Submitted by bostonglobe t3_126mxhg in vermont
[removed]
Comments
Calligraphee t1_jea5cd7 wrote
That's Boston for you. They assume they're the only people in New England.
My-Left-Plate t1_jeab5aq wrote
Wait, outside of Boston and our playground destinations staffed by NPCs, what else is there in New England?
Technical_Ad1991 t1_jeacloz wrote
Maybe the article wasn't targeted at Vermonters?
Edit: Didn't notice the OP. Never mind.
Fantastic_Painter_15 t1_jeah930 wrote
Interesting place to post it if that was the case!
woburnite t1_je9rtps wrote
Gee, as a Vermonter since 1988, I have never heard of this strange occurrence. /s.
thisoneisnotasbad t1_je9tesf wrote
There were 5 trucks stuck in the notch in 2022. I know people love to talk about it but it is not as big an issue as it once was and the amount of attention it gets is disproportionate to the actual real trouble it causes.
With that said.
Chicane!
ElDub73 t1_jea1it0 wrote
Put a bend in the road prior to the climb that a tractor trailer wouldn’t be able to negotiate so they get stuck at the bottom not the middle and in a controlled environment.
Basically a pre-filter.
You could also have an actual gate with a person to monitor each truck that comes by.
Again - money.
The problem is easy to solve, just takes a little money which probably no one wants to spend.
So it’s really no “confounding” anyone - they just don’t want to spend the money to solve the issue.
VelvitHippo t1_jea90x3 wrote
What about a gate tp let car through that's too small to let semis pass? Like just an arch they'd have to drive through to get there. No person needed to be sitting there and you'd only need one on each side, signs would become obsolete.
ElDub73 t1_jea9yb3 wrote
You could do that but that wouldn’t filter out long vehicles that could pass under it.
But it would probably work since the problem is with semis not short long vehicles.
But again - it’s money.
huskers2468 t1_jeacjah wrote
Frankly, I liked the idea that proposed a fine to the GPS companies that the truck is utilizing.
One of the main reasons the trucks continue past the signage is that they trust the GPS. Forcing the hand of the GPS companies for trucks is a great way to tackle that issue without spending money.
ElDub73 t1_jeah32t wrote
The GPS companies have no liability and I’m sure you agree to not hold them liable every time you use their product.
huskers2468 t1_jeai5hm wrote
If the GPS systems are trucks only and not the standard ones the public uses, then they could hold liability for refusing to change the road designation.
ElDub73 t1_jeak7px wrote
Eh I don’t fundamentally disagree with the spirit of what you’re saying, but I just don’t see it happening.
huskers2468 t1_jeamf7n wrote
I completely understand. I did not think it was possible, but it was brought up as a topic in that last meeting.
prasta t1_jeaeuj8 wrote
A similiar but possibly less costly method has been proposed, by widening the road on either side, and installing a series of texas barricades to form a chicane a la Formula 1; basically an obstacle that if you're able to pass through, means you can also pass through the notch.
pm-me-egg-noods t1_je9xkeq wrote
Make it a toll road with checkpoints I guess. Give locals a free pass.
Twombls t1_je9snxo wrote
Slap a 100k fine on it.
It needs to be so comically large that its not worth the risk for idiots that think they can make it.
Radi5h t1_je9vbqf wrote
Think it thru. I doubt there’s a single truck driver who’s gotten stuck twice. The key is to get drivers who aren’t aware of the hazard to take a different route before going up, not making them bankrupt afterwards..
No-Midnight-2187 t1_je9zoap wrote
For what it’s worth—I’ve heard from a truck driver before that it’s usually the carrier company dispatch/ terminal manager directing the driver to “keep going that route” when the driver stops after seeing the signs and they call to report.
Twombls t1_je9yhc9 wrote
Have like 20 warning signs. Telling them they will go bankrupt if they do this.
As far as I can tell the only people still doing this are idiots who assume the signs are exagerating or something.
Stopping people from only going in once isnt enough. Since there are a ton of idiots.
thisoneisnotasbad t1_jea626t wrote
To be fair to truckers, there is a history of tourist towns putting up signs to prevent truck traffic when no such restrictions actually exist.
I assume the folks that still get caught in the notch are ones with out of state driver's who think stowe is full of shit.
Twombls t1_jeade1d wrote
Thats why the fine should be 100k the truckers wont risk it. There are already like 10 signs starting all the way back on the interstate. There really is no exuse unless they are like actually dumb
5XTEEM t1_je9wyle wrote
After thinking it through... Make it a million?
Phlowman t1_je9xonl wrote
Place an unmanned booth with a no trucks sign and a bar over the road that would block the height of a large truck about a mile or two back with a turnaround.
Gamgam5568 t1_je9yktw wrote
The height doesn't matter, it's the length. They could easily stop trucks with two jersey barriers made into a chicane.
Phlowman t1_jea2w54 wrote
If there is a large enterprise truck or ambulance or whatever that doesn’t fit they could go around by using the turnaround area next to the to the booth to bypass the height restricted bar over the road. This would be a cheap and easy to implement solution to the problem.
KingKababa t1_je9zav5 wrote
Take this idea straight to the capitol building. This would ACTUALLY prevent the problem.
-_Stove_- t1_jea6et6 wrote
Height =/= Length
KingKababa t1_jeb1tbo wrote
Yeah, but usually if something is as tall as a semi it's too long to fit through the notch.
partial_birth t1_jea43n0 wrote
This answer gets shot down every time, but there are a very few long trucks that aren't tall, but there are very few trucks that are short enough to not be stopped by a bar/chain chlurtain that are still long enough to get stuck in the Notch.
4low4low4low4low t1_je9zsly wrote
Guy complaining about getting $5k per in a state with no economy lol..
4low4low4low4low t1_je9zxta wrote
Different navigation systems for truckers would do the trick..
internalogic t1_jea6ybf wrote
What appears in Waze, Google, Apple, Garmin? Any warning at all?
PCPToad83 t1_jea9m7v wrote
The notch road has been closed since November…
pkvh t1_jead7ei wrote
I've thought about it and it's ugly...
But a large sign with photos of each truck and driver stuck with the fine and tow cost on there.
prasta t1_jeaefro wrote
When notches give you lemons....or something.
deadowl t1_jeag094 wrote
Unfortunately had to remove this due to Reddit Content Policy
The_Idealist_Realist t1_jea9vfk wrote
A pipe dream: What if Vermont built a tunnel that could enable the Notch to be vehicle-accessible in the winter?
It'd sure make driving between Smuggs and Stowe easier and likely lead to some economic development for Jeffersonville
alfonseski t1_jeac3by wrote
That would be wild. If they put it in around where the AT dumps out its only like 2 miles to smuggs upper base lodge. Would be so fast.
The_Idealist_Realist t1_jead2fq wrote
Been going to Smuggs for over twenty years, and I only tried Stowe once during that time (this year lol)
I would have tried Stowe years ago if it were only a couple minute drive away
hunny_bun_24 t1_je9vq3a wrote
Konichiwa sayonara
greenmtnramble t1_jea7nmh wrote
Can this account be banned from the sub?
Fantastic_Painter_15 t1_je9v608 wrote
Shoutout to…the Boston globe…for trying to educate Vermonters on the very common happenings of vermont. What would we do without you Boston globe