Among the many things that frustrate me, recently traffic and construction is at the top of my list. It's not the amount of traffic in Metro Detroit that bothers me, although sometimes that gets bad. It's the speed limits. For some reason, generally Detroiters drive 5-7 miles SLOWER than the speed limit. For those of us who go the speed limit (or 4 miles above it, as I do) this is beyond frustrating. The main roads around my home are 45 mph. Consistently, since spring, I have noticed I do no faster than 40; usually closer to 38. And today I noticed that the higher the limit is, the slower people drive. I was on a road whose limit was 50; cars were doing - no joke - 35 mph. 35!
This is, partly, due to traffic lights - my next complaint. Why do people slow down for green lights? You slow down for yellow lights, you maintain your speed for green lights. Wasn't this taught in driver's training? Gads, there's nothing more irritating then clicking along at my 38 mph to then have to slow down... usually ending up stopping... at a light. My favorite traffic light placement? At the crossroads of Merriman Road with a church parking lot and a one-way street. Because there's so much traffic from a parking lot, apparently. And this light is working all the time (not just Sundays, as you would think).
Summer means construction in Michigan and usually it doesn't bother me either. But I cannot go anywhere without being slowed down, stopped, diverted, or shifted. And when it's late afternoon - forget it. It will take twice the amount of time to get anywhere. Example #1: Driving home from Mr. Nelson's. Here's my thought process at 4:50pm in the car - if I take Territorial, which has no construction, I'll end up downtown Plymouth. No good at this time of day. If I take Beck across M-14, I'll be stopped because of road work on the bridge. If I take M-14, it's down to one lane. I could go to Ann Arbor Road, but that takes me about 3 miles out of my way. I decided to go across the bridge on Beck.
Then another dilemma. If I take 6 Mile across, I'll be slowed due to heavy traffic and lights. If I take 7 Mile across, I am slowed by a jog in the road plus construction (again, one lane only). I ended up taking 7 Mile, and got home in double the time it usually takes me. I have to do these types of calculations every time I go out now. Oh yes, it will be nice when it is done - but just one summer, I'd like to travel somewhere where I didn't face orange barrels.
This is, partly, due to traffic lights - my next complaint. Why do people slow down for green lights? You slow down for yellow lights, you maintain your speed for green lights. Wasn't this taught in driver's training? Gads, there's nothing more irritating then clicking along at my 38 mph to then have to slow down... usually ending up stopping... at a light. My favorite traffic light placement? At the crossroads of Merriman Road with a church parking lot and a one-way street. Because there's so much traffic from a parking lot, apparently. And this light is working all the time (not just Sundays, as you would think).
Summer means construction in Michigan and usually it doesn't bother me either. But I cannot go anywhere without being slowed down, stopped, diverted, or shifted. And when it's late afternoon - forget it. It will take twice the amount of time to get anywhere. Example #1: Driving home from Mr. Nelson's. Here's my thought process at 4:50pm in the car - if I take Territorial, which has no construction, I'll end up downtown Plymouth. No good at this time of day. If I take Beck across M-14, I'll be stopped because of road work on the bridge. If I take M-14, it's down to one lane. I could go to Ann Arbor Road, but that takes me about 3 miles out of my way. I decided to go across the bridge on Beck.
Then another dilemma. If I take 6 Mile across, I'll be slowed due to heavy traffic and lights. If I take 7 Mile across, I am slowed by a jog in the road plus construction (again, one lane only). I ended up taking 7 Mile, and got home in double the time it usually takes me. I have to do these types of calculations every time I go out now. Oh yes, it will be nice when it is done - but just one summer, I'd like to travel somewhere where I didn't face orange barrels.
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