How To Survive Connecticut Roadways
Created | Updated Oct 19, 2012
Connecticut highways are the most interesting in the US. Being a transient state (DEF: transient state - state between major cities... see New Jersey) CT gets alot of city style drivers. Also being a transient state ends up with highways more ad hocked than planned.
First, not all drivers, but enough to make you notice, are transplanted New York City (NYC) drivers. So expect the same level casual easy driving that NYC is known for. Expect vehicles flying past you at over 80mph. Expect passing on the right. Expect 2 ft. clearance when passing. On local roads yellow traffic lights mean nothing, expect cars to frequently run red lights. Expect left turns from the right land (and vice-versa). Finally, never presume the other driver knows what the heck he is doing. On Rt. 95 (which is the life line of the southern coast) you can do over 65mph even in 55mph zones without much trouble. General rule of thumb is to gage your speed by the flow of traffic. In some sections you won't get pulled over for doing anything less than 70mph (maybe even 75mph).
If you are trying to understand the logic of CT roadways, stop now you will end up doing more brain damage than a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. There are construction projects that tear up perfectly good highway and spend 8 months putting it back. Their favorite is tearing up poor flow areas of the highway and installing larger medians (see Rt. 95 North Exit 82A). Beware of bottlenecks (where 3 lanes become 2), there are no warnings (like the other 23 states I have driven through that warn you every 500 feet for at least ΒΌ mile) and often widen again for an exit lane or for a third lane again 20 feet down the road. Which brings up another excellent point, signs that are supposed to warn you of danger like this lane is left turn only, lane ends, bridge out, etc. are either posted 5 feet after the danger or are not there at all. This is especially true for local driving. One particular road in New London has two lanes and it alternates left turn left lane only and right turn right lane only so many times that trying to go down the road requires more weaving than pod racing.
Overall, if you are from a major metropolitan or are one of those people shown on TV in a high speed police chase while doing drugs and inclined to suicidal tendencies you will be okay. As for everyone else: Don't Panic.
First, not all drivers, but enough to make you notice, are transplanted New York City (NYC) drivers. So expect the same level casual easy driving that NYC is known for. Expect vehicles flying past you at over 80mph. Expect passing on the right. Expect 2 ft. clearance when passing. On local roads yellow traffic lights mean nothing, expect cars to frequently run red lights. Expect left turns from the right land (and vice-versa). Finally, never presume the other driver knows what the heck he is doing. On Rt. 95 (which is the life line of the southern coast) you can do over 65mph even in 55mph zones without much trouble. General rule of thumb is to gage your speed by the flow of traffic. In some sections you won't get pulled over for doing anything less than 70mph (maybe even 75mph).
If you are trying to understand the logic of CT roadways, stop now you will end up doing more brain damage than a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. There are construction projects that tear up perfectly good highway and spend 8 months putting it back. Their favorite is tearing up poor flow areas of the highway and installing larger medians (see Rt. 95 North Exit 82A). Beware of bottlenecks (where 3 lanes become 2), there are no warnings (like the other 23 states I have driven through that warn you every 500 feet for at least ΒΌ mile) and often widen again for an exit lane or for a third lane again 20 feet down the road. Which brings up another excellent point, signs that are supposed to warn you of danger like this lane is left turn only, lane ends, bridge out, etc. are either posted 5 feet after the danger or are not there at all. This is especially true for local driving. One particular road in New London has two lanes and it alternates left turn left lane only and right turn right lane only so many times that trying to go down the road requires more weaving than pod racing.
Overall, if you are from a major metropolitan or are one of those people shown on TV in a high speed police chase while doing drugs and inclined to suicidal tendencies you will be okay. As for everyone else: Don't Panic.
