View attachment 120463

There's a couple problems with this particular intersection. The right turn lane can give the appearance it's okay to go around, but there is no thru pass lane on the other side of Allens Fresh on the shoulder. It's a turn lane first. Second, any traffic on Allens Fresh or Penns should stop at the white line or before. Problem with that is they can't see well enough, and nobody really pays attention to the white line anyways and creeps up further into the shoulder. Three, they're saying it's dangerous to have a dotted line where there are left-turning vehicles onto side roads. If passer doesn't see blinker or goes around because it's clear, they're trusting front driver to check side before turning when it's clear ahead. It won't change a thing and people will continue to go around the left turners, but it is a dangerous spot. I also see tons of cyclists in good weather coming off Allens Fresh Road and heading back to 301, and they are way out on the shoulder checking traffic. As for the roundabout, everyone is used to it from Chaptico and so the stop signs are a joke.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
At this very intersection we now have three deceased passengers with two additional passengers being flown out. This place is dangerous!

http://www.fox5dc.com/news/local-news/serious-crash-reported-in-charles-county-officials-say

And you know it's something to do with your claims of danger, vice just someone just failing to yield? The odds point to it being much more likely that either the truck or the SUV pulled out in front of the other one. Which could and does happen at many intersections.
 

officeguy

Well-Known Member
Trying to undestand what all of this has to do with passing in intersections ? From the police reporting and the pictures, it looks like the SUV blew the stop sign while trying to turn left from Penns Hill onto 234. The dump truck tried to swerve to the right but sill nailed the SUV. The dump continued through the pasture and came to stop back towards the road.

Awful accident.
 
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