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Wicked Good Guide to Boston English /

Breakdown lane

Highway shoulder. Also, an oxymoron - the last place you want to break down in greater Boston is in the breakdown lane, especially during rush hour, when it becomes the high-speed lane (in some places, even legally). The state has built a series of emergency turn-outs along Rte. 128 so you can pull out of the breakdown lane if, in fact, your car breaks down.

re: Breakdown lane

By northshoretin (not verified) | Fri, 05/27/2005 - 7:00pm

we always use this. i never knew it was only a Boston thing.

re: Breakdown lane

By KAWAKEB (not verified) | Tue, 05/02/2006 - 8:42am

thank you for let me all these words iam looking for more to learn.sincerely yours

re: Breakdown lane

By holly (not verified) | Tue, 10/30/2007 - 7:31pm

Really? I never knew that was only a boston thing? weird.

Breakdown Lane

By EdMuse (not verified) | Thu, 02/12/2009 - 11:16am

Those "emergency turn-outs" are actually called, according to the signs that indicate them, "emergency pulloffs", a name that always struc me as having interesting sexual connotations...emergency?...

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