Rumble strips have been around for quite a while. The first ones were installed on the New Jersey Turnpike back in the early 50s. They are there to give the inattentive driver a wakeup call, and it is generally accepted that whether they are on the center line or the shoulder they have saved numerous lives.
Some cyclists hate them, and the Amish convinced the State of Michigan they were dangerous to horse-drawn carriages, but most states like them and their use has become pretty universal.
My first encounter with rumble strips, though, was with one perpendicular to the road. Some states in the middle of the country install them on rural highways to warn of upcoming intersections. In my case, I'm pretty sure it was in Iowa. We were zipping down a two-lane blacktop with tall corn on either side of the road when I drove over my first rumble strip.
Did it get my attention? þ
Did I stop at the intersection in plenty of time? þ
Did I need to pull over for a while? þ
Can rumble strips induce heart attacks? Mmmmm, Maybe.
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