[Industrialblog,
November 20, 2006]
To lighten things up ...
As a native New Jerseyan (now in exile--thankfully) I can do some things you non-natives can't, such as easily and safely navigate a traffic circle (knock on wood).
Here's a list of traffic circles in New Jersey. I think I've been through every last one of them at one time or another. When I drove between Philly and Toms River, I had to go through seven of these circles each way. Most are gone (alas)(thank God).
Worst: Little Ferry circle. Too small, too much traffic coming off Route 46, where trucks would be coming down hill and just have too much speed. Fortunately, I think I was only in it once.
Runner-up: Somerville Circle. Completely hair-raising way to get on Route 206 south; intersection of 202 and 206 and 28, and not far from 78 and 22. I used to take it for those six months in 1984 when I had a girlfriend in Hillsborough.
Runner-up 2: Laurelton circle. A five-point circle, forgotten which roads outside of Princeton and Hooper since my mind now confuses it with the Brielle Circle, both of which I used to go through all the time. I was always in this circle, both driving and biking my way through. Was close to where I lived in Toms River.
Easiest: Asbury Park circle. Route 35 and something I've forgotten, which is sad because I took that highway all the time between the Parkway and Neptune. Route 66? Route 18? It's a big circle and that means the traffic tends to flow pretty easily through it, despite heavy traffic.
Closest to home: Hasbrouck Heights, Passaic Avenue and Boulevard (the only place my father ever had a car accident in 60-plus years of driving (knock on wood)): I had to walk next to this circle each day on my way to elementary school.
Second closest to home: Lakehurst Circle, Routes 70 and 37 in Lakehurst. Also pretty easy to get through because it's a three-point intersection, IIRC.
Keys to navigating a traffic circle: Heck if I know. I just sorta get through alive. Prayer helps.
Here's a list of traffic circles in New Jersey. I think I've been through every last one of them at one time or another. When I drove between Philly and Toms River, I had to go through seven of these circles each way. Most are gone (alas)(thank God).
Worst: Little Ferry circle. Too small, too much traffic coming off Route 46, where trucks would be coming down hill and just have too much speed. Fortunately, I think I was only in it once.
Runner-up: Somerville Circle. Completely hair-raising way to get on Route 206 south; intersection of 202 and 206 and 28, and not far from 78 and 22. I used to take it for those six months in 1984 when I had a girlfriend in Hillsborough.
Runner-up 2: Laurelton circle. A five-point circle, forgotten which roads outside of Princeton and Hooper since my mind now confuses it with the Brielle Circle, both of which I used to go through all the time. I was always in this circle, both driving and biking my way through. Was close to where I lived in Toms River.
Easiest: Asbury Park circle. Route 35 and something I've forgotten, which is sad because I took that highway all the time between the Parkway and Neptune. Route 66? Route 18? It's a big circle and that means the traffic tends to flow pretty easily through it, despite heavy traffic.
Closest to home: Hasbrouck Heights, Passaic Avenue and Boulevard (the only place my father ever had a car accident in 60-plus years of driving (knock on wood)): I had to walk next to this circle each day on my way to elementary school.
Second closest to home: Lakehurst Circle, Routes 70 and 37 in Lakehurst. Also pretty easy to get through because it's a three-point intersection, IIRC.
Keys to navigating a traffic circle: Heck if I know. I just sorta get through alive. Prayer helps.