A few months ago the Cariboo/Gagliardi Way intersection was made a bit safer with the installation of a traffic light. Before that light it was hard to merge left as the traffic gets up to speed and you cannot get a clear sight line due to the slight curve in the road. The on-ramp to Hwy 1 used to enter on the right side, but it has now been dismantled with another signal light in place to make the traffic turn left onto a curved on ramp which merges with Hwy 1 also on a curve. It is hard to turn your head backwards to see the oncoming traffic, and most of the time the traffic are heavy duty trucks often tandems who insist on staying in the outside lane. This often makes it difficult to come up to speed and merge due to the short acceleration distance before the lane ends.
Perhaps I am not explaining it very clearly due to my Canadian accent. That's the problem when you enter some narration on a video and people make fun of the way you speak.
anyway . . . a photo is worth a thousand words, so you can see for yourself. I try to avoid this freeway entrance by taking another way home, but I had planned to video it for you and this I managed to do earlier this week
I didn't know that there was a Canadian accent....
ReplyDeleteRichard
There are a few on ramps here that are very similar. It's difficult on a motorcycle, but I pull a big trailer for work and it's even worse when you're 10 meters long...
ReplyDeleteJared
UtahMotorcyclist.org
It's fun to hear the voice to match the words!
ReplyDeleteI used to hate on and off ramps... the circling, the merging, the speed change... oh my!
Fortunately, I got over my intimidation with time which is a good thing. There's joy in riding... beyond the city limits!
Dear Bobskoot:
ReplyDeleteI thought I was the only rider who'd bypass a bad interesection or interchange on my bike, that I wouldn't think twice about doing in my truck. The absolute worst is the traffic circle in Flanders, NJ. This circle could easily encompass a football field... It has six or eight exits on it, and traffic is generally moving at 50 - 60mph. It is like puling out into a huge rotary saw. An old girlfriend of mine from Nebraska drove into the middle of this and came to a dead stop in sheer terror!
She had never seen anything like it.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
I still don't know how you drive in busy Vancouver traffic. I hate driving over there in the car and usually let Motorcycle Man be the captain. I can't only imagine merging in heavy traffic, as I haven't had the 'joy' of it yet. I noticed two ambulances parked on the side of the road in your video, makes me wonder if they routinely park there because of it being a bad spot. Take care on those roads Bobscoot!
ReplyDeleteYeah, we have quite a few of those short on ramps around here...with people driving at crazy speeds and not wanting people to merge in.
ReplyDeleteAvoid! Find other ways in. Live to ride another day.
RichardM: I didn't realize I had an accent either. They do in the East, and of course French accent in Quebec
ReplyDeleteJared: The problem with this on-ramp is it enters the freeway on a curve, and what you don't see is that the freeway also curves before it reaches this on-ramp with heavy truck traffic, which are in the slow lane and never move out of their way to let you in
Lady R: Before I started this Blog I was shy and now I don't mind being in front of the camera. I am experimenting with Vlogging and I was afraid I would scare everyone with my voice . You know you always sound different when you hear yourself. I like the open road better than urban traffic
Jack r: I use different routes depending upon weather, time of day, and how I feel. Either way, all routes involve lots of stop and go traffic. on Fridays the freeway comes to a standstill. I am no different than you, only less bulky
Dar: to us Vancouverites, this traffic is normal, unlike slow, Victoria where cars stop for you when you even think about crossing the street. There must have been an incident on the highway, as it would be suicide to park any vehicle on the side of the road, esp at that location
Steel Cupcake: If it weren't for the fact I wanted to record a video at that on-ramp, I would have avoided it. Someone mentioned lack of traffic a while ago so now I looking to film some for you