Penguin Highway
February 12, 2013 11:05 AM Subscribe
While travelling in Antarctica, journalism student Melissa Brennan took this short video at an intersection of a penguin highway.
At last I have found worse drivers in snow than the people of RI!
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:12 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 11:12 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
0:09: GOD DAMN IT GRAMPS TRAVEL RIGHT PASS LEFT
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 11:12 AM on February 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 11:12 AM on February 12, 2013 [4 favorites]
"Let's see that...IN INSTANT REPLAY!"
posted by obscurator at 11:47 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by obscurator at 11:47 AM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love penguin #2 who's like "Wait, is the ocean left or right? Left or right? I FORGET."
posted by ErikaB at 1:07 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by ErikaB at 1:07 PM on February 12, 2013
As a professional transportation engineer, having reviewed the field conditions from the provided video, I am prepared to make the following technical suggestions:
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 1:20 PM on February 12, 2013 [35 favorites]
- The area appears to be a high collision location, due to improper overtaking. Recommend a right turn slip for the northwest bound approach, as well as additional enforcement.
- During peak periods, congestion causes the intersection to function at a Level Of Service "C". This is within spec for an urban intersection, but this appears to be a rural site. Recommend a left turn bay for the southeast bound approach, and also one for the northeast bound approach assuming similar conditions in the PM peak.
- Excellent sight distance along all approaches; no improvements needed here.
- Pavement condition is badly damaged, likely due to frost heave. Recommend re-paving with 10 inches untreated aggregate base due to poor drainage conditions, along with 4 inch of asphalt concrete as per AASHTO standards.
- Lookit the cute penguins!
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 1:20 PM on February 12, 2013 [35 favorites]
What career path allows you to become a career world traveller at age 21!? That was never discussed at my high school career fairs!
posted by Vindaloo at 1:26 PM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Vindaloo at 1:26 PM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]
penguin version of honking your horn at a bad driver
I wasn't sure at first if it was real, but it is apparently a clip from March of the Penguins, and I know Morgan Freeman wouldn't lie to me.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:40 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
I wasn't sure at first if it was real, but it is apparently a clip from March of the Penguins, and I know Morgan Freeman wouldn't lie to me.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:40 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Genuinely curious: how did penguins come up with self-organizing highways, complete with "lanes" and queuing and such? At first I figured it was just two straight lines between places of high penguin importance, but the penguins often turn at the intersection, so it's not just the shortest path between two points. What's going on? Am I just not giving penguins enough credit?
posted by chrominance at 3:32 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by chrominance at 3:32 PM on February 12, 2013 [1 favorite]
Love love love.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:34 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:34 PM on February 12, 2013
chrominance, when I made the post I tried to find more info about penguin highways but there was surprisingly little--I was hoping someone would come in and answer your questions, because I am curious too. I know they make the highways when they travel back and forth between the baby penguin nurseries and the ocean to get food, but other than that, it's sort of mysterious. There was a comment on one website that the penguin highways are often circuitous, but they didn't say why!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:10 PM on February 12, 2013
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:10 PM on February 12, 2013
What's going on? Am I just not giving penguins enough credit?
My guesses, in total ignorance, is that firstly, they may provide a pathfinding feature when the rest of the environment is very self-similar white snow viewed from a fixed height of a couple feet. Secondly, walking on a beaten path through the snow is significantly easier and less energy-consuming than breaking ground through untouched snow, cute little flippery feets or not.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 9:24 PM on February 12, 2013
My guesses, in total ignorance, is that firstly, they may provide a pathfinding feature when the rest of the environment is very self-similar white snow viewed from a fixed height of a couple feet. Secondly, walking on a beaten path through the snow is significantly easier and less energy-consuming than breaking ground through untouched snow, cute little flippery feets or not.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 9:24 PM on February 12, 2013
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posted by yoink at 11:08 AM on February 12, 2013 [2 favorites]