OT: Travel around Chicago

[elevmike]

Eric,

A few years ago there was a Modern Marvels episode about the Lincloin tunnel, the origional construction, then the upgrade to the blower house.. It was pretty interesting. Maybe you have that video too...

 

[Eric Nelson]

Eric, is it the Lincoln tunnel that's $7.50? I accidentally got in the EZ-pass lane there and they waved me through. OOPS!

The Lincoln Tunnel is run by the Port Authority. They handle the Hudson River crossings (Holland Tunnel, George Washington Bridge, etc.). All Hudson River crossings are $6 into NY, free on the way back to NJ. You save a buck or 2 with EZ-Pass, depending on the time of day.

I'm pretty sure you STILL can't enter the city via the Holland Tunnel with a commercial vehicle.

I'll have them send you a bill for the $6 you owe them...

A few years ago there was a Modern Marvels episode about the Lincloin tunnel, the origional construction, then the upgrade to the blower house.. It was pretty interesting. Maybe you have that video too...

I didn't keep that one, but I'll be on the lookout for it. They rebroadcast those Modern Marvels over and over (and OVER). My fascination is with the Brooklyn Bridge construction...

Which reminds me... It's time to upload a fresh video. The baggage handling one has been sitting there over 2 weeks!...

beerchug

-Eric

 

[akreel]

Ya'll should move to MI...Not one toll road in sight!...But no public transportation either....

I-80/90 through Indiana is a toll road.
From Milwaukee, it's all tolls from the Illinois state line to New York City!

But, the states beyond Illinois have got a great system worked out. You take your ticket at the border crossing and pay when you exit. There are fewer exits/entrances, which makes for smoother traffic. And, there are nice gas/food/pet exercise rest stops every 30 miles or so. Once you get past the Chicago Skyway, it's a nice ride.

AK

 

[testsubject]

I am a little leary about such a system though. I like to speed and this kind of system can be used to monitor travel speed and could be used to catch me.

 

[Rick Densing]

I am a little leary about such a system though. I like to speed and this kind of system can be used to monitor travel speed and could be used to catch me.

Don't worry, they use the black helicopters for that.

 

[Steve Bailey]

Actually, if they wanted to, they could track your speed without the EZ-Pass tags. Simply divide the mileage between toll booths by the time difference between when you accepted the toll ticket as you got on the tollway and when you surrender it. They could even incorporate your fine into the toll.

 

[testsubject]

Steve,

That is what I was referring to about the systems like the on they have in Indiana. It is real easy to tell if the driver was speeding.

Bob

 

[glaverty]

I-Pass claims not to monitor your speed, but I bet it would make for good traffic monitoring.

My dad uses I-Pass all the time, speeds heavily, uses one hand to talk on the phone, one to write notes and his knee to steer. Scares the **** out of my mom who is constantly yelling "Jesus Dick!" and stomping on a brake that isn't on her side of the car.

He is possibly one of the worst drivers I have ever ridden with, the kicker is a few years back he got a good driver award from the state and hasn't gotten a speeding ticket by using I-Pass.

My neighbor got a $4000 fine for running tolls for over a year, they fine you for each violation. Some how his dad talked his way out of the fines though and just ended up paying the actual toll costs. He had an I-Pass the next day.

 

[ndzied1]

I got my I-pass when my drivers side power window stopped working and I was too cheap to have it fixed and too strapped for time to do it myself.

testsubject wrote:

I have become very acquainted with Chicago's transit system of late since I went back to school. I am on the Metra 4 times a week now.

I rode the blue line to school for 5 years. It's amazing how your body can teach itself to wake up just before your stop almost every time. zzzzz (Only slept past my stop 2 times in 5 years... waking up at O'Hare wasn't bad... waking up on the West side was scary skuller )

 

[Eric Nelson]

I like to speed and this kind of system can be used to monitor travel speed and could be used to catch me.

Easy solution... Increase your speed as you pass through the toll booth. The camera or attendant can't read the plate number on a blur...

beerchug

-Eric

 

[LadderLogic]

Some how his dad talked his way out of the fines though and just ended up paying the actual toll costs.

Now, that's an intriguing piece of information... I wonder, how?

 

[testsubject]

Easy solution... Increase your speed as you pass through the toll booth. The camera or attendant can't read the plate number on a blur...

beerchug

-Eric

What I really need to do is go fast enough that my particles shake and I am able to vibrate right through the gate.

 

[CaseyK]

I don't think Illinois uses any of it's helicopters for traffic, at least on a regular basis. I have never seen any that were black.

Illinois has a bevy of planes for "clocking" speeders, and the standard cruzing altitude is 8000'. The love to get people with radar detectors, cb radios, and volkswagen rabbits.

I never could figure out the rabbit thing.

The I-pass has been a problem for many, with wierd windshields, like Eric's. Several luxury cars have some odd tint on the window that is a reflective metal, an RF doesn't pass.

Solution is to bar code everyone's car or truck. Code reader can spot tolll charges, and also issue your speeding citations, This new plan will be aways out in the distant future. Rumor has it that Mike will be writing the programs for the DL06 based equipment. But only in his SPARE TIME. Let's see, projects already inclde kart, camaro, riding lawn mower, roulette game, portugese translater, looks like we are all safe until at least June.

regards.....casey

 

[elevmike]

Rumor has it that Mike will be writing the programs for the DL06 based equipment. But only in his SPARE TIME. Let's see, projects already inclde kart, camaro, riding lawn mower, roulette game, portugese translater, looks like we are all safe until at least June.

1) Lawn mowing is somebody elses problem now...
2) The Kart is still in the works..under the bench in the shop..
3) The Camero seems to be a dead issue..More bondo then metal..
4) Rolutte..now while playing with it I got a little courious and bought a setup from the local game shop; played with it some..then took 200 bucks to the local casino and came home with 1K!! However I found that I'm not fond of the crowd, and it's a real slow game, and you come home smelling like a burned down distillery..Yuck!
5) Casey, I dont remember the translator project, but then again I suffer from CRS...
6) Been doing a lot of rfid lately..Hmm toll elevator maybe?? But I would never assist at road speed control, as I would shortly become my own worst victim.

 

[pdavis]

CRS???

Chronic Reality Shows?

A Toll Express Elevator would be an excellant idea, rather than stopping at every other floor.

paul, fomerly in the third stall