Monday, July 13, 2015

Polka Dots on the Highway

If you have driven between Rockford and Buffalo you are no doubt familiar with the dots on the highway. We saw them for the first time when we visited in MN the end of June and it was, 'What the --." 
And if they were going to put polka dots on the highway why not make them pink?
Actually, they do serve more of a purpose than a conversation starter.
This area has had a lot of crashes due to tailgating.
As you can see by the sign drivers are to keep two dots between them and the car in front. At fifty-five mph this adheres to the three second following distance rule. 
It might work in MN, but I'm afraid it would add to the fatalities in NC. I'm very much afraid that driving fifty-five and leaving that much space between cars would send our drivers into cardiac arrest.

22 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

They would think those dots were a game. Follow to find the prize!

DEZMOND said...

I thought those were filled holes on the road (which here in my country nobody would actually fill) but it seems they ain't so :)

Pat Hatt said...

I'd be like wtf too, not a bad idea to come due

CJ Kennedy said...

In the Northeast, the dots rule would also greatly increase the mileage length of back ups in heavy traffic areas. The back up on the Bourne bridge to the Cape is an average of 6 miles backed up on an average Fri. during the Summer.

Unknown said...

I have never heard of this! I agree with the others. I'd make a game of it!

Sandra Cox said...

Heh heh. Good one.

Sandra Cox said...

Unfortunately, they don't get in a big hurry to fill them here either. In must be a world wide epidemic.

Birgit said...

Oh...I don't think that will work. People will have fun with it. It reminds me of a sign that was on the QEW when you were coming from Toronto and heading towards Hamilton. It was a bend in the freeway and the sign would post if you were going too fast. Guess what? people deliberately tried to set it off. I set it off at least 1/2 a dozen times:)

The Happy Whisk said...

Interesting. I didn't know.

Sandra Cox said...

There would be an uprising if they tried to enforce it here:)

Cherie Reich said...

Ooo, that's actually a pretty neat idea. Sometimes it's hard to tell if you're following that three second rule. By the way, thank you about your comment on my Smashwords memes. I designed them myself. :)

Sandra Cox said...

OMG. You'd be backed from state to state. grin.

Sandra Cox said...

We could come up with a pretty good game and still play safely:)

Adam said...

tailgating is my biggest pet peeve with driving. I can worry about not wrecking to anything in front of me. I prefer others would do the same.

Sandra Cox said...

Half a dozen times, huh? Grin.

Sandra Cox said...

Tail gating is nerve wracking. On the other hand if you leave space somebody zips right in there. (Shaking head)

Sandra Cox said...

It was a head scratcher for us for a little bit.
How are you doing, Ivy?

Sandra Cox said...

You did a great job! After seeing yours I went over to Smashwords and took a look see. Theirs aren't nearly as good as yours, but its nice to know they are out there now.

Truedessa said...

haha - I have not seen these dots yet, but I did read about them. It is annoying when those tailgaters get too close. If you have to stop they will be in your back end. A lot of roads now have those grooves so if you cross the line it gets real bumpy...I guess it is to keep people awake. We don't need people falling asleep on the road.

Truedessa said...

ha - that is so true especially in high traffic zones..then one person gets in front of you and so the progression begins and now you are like 10 cars behind..

The Happy Whisk said...

Pretty rootin' tootin' good. You?

Sandra Cox said...

Like the old joke: Grandpa died peacefully in his sleep while his passengers screamed in terror:)