New U.S. 331 Bridge across Choctawhatchee Bay Now Open

[Lady D]

Please don't misunderstand my post. I love folks from Tennessee. I have many friends who live there, and I started my college career at a small liberal arts college up in northern Tennessee up by the Cumberland Gap/tri-states area way, way back in the day. I could have said Michigan, Texas, Georgia, or any other place about the driver I interacted with....but this particular driver had Tennessee plates. I try to be sensitive to the fact that most of our in-bound guests have been on the road all day, and are ready to get to their accommodations and relax. Therefore, I normally just stay off the road (particularly 331) on check-out/check-in day to not add to the fray. My trip was unplanned and emergent enough to get me on the road. My comments were more geared to my thought that folks should just relax, be patient, be a nice driver, and let folks merge when the lanes merge. One really won't get there any sooner by doing otherwise. I think this will all soon be over when the road construction is complete and folks can zoom down unimpeded by roadwork and closed lanes, We just have to be patient and let things play out.

We fuss about some of the others driving ourselves coming in 331 when we used to go that way. It's hateful when there is a train and no one will make an attempt to pass when they have the opportunity. Slows everyone down.

 

[beachmouse]

We fuss about some of the others driving ourselves coming in 331 when we used to go that way. It's hateful when there is a train and no one will make an attempt to pass when they have the opportunity. Slows everyone down.

We came across the most wonderful traffic law last month in Washington state- there are designated pull out areas on major two lane roadways. If you are holding up traffic so that there's a train of five or more cars behind you, you must pull into the turnout to allow them to pass. Seems to balance the needs and abilities of many different motorists and their vehicles out with a pretty minimal additional road cost in most cases.

 

[North Lake]

Don't know about a law requiring use of them, but Alabama and South Carolina also have these kind of turn-outs. Alas, we don't have them here.

 

[North Lake]

We fuss about some of the others driving ourselves coming in 331 when we used to go that way. It's hateful when there is a train and no one will make an attempt to pass when they have the opportunity. Slows everyone down.

I make it a point to not try and pass on 331 nowadays - at least for the past two years. One won't get there any faster, or any slower, than just staying in line and going with the flow down the road. Inevitably, we all end up meeting at the 331/98 traffic light. I do the legal speed limit as I go so's not to slow things down -- but the beach isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Getting there before the car in front of me is not a goal I aspire to in my old age and 50 years of driving that road. Arriving alive with no dings on the car is a goal that I can get behind. There's no safe place to pass on 331 right now.

 

[Lady D]

I make it a point to not try and pass on 331 nowadays - at least for the past two years. One won't get there any faster, or any slower, than just staying in line and going with the flow down the road. Inevitably, we all end up meeting at the 331/98 traffic light. I do the legal speed limit as I go so's not to slow things down -- but the beach isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Getting there before the car in front of me is not a goal I aspire to in my old age and 50 years of driving that road. Arriving alive with no dings on the car is a goal that I can get behind. There's no safe place to pass on 331 right now.

You're right. The beach isn't going anywhere. That's for sure. But somehow I don't think all of these people are going the speed limit. Oh well, doesn't affect us anymore.