Breakdown Lane Use!!! - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

BigFish · 05-03-2006, 07:48 AM

So who was the friggin' idiot that thought it would be a good idea to let folks drive the breakdown lane during the rush hours of the commute?!?!

When this went into effect, I felt it was a bad idea and that it would not alleviate traffic much at all.....that it would simply sacrifice safety for a couple of saved minutes!!! People getting on the highway have to deal with the jokers using it as a high speed lane....you virtually have to be doing 50 miles an hour to get on the highway in these areas that allow it......and it is not supposed to be used as a passing lane and no State Cops seem to enforce this??? Not to mention when you want to get off the highway often times you can't easily get off without having to cut someone off!!!

So I am curious how others feel in regards to the use of breakdown lanes for travel during the peak commuter hours?

fishsmith · 05-03-2006, 10:35 AM

Beats the hell out of not having an extra lane, rt3 north is gridlock at rt18 by 6:30am daily, what would it be like without that lane.

"uffah!!" · 05-03-2006, 10:47 AM

Don't know who started it, but , I know quite a few drivers got pi$$ed at me for making the get off the highway where they didn't want too. It is especially dangerous for us guy's in tractor-trailers, your in the first travel lane, and have a turn signal on to get off the highway, and the autos won't let you in the lane to get off!! I've told more than one driver, when your behind me and see that light flashing, I'm not ASKING to turn off, I'm TELLING you thats where I'm going!! Trucks are not allowed to travel in the breakdown lanes.

gone fishin · 05-03-2006, 10:54 AM

I agree Larry - maybe with the loot that the gasoline tax brings in an additional lane or two would be in order. OR perhaps that money ended up in the general fund - same as the license fees that were supposed to support sporting issues?

beamie · 05-03-2006, 11:10 AM

Totally agree Larry.

Many times I almost sideswiped a car coming up from behind on the right not thinking a car would be there when I was approaching an exit.

BigFish · 05-03-2006, 11:13 AM

"Uffah"...never thought about you truckers....man thats gotta suck! Fishsmith...I am talking "Safety" as opposed to saving you or anyone else for that matter a minute or two....because whether you believe it or not....thats all it is saving you! You ever have a guy fly by you in a big GD hurry......he gets in front of you and a couple others and then he hits a snafu of stopped cars and then you wind up getting in front of him again after all his trouble??? That is what I am talking about...we are all going to get there.....people just need to think smart and obey the laws...but unfortunately...they don't!

spence · 05-03-2006, 11:20 AM

Being from Iowa the notion of opening the breakdown lane is completely alien.

I'm not sure what's worse. The danger caused by breakdown lane drivers...or the danger caused by me trying to "catch" them at the 93/24 merge

-spence

Diamond Tackle · 05-03-2006, 11:27 AM

Ive told guys here in NJ that you Mass guys drive on the "shoulder" as we call it here, and they dont even believe me. Maybe you save a few minutes, but if youre going to use it as a passing lane,doing 50 its pretty dangerous.And the cops DO look the other way.
I even observed people getting the HIGH beams while driving on the shoulder. Whats that guy supposed to do drive off into the ditch? Thats just insane. Your cops up there are nuts(sorry but its my opinion). My buddy got a ticket for a headlight out(thats what he was stopped for, NOTHING else. He showed PROOF that the car was just inspected the day before,therefore...logical conclusion, it just happened. Sorry NY Lic plate driver, you lose. Real nice guys.
I simply would never use the shoulder to drive on, legal or not.

Swimmer · 05-03-2006, 11:25 AM

To my way of thinking driving adjacent to or in the breakdown lane is like passing into oncoming traffic on one of those old three lane highways.

Swimmer · 05-04-2006, 11:26 AM

What do the poor people do who get flat tires or become the victim of some other type of vehicle malfunction? Oh I know they just stop in the lane they were driving in because there isn't any breakdown lane anymore. Anyone who thinks that a vehicle being allowed to do 50 m.p.h. or more in the breakdown lane next to vehicle stopped in traffic or only traveling 10 or 20 m.p.h. is being reasonable. Further I think traveling in the breakdown lane was thought up and approved by the local reps. in the legislature as a way of appeasing thier constituents on the south shore. Can't sue a state rep. for his poor judgement. How many people have been run over standing next to thier cars in the "breakdown" lane. Thier have been a few. No civil engineer I know would have designed or approved breakdown lane use.

likwid · 05-04-2006, 11:43 AM

NJ:

All staties in every state go after cars with out of state plates.
They don't expect you to come back and fight it.

seabass · 05-04-2006, 06:21 PM

I love the breakdown lane driving, it makes my morning commute much more fun. I love the drivers who do the 4 lane criss cross to the breakdown lane swerve all the way bacvk twenty times and still end up right next to me!If your that important, leave earlier! I prefer to just show up late.

TheSpecialist · 05-04-2006, 07:22 PM

Aside from the fact that people use it as a passing lane, the other thing that ticks me off is the idiots who know it is being used as a travel lane, that refuse to get into it early enough so that they dont run people off the highway trying to get off at their exit with 200 yards left till the exit.

GET OVER A HALF MILE BEFORE YOUR EXIT BREAKDOWN LANE OR NO BREAKDOWN LANE.

It's like approaching an intersection, and the guy slightly ahead of you in the right lane decides to make a left turn from that right lane, right in front of you in the left lane at the last second.

Redsoxticket · 05-04-2006, 07:33 PM

I was using the break down lane in the early 80s' before it was made legal from beantown. It made for a faster commute.
One day the baseball coach asked me "why are you late"
I said, "I was speeding 60 mph all the way here"
coach said, in a sarcastic tone "well I drive faster then 60 mph". I said, "Yeah in the break down lane". He didn't know what to say afterwards.

Raider Ronnie · 05-04-2006, 08:03 PM

It just comes down to the fact that there are WAY too many cars/trucks on the roads !!!
The price of gas could go up to $10.00 or more a gal and every one would be bitching about the cost and still driving 1 person is a gas guzzling car or truck,
because we are Americans and we are spoiled !!!

Saltheart · 05-05-2006, 07:51 AM

I hate it. Its the most agressive drivers who use it too so its doubly dangerous.

BigFish · 05-05-2006, 08:19 AM

You got that right Saltheart.