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October 15, 2015

One thing I REALLY hate about California

Not having been here on a vacation in four years, maybe I didn't notice it as much before. Or maybe Texas, and other states, have gotten better about it since then.

Here's the details on what really pisses me off.

Texas, and most states, at every exit on an interstate or other major freeway, after the green-backed "exit" sign, will have a blue-backed sign listing service available at that exit, as in "gas, fuel, lodging," "gas, fuel," or even the "no services."

California? It's spotty. For instance, at the north end of Santa Barbara on US 101, a sign said "services available next 9 exits" without individual exit details.

But, that's a small part of the problem. Normally, most states, at each exit, have individual placards for brand names of services at that exit, like McDonalds, Taco Bell, etc., for food, Shell, Mobil, etc., for gas.

Not California.

I don't know if the Cal Legislature passed a law allowing home-rule cities to block such placards (I saw a couple, but only in unincorporated areas or small towns), or (doorknob help me for sounding like Rick Perry or Greg Abbott, the past and current Texas governors) maybe it is part of an "anti-business climate" in the still, at times, Tarnished Brass State.

Whatever the reason for this, it is anti-business. And, in the case of late-night travelers looking not just for food, but specifically for fast food, it's a PITA indeed. It's a PITA to drive past an exit and see a Jack in the Box sign in the rearview mirror, a sign that, for various reasons, could't be seen before the exit.

And, given that not all fast-food places, even on freeways, stay open that late, knowing individual fast food places is important.

This is more than a bad-for-business or similar issue, too.

It's a highway safety issue.

Drivers rubbernecking to try to find fast-food restaurants at 11 p.m. is never a good idea, especially if they're out-of-region, let alone out-of-state, tourists.

Speaking of, California?

You could learn one other highway safety issue from Texas.

Except in mountainous areas, where it's more understandable, ditch the separate semi speed limits.

Here in Texas, it was shown, before we got rid of them, to actually add to traffic flow problems.

If it's an air-quality issue, make your diesel even cleaner. But get rid of the speed limit split.

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And, yes, this is a sign of the apocalypse, to have Texas getting multiple things more right than California.

2 comments:

  1. It may not seem like a big issue ... but hungry drivers not finding food at midnight IS a bit of a safety issue ... sorry.

    ReplyDelete

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