re: Today's Advocate headline, "I-10 widening garners little enthusiasm"

quote:

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No... the interstate, operating at level of service F, which dwindles down to one lane trying to accommodate an AADT of over 100k, is definitely the problem.

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No, it's when drivers brake and slow down to 10mph for a fender bender ON THE SHOULDER, thousands of drivers behind them are forced to slow down as well. The back-up is a chain reaction and before you know it, the back-up extends the entire length of I-10 thru Baton Rouge.

Or perhaps the problem is when there's an accident on the opposite side of the interstate, people on the open side decide they want to try to see blood and gore so they slow down to a crawl (sometimes stop). This is uncalled for and pointless. fricking drive.

Or maybe the problem lies in the fact that Louisiana drivers don't understand that the left lane is for passing only - not idle driving - even if it's 7 or 8 mph over the speed limit.

A more likely culprit is cell phones. Drive the interstate today and I challenge you to find more than 10 drivers who are NOT on their phone (either talking or texting or facebooking - or (gasp) OT'ing). GET OFF THE frickING PHONE AND DRIVE!

Another problem on the interstate is people who don't even drive the speed limit. Don't get on the interstate if you don't intend to drive 70mph. Going slower than the speed limit slows drivers down for miles and only irritates them to the point of driving recklessly after they're out of the back-up to try to make up for the time they lost. This causes an accident that will back up the opposite side of the interstate.

The problem is not the concrete and blacktop that the interstate is made of. The problem is drivers.

Blaming the interstate for the traffic problems is like blaming guns for shootings.