Navigating American Highways

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The trip home on Sunday last was, for the most part, uneventful. For us at any rate, we did see a traffic mishap on the southbound side of I-95 in Connecticut which had traffic backed up for at least three miles by my estimate. So the day was eventful for the two vehicles involved. No ambulances were in evidence nor was there any rushing around in panic as sometimes can be seen at accident sites. So hopefully no one was badly hurt.

Once again though, I found myself missing the solid confidence and well-executed operation of motor vehicles which I got used to in Germany. When I lived there the standards were set very high to allow one to travel upon the highways and byways of the Vaterland.

People will tap their brakes in this country rather than simply let up on the accelerator. Of course, the "brake tappers" are typically following far too closely for comfort's sake. But a couple of brake tappers in heavy traffic brings the whole business to a crawl. I saw this Sunday in Connecticut. (Honestly, what do you need to do to get a license in that state, be able to count the fingers on the examiner's hand?)

Traffic in the western part of that state can be an absolute nightmare. Stretches where you might be able to get to the speed limit for a mile or so before slowing back down to walking speed. No, I'm not exaggerating.

And it will nearly always happen that two young men (always men, I've never seen a female of the species act this stupidly) will roar past at speeds in excess of a hundred miles an hour, weaving from lane to lane and obviously racing each other. That nonsense is nerve wracking at best, terrifying at worst, especially when one of the young misfits misses your vehicle by mere inches. Yup, I've had that happen.

Then there are the morons who travel in the far left lane as a matter of habit, not because they're passing anyone, they just like that lane I guess. Then when their exit comes up, it's across all two to three lanes, at high rates of speed, trying to make the exit at the very last nanosecond.

When we were coming down I-287 (see the map below for the standard route we take to get to Annapolis) traffic was backed up a) because there was ongoing construction, and b) because there was a "lady" in the far left lane going well-below the speed limit. While texting.

There are people on the roads who should not be allowed to be there. They don't know what they are doing and they are, in many cases, terrified of being on the highway. You can see it in their glazed eyes, the blank stare out the front which understands nothing and takes in nothing of what's going on around them.

Yeah, it can be scary out there, but we survived, again. No close calls because I'm starting to believe that the incompetent drivers are culling their own ranks. If you can avoid them, you'll arrive alive. If not somewhat the worse for wear.

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That big yellow circle is the object of avoidance on every trip south. Crossing the Hudson River at the Tappen Zee adds twenty miles to the trip, but helps keep my blood pressure down. Besides which, one avoids that whole Mad Max looking part of northern New Jersey. Which is nice.

Anyhoo, have a nice week.