The reflectors are different. The dots (which I didn't know are called Botts Dots) are nonreflective and domed. The reflectors are non-nonreflective and flatter than the Botts Dots. You can hear the reflectors when you drive over them, although occasionally (especially during construction) you see the even flimsier flap-style reflectors that don't make any noise. They just look like reflective tape stuck to the ground. My impression is that they're used mostly to demarcate lanes when the whole road is torn up before repaving, since you're obviously not going to put in anything permanent at that point.
Out here in California, we don't have many of the thin grooves (perpendicular to the lanes) that make a noise that is supposed to wake you up if you drift out of your lane, mainly on two-lane blacktop. The only place I can think of that uses that in California is the Bay Bridge, where they've grooved the pavement all the way across the road to warn people to slow down for the steeper-than-expected curves. There are also the musical grooves that Honda built (in Lancaster, maybe?), but those are for fun, not for safety.
<span>The reflectors are different. The dots (which I didn't know are called Botts Dots) are nonreflective and domed. The reflectors are non-nonreflective and flatter than the Botts Dots. You can hear the reflectors when you drive over them, although occasionally (especially during construction) you see the even flimsier flap-style reflectors that don't make any noise. They just look like reflective tape stuck to the ground. My impression is that they're used mostly to demarcate lanes when the whole road is torn up before repaving, since you're obviously not going to put in anything permanent at that point.
Out here in California, we don't have many of the thin grooves (perpendicular to the lanes) that make a noise that is supposed to wake you up if you drift out of your lane, mainly on two-lane blacktop. The only place I can think of that uses that in California is the Bay Bridge, where they've grooved the pavement all the way across the road to warn people to slow down for the steeper-than-expected curves. There are also the musical grooves that Honda built (in Lancaster, maybe?), but those are for fun, not for safety. </span>
I-80 to Tahoe now has those in the freshly resurfaced stretches. I've lately been bothered more by the fact that in the last ten years, California finally succumbed (succame?) to Exit Numbers, something I did not see until I was 16 years old.
You will not be suprised to know that Spaceboy v.1.0 loves the exit numbers. He told us before we went to Tahoe last week what the exit numbers are for the Safeway on Donner Pass and the 269. We haven't been there since last August, remember.
We have something similar in my hometown, but they are always yellow, only used to mark a yellow center line, and they are much more raised than Bot's dots appear to be.
As for the square reflective ones, my best friend used to call those drunk bumps. Of course, that's what I call the shoulder grooves on the highway that alert you you're going out of your lane.
In MY region (up and down the Eastern seaboard), I've always heard them called the same thing - if anything at all. Frankly, I had always assumed that there were all at least mildly reflective to start and some had just been run over a few too many times! It's interesting to see that some were designed that way.
I grew up in Dallas, where there were small ones between lanes and big ones for turn lanes. We'd call the big ones turtles. The smaller ones had reflectors in them so we just called them reflectors. (I've never heard of that term). The few times we had snow/ice, they were part of the excuse for not having plowed roads. (That + the lack of plows.)
I didn't even know they had a name. If I've ever talked about them, I think the word "thingy" was part of how I referred to them.
ReplyDeleteAdlai?
ReplyDeleteIt's a Bott's dot, and you use them to "drive by Braille".
ReplyDelete(Born and raised in LV, NV.)
We just called them reflectors, but I love that there are multiple wiki pages devoted to them.
ReplyDeleteThe reflectors are different. The dots (which I didn't know are called Botts Dots) are nonreflective and domed. The reflectors are non-nonreflective and flatter than the Botts Dots. You can hear the reflectors when you drive over them, although occasionally (especially during construction) you see the even flimsier flap-style reflectors that don't make any noise. They just look like reflective tape stuck to the ground. My impression is that they're used mostly to demarcate lanes when the whole road is torn up before repaving, since you're obviously not going to put in anything permanent at that point.
ReplyDeleteOut here in California, we don't have many of the thin grooves (perpendicular to the lanes) that make a noise that is supposed to wake you up if you drift out of your lane, mainly on two-lane blacktop. The only place I can think of that uses that in California is the Bay Bridge, where they've grooved the pavement all the way across the road to warn people to slow down for the steeper-than-expected curves. There are also the musical grooves that Honda built (in Lancaster, maybe?), but those are for fun, not for safety.
<span>The reflectors are different. The dots (which I didn't know are called Botts Dots) are nonreflective and domed. The reflectors are non-nonreflective and flatter than the Botts Dots. You can hear the reflectors when you drive over them, although occasionally (especially during construction) you see the even flimsier flap-style reflectors that don't make any noise. They just look like reflective tape stuck to the ground. My impression is that they're used mostly to demarcate lanes when the whole road is torn up before repaving, since you're obviously not going to put in anything permanent at that point.
ReplyDeleteOut here in California, we don't have many of the thin grooves (perpendicular to the lanes) that make a noise that is supposed to wake you up if you drift out of your lane, mainly on two-lane blacktop. The only place I can think of that uses that in California is the Bay Bridge, where they've grooved the pavement all the way across the road to warn people to slow down for the steeper-than-expected curves. There are also the musical grooves that Honda built (in Lancaster, maybe?), but those are for fun, not for safety. </span>
Like Maret, I would have used thingy to describe them, had I ever thought about their name before, which I haven't.
ReplyDeleteI-80 to Tahoe now has those in the freshly resurfaced stretches. I've lately been bothered more by the fact that in the last ten years, California finally succumbed (succame?) to Exit Numbers, something I did not see until I was 16 years old.
ReplyDeleteYou will not be suprised to know that Spaceboy v.1.0 loves the exit numbers. He told us before we went to Tahoe last week what the exit numbers are for the Safeway on Donner Pass and the 269. We haven't been there since last August, remember.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Snopes page about Bott's dots.
ReplyDeleteWe have something similar in my hometown, but they are always yellow, only used to mark a yellow center line, and they are much more raised than Bot's dots appear to be.
As for the square reflective ones, my best friend used to call those drunk bumps. Of course, that's what I call the shoulder grooves on the highway that alert you you're going out of your lane.
I guarantee Spaceboy v 1.0 would remind you that it's Highway 267! Not 269! (I don't remember the Exit number and I was there yesterday)
ReplyDeleteI'll enquire.
ReplyDeleteIn MY region (up and down the Eastern seaboard), I've always heard them called the same thing - if anything at all. Frankly, I had always assumed that there were all at least mildly reflective to start and some had just been run over a few too many times! It's interesting to see that some were designed that way.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Dallas, where there were small ones between lanes and big ones for turn lanes. We'd call the big ones turtles. The smaller ones had reflectors in them so we just called them reflectors. (I've never heard of that term). The few times we had snow/ice, they were part of the excuse for not having plowed roads. (That + the lack of plows.)
ReplyDeletePNW. Road turtles.
ReplyDeleteChicago/New York. Thingies.
ReplyDeleteThe article doesn't mention who they're going to get to play Dana Witaker. But I might be confused...
ReplyDelete