Discussion:
"Emergency Vehicle"
(too old to reply)
The Real Bev
2017-12-07 18:49:46 UTC
Permalink
Back when we were doing a lot of traveling (NOT interstates) in the
midwest and east, every once on a while we would see a large official
sign by the side of the main road proclaiming EMERGENCY VEHICLE. There
would be some sort of cutout or dirt road leading to some unknown
destination, and there was ALWAYS some sort of ancient rusted wreck nearby.

We've pondered these signs for decades, with no conclusion. Anybody
know WTF these signs actually are for and why there are always wrecks
nearby?
--
Cheers, Bev
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already
earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by
mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice."
-- Albert Einstein
Jeff
2017-12-12 08:13:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by The Real Bev
Back when we were doing a lot of traveling (NOT interstates) in the
midwest and east, every once on a while we would see a large official
sign by the side of the main road proclaiming EMERGENCY VEHICLE. There
would be some sort of cutout or dirt road leading to some unknown
destination, and there was ALWAYS some sort of ancient rusted wreck nearby.
We've pondered these signs for decades, with no conclusion. Anybody
know WTF these signs actually are for and why there are always wrecks
nearby?
My first guess would be that there is hidden residence(s) down that road and
the sign is to show emergency vehicles where to turn if they are trying to
get access.

A less likely second guess could be that a volunteer fireman is down that
road and the sign is to warn you that an emergency vehicle could come out to
the main road there.

Can't explain the wrecks, though.
The Real Bev
2017-12-12 16:10:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by Jeff
Post by The Real Bev
Back when we were doing a lot of traveling (NOT interstates) in the
midwest and east, every once on a while we would see a large official
sign by the side of the main road proclaiming EMERGENCY VEHICLE. There
would be some sort of cutout or dirt road leading to some unknown
destination, and there was ALWAYS some sort of ancient rusted wreck nearby.
We've pondered these signs for decades, with no conclusion. Anybody
know WTF these signs actually are for and why there are always wrecks
nearby?
My first guess would be that there is hidden residence(s) down that road and
the sign is to show emergency vehicles where to turn if they are trying to
get access.
A less likely second guess could be that a volunteer fireman is down that
road and the sign is to warn you that an emergency vehicle could come out to
the main road there.
Can't explain the wrecks, though.
Perhaps people who didn't get out of the way of the emerging emergency
vehicle fast enough...
--
Cheers, Bev
"The object in life is not to be on the side of the
majority, but to be insane in such a useful way that
they can't commit you." -- Mark Edwards
Erik Meltzer
2018-05-16 11:14:27 UTC
Permalink
Hi!
Post by The Real Bev
Back when we were doing a lot of traveling (NOT interstates) in the
midwest and east, every once on a while we would see a large official
sign by the side of the main road proclaiming EMERGENCY VEHICLE.  There
would be some sort of cutout or dirt road leading to some unknown
destination,
Here in Germany, there are plenty of small access roads to Autobahns
marked (with the German signage equivalent to) "no passing for any
vehicles except emergency vehicles". They're for letting local
fire departments et.al. to enter the Autobahn in case of a crash
there, without needing to take the long way via the next official
entry/exit. Usually they lead to some acticultural road, which
from the other end is marked as no access accordingly.
Post by The Real Bev
and  there was ALWAYS some sort of ancient rusted wreck
nearby.
Maybe the tow trucks dumped the wrecks near the access roads after
having dragged them off the main road, when it seemed foreseeable
that no-one would come to claim them and pay the towing bill?

Unrelated side note: I just resubscribed to rec.autos.driving after
a decade or so of absence, and got only nine postings. Is this
group dead, or is something wrong with my feed?

Yours,
Ermel.
--
Nach 10 Jahren oder so zurück im Usenet.
Schmeckt wie früher.
The Real Bev
2018-05-16 15:52:14 UTC
Permalink
Post by Erik Meltzer
Hi!
Post by The Real Bev
Back when we were doing a lot of traveling (NOT interstates) in the
midwest and east, every once on a while we would see a large official
sign by the side of the main road proclaiming EMERGENCY VEHICLE. There
would be some sort of cutout or dirt road leading to some unknown
destination,
Here in Germany, there are plenty of small access roads to Autobahns
marked (with the German signage equivalent to) "no passing for any
vehicles except emergency vehicles". They're for letting local
fire departments et.al. to enter the Autobahn in case of a crash
there, without needing to take the long way via the next official
entry/exit. Usually they lead to some acticultural road, which
from the other end is marked as no access accordingly.
Post by The Real Bev
and there was ALWAYS some sort of ancient rusted wreck
nearby.
Maybe the tow trucks dumped the wrecks near the access roads after
having dragged them off the main road, when it seemed foreseeable
that no-one would come to claim them and pay the towing bill?
Unrelated side note: I just resubscribed to rec.autos.driving after
a decade or so of absence, and got only nine postings. Is this
group dead, or is something wrong with my feed?
Nope, this is the new 'normal'. The only really active groups, at least
of the 30 or so I subscribe to, seem to be computer-related. Everyone
else seems to have migrated to facebook, which is a real shame. It's no
substitute.

At least I still check usenet every day and even post spontaneously
sometimes.

Are there still no speed limits on the Autobahn? The highest speed
limit I've seen in the US is 80 mph on I-15 in southern Utah. Texas has
an 85 mph limit somewhere.
--
Cheers, Bev
"I just realized how bad the economy really is. I recently
bought a new toaster oven and as a complimentary gift,
I was given a bank." -- L. Legro
Erik Meltzer
2018-05-16 16:04:31 UTC
Permalink
Hi!
Is this group dead, or is something wrong with my feed?
Nope, this is the new 'normal'.  The only really active groups, at least
of the 30 or so I subscribe to, seem to be computer-related.  Everyone
else seems to have migrated to facebook, which is a real shame.  It's no
substitute.
Nothing that's controlled by a company is a substitute, by definition.
They'll all disappear some day. Usenet won't (it might keep getting
smaller, but there'll always be a geek with a newsserver somewhere).
Are there still no speed limits on the Autobahn?
Most Autobahns are unlimited, but those most travelled typically have
a 120 km/h limit these days. Some have adaptive speed limits: huge
illuminated signs that can show different speed limits (and other
signs like "no overtaking for trucks" or "fog" etc.) according to
conditions. When conditions are good and traffic is light, most of
those are unlimited too.

But most drivers seem to have slowed down. I don't see nearly as
many speeding past me with 200+ km/h as I did a decade ago. I don't
think fuel prices are the reason; they haven't risen that much.
Probably a combination of more traffic and more thinking? Well,
maybe I'm just being optimistic.

My feel-good speed varies between 100 and 160 km/h (60 to 100 mph)
depending on circumstances and conditions.

Yours,
Ermel.
--
Nach 10 Jahren oder so zurück im Usenet.
Schmeckt wie früher.
The Real Bev
2018-05-16 16:57:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Erik Meltzer
Hi!
Post by The Real Bev
Is this group dead, or is something wrong with my feed?
Nope, this is the new 'normal'. The only really active groups, at least
of the 30 or so I subscribe to, seem to be computer-related. Everyone
else seems to have migrated to facebook, which is a real shame. It's no
substitute.
Nothing that's controlled by a company is a substitute, by definition.
They'll all disappear some day. Usenet won't (it might keep getting
smaller, but there'll always be a geek with a newsserver somewhere).
My ISP discontinued its newsserver subscription years ago. Apparently
it was expensive and not used all that much. Toward what I assume is
the end, the helpdroids didn't even know what usenet was. One of them
thought it was maybe some sort of satellite service.

I don't know how news.eternal-september stays in business, but we owe
him/them a lot.
Post by Erik Meltzer
Post by The Real Bev
Are there still no speed limits on the Autobahn?
Most Autobahns are unlimited, but those most travelled typically have
a 120 km/h limit these days. Some have adaptive speed limits: huge
illuminated signs that can show different speed limits (and other
signs like "no overtaking for trucks" or "fog" etc.) according to
conditions. When conditions are good and traffic is light, most of
those are unlimited too.
But most drivers seem to have slowed down.
The freeways are miserably crowded in the Los Angeles area now.
Doubling the number of lanes would only -- at best -- cut the traffic in
half, and that would still be miserable. Just too many people now, and
I don't see any way to improve that. 'Rush hour' now lasts from 6am to
10am or later and 3pm to god knows when. We're all doomed :-( Even
thinking about speed limits most of the time is silly.
Post by Erik Meltzer
I don't see nearly as
many speeding past me with 200+ km/h as I did a decade ago. I don't
think fuel prices are the reason; they haven't risen that much.
Probably a combination of more traffic and more thinking? Well,
maybe I'm just being optimistic.
My feel-good speed varies between 100 and 160 km/h (60 to 100 mph)
depending on circumstances and conditions.
Sounds reasonable. It depends on lack of crowding and time traveled at
a high speed -- after a while it begins to seem slow and I speed up
without thinking. Easy to drive on autopilot if the highway is good and
nobody else is using it. I love Utah.
--
Cheers, Bev
"On the other hand, I live in California so I'd be willing to
squeeze schoolchildren to death if I thought some oil would
come out." -- Scott Adams
Erik Meltzer
2018-05-21 10:48:45 UTC
Permalink
Hi!
My ISP discontinued its newsserver subscription years ago.  Apparently
it was expensive and not used all that much.  Toward what I assume is
the end, the helpdroids didn't even know what usenet was.  One of them
thought it was maybe some sort of satellite service.
Heh.
I don't know how news.eternal-september stays in business, but we owe
him/them a lot.
I think it's a labour of love mostly.
The freeways are miserably crowded in the Los Angeles area now. Doubling
the number of lanes would only -- at best -- cut the traffic in half,
and that would still be miserable.  Just too many people now, and I
don't see any way to improve that.  'Rush hour' now lasts from 6am to
10am or later and 3pm to god knows when.  We're all doomed :-(   Even
thinking about speed limits most of the time is silly.
Eventually, I think you'll have to go back to public transport.
Big cities here (nowhere near as big als LA, although I think
the Ruhrgebiet, which is a continuous metropolis consisting of
dozens of big cities might come somewhat close) rely on it, and
despite constand moaning and bitching it seems to work quite
well. Car ownership in big cities is on the decline too -- I
understand it's similar in NYC, is it not?

[Erik Meltzer previously wrote:]
Post by Erik Meltzer
I don't see nearly as
many speeding past me with 200+ km/h as I did a decade ago.  I don't
think fuel prices are the reason; they haven't risen that much.
Probably a combination of more traffic and more thinking?  Well,
maybe I'm just being optimistic.
I have since come up with another theory: speeding is less fun
in SUVs, which are regrettably on the rise over here too, albeit
not nearly as much as in the US from what I read.
Post by Erik Meltzer
My feel-good speed varies between 100 and 160 km/h (60 to 100 mph)
depending on circumstances and conditions.
Sounds reasonable.  It depends on lack of crowding and time traveled at
a high speed -- after a while it begins to seem slow and I speed up
without thinking.  Easy to drive on autopilot if the highway is good and
nobody else is using it.  I love Utah.
This is the country of high speed differentials -- big rigs are limited
to 55 mph, suggested speed (where unlimited) for passenger cars and
light trucks (under 3.5 metric tonnes GVW) is 80 mph, and even twice
that is to be expected, albeit rarer than it used to be. And still,
for the most part, we get along fine.

Which means that you can choose to go slowly, if you so desire. It is
not advisable to go slower than the big rigs, lest their drivers get
irate and/or the police pull you over to inquire what is wrong with you
and/or your vehicle. But it's no problem to go 60 or 70 mph if you
feel like it. And if there's time, I like to do so.

Of course, you can go even more slowly -- just not on the Autobahn.
There's a network of Bundesstraßen and Landstraßen on which you can
avoid ever touching an Autobahn at all and still travel long distances.
On travel weekends, I usually take the time to do that -- it's way
slower, but it makes up for it in stress relief and sightseeing, at
least in my book.

Yours,
Ermel.
--
Nach 10 Jahren oder so zurück im Usenet.
Schmeckt wie früher.
The Real Bev
2018-05-22 21:40:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Erik Meltzer
Eventually, I think you'll have to go back to public transport.
Big cities here (nowhere near as big als LA, although I think
the Ruhrgebiet, which is a continuous metropolis consisting of
dozens of big cities might come somewhat close) rely on it, and
despite constand moaning and bitching it seems to work quite
well. Car ownership in big cities is on the decline too -- I
understand it's similar in NYC, is it not?
Apparently, but I live in the suburbs of Los Angeles and public
transportation is woefully inadequate for general usage. I can drive to
my daughter's house ~30 miles away in half an hour. It would take 5
hours by public transportation. There are just too many places to go
to/from here to make this practical.

Uber is suggested, but I don't see how that makes a difference. A car
on the road is a car on the road. Period. It solves the parking
problem, of course.
Post by Erik Meltzer
I have since come up with another theory: speeding is less fun
in SUVs, which are regrettably on the rise over here too, albeit
not nearly as much as in the US from what I read.
Worse gas mileage = more expensive, but I don't think that matters as
much as time. You can see further in an SUV than in a Corolla, which
would seem to indicate that you could drive faster...
Post by Erik Meltzer
Which means that you can choose to go slowly, if you so desire. It is
not advisable to go slower than the big rigs, lest their drivers get
irate and/or the police pull you over to inquire what is wrong with you
and/or your vehicle. But it's no problem to go 60 or 70 mph if you
feel like it. And if there's time, I like to do so.
Pretty much the same here, although you're not allowed to drive
small-displacement motorcycles and other slow-by-design vehicles on the
freeways. Theory has it that slow drivers use the rightmost lane and
fast drivers use the leftmost, but slow drivers don't seem to understand
that concept. These are the same people who apparently can't read the
SLOW VEHICLES USE TURNOUTS signs on narrow mountain roads.
Post by Erik Meltzer
Of course, you can go even more slowly -- just not on the Autobahn.
There's a network of Bundesstraßen and Landstraßen on which you can
avoid ever touching an Autobahn at all and still travel long distances.
On travel weekends, I usually take the time to do that -- it's way
slower, but it makes up for it in stress relief and sightseeing, at
least in my book.
'Interstates' are generally not all that interesting for pleasure trips,
although they're fine for speed once you get out of the cities. Older
Federal and State highways are much better and more interesting and
those are what we used for most of our cross-country driving.

BTW, your English is perfect. If you're not a native English speaker
I'm impressed as all hell!
--
Cheers, Bev
"In a closed society where everybody's guilty, the only crime
is getting caught. In a world of thieves, the only final sin
is stupidity." -- H.S. Thompson
Erik Meltzer
2018-05-23 10:46:16 UTC
Permalink
Hi!
Post by The Real Bev
Post by Erik Meltzer
Eventually, I think you'll have to go back to public transport.
Apparently, but I live in the suburbs of Los Angeles and public
transportation is woefully inadequate for general usage.  I can drive to
my daughter's house ~30 miles away in half an hour.  It would take 5
hours by public transportation.  There are just too many places to go
to/from here to make this practical.
Uber is suggested, but I don't see how that makes a difference.  A car
on the road is a car on the road.  Period.  It solves the parking
problem, of course.
One might conceive something like buses that do not travel on
predefined routes but according to demand. Passengers use their
smartphone to register their location and destination and their
desired time of departure, and a computer system routes the
buses accordingly. Something similar is being built in Hamburg,
Germany; we'll see how it goes, but given enough buses (or vans,
which is what they'll use there), I can imagine it should work
well. And be cheaper than taxis or Ubers, too. (Ubers are not
really a viable alternative anyway -- they're affordable only by
exploiting the owners/drivers.)
Post by The Real Bev
Post by Erik Meltzer
I have since come up with another theory: speeding is less fun
in SUVs, which are regrettably on the rise over here too, albeit
not nearly as much as in the US from what I read.
Worse gas mileage = more expensive, but I don't think that matters as
much as time.  You can see further in an SUV than in a Corolla, which
would seem to indicate that you could drive faster...
The same speed feels the faster the higher you're sitting. Hence,
maybe 100 mph in an SUV feels like 140 mph in a sedan (of similar
size, engine, and ride quality).
Post by The Real Bev
Pretty much the same here, although  you're not allowed to drive
small-displacement motorcycles and other slow-by-design vehicles on the
freeways.
There is such a limit in Germany as well, but it's ridiculously
slow: you must be able to drive 60 km/h (36 mph) to legally use
an Autobahn. The only vehicles that actually go that slow are
driveable cranes and such, and sometimes city buses with standing
passengers and motorbikes with trailers (both of which can't
legally go faster).
Post by The Real Bev
Theory has it that slow drivers use the rightmost lane and
fast drivers use the leftmost, but slow drivers don't seem to understand
that concept.  These are the same people who apparently can't read the
SLOW VEHICLES USE TURNOUTS signs on narrow mountain roads.
Slow traffic keep right works reasonably well over here. Letting
faster traffic pass on single-lane roads does not.
Post by The Real Bev
'Interstates' are generally not all that interesting for pleasure trips,
although they're fine for speed once you get out of the cities.  Older
Federal and State highways are much better and more interesting and
those are what we used for most of our cross-country driving.
So that's similar. But I use the Bundesstraßen and Landstraßen
not just for pleasure trips (and getting to the Autobahn), but
sometimes also because I don't feel like participating in a
traffic jam. Even with the big rig I drive for work, I've been
known to avoid Autobahns (and occasionally it turned out I was
actually faster that way).
Post by The Real Bev
BTW, your English is perfect.  If you're not a native English speaker
I'm impressed as all hell!
Thank you. I was in England twice for a couple of weeks as a
teenager, and I've mostly been reading English books and watching
English movies ever since (and of course, websites & newsgroups).

Yours,
Ermel.
--
Nach 10 Jahren oder so zurück im Usenet.
Schmeckt wie früher.
The Real Bev
2018-05-23 17:21:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by Erik Meltzer
Hi!
Post by The Real Bev
Post by Erik Meltzer
Eventually, I think you'll have to go back to public transport.
Apparently, but I live in the suburbs of Los Angeles and public
transportation is woefully inadequate for general usage. I can drive to
my daughter's house ~30 miles away in half an hour. It would take 5
hours by public transportation. There are just too many places to go
to/from here to make this practical.
Uber is suggested, but I don't see how that makes a difference. A car
on the road is a car on the road. Period. It solves the parking
problem, of course.
One might conceive something like buses that do not travel on
predefined routes but according to demand. Passengers use their
smartphone to register their location and destination and their
desired time of departure, and a computer system routes the
buses accordingly. Something similar is being built in Hamburg,
Germany; we'll see how it goes, but given enough buses (or vans,
which is what they'll use there), I can imagine it should work
well. And be cheaper than taxis or Ubers, too. (Ubers are not
really a viable alternative anyway -- they're affordable only by
exploiting the owners/drivers.)
"Jitney" system. For many years a distinguished British gentleman
annoyed out City Fathers by advocating (loudly, and he had a beautiful
singing voice) such a system at every council meeting. He ran for city
council once, accepting no contribution greater than $5 (my only EVER
political contribution) and lost, unfortunately. There's a cheap/free
local bus system, but I've never used it. The Metro system (parts of LA
County) is very nearly free for seniors, but I use it only for the few
places I go to where I would have to pay for parking at $4/hour or more.
Post by Erik Meltzer
Post by The Real Bev
Post by Erik Meltzer
I have since come up with another theory: speeding is less fun
in SUVs, which are regrettably on the rise over here too, albeit
not nearly as much as in the US from what I read.
Worse gas mileage = more expensive, but I don't think that matters as
much as time. You can see further in an SUV than in a Corolla, which
would seem to indicate that you could drive faster...
The same speed feels the faster the higher you're sitting. Hence,
maybe 100 mph in an SUV feels like 140 mph in a sedan (of similar
size, engine, and ride quality).
Post by The Real Bev
Pretty much the same here, although you're not allowed to drive
small-displacement motorcycles and other slow-by-design vehicles on the
freeways.
There is such a limit in Germany as well, but it's ridiculously
slow: you must be able to drive 60 km/h (36 mph) to legally use
an Autobahn. The only vehicles that actually go that slow are
driveable cranes and such, and sometimes city buses with standing
passengers and motorbikes with trailers (both of which can't
legally go faster).
There are places out in the desert where the freeway is the only road
that bicycles are allowed to use on the shoulder. I don't think we
have speed limits for city buses, but I've never seen any (that I
remember) on the freeway. Tour buses are common on the freeways and
seem to exceed the nominal speed limit as often as cars do.
Post by Erik Meltzer
Post by The Real Bev
BTW, your English is perfect. If you're not a native English speaker
I'm impressed as all hell!
Thank you. I was in England twice for a couple of weeks as a
teenager, and I've mostly been reading English books and watching
English movies ever since (and of course, websites & newsgroups).
Do you have a British or American accent?

We've been watching a German TV series called Bad Banks (in English).
It's in German and sometimes French with English subtitles. It's truly
impressive that the actors speak genuine unaccented American English as
well as what sounds to my ears to be perfect German (I studied for 6
weeks and couldn't take it any more) and French (5 years). I'm also
amazed at the Australian actors with perfect American accents.

The idea that people can grow up speaking several languages natively is
enviable.
--
Cheers, Bev
Not all cultures are equal. If they were, we
would have a lot more cannibal restaurants.
Arif Khokar
2018-05-21 02:39:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Erik Meltzer
Unrelated side note: I just resubscribed to rec.autos.driving after
a decade or so of absence, and got only nine postings.  Is this
group dead, or is something wrong with my feed?
It's been effectively dead for the last 2 years or so. None of the
regular posters have been on here for quite a while. What I mostly see
in this group is cross-posted spam.
Bernd Felsche
2018-05-24 22:58:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Erik Meltzer
Here in Germany, there are plenty of small access roads to Autobahns
marked (with the German signage equivalent to) "no passing for any
vehicles except emergency vehicles". They're for letting local
fire departments et.al. to enter the Autobahn in case of a crash
there, without needing to take the long way via the next official
entry/exit. Usually they lead to some acticultural road, which
from the other end is marked as no access accordingly.
It's all very organized in Germany. Even if it doesn't always work
as it should. ;-)
Post by Erik Meltzer
and� there was ALWAYS some sort of ancient rusted wreck
nearby.
Maybe the tow trucks dumped the wrecks near the access roads after
having dragged them off the main road, when it seemed foreseeable
that no-one would come to claim them and pay the towing bill?
Unrelated side note: I just resubscribed to rec.autos.driving after
a decade or so of absence, and got only nine postings. Is this
group dead, or is something wrong with my feed?
It just got a lot quieter when people moved to the Internet for
finger-painters.

Likely your feed is subscription/reader sensistive but don't expects
hundreds of articles a day.
--
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Somewhere in Western Australia
\ / ASCII ribbon campaign | For every complex problem there is an
X against HTML mail | answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.
/ \ and postings | --HL Mencken
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