Regional Phrases

I was told by a friend that it's a South/midwest thing to say "Went and did/got" or the like, such as: " I went and got a burger." It doesn't sound too strange to me, but apparently it's a double-something-or-other, because I could have simply said, "I got a burger."

Another thing that Texans say is "Access Road" for the road that runs parallel to the highway. In California we always call those "Frontage Roads." After a few years I've run into some people here who recognize the term Frontage, but when my dad asked for directions he was told "access road" and was quite confused. Also, turnarounds. We don't have those in California.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by GAULT-1

When I first went to Texas, I did not know what the hell a frontage road was, and I just gave people a blank stare when I heard the term tossed around (I have never heard "access road" either, even in Texas). I didn't even know the things existed. It must be in Northern California where those frontage roads exist, because I have never seen them down here, or even in San Francisco (the farthest north I've been). And by turnaround, do you mean a loop? In Austin, which is the city in Texas I frequent the most by far, that is what I have heard them called.

Also, in Southern California, one thing we like to do is to call freeways "the [freeway number]". I'll often say that I have to "get on the 60". Are there many other states where they do this? I have heard some out of towners here at school say "I-5" and such.

Yeah, Loop roads. They're incredibly convenient, but also occasionally confusing if you aren't used to taking "Loop [this] or Loop [that]." Even though I live in Austin, I keep calling them turnarounds for no particular reason. Another thing peculiar to Texas roads (and maybe other places I haven't been) are the "Crossover" things on the highway. Again, very convenient, but a foreign concept.

My hometown is in Central California, so maybe it's more in the smaller cities where they have frontage/access roads? I'm pretty sure I've seen frontage roads when we're driving in LA... you have to drive on them to get to some of the businesses that are along the highway (I think). But then again, it's been awhile since I was driving in Southern California. In our area we also refer to highways by numbers... like "The 99" or "I don't like 99." In Austin, it's always "I-35" though.

How ya doing, buddy?