I know it varies somewhat, but it seems like there's some "average". Ten feet sticks in my mind, yet that doesn't sound right. Anybody know?

12' is typical number. It can be from 10' to 15' depending on if there is parking and how old the street is.

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in tha 510.

A tank.

; )

I drive a Miata, so it always looks really wide to me.

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Alpharetta, GA (Atlanta suburb)

POMTL, rG!

Yes, 12' is the most common width.

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You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

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And hope is a lousy defense.

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except by believing all possible evil
of evil men.

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Quote
rgG
I drive a Miata, so it always looks really wide to me.

I ride a motorcycle.
I'm passin' ur Miata, and still in ur lane.

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Live from Berserkeley, California | Originally from the City of Brotherly Freakin' Love | WEEEEEEEEEE! Stuff, yo.

What FHM said.

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It is what it is.

Alpha,

Not wide enough. Then again, drivers can't maintain their lane at this point and increasing the width of the lane won't make any difference. They'll still find a way to drift over the line. On the highway this afternoon, I nearly got sideswiped by a moron who drifted out of his lane. You'd think with a mini cooper he'd have had ample space to move around in his own lane!

Robert

I don't know how wide, they are, but I can tell you that american lanes are waaaaaay wider than english ones, especially older roads in the country and through towns. I have scared the heck out of myself a number of times trying to negotiate english roads in a minivan, sure that I was about to be crushed between an oncoming lorry (truck) and the stone wall bordering the roadway.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Federal standard for high speed roads like Interstates is 14 or 15 feet. But there are a lot of "sub-standard" roads out there with lanes that are narrower. 10 feet is supposed to be minimum for lower speed limit roads, so an 8 foot wide truck or bus can travel it with a foot of clearance either side. But you can even find 9 foot wide lanes on many older roads.

P.S. A number of western states allow trucks and buses to be 8.5 feet wide, so a lane should be slightly wider there.

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Quote
davester
I don't know how wide, they are, but I can tell you that american lanes are waaaaaay wider than english ones, especially older roads in the country and through towns. I have scared the heck out of myself a number of times trying to negotiate english roads in a minivan, sure that I was about to be crushed between an oncoming lorry (truck) and the stone wall bordering the roadway.

So were you driving a US minivan or a native one?

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So I guess for secondary roads, 10 feet wasn't all that far off. And, yes, they sure do seem to change width depending on what kind of a car you're driving! At one point we had a Suburban and a Mustang, and I always had to make sure I was really thinking about what I was doing when I switched back and forth between the two. The difference in the amount of space they take up is pretty significant.

Thank you!! Oh, and continue on with your fun.

A french one...Renault Espace. Great car by the way. I much preferred it to my brother's Honda minivan.

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"In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion." (1987) -- Carl Sagan

Here in the UK cars like the Espace are called People Carriers. There are smaller ones called Mini People Carriers which may only have seats for five but still have the multitude of seating arrangements that the PCs have.

Minivans are vans based on Minis although the latest type don't have that variation.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2008 06:25AM by voodoopenguin.