# Musical road in Lancaster CA — a fun little gimmick **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 6, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674 "2023-05-06T16:35:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/1 "2023-05-06T16:35:33Z")
The pavement has been scored with vibration strips so that when your tires roll over them, the vibration plays music. I drove there last weekend and it was a fun little gimmick. To find it on the map search for Musical road Lancaster CA. Link follows. It’s supposed to be the William Tell Overture, or the theme song for the old TV show The Lone Ranger. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qxrCwFaXiww/hqdefault.jpg "The musical road, Lancaster CA") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxrCwFaXiww) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/2 "2023-05-06T16:58:42Z")
Yet another reason to avoid Lancaster at all costs. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/3 "2023-05-06T17:42:11Z")
I’d be tempted to go fast in an attempt to play the song at the correct tempo. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/4 "2023-05-06T18:21:18Z")
I was thinking the same thing; I like the idea, but the execution seems to be lacking. It’s also possible that the car used in that video has a poorly calibrated speedometer. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/5 "2023-05-06T20:57:30Z")
Nothing to do with the speedo. As long as you drive at any constant speed, it _should_ sound right, just in a different key. But they screwed up (twice!), and Tom Scott explains why: [Why California's musical road sounds terrible - YouTube](https://youtu.be/Ef93WmlEho0) ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2023, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/6 "2023-05-06T21:21:10Z")
There’s a rumble strip between Santa Fe and Albuquerque that plays “This Land is Your Land” ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/7 "2023-05-07T00:28:37Z")
Cool. I think I found it: Musical Highway, 310 U.S. Rt. 66, Albuquerque NM Grid: 35.068628, -106.419764 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/8 "2023-05-07T01:03:49Z")
I remember reading a news story about a “singing road” in the Netherlands: > **[Dutch 'singing road' closed after neighbours' complaints](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43725796)** > > Residents near the Dutch road say the constant melody was driving them mad. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/9 "2023-05-07T01:12:50Z")
heh wish i could most days … ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/10 "2023-05-07T02:17:49Z")
Hungary has one, as well. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XukLEaMbm9k/hqdefault.jpg "Hungary has a road that plays music") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XukLEaMbm9k) At least theirs is in tune (as opposed to the California one.) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/11 "2023-05-07T02:47:02Z")
We were recently on a trip in SW Utah and I saw odd stripes in the left lane of a two lane highway. It dawned on me that it might be “musical” and I went over and it was. We only caught the tail-end and didn’t get a chance to go back. It was somewhere around St. George. Wish I could’ve done the whole thing as I think this is a cool concept. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/12 "2023-05-07T12:51:46Z")
It’s out by the airport and not near any residences. It’s only the left lane. If someone doesn’t like it they can drive in the right lane. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/13 "2023-05-07T12:57:18Z")
That is a good one! From a search: > It is the main road connecting the city of Kaposvár and the M7 motorway. The road was installed in memoriam of the lead singer of the band Republic, László Bódi aka Cipő. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2023, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/14 "2023-05-07T13:01:54Z")
> [@Zyada](#): > > There’s a rumble strip between Santa Fe and Albuquerque that plays “This Land is Your Land” > [@Bullitt](#): > > Cool. I think I found it: > > Musical Highway, 310 U.S. Rt. 66, Albuquerque NM > Grid: 35.068628, -106.419764 It sings America the Beautiful, and it is in tune. Sounds pretty good. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/E6Nl53bCC78/maxresdefault.jpg "The Singing Road of New Mexico - Rt 66 Sings America the Beautiful") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6Nl53bCC78) ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2023, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/15 "2023-05-08T05:26:34Z")
It sounds good the first few times. About the 10th time on, it’s just kind of annoying. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2023, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/16 "2023-05-08T06:32:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Hungary has one, as well. [And Japan.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTsoP3WWgU4) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/musical-road-in-lancaster-ca-a-fun-little-gimmick/983674/17 "2023-05-09T19:08:37Z")
> [@InternetLegend](#): > > It sounds good the first few times. About the 10th time on, it’s just kind of annoying. Agreed. But I have another problem with some implementations. Some rumble strips can be seen on the right side of the lane so that only your right tires hit them and play the tune. If the driver wants to avoid the music they’d have to veer left and drive in the left part of the lane. From the videos it looks like this is possible. The problem I see is that this puts the driver in a greater risk and nearer to the oncoming traffic. Why not put the rumble strips on the left tire, so that to avoid them you’re nearer to the shoulder and thus safer?