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Letters To People Who Don't Read This Blog: Searching The Signs
R. Alex Whitlock
Hon. Gov. Rick Perry, of the Great State of Texas:
As it happens, my fiance and I were moving quickly down I-10 from Louisiana in order to get to the airport in time to catch a flight. We were running a bit behind and, as happens sometimes, my bladder was not living up to its full potential. Somewhere at around the state line I told my fiance that I needed to take a pit-stop. She said that she was just waiting for an X-miles-to-Houston sign, and so I, in increasing anguish, waited for same.
I'm not sure if you realize this, Mr. Governor, but there are no X-miles-to-Houston signs for at least an hour inside Texas. In fact, by the time you see one, you are closer to Houston than you are to the state border. There is, of course, the 857 Miles to El Paso sign that brings attention to the geographic length of the state. I think it's cool, but a Houston one might be a little more useful. Or even better yet, the 2 Miles to Vidor sign that appears a mile or so after the Welcome to Vidor sign. I think it can be assumed that you are reasonably close to Vidor at that point and while that may be intuitive, how many miles away from Houston you are is less so.
The Vidor or El Paso real estate on their respective signs could easily contain the geographical information that would have set my bladder free. I strongly urge you to consider, Mr. Governor, putting those signs to better use for future travellers.
Thank you,
Author of the Blog You Do Not Read
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Observations
Permit me to ask a stupid question:
why wait for one of those signs? If you had to go, why not just pull over at the next available facility?
I was figuring that someone would ask that. There was a question as to whether or not we had time to stop or whether or not I would have to take a trip to the back seat with a Mountain Dew bottle.
I don't think there'd be much debate for me... As a matter of fact I probably wouldn't have even bothered with the back seat. If they don't want to stop, they must suffer the consequence.
Although I will have to say that Texas is not the only state to suffer such stupid signs or lack of directions. It is odd that such a major metropolis doesn't have a sign (especially with so many people traveling I-10).
Kavey, I consented to the wait in part because I didn't think I'd have to wait as long as I did.
But yeah, it really came as a surprise to me, too. I'd say at least a third of the traffic was probably on route to the Houston area. More, I would say, than those that planned to stop in Vidor or even Beaumont.
Eh, next time any driver nearly explodes your bladder by suggesting you hold it, pee in her purse.
I'll wager she'll pull over next time! :)
Alex,
I've never noticed a problem with this. The general rule is that the mileage signs give you the distance to the next major city. After Lake Charles, that's Beaumont. After Beaumont, that's Houston.
Moreover, I think you missed the sign just outside Beaumont for Houston. Beaumont is about 30 miles from the state border, and Houston is about 70-80 miles from Beaumont. Accordingly, the first mileage sign to Houston is much closer to the border than it is to Houston. I think there are a couple of others as well.
Trust me, I have to do the trip from New Orleans to Houston at least once a month (It's awful!).
No, I didn't miss a sign. That sign just outside of Beaumont (78 miles) was the one we saw. I suppose my condition just lead me to believe that the 30 minutes between the state line and Beaumont was a lot longer than that!
In any event, I think that special cases should be made for particularly large cities as they do with San Antonio on the other side of I-10. When a substantial portion of the traffic is likely headed to a very large urban center (New Orleans & Houston, not Lake Charles and Beaumont), it's a good idea to give those drivers a better idea of how long it will take to get there.
Of course I am biased. And what good are blogs if not a venue to register complaint?
My condolences on the drive.
You do the full-on drive once a month, Owen?
Bleah.
TP,
At least. Often twice a month. The next trip will be the Friday after next, and I just got back the day before yesterday.
Oh well, at least it allows me to provide nuggets of wisdom like this: Don't get a ticket in Lake Charles. They require court appearances for a variety of low-level traffic offenses, and are snotty about waiving them.
Man, I've been away a while! Owen's commenting here again? Hi! :)
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