I think your last paragraph is the key one. AFAIK in the US a lot less is regulated on a federal level. Like in Oregon you'll rarely see reflectors on the lane markings whereas they are omnipresent in some other states.
Re:How good are American roads?
by SoftTalker on Wednesday November 20, 2024 @12:14PM
(#42196069)
What are these lane markings you speak of? I must tell our local street department, they will be amazed to hear of it.
Probably Cat's Eye
Re:How good are American roads?
by SoftTalker on Wednesday November 20, 2024 @01:08PM
(#42196609)
It was meant to be a sarcastic comment. My town's lane markings are so bad they might as well not exist in most places. And when they do repaint them they seem to use the thinnest flat paint they can buy, at night in the rain they just disappear. I know heavy reflective lane marking paint exists because I've seen it elsewhere.
Oh man, you want to see what a difference lane markings make? Take a drive on a rainy night to Grants Pass Oregon from Crescent City CA on hwy 199. In CA the lanes light up like a Christmas tree. The moment you cross into OR the lane lines basically disappear and you are mostly driving blind hoping the oncoming traffic doesn't stray across a center line neither of you can see.
It's remarkable that a state where the rainiest months of the year coincide with some of longest winter nights in the lower 48 states uses such horrible road paints.
Yes. There also is a version that's set into a groove so that snow plows don't scrape them off.
Re:How good are American roads?
by ninalanyon on Wednesday November 20, 2024 @12:23PM
(#42196176)
The lack of reflectivity of lane markings in North Carolina made night driving in the rain on the multi-lane roads around Raleigh quite a demanding task.
Then there are Landstraßen, which are financed by the Bundesland (state, LXXX). Followed by Kreisstraßen, financed by the Gemeinde (county?`).
Finally there are Gemeindestraßen, financed by the city or town.
There are lots of norms and regulations on how to build these roads, so there is not that much variance except layout. E.g. a bike friendly city like Münster has a dfiferent layout than say Cologne.