Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Dux on July 26, 2006, 04:06:40 PM
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There's an amazing cross section of knowledge and expertise in here, so let me take a question that's got me wracking my brain and pose it to you all...
Check out this link to Google Maps; it is in the Iraqi desert...
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=33.402641,43.086491&spn=0.174834,0.292854&t=k&om=1 (http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=33.402641,43.086491&spn=0.174834,0.292854&t=k&om=1)
See how various highways follow an almost sinewave-like pattern? They go on like this for miles, and they are all over the countryside. Follow along and see for yourself. It certainly kills the "shortest distance between two points" rule. They all seem to be newer roads, and they all appear to be well paved. They do not seem to be avoiding terrain. The pattern is far too perfect to suggest it is because of some random geological reason.
What benefit is there to designing a highway like this... what problems are they avoiding? The best theory I've heard so far is that since there is more road per mile, the more money the (whatever agency which builds roads in Iraq) can charge.
What do you know, what do you think?
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I'd think there is some geographical reason we are not seeing on satelite.
you know many roads in the US started as trails the colonists used...
maybe these are old trade route paths made over centuries of camels carrying goods. they just paved the most well travled and smoothest beaten down area
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I wonder if thats pre or post war...
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Originally posted by BlueJ1
I wonder if thats pre or post war...
it cant be post war.. unless you mean the iran-iraq thing ;)
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The newer one.
Looking for leftovers of the Desert Storm or any kind of military.
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http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=33.421403,43.153006&spn=0.00326,0.004984
I went a little bit to the east a few miles and found what look to be berms for tanks to hide around. Atleast from a sat view - is this place boardering a military post?
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No, this isn't limited to a certain area, else I'd believe there was some tactical reason to it all, as you suggest. They go for hundreds of miles like that.
I have to believe there is some economic reason to it all... that they last longer, easier to maintain or something.
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Not saying this is fact, but I'll put my money on terrain.
Look at the erosion marks in the hills. If I properly recall my class in remote sensing (and reading aerials) it appears that there are actually a series of large hills that parts of the highway curves around. Looks to me like the roadbed is simply aligned with the lowest available elevation, to reduce excavation costs and create a more navigable roadway.
The lack of contrast and landmarks makes it hard to be sure, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
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Maybe its there to provide drivers with something to do so they dont fall asleep on hour long drives tru the desert. If the road is not complety straight you have to pay attention.
my money is on terrain or old trails tho
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Originally posted by Nilsen
Maybe its there to provide drivers with something to do so they dont fall asleep on hour long drives tru the desert. If the road is not complety straight you have to pay attention.
my money is on terrain or old trails tho
That does make sense.
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The pattern is too perfect and consistent to be following terrains... take it from someone who knows terrains ;)
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could be the terrian.. waddies is what we call them.. also the wind could have done some of it.. during the war we got hit with on heck of a sand storm..
i know this area, i went through there during the war.. we were supposed to block the Medina Division between the 2 lakes.. they are west of Karbala.
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Perhaps it's due to the cycle of sobriety of the part of the survey team and engineer.
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The pattern people drive if they drop their hooka while driving?
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looks like the edge of a flood plain
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airstrip's in case of war?
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Maybe to add variability in the landscape for long hauls... to keep the driver attentive or something. That road extends to the west quite a ways, and if I were to follow a featureless straight line for many hours, I'd zone out eventually.
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Originally posted by Octavius
Maybe to add variability in the landscape for long hauls... to keep the driver attentive or something. That road extends to the west quite a ways, and if I were to follow a featureless straight line for many hours, I'd zone out eventually.
I think you have the answer. Roads with long straight stretches cause driver hypnosis. Archetects build in curves at specified points to keep the driver awake and alert.
I'm sure if you Google I-80 thru Utah and I-10 thru New Mexico and Arizona you would see a similar pattern.