I particularly like The Queen, with the automatic and silencer.
(Right-hand drive was a "dead" give-away.)
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carmageddon - LA to shut down the 405
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I particularly like The Queen, with the automatic and silencer.
(Right-hand drive was a "dead" give-away.)
The work has been going well, although after one large piece of concrete fell yesterday. It landed on 4 feet of dirt designed as a cushion, but they were concerned enough about possible damage to the freeway that they'll check that spot before the scheduled reopening tomorrow morning.
Things are going so well, however, that they are speculating about whether they'll beat the deadline and reopen hours early.
In 11 months we'll have Carmageddon II, when they remove the other half of the bridge.
Meanwhile, Adolph chimes in about Carmageddon.
Things are going so well, however, that they are speculating about whether they'll beat the deadline and reopen hours early.
In 11 months we'll have Carmageddon II, when they remove the other half of the bridge.
Meanwhile, Adolph chimes in about Carmageddon.
anybody know why they didn't destroy the whole bridge at once or at least two weekends in a row? Why the year long wait? Will they be using other half for both directions of traffic while half the new one is build and then switch
I think they are doing the project in two phases so they can keep the bridge itself open. A lot of residents depend on it. Maybe they'll rebuild the missing half as a longer span between now and next year. Then they'll knock down the other half and finally rebuild that half. That way at least half the bridge will be open to traffic the whole time.
The latest report says they might reopen the first lanes as early as an hour from now, with the rest opening by 3pm. If they do, 3 cheers for the engineers!
The latest report says they might reopen the first lanes as early as an hour from now, with the rest opening by 3pm. If they do, 3 cheers for the engineers!
Three cheers indeed. They reopened the freeway 16 hours early!
Click to see an animation I made from frames of TV coverage of one of the bridge support columns falling.
![mulholland-column.gif]( "mulholland-column.gif")
Click to see an animation I made from frames of TV coverage of one of the bridge support columns falling.
Standard media relations practice
1. Hype it like it's the end of the world
2. Get huge media attention
3. Joe average citizen actually pays attention
4. Actual event goes pretty smoothly
5. Everyone says, "Oh, no big deal."
Next time, they'll have to amp it up even more since people just became even more jaded. Gone are the days when people could just be straight with one another.
1. Hype it like it's the end of the world
2. Get huge media attention
3. Joe average citizen actually pays attention
4. Actual event goes pretty smoothly
5. Everyone says, "Oh, no big deal."
Next time, they'll have to amp it up even more since people just became even more jaded. Gone are the days when people could just be straight with one another.
You don't have to exaggerate and amplify a situation to get people to take heed to it. It's completely irresponsible for people, who are supposedly attempting to inform and be of service to people, to relay information to people in a manner that gets people panicked. And it's sad that people don't, can't, or don't care to recognize this tact. This absolutely is sensationalization at it's finest. I mean Carmageddon? Come on now.. Carmageddon is a play on the word armageddon -- armageddon meaning total destruction/end of the world -- hence, using the word carmageddon suggested that this momentary freeway closer was some kind of impending doom, something nowhere near the truth. The terminology and constant bombardment of the idea was silly. If one wants to inform people, they should do it in a responsible and hospitable manner, rather than trying to manufacture story-lines.
It could have been done simply like this "We would like to advise 405 commuters, as well as those who travel through any adjacent freeways or streets, that the 405 freeway will be undergoing a construction project from "blank" to "blank" in the "blank" area. Please be advised that this will likely cause traffic delays and slightly inconvenience those who regularly use this route, or were planning to use this route on these days. Prior to the projects start, we implore you to map out an alternate route which makes use of surface streets, so as to ensure yourself a more smooth commute, given the circumstance........" Something to that degree, pretty much. Repeat a segment like that on the radio a handful of times a day, a couple of weeks beforehand, and people will make the adjustment with little problem.
Sorry for going on, but I just found this non-news exaggeration to be ridiculous. Aren't there some other issues out there worth mentioning, this seemed to nothing more than a distraction, ya know.....?
The fact that a thread was made just shows how silly people allowed this story to get, and I do mean story. Where are the threads about these ridiculous gas prices?
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If it wasn't hyped, people wouldn't have paid attention and it would have been a lot worse. And the everybody would be saying why didn't I know about it? Why didn't the media report on this? Oh they, did, at the end of the news hour, after sports and weather, with a simple, please stay off the 405.... I missed that. Lose/lose for the media as usual.
Americans don't get to complain about gas prices without a thorough beat-down from the Europeans.
Oh poor media, buu hoo. You don't seem to have the slightest clue. Plain and simple.. You don't have to hype, exaggerate, or manipulate a situation to get information across. Resorting to that is just petty.. If you feel that's necessary for one to intake information, then perhaps that's a reflection of how dense you are; needing to be titillated with hype in order to take notice of something that's solved with something as simple as a map.
I doubt you'd find people talking about "Oh my goodness this is like armageddon" So spare me the riff raff.
You don't know would have happened otherwise because the otherwise didn't have a chance to occur. So how about you not over complicate something that could be handled so simply.
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I do know what would have happened otherwise. Enough people wouldn't have known about the 405 shutdown, and traffic would have been crazy. People would have complained because there wasn't enough coverage.
Your posts are just another sign of how certain people just aren't satisfied with anything. Now, it's: "Oh there's too much media coverage." If they would have done it another way, it would have been: "Oh there's not enough media coverage."
Did you really join this forum only to comment in this thread?
And stop being so rude.
Going off of your false pretense of a scenario... I'm sure they would've turn around and said "Man, they should've talked about it 24 hours a days, because whoa that was like an armageddon."
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Could there be anymore post carmageddon talk. Good lord and I thought it was bad before and during!
Mod Note: Thread closed temporarily to allow a cooling off period. Please do not start another thread about "Threadaggedon".
EDIT:
Thread reopened (16 hours early! )
Remember, let's keep the discussion civil (and on-topic) and please report any rule violations.
EDIT:
Thread reopened (16 hours early!
)Remember, let's keep the discussion civil (and on-topic) and please report any rule violations.
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My mother and sister were visiting from Canada during "carmageddon", and they happened to be interviewed by an ABC news crew. I looked for the report on tv that night, but didn't see it. Strangely enough, the piece was shown on a national news network in Canada.....people back home saw it and started texting/calling them.
I'm happy to report that things were entirely back to normal yesterday. Gridlock on the 405 by late afternoon. Cars bumper-to-bumper, inching along. Maybe they should knock down more bridges to lighten up the traffic.
Mod Note: Thread closed temporarily to allow a cooling off period. Please do not start another thread about "Threadaggedon".
EDIT:
Thread reopened (16 hours early!
Remember, let's keep the discussion civil (and on-topic) and please report any rule violations.
The real question is did you save Macrumors some money by opening up early!!!!????
The real question is did you save Macrumors some money by opening up early!!!!????
He'll get a nice bonus, come Christmas time.
Problem: Gridlock.
Solution: Ban single occupant vehicles, except by permit, during rush-hours.
Cut traffic in half, give or take.
Photo monitors from the Mulholland Drive bridge.
What? No!!!!
Carmageddon II
Last year, here in Los Angeles, they closed a section of the 405 (what people from out of town call the San Diego Freeway) while they demolished half of the Mulholland bridge. We're a car culture and this is one of the busiest freeways in the country, if not the busiest freeways in the country, so having a vital section of freeway shut down can panic us and produce gridlock in a large surrounding area.
This weekend they take down the other half of the same bridge. It's called Carmageddon II and it begins in less than 30 minutes. I snapped an evening shot of some of the last cars to head through the area before the closure.
Wish us luck!
Last year, here in Los Angeles, they closed a section of the 405 (what people from out of town call the San Diego Freeway) while they demolished half of the Mulholland bridge. We're a car culture and this is one of the busiest freeways in the country, if not the busiest freeways in the country, so having a vital section of freeway shut down can panic us and produce gridlock in a large surrounding area.
This weekend they take down the other half of the same bridge. It's called Carmageddon II and it begins in less than 30 minutes. I snapped an evening shot of some of the last cars to head through the area before the closure.
Wish us luck!
Attachments
I had to drive from Pasadena to Sherman Oaks last night before the closure, and I totally expected (as did everyone else) that it would be a crazy traffic jam. I was lucky- it only took me 20 minutes. I guess I made it before the bad traffic started.
We'll be staying in the Valley this weekend. I really wanted to go to SusieCakes in Brentwood to get some dessert for tonight, but I guess that'll have to wait until next weekend.
We'll be staying in the Valley this weekend. I really wanted to go to SusieCakes in Brentwood to get some dessert for tonight, but I guess that'll have to wait until next weekend.
The contractor has a rather strong incentive to finish on time. Their contract specifies a penalty for running beyond on the planned 53-hour project. The fine is $6,000 for every ten minutes for each lane that's still closed. If all ten lanes are closed for an hour, that's major bucks, maybe even more than your cell carrier is charging you for that 2-year iPhone contract!
Good photo of the work in progress, from the L.A. Times.
The official Metro video:
Good photo of the work in progress, from the L.A. Times.
The official Metro video: