Land transport Archives – A Way with Words

Traffic Neckdown

Posted by Grant Barrett on February 8, 2020 · Add Comment

Thickly Settled

Posted by Grant Barrett on December 10, 2018 · Add Comment

Down Your Alley, Up Your Street

Posted by Grant Barrett on July 28, 2018 · Add Comment

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Even More Names for People Who Don’t Turn When They Should

Posted by Grant Barrett on June 9, 2018 · Add Comment

What shall we call those drivers who take so much time when the left-turn light changes to green that you miss your chance to go and sit through another red light? Our conversation about that prompted a whole slew of emails from listeners who’ve clearly had time in traffic to think about it. Their suggestions [...]
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Hilltopping/Hightopping on a Snow Machine

Posted by Grant Barrett on October 14, 2017 · Add Comment

In an earlier episode, we talked about the butterfly mating behavior known as hilltopping, in which male butterflies try to appeal to females by flying as high as possible. A listener in Fairbanks, Alaska, reports that the term hilltopping is used among sledheads, or “snowmobile enthusiasts,” to mean a different kind of showing off — [...]
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Chicken Lights on Trucks

Posted by Grant Barrett on June 26, 2017 · Add Comment

Those strings of amber lights on 18-wheelers are known as chicken lights. But why? Although the term’s origin is unclear, a participant in a discussion forum of the American Historical Truck Society suggests they may have been originally associated with trucks hauling Frank Perdue chickens. This is part of a complete episode.
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