The Ambiguity Zone

I am a law abiding citizen. AFAYK (as far as you know). And even though I may not agree with every law, I will talk to death your right to die for them. Or something like that.

My few brief encounters with the police have mostly been, "Yes, sir" and, "No, sir" encounters. Every now and then I might offer a weak, "That's not mine!" or "Those are a little tight" comments. But, by and large, they haven't figured out who I am, yet. So that's a good thing.

I have had occasion to drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike recently and we are well into construction season. Which means there are three miles of construction for every five miles of road. There is no way to make any time. The speed limit goes from 65mph to 40mph and back constantly. But the thing I find the most annoying is the Ambiguity Zone.

The law is that you travel at the speed of the last posted speed limit sign.

The law is that the double blinking lights will indicate if there is active construction ahead.

The law is that fines are doubled in construction areas.

On holidays and bad weather days these road construction areas are closed down. The cones moving the traffic to one lane are removed. The double blinking lights are turned off and covers are put over the reduced speed limit signs. We should be good to go.

But what happens instead is that ONE of the reduced speed limit signs remains uncovered. All the rest are covered throughout the entire work zone. Yet the law is that you travel at the speed of the last posted speed limit sign. It leaves you to wonder, did someone forget to cover that sign? Did the wind blow the cover off of that sign? Is this a trap?

Or one of the double blinking lights remains on -- unblinking, The law is that the double blinking lights will indicate if there is active construction ahead. And because of the doubled fines and the body in your trunk you are motivated to do the right thing. But what is the right thing? Is there something wrong with the light? All the rest of the construction is closed down. Is this a trap?

Other drivers have a problem with this too. Some of them slow down to 55mph. Some of them go down to 40mph. Some of them whiz by like you are standing still. Nobody knows what they are supposed to do. Do we travel the last posted speed with wide open roads and everyone else whizzing by? Does one unblinking light indicate anything? Does anyone else smell that?

And there are fines for traveling too slow, as well. Although I'm not sure what the penalty should be for traveling too slow through a construction zone. It seems like the activity ought to serve as it's own punishment.

What makes all of this worse is that it does not happen occasionally. It is closer to 80% of the time. So, does that mean construction is closed but they still want us to go slower? Does it mean the people in charge of the signs are incompetent? Does somebody in PennDOT have a sadistic sense of humor. Or, are the cops responsible for the Ambiguity Zone so that they can stop anybody any time they want to? If they can claim that anybody, at any given moment, is going too fast or too slow, we are nothing more than sitting ducks.

So until summer construction is over, I will be traveling the back roads for a while. The scenery is nicer, the woods are closer to the road and it is easier to travel with your windows down. And one more thing. If you are ever hitchhiking through the Ambiguity Zone -- do not get into a red Cherokee.