The Newcomer

By NY Transplant

May 29, 2008 9:26 AM | Link to this

I’m so glad someone’s brought this up. I was here 15 years before I realized where the Brookwood Split is. And the top end of the perimeter. I think it is ridiculous that traffic reports are spit out in jargon. Just another reason why Atlanta has a long way to go to be an “international city.”

By jeed

May 29, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this

It took me a while to get the Brookwood split as well. The others, with a little studying, aren’t really difficult to grasp.

When discussing any direction of 285, you have to know which of the two stretches that head in the direction is being discussed.

For example, someone could travel 285-N on the Eastside Perimeter (“Eastside Wall”), or 285-N on the Westside Perimeter (“Westside”).

Similary, one could travel 285-E on the “Top End Perimeter” as well as 285-E on the Southside. Two different stretches of road in each case, two different sections of the circle. Same with 285-S and W.

I think I-20 easily confuses because east of the downtown connector, it’s called the East Expressway. West of the downtown connector, it’s called the West Expressway.

There’s something that took a while about having to understand “the accident has blocked traffic WESTbound on the East Expressway…”

Speaking of the Downtown Connector… don’t get it confused with the East-West Connector, or the Glendridge Connector…

I will say this: Once you learn it, it all makes sense. :)

I’m not sure I agree with the comment that suggests this detracts from the international city thing. I was hit with as many unfamiliar/unusual “location-type” terms in London that were NOT self-explanatory. I actually liked figuring it out, and to me, it made the city more unique.

By Another NY Transplant

May 29, 2008 9:51 AM | Link to this

This is a silly blog because a lot of other cities - cities considered “international” have nicknames too:

Chicago - “Hillside Strangler” where the Tristate Tlwy and I-55 merge New York - “Kew Gardens Interchange” where the GCP, Van Wyck and Interboro all merge London - where exits are “junctions,” their beltway or perimeter is called an “orbital” and backups are referred to as “tailbacks”

Every city has its traffic slang and it is what makes these cities unique.

By former metro Atlantan

May 29, 2008 10:01 AM | Link to this

Welcome to Hell Jamie Gumbrecht.

You will come to hate it after 6 months of sitting in 24/7 insane traffic jams, daily 18 wheel truck tipovers, your life being put at jeopardy repeatedly by the most aggressive drivers in the US, seeing no real law enforcement on the area highways to put a stop to tailgaters and road ragers, and enduring endless padded DOT contract road construction (like building unneccessary bridges downtown).

Youll also ask yourself other questions like who decided to form a junction of two major interstate highways (75 and 85)in downtown Atlanta? Also why MARTA trains do not run parallel to I-285 all the way around the perimeter.

Theres your health to also consider. Enjoy breathing pollution from automobiles where everyday is a red smog alert day in Atlanta. Need a drink to cool off from the summer hear Jamie? Dont worry, the Atlanta region has a good 3 month supply of water resources as long as you are willing to not water you lawn or flush your toilet or wash your car (just ask the people who lived here last summer).

Oh and theres also the HOV lanes that never have worked like they were supposed to and are used by more illegal single drivers than carpoolers.

Yes Jamie you too will become a former metro Atlantan once the glitter wears off and the smoke and mirror act that is Atlanta becomes clear.

I would suggest a future newspaper job somewhere in Kentucky or Iowa.

Good luck.

By JJ

May 29, 2008 10:11 AM | Link to this

After living in the metro area for over 30 years, I still get confused on 285. It’s a circle, and when the traffic reports say Northbound 285, exactly where is northbound?

I just stay off 285 to avoid any confusion……and save my life. 285 is a Roman Chariot Race. It is probably the scariest road in Atlanta, and I WILL NOT drive on it.

By former metro Atlantan

May 29, 2008 10:19 AM | Link to this

Sorry for the multiple postings. AJC blog is not working well this morning it seems. What a shock.

Feel free to ask me Jamie about anything you have further questions on.

You wont get a straight answer from the locals. They are blinded into thinking they live in paradise.

BTW, most of the problems in ATL can be directly linked to the invasion of the area by northern transplants like the ones posting here already (i.e. NY Transplant).

I guess if you look at it from their viewpoint Atlanta is paradise compared to say, New Jersey.

Me, I got out and havent looked back since. I wont tell you where I went because we dont want any Atlanta residents (born and bred or transplanted) in the place I reside now.

By Mutter

May 29, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

The thing that gets me is that I can be travelling on a road, and it changes names 5 times in a 10 miles stretch!!

By Living here 18 yrs from NYC

May 29, 2008 10:50 AM | Link to this

To former former metro Atlantan: For you to spew that Hate out on Us, you sure do keep up with what is going on here by coming to the AJC. IF it was that bad why even bother seeing what we are doing???

By justin

May 29, 2008 10:54 AM | Link to this

Knowledge of the lingo comes with time. But something I will never get used to — I’ve lived here eight years — is why on earth do we have north, south, east AND west on the 285? I still can never figure out which way to go — east or north? — from Windy Hill and 285 to Chamblee. They should just have an east and west. Most people are not human GPS systems.

By Native

May 29, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this

Every time I see a post from someone like Former Metro Atlantan, I have to smile. Another one gone! If you don’t want to be here, we don’t want you here, trust me. I’m sure you were part of the problem.

As for the lingo, I agree, it’s what makes every city unique. It might take a while, but eventually you’ll be the one confusing the new people!

By VoiceOfReason

May 29, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this

To Justin:

After eight years you haven’t figured out (or no one has told you) that 285 is a circle? Please draw a cirle and stare at it. You will see why there are two norths, two souths, two easts and two wests.

By fromthesouth

May 29, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this

I get a kick out reading all these post from former NY’s that scream have lived here for 10, 20, 30 years and still find something to bash about. Eye roll… Give it a break, most of you are coo coo anyways and I try to avoid you at all possible when I start to hear that horrible accent.

By Kat

May 29, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this

Since I-285 is a circle, it only makes sense that at some point, you will be heading up or down that circle - hence the use of North and South. It doesn’t take a genius, but I suppose you have to have some sense (unlike the person who left) to understand it. If you need to be in a northern county, you go I-285 North and then it becomes I-285 West. This is not rocket science, though I can see where it would be confusing for a newbie.

By ADL

May 29, 2008 11:28 AM | Link to this

It will always be “Malfunction Junction” to me!!!

By Red

May 29, 2008 11:58 AM | Link to this

I agree, blame the transplants. Come down here with your big, bad city life & destroy our little redneck town! Now I got people offering me big city money for my land just to tear down my doublewide so they can build one of them there fancy subdivisions?! If I move into your subdivision, can I still butcher my hogs and deer in the backyard? And where will I park my 4 wheeler? For Pete’s sake, ya’ll, stay up north so we don’t have to widen the roads & the traffic will clear right up. Who needs 285, I can get everything I need at the dollar store!

By Snarky

May 29, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

Puh-leese!

Except for the Big Chicken, there isn’t anything here that you won’t find in any other city of this size.

Traffic, aggressive drivers, local jargon, massive tieups? You’ll find them in NY, Boston, Chicago, LA, Seattle, Dallas, Denver etc… just as bad as they are here. I know, I’ve lived in all those places.

For some reason, Atlantans (and especially ex-Atlantans) feel this is something special to Atlanta. It’s not. Atlanta just has real city problems like every other real city.

If you really think it is so bad, Alaska will actually pay you to live there AND you won’t have to deal with traffic.

By Neck

May 29, 2008 12:32 PM | Link to this

I agree with “Red”. The biggest problem I have with Atlanta roads and traffic, is that the lanes ain’t big ‘nough for my big ole jacked up 4x4 Chevy!

By Harold

May 29, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this

The 285 has N, S, E and W because people here are too stupid to say “the inner ring” and “the outer ring” or “clockwise” and “counterclockwise”

By R1070

May 29, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this

For those who say Atlanta has a long way to come because it uses local terms to describe roads is wrong. Any city Ive been to references their roads by what the locals call it. In DC which is very much an International city as well as our nations Capital refers to “the Beltway” in their traffic reports. I like that our city puts its own spin on things. It gives us an identity which sets us apart from the norm.

By Been here 10 years

May 29, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this

The traffic lingo confused me when I was new to town, also. Plus, they talk faster than I can decode sometimes!

But here are a couple of traffic hints:

When you hear about a “ladder in the road”, it’s not a figure of speech. There is an actual ladder lying in the road.

If you hear about an SUV that has gone “Tango Uniform”, this means that it’s gone “tires up”. Took me awhile to figure that one out!

Welcome to the ATL!

By Rhett

May 29, 2008 12:46 PM | Link to this

Slang is normal for Atlanta. Ask kids where they go 2 skool & they say “Mays” or “G. Chow Yong”. I thought they were telling me the neighborhood the skool is in. Took me years 2 figure out it’s really Benjamin E. Mays High School & Jean Child Young Middle School. And if u listen 2 Atlantans talk, they sound like they don’t even want 2 open their mouths 2 begin with, let alone enunciate. I’m a native now…a Georgia Peach - if u’re here more than 10 years, they induct u as a native since they have so many transients. I love it here & have gotten used 2 the culture cause I wanna stay. Thankfully folks like “former metro Atlantan” leave because they don’t like it here. U only live once so mite as well enjoy it. If u don’t like it, leave & find a place u like; if u do like it, get used 2 it cause it won’t change any time soon. (Former Metro Atlantan, u didn’t “get out & haven’t looked back since” cause u’re posting 2 this website which means u’re still reading the AJC! U miss it here…admit it. And when u’re finally honest with urself, come on back…we’ll save u a space on 285 4 u - or u can force ur way n like most folks do. :-)

By Susan

May 29, 2008 12:48 PM | Link to this

I’ve lived here for 15 years and still don’t know 1/2 of what this special language commuters and traffic folks have. Thank you so much for clearing it up for me!

By Becky

May 29, 2008 12:50 PM | Link to this

Former Atlantan probably couldn’t find her(his)way out of a brown paper bag, that’s why such hatred for Atlanta..So please stay where you are, even though they most likely don’t want you either..As Snarky said, Atlanta has what every other city has..

By Native ATL

May 29, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this

To NY Transplant: What a shocker!! Someone named “NY Transplant” takes an opportunity to turn local color into an opportunity to display an holier-than-thou attitude towards Atlanta. It is any wonder why New Yorkers in the South have such a glorious reputation? Advice: Sit down and stop bothering people.

By Answers

May 29, 2008 1:03 PM | Link to this

As people have said, 285 is a circle with an inner loop and an outer loop. Brookwood Interchange - where 75 and 85 come together in north Atlanta. Spaghetti Junction - 285/85 interchange in Gwinnett county. Cobb Cloverleaf - 285/75 interchange in Cobb county. Downtown Connector - I shouldn’t have to explain this one but it’s where 75 and 85 connect going through Atlanta.

And, finally, there is no “the” in any of the highway names. It’s 400, not “the 400”. Oh, one more… Mansell Rd. in Roswell/Alpharetta has the accent on “Man”, not “sell” as the traffic folks like to pronounce it.

By Sharon

May 29, 2008 1:11 PM | Link to this

When I first moved here and was interviewing, I kept hearing of bridge jumpers. I was horrified to hear people make such comments as “why can’t they do that before rush hour”. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and thought, man these people are so insensitive and do I really want to live here. Then I became stuck in traffic while they investigated the death of one of the bridge jumpers. I waited for 3 hours with no air conditioning in my van. It was a moment of thoughts that quickly passed-I haven’t thought that since.

By Snarky

May 29, 2008 1:21 PM | Link to this

Ahhh…Sharon did bring up one thing that is pretty unique to Atlanta. Jumpers in other cities at least have the decency to jump where it won’t tie up traffic. Jumpers in Atlanta take pride in causing the biggest tie ups they can create.

I’d have to agree that we are a pretty insensitive bunch when it comes to jumpers.

By former metro Atlantan

May 29, 2008 2:33 PM | Link to this

I read AJC for fun. I have no ties to ATL but its certainly entertaining to read all about the trouble the region is in and knowing I dont have to deal with it anymore.

How desperate is the State of Georgia and Sonny Boy Perdue that they want to steal Tennessee’s land to get to the TN River for water access?

How sad is it that a tornado came through downtown ATL months ago and cleanup is still going on?

It reminds me of the nightmare I left behind and will never have to live again.

Enjoy it suckers. I escaped and you all still have to live in the godless place!

By Dude

May 29, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this

Rhett: I didn’t understand half of your post.

By Kat2

June 14, 2008 11:48 PM | Link to this

Just make sure to ask for claification when they tell you it’s on Peachtree…