We left NJ with tears and headed north. With a route that took us on parkways we discovered at the last minute. (Parkways are cars only highways. The bridges are too low for the bus to pass under without incident. IIRC they were intentionally built to be impassable for busses, thus another hurdler for the poor.) Basically, the proposed routes were inapplicable, making us (gasp) have to figure it out.

Plus the impressive NY drivers. In less than 70 miles I saw 4 car crashes. On the freeway, going slow past an additional crash in The Garden State, without warning a driver pulled in front and then stopped though there was no need. A definite contender for today’s Cream of the Crop award.

Plus the NY roads are simply not well maintained. Like WTF am I going to blow a tire?

Yeah PA formerly had the Crappiest Driving Experience award, greatly helped by us paying $24 to ride on that post apocalypse style highway. Even so, the New York drivers whose actions repeatedly evoked amazement and bewilderment, the existence of those confounded parkways, and the super sized serving of potholes give the state what may be an insurmountable lead. I may simply engrave the trophy this weekend.

The zenith has been Tennessee. Exceptional. The autobahn is jealous.