[Shotimes] LLBs in IL and FL

[George Fourchy]

On Thu, 01 Jan 2004 13:09:48 -0800, Alan Fanning wrote:

>Thinking of some of our roads out here (I-5 comes to mind), I wonder if the
>trucks may have damaged the right lane so that the left is a lot more
>attractive for cruising along.

That's my logic.  I-80 between Sacramento and San Francisco is either 3 or 4 lanes
wide, and was built in 1965.  (Imagine how great it was back then, 4 lanes, and
hardly any cars, even during rush hour!)  Between Vacaville and Vallejo it is 4
lanes,  all (except for a couple miles of pretty good asphalt repairs going in one
direction) concrete, and until 2000 hadn't needed any major repairs, save for that
one asphalt section.  At that time, CalTrans decided to plane (smooth the surface)
of the right three lanes.  Prior to that, the #4 lane, the farthest right, was
rougher than a cob in most places, due to 35 years of trucks.  A few months after
the planing, all three lanes were very smooth, with the #1 lane still having its
original slight irregularities due to older technology in concrete pouring.  But
now, after three years, the outer lane is as rough as a cob again, and the #3 lane
is right behind it.  I've cruised in the left lane forever for this reason, since
the '60s, and never gotten a ticket for it.  Now, especially with the Lowrider, if
I'm in either of the right two lanes, the tires are only on the road half the time. 
The rest of the time at least one is airborne at any given instant. 

When they finally decide to replace those two outer lanes of concrete (coming soon,
no budget or not), I want to have retired already.....the trip in or out will take
half a day, either way.

Now that half the CHP officers are furloughed, the new unofficial speed limit is 75,
and anything over 80 is what the remaining cops look for first (got that info first
hand from a flying cop).  MPG suffers a bit, but I sure am enjoying the commute,
especially at night!!  ;-)

George