# Why do Northern Californians get upset about "the 405"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-northern-californians-get-upset-about-the-405/792308>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 28, 2017, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-northern-californians-get-upset-about-the-405/792308 "2017-07-28T05:40:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-northern-californians-get-upset-about-the-405/792308/101 "2017-08-18T18:41:14Z")

</div>

> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#):
>
> Ahem. _Three_ major interstates? Here in Atlanta we have three major interstates that are known exclusively by number, either with or without a preceding “I”, and one that has an unofficial name. Although even then you’ll hear it called “285” about as often as it’s called “the Perimeter”\*. To be fair to **Doctor Jackson** , it’s a bypass around the city, so it’s not really an interstate. But it’s called Interstate 285, and gets the red-and-blue shield sign.
> 
> There are a number of smaller interstates that debouch off the major interstates, such as I-675 and I-985. Interestingly, though, while you will hear Atlantans speak of “Eye-Twenny”, we never afford these spur highways the initial - they’re always “Five Seventy-Five” or “Nine Eighty-Five”.

I did forget I-95, which is a true interstate. It is also the only interstate in GA that does not intersect with a major highway bearing the same number. All the others I left out intentionally because they are technically intrastate highways, as they exist only in GA.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-northern-californians-get-upset-about-the-405/792308/102 "2017-08-18T18:51:36Z")

</div>

> [@Senegoid](#):
>
> This seems to have gotten overlooked and not answered in this thread yet.
> 
> It was Oakland. (ETA: And, I suppose, still is.)

Ah, yes. SJ was so small back then, that it wouldn’t even have rated.

With SF being so expensive these days, I think Oakland is getting a “there”. 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\
**Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-northern-californians-get-upset-about-the-405/792308/103 "2017-08-20T00:17:16Z")

</div>

> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#):
>
> I did forget I-95, which is a true interstate. It is also the only interstate in GA that does not intersect with a major highway bearing the same number. All the others I left out intentionally because they are technically intrastate highways, as they exist only in GA.

Yeah. I was teasing you about forgetting 285.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-northern-californians-get-upset-about-the-405/792308.md?page=5)