More proof that I-376 lacks sufficient lane miles for a major metropolitan area (Pittsburgh: appointed, live)

[Copanut]

I was taught odd road numbers meant North to South, and even meant East to West, and vice versa.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I was taught odd road numbers meant North to South, and even meant East to West, and vice versa.

Applies to 2-digit route numbers. 3-digits have different rules.

[soniqV]

Here's another great mystery... Why does the right lane flow the fastest and the left lane the slowest until the Squirrel Hill tunnels. Why do all those people get over to the left and middle lanes so soon and sit? I swear some of them are adding 15 minutes to their commute by not waiting longer to get over. Not that I'm complaining, I'm happy to jump ahead and merge with the normal people at the ramp...

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by greg42

Applies to 2-digit route numbers. 3-digits have different rules.

Yep, that is correct for the last digit of the 2-digit primary routes, but odd/even mean different things for the first digit of 3-digit auxiliary routes:

Interstate Highway System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This picture illustrates the odd for spurs, even for returning routes concept:

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by soniqV

Why do all those people get over to the left and middle lanes so soon and sit? I swear some of them are adding 15 minutes to their commute by not waiting longer to get over. Not that I'm complaining, I'm happy to jump ahead and merge with the normal people at the ramp...

LOL, that's one of the quirks about Pittsburgh drivers I'll never understand. It's been brought up a few times on these forums, but Pittsburghers like to merge as early as possible and form the longest single file lines imaginable. It would be much more efficient if everyone would use all available lanes until the actual merge point, but no one does. I see this the most when there's road construction. A sign will say "right lane ends in 2 miles" so naturally that means "get over in the left lane immediately and form a bumper to bumper line now while leaving one entire lane clear for miles!"

[youngabe]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

LOL, that's one of the quirks about Pittsburgh drivers I'll never understand. It's been brought up a few times on these forums, but Pittsburghers like to merge as early as possible and form the longest single file lines imaginable. It would be much more efficient if everyone would use all available lanes until the actual merge point, but no one does. I see this the most when there's road construction. A sign will say "right lane ends in 2 miles" so naturally that means "get over in the left lane immediately and form a bumper to bumper line now while leaving one entire lane clear for miles!"

And the drivers that move over two miles back, get mad at drivers like me who actually want to merge at the given merge point. Somehow, I'm the as*****!

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

LOL, that's one of the quirks about Pittsburgh drivers I'll never understand. It's been brought up a few times on these forums, but Pittsburghers like to merge as early as possible and form the longest single file lines imaginable. It would be much more efficient if everyone would use all available lanes until the actual merge point, but no one does. I see this the most when there's road construction. A sign will say "right lane ends in 2 miles" so naturally that means "get over in the left lane immediately and form a bumper to bumper line now while leaving one entire lane clear for miles!"

Far from unique to Pittsburgh, though. It's a fairly common issue at construction zones everywhere, for example. PennDOT actually attempts to combat it sometimes with signs ("Use both lanes to merge point") with little real effect, this is true. And sometimes it does just work. For example, the I-79 bridge thing going northbound at evening rush, coming off 279, all three lanes are used until the merge point. Although the "4th" far right lane that results from the 279 merge and ends a short distance later, is indeed full of people who get over too early, when the most efficient pattern would be to drive up until the end.

I don't think this quirk is unique to Pittsburgh in the permanent lane ending issues like the one brought up either. I've seen it in a number of other places. Someone attempted to do a study on which is the better process, if I remember right, because this line up early vs use all lanes debate is so prevalent. I don't know if they actually came to a conclusion. To me, the use all lanes thing is obvious, but it doesn't actually work that well unless you can get everyone on the same page, which you just can't. No matter where you are there are always going to be some who think lining up early is the only proper and fair thing to do (and even try to block people who think otherwise). This is one function where automated driving would work well.

[Mugatu]

As someone that grew up in Florida, I NEVER noticed this phenomenon in the south. Maybe it's more a regional thing than a Pittsburgh thing, but people in Florida do not line up miles before a merge point and leave an entire lane empty for miles. Maybe that's due to the more aggressive driving style down there (people will travel on the shoulder down there to get as far in front of the line as possible! lol), but I think the more timid and "polite" driving in this area leads to Pittsburghers often creating their own traffic jams.

Now for those that actually swerve out of the line to "block" those from going past to the proper merge point...I don't even know what to say about that, it's one of the most ridiculous things I see on the roads here.

[bboy36win]

Ya know, I kinda dig all this highway talk. Is that weird?

[Craziaskowboi]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

As someone that grew up in Florida, I NEVER noticed this phenomenon in the south. Maybe it's more a regional thing than a Pittsburgh thing, but people in Florida do not line up miles before a merge point and leave an entire lane empty for miles. Maybe that's due to the more aggressive driving style down there (people will travel on the shoulder down there to get as far in front of the line as possible! lol), but I think the more timid and "polite" driving in this area leads to Pittsburghers often creating their own traffic jams.

Now for those that actually swerve out of the line to "block" those from going past to the proper merge point...I don't even know what to say about that, it's one of the most ridiculous things I see on the roads here.

I've seen it in Atlanta and San Antonio.