ACCIDENTS KEEP PILING UP

[3CATSAILOR]

I mean its still BS, seeing as we really dont have wrecks in school zones caused by speeding. And I'm pretty sure in the .ast 50 years, you cannot find an incident of a child being hit by a car in a school zone, speeding or otherwise. Back when they were pushing for these statewide, the best they had was a 17 year old girl hit at like 7pm by a car tat wasnt speeding, outside he crosswalks. And she had I think a broken arm.......

Yeah, I do remember that. You are correct about no accidents in the School zones. True, folks speed in the School zones. Of course they do. But, there is no record of any accidents in School zones accept for what you mentioned. If there is any, I would love to know when it was. But, I know the data simply doesn't support it. Therefore, as pretty much all of us know, the School zone is simply a "feel good" area to make it taste better to the public. For example, if the public was told they wanted it for the bridge, the public would likely say "uh?" lol, if you look at the whole picture of it, it is kind of comical how our government thinks they are playing us. Don't worry about the cameras in the Speed Zones for St. Mary's County. This was planned long, long ago. I think a Commissioner even mentioned he thought it was already rubber stamped before it even came to them. Do you remember which Commissioner said it?

The only reason RLC isn't talked about yet is because the public really dislikes the idea. But, have no fear, it will appear in SMC as well. Just give it time. Yeah, I hear all of the talk, no, it will never happen. I wonder how many folks believe that? The RLC in St. Mary's have huge issues right now. They are not timed correctly. And there are other issues.

 

[glhs837]

Yeah, I do remember that. You are correct about no accidents in the School zones. True, folks speed in the School zones. Of course they do. But, there is no record of any accidents in School zones accept for what you mentioned. If there is any, I would love to know when it was. But, I know the data simply doesn't support it. Therefore, as pretty much all of us know, the School zone is simply a "feel good" area to make it taste better to the public. For example, if the public was told they wanted it for the bridge, the public would likely say "uh?" lol, if you look at the whole picture of it, it is kind of comical how our government thinks they are playing us. Don't worry about the cameras in the Speed Zones for St. Mary's County. This was planned long, long ago. I think a Commissioner even mentioned he thought it was already rubber stamped before it even came to them. Do you remember which Commissioner said it?

The only reason RLC isn't talked about yet is because the public really dislikes the idea. But, have no fear, it will appear in SMC as well. Just give it time. Yeah, I hear all of the talk, no, it will never happen. I wonder how many folks believe that? The RLC in St. Mary's have huge issues right now. They are not timed correctly. And there are other issues.

IIRC, John O'Conner was a pretty large cheese with one of the national automated enforcement companies. And he was key in shutting down the red light cameras when they were pitched. Along with the SHA, who said there would be no benefit to cameras on 235. Which of course where they would make the most money.

Why do you say the red lights are timed incorrectly? Remember, the calculations and modeling for traffic flow are pretty complex. And the goal as they view it might not be what we think it should be. The below is for figuring one intersections timing changes. Try and flow out 235 from Gate 2 to past Wildewood.......... Lots going on.....

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08024/chapter5.htm

The MUTCD provides guidance on the application and duration of the yellow change and red clearance intervals. It recommends that the interval durations shall be predetermined based on individual intersection conditions, such as approach speed and intersection width. The MUTCD advises that the yellow change interval should last approximately 3 to 6 seconds, with the longer intervals being used on higher-speed approaches. It also advises that the red clearance interval should not exceed 6 seconds. A recent survey conducted by The Urban Transportation Monitor indicated that practitioners who used a standard red clearance interval used a range from 0.5 to 2.0 seconds.

Kell and Fullerton (12) offer the following equation for computing the phase change period (yellow change plus red clearance intervals):

Equation 5-2​

 

[3CATSAILOR]

IIRC, John O'Conner was a pretty large cheese with one of the national automated enforcement companies. And he was key in shutting down the red light cameras when they were pitched. Along with the SHA, who said there would be no benefit to cameras on 235. Which of course where they would make the most money.

Why do you say the red lights are timed incorrectly? Remember, the calculations and modeling for traffic flow are pretty complex. And the goal as they view it might not be what we think it should be. The below is for figuring one intersections timing changes. Try and flow out 235 from Gate 2 to past Wildewood.......... Lots going on.....

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08024/chapter5.htm

Equation 5-2​

View attachment 176979

View attachment 176978

I noticed some of the lights were pretty quick going from yellow to red. However, I haven't noticed it lately. Perhaps SHA corrected it.

 

[jrt_ms1995]

View attachment 176979

View attachment 176978

Shouldn't that approach speed be "c" in some places around here?

 

[glhs837]

I noticed some of the lights were pretty quick going from yellow to red. However, I haven't noticed it lately. Perhaps SHA corrected it.

Time them. Keep in mind, this is on 235 from Gate 2 to Route 4.

 

[NOTSMC]

I noticed some of the lights were pretty quick going from yellow to red. However, I haven't noticed it lately. Perhaps SHA corrected it.

Noticed that just yesterday southbound at Gate 2. The light was red, we were third in line, all of us were stopped. The light turned green, the two cars in front of us moved within seconds as did we but they went through a green, it turned yellow as we approached and we went under that. We moved the same time they did. I don't think it could have been green more than 20 seconds.

 

[LightRoasted]

For your consideration ...

Noticed that just yesterday southbound at Gate 2. The light was red, we were third in line, all of us were stopped. The light turned green, the two cars in front of us moved within seconds as did we but they went through a green, it turned yellow as we approached and we went under that. We moved the same time they did. I don't think it could have been green more than 20 seconds.

It's the same with the light at St. Andrews Church Road next to the Wawa when trying to cross towards Solomons. That light's timing has always been way too short. Add in the azzholes trying to squeeze their way in trying to exit Wawa, of blocking the crossing 235 lane into the left turning lane all becasue of some "nice" idiot allowing them in, or to cross towards Solomons blocking the path for people to turn south onto 235, and many times, it'll take two or three cycles just to cross that intersection. It should only be an entrance into Wawa there, with no exit.

 

[Tech]

For your consideration ...


Add in the azzholes trying to squeeze their way in trying to exit Wawa, of blocking the crossing 235 lane into the left turning lane all becasue of some "nice" idiot allowing them in, or to cross towards Solomons blocking the path for people to turn south onto 235, and many times, it'll take two or three cycles just to cross that intersection. It should only be an entrance into Wawa there, with no exit.

That's why I use FDR, cut over to 235 later.

 

[Sneakers]

If an emergency vehicle has passed thru the intersection and the sensors gave the emergency vehicle preference, the light pattern is offset for a cycle or two until it all syncs up again. I've observed that a few times, short green lights.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

Noticed that just yesterday southbound at Gate 2. The light was red, we were third in line, all of us were stopped. The light turned green, the two cars in front of us moved within seconds as did we but they went through a green, it turned yellow as we approached and we went under that. We moved the same time they did. I don't think it could have been green more than 20 seconds.

Sounds like revenue for RLC to me. I know they aren't here yet. But, something tells me they will be. When they come, I guess the spin will be to reduce accidents. Of course the short time is an attempt to cater to Pax and keep the traffic flowing. But, it does at the same time work in favor of RLC.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

Accidents keep piling up. I guess it has become something we accept as part of the risk. Last Thursday on 235 I was headed North bound in the St. James area. A car came head on in my lane. I got out of the way barely in time. Most people don't survive head ons. Later on and in to the evening on the way home, I observed at least ten vehicles going across the white line and on to the shoulder and back. A guy was driving down the shoulder instead of the road. He eventually came back on the road. Everywhere you turn, you hear on the radio, on line News, the Enterprise and the County Times and even every now and then the Washington D.C. TV stations about a single vehicle that went off of the road in Southern Maryland and hit a tree, a car or a house. Usually folks do not survive these type of accidents.

Yesterday, in one day, I had two cars come head on in to me. I had to dodge each one to the shoulder both times. Several other times on the same day I saw a couple of other vehicles going off the road on to the shoulder and back. Now, it is so bad, I lost track of the daily accidents in Southern Maryland. Whatever the State thinks it is doing, is not addressing the problem. At this point, it appears to me that they are overwhelmed. If so, that's not good for the rest of us on the road. Between distracted driving from cell phones, other distracted driving, drunk driving, legalized pot, driving while high on other drugs, it is no wonder why the police are unable to keep it in check.

 

[NorthBeachPerso]

Where in the 7 Circles of Hell are some of you guys driving where you have so many close calls every single damned time you get behind the wheel?
I probably put on 40 miles today between RTE 4 and several of the windy two lane roads and didn't have one car come at me in my lane, cross the center line or even cut me off. Not even on the really narrow one between Rose Haven and the Beach.

 

[glhs837]

Sounds like revenue for RLC to me. I know they aren't here yet. But, something tells me they will be. When they come, I guess the spin will be to reduce accidents. Of course the short time is an attempt to cater to Pax and keep the traffic flowing. But, it does at the same time work in favor of RLC.

The RLC revenue rides on yellow, not green. And when I spoke to the SHA engineer responsible for 235s signal timing years ago, he seemed personally insulted that I might suggest that some groups might want times to be jiggered for that. He's the one that told me that every light was a full four seconds on all lights from Gate 3 to Route 4 with a full second all red overlap for all comers.

Now, as for how long the greens are, I would refer you to the site I linked above. So main arteries during rush get priority over feeders. And the models to help them decide how long those should be are pretty involved. For instance, when coming north on Willows with the intention to go north on 235 you are always better off taking a left onto GMR then a left rather than straight up Shangri-La. GMR has a higher priority and gets more green time than Shangri-La. And yes, I've spent a lot of time mentally marking vehicles going straight to see who gets onto 235 first.

Where in the 7 Circles of Hell are some of you guys driving where you have so many close calls every single damned time you get behind the wheel?
I probably put on 40 miles today between RTE 4 and several of the windy two lane roads and didn't have one car come at me in my lane, cross the center line or even cut me off. Not even on the really narrow one between Rose Haven and the Beach.

Not every single time, but usually at least once a week someone ahead of me has such a hard time staying in lane to the left that I'll honk to get their attention back on the road. Just Sunday, wife and took the convertible down Gilligan's way on St Georges Island. Coming back, it was about four miles behind a full size pickup with VA tags. He crossed the centerline about 10 times, about three of those far enough that both his front and rear wheels were over, and I honked. And this wasnt corners, this was straight aways. He did just as many to the right but I didn't honk for those.

People are so damn checked out its insane.

 

[Kinnakeet]

IIRC, John O'Conner was a pretty large cheese with one of the national automated enforcement companies. And he was key in shutting down the red light cameras when they were pitched. Along with the SHA, who said there would be no benefit to cameras on 235. Which of course where they would make the most money.

Why do you say the red lights are timed incorrectly? Remember, the calculations and modeling for traffic flow are pretty complex. And the goal as they view it might not be what we think it should be. The below is for figuring one intersections timing changes. Try and flow out 235 from Gate 2 to past Wildewood.......... Lots going on.....

https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/fhwahop08024/chapter5.htm

Equation 5-2​

View attachment 176979

View attachment 176978

not long enough

 

[Gilligan]

Just saw the report of the accident that happened in Hughesville on the 25th. Two cars and two big Harleys involved....looked nasty. One flown out...no updates.

 

[glhs837]

not long enough

You mean the greens or the yellows?

 

[stgislander]

Not every single time, but usually at least once a week someone ahead of me has such a hard time staying in lane to the left that I'll honk to get their attention back on the road. Just Sunday, wife and took the convertible down Gilligan's way on St Georges Island. Coming back, it was about four miles behind a full size pickup with VA tags. He crossed the centerline about 10 times, about three of those far enough that both his front and rear wheels were over, and I honked. And this wasnt corners, this was straight aways. He did just as many to the right but I didn't honk for those.

People are so damn checked out its insane.

If it was an older truck, I think I know that guy.

 

[glhs837]

If it was an older truck, I think I know that guy.

Yeah, white IIRC. Maybe a really older guy driving? Honestly would have called dispatch if I really thought they might do something.

 

[stgislander]

Yeah, white IIRC. Maybe a really older guy driving? Honestly would have called dispatch if I really thought they might do something.

If a white truck, not the guy I know then.

 

[3CATSAILOR]

Just saw the report of the accident that happened in Hughesville on the 25th. Two cars and two big Harleys involved....looked nasty. One flown out...no updates.

Updates seem to be rare for some reason. Probably because there are too many new accidents to get back to any previous accidents.