Not in the sense of road condition, but in the sense of personal safety. Inspired by that other thread of course.
Driving through Kansas City on eastbound I-70, I missed the slip to continue on I-70. I wound up going on US-24 eastbound little past 2AM, on some mixed-use boulevard that was full of people engaged in illicit activities. Needlessly to say I scrambled to find the way back to I-70 with my heart pounding out the chest.
US 44 in Hartford, CT (Albany Ave, North End) can be a bit disconcerting as it is a fairly "rough" area, esp late at night.
US 61/190 Bypass in Baton Rouge passes through a shady area... US 190 splits off towards Hammond and it gets shadier, but US 61 is a perfectly fine highway. Also can add US 80 through Monroe, La and US 167 Business through Alexandria, La, both pass through the not-so-nice areas. Although, since US 80 is a 0 highway, you're guaranteed a parallel Interstate, being I-20.
FM 1093 between Chimney Rock and Highway 99.
I can think of a few places I've felt unsafe travelling by foot (I've had rocks thrown at me on Chicago's west side, and come within an inch of being mugged on a bus platform in the south suburbs), but I'm coming up empty trying to think of places I've felt unsafe driving through.
Quote from: mcdonaat on April 29, 2012, 08:07:16 AM
Also can add US 80 through Monroe, La
What part of 80 specifically in Monroe? I wouldn't count Louisville Avenue or Desiard Street as the shadiest of places. Maybe the part between 165 and University Avenue would count.
Quote from: F350 on April 29, 2012, 06:04:45 AM
Not in the sense of road condition, but in the sense of personal safety. Inspired by that other thread of course.
Driving through Kansas City on eastbound I-70, I missed the slip to continue on I-70. I wound up going on US-24 eastbound little past 2AM, on some mixed-use boulevard that was full of people engaged in illicit activities. Needlessly to say I scrambled to find the way back to I-70 with my heart pounding out the chest.
That's a problem with that interchange. The same thing can happen with people heading south on I-35 and accidently getting on The Paseo. The area really went downhill in the span of about 20 years-I remember staying at a motel in that area with my family back around 1977. One time in the late 90s, two of my brothers and I were in KC for a weekend and we planned to stay at the same motel(at the intersection of The Paseo and Independence Ave.(US 24). All it took was one drive through the area to make us change our plans and stay somewhere else. I wouldn't want to be spending too much time driving through that area at night.
Quote from: Sanctimoniously on April 29, 2012, 02:52:34 PM
Quote from: mcdonaat on April 29, 2012, 08:07:16 AM
Also can add US 80 through Monroe, La
What part of 80 specifically in Monroe? I wouldn't count Louisville Avenue or Desiard Street as the shadiest of places. Maybe the part between 165 and University Avenue would count.
I drove through Monroe during the day. I didn't find it all that bad, IMHO. Now, parts of Englewood, Lawndale, and a few other parts of Chicago are definitely unsafe, IMHO. Take a wrong turn, and have the wrong color car, and you might be in a bit of trouble. Exiting the Ryan near the Robert Taylor Homes when they were there could be dicey as well. I would also stay out of certain parts of Aurora (in particular between IL-25 and Farnsworth, north of New York) for much the same reason. I did some surveying there over a decade ago, and we heard gunshots going off nearby.
I also avoided Collinsville Avenue in East St Louis at 9pm as it was the most desolate street I had ever seen. Even in the Chicago ghettos, there is activity (granted it may not be what you want to be involved in, but it is activity). This was dead.
Quote from: Brandon on April 29, 2012, 03:40:54 PM
I drove through Monroe during the day. I didn't find it all that bad, IMHO.
That's what I'm saying. I would honestly find parts of LA 15 along Winnsboro Road and LA 594 along Texas Avenue to be much more shady than anywhere along US 80 in Monroe or West Monroe, day or night.
I-4 around Kaley Street and FL 408. Heck, most of I-4 at peak times.
Pennsylvania when lanes are narrowed to 10 feet with two jersey barriers with one on each side during major freeway construction.
Given the bad reputation of Louisville's west end, I felt a bit uneasy driving in that area to get clinches of US 150, US 60 and US 31W in Kentucky.
My wife was trying to find Edgar Allen Poe's home in Baltimore a few years ago and was shooting video. She ended up in a not-so-friendly part of town with the locals warning her to quit shooting video. Don't know what kind of illegal activities she was capturing. I was on the road at the time, returning from the last North Carolina meet (the one that toured a new section of US 70, and featured the "Speed Limit 55" sign right beside a guardrail barricade closing a cut-off section of road). I had to pull off and talk to her awhile to calm her down, she was genuinely shaken up over it.
Years ago, while traveling to Minnesota (where my mom is from), my parents and I went through Gary, Indiana. My parents were using the AAA Triptik service (back then, they gave you a "flip book" with maps that they highlighted for you). When we got to Gary, we made a wrong turn, and got lost. Now, if you know anything about Gary, it is a poor city. My mom was freaking out. I got nervous (partially because I was a kid/teen). Even my dad, who normally doesn't let anything bother him, got nervous. We saw so many "shady characters". We took the same exit 3 times because every road we tried led back to it. Eventually (I don't remember how now), we got out of there and ended up in the bigger mess: Chicago.
I don't want to sound like I'm calling anyone a pussy, but dear lord, are you kidding me? "Oh no, I'm so es-cared to dwive thwoo the ghetto!!"
You all watch too much local news.
It's Chicago and East St. Louis and Compton; it's not Mogadishu. You're just driving through; you're not opening a lemonade stand.
"Urban" neighborhoods are not the death zones you seem to think they are. Sure some bad stuff happens but there's not roving gangs hunting for lost white folks to rob, rape and murder. White people don't instantly die the instant you enter a majority minority area. Unless your bumper is covered in racist anti-Obama stickers or you're shouting slurs out your windows, nothing's going to happen to you. Millions and millions of cars drive through 'sketchy' neighborhoods every single day without incident. So being "afraid" to drive through one is completely irrational. You are so much more likely to get f-d up in a car wreck on your way to the ghetto. The overwhelming majority of crime in those areas is committed against other people who live there, not random passers-through on major thoroughfares.
I have no qualms about driving through the rough neighborhoods in my highly segregated rust belt city. And I do so on a fairly regular basis.
You're just another piece of traffic; if you're not looking for trouble, odds are you won't get any, especially if you're not doing something weird like holding a camera or staring at a bunch of dudes hanging out like an ignorant honky. (How would you like it if some fool rolls through your 'hood staring at you like you're the polar bear exhibit at the zoo? It's insulting.) Like anything else, just use some common goddamn sense and you'll be fine.
3MX, with the number of shootings in Chicago, it might as well be Baghdad. I'm sure that you've read the stories and seen the reports on TV as you are in Milwaukee. Tell me how you feel about the snipers the gangs used to use in the Cabrini-Green complex? There is a reason it is gone.
Shootings happen for a reason. "This dude drove through in his car" isn't a good enough reason to start shooting. Killing someone has this nasty habit of attracting police officers...
Quote from: Scott5114 on April 29, 2012, 08:39:07 PM
Shootings happen for a reason. "This dude drove through in his car" isn't a good enough reason to start shooting. Killing someone has this nasty habit of attracting police officers...
Very true. However, mistakes do happen, and there have been a few recently. One involved a gang member thinking another car was full of rival gang members. He rammed the car and killed one of the occupants that way. He was recently found guilty. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-02-09/news/chi-jury-gets-murder-case-of-man-accused-of-ramming-carload-of-teens-20120209_1_jury-convicts-man-gang-member-stephanie-herrera
Thus, it does happen. The snipers at Cabrini-Green would fire on kids walking to school. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dantrell_Davis
I think you would probably agree, though, that Cabrini-Green is a extreme special case. Various factors and people dropping the ball led to a situation there that was far worse than anywhere else in Chicago or the US as a whole. You're not going to run into that sort of situation just driving down a street in a bad part of Kansas City. The way Cabrini-Green was set up was basically the perfect crucible for gang violence to occur. The Wikipedia article states that Dantrell Davis was killed in gang crossfire, not that someone was sniping him on a whim.
Gang "mistakes" do occur, but the probability is fairly low that you're going to get involved in one just minding your own business driving through in daylight hours. After all, gangs don't want the extra attention that these sorts of mistakes bring–they tend to cause the public to demand more police enforcement against gang violence which makes life tougher for the gangs.
The Surekill Expressway.
As a rule, if drug dealers and prostitutes are operating on a road, it's safe to drive down. It's bad for business to scare off the customers.
And no, even the worst of Chicago is no Baghdad. When was the last time someone was beheaded in Chicago? Or IEDs placed on the roads?
Quote from: triplemultiplex on April 29, 2012, 06:19:08 PM
It's ... East St. Louis...
Need to find it, but my dad had a bit of a fascination with US 66, so for Christmas one year I got him several books about the road. One of them was a travel guide to old 66 and it cautioned about travel in East St. Louis, and venturing into the wrong parts of town, with the same sense of urgency and foreboding as a PDS tornado watch or a tornado
emergency warning, vs. a regular tornado watch or tornado warning.
There had to be a reason for that.
South Blvd in Montgomery. The stretch between I-65 and US 231 goes through a rough area of town. East Blvd isn't a whole lot better either. Which is why I use Taylor Road (AL 271) to get to US 231 south of Montgomery when travel to/from Florida.
In Birmingham, US 11 inside I-459 goes through bad areas of town. I drove this once and plan on never driving it again.
Quote from: hbelkins on April 29, 2012, 11:19:00 PM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on April 29, 2012, 06:19:08 PM
It's ... East St. Louis...
Need to find it, but my dad had a bit of a fascination with US 66, so for Christmas one year I got him several books about the road. One of them was a travel guide to old 66 and it cautioned about travel in East St. Louis, and venturing into the wrong parts of town, with the same sense of urgency and foreboding as a PDS tornado watch or a tornado emergency warning, vs. a regular tornado watch or tornado warning.
There had to be a reason for that.
East Saint Louis used to be quite a bit worse than it is now. Much of the middle of the 20th Centure saw riots and such. For a while, around 1980, it simply abandoned basic services like sewer maintenance, garbage removal, and police equipment maintenance. I'm guessing your book is from back in those days.
Any freeway when it's raining. Semis kick up a huge amount of mist as do SUVs, compromising visibility.
like oh my god have you heard of this road in south america like every other car falls off it's insane
Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 30, 2012, 09:48:04 AM
Any freeway when it's raining. Semis kick up a huge amount of mist as do SUVs, compromising visibility.
Not to mention the prevalence of what I call "invisible cars," i.e., vehicles being driven by people who think the "headlights on in the rain" law doesn't apply to them.
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 30, 2012, 10:43:59 AM
Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 30, 2012, 09:48:04 AM
Any freeway when it's raining. Semis kick up a huge amount of mist as do SUVs, compromising visibility.
Not to mention the prevalence of what I call "invisible cars," i.e., vehicles being driven by people who think the "headlights on in the rain" law doesn't apply to them.
Much more annoying in two-way traffic. Kind of like fog. Wait, we've already had this discussion.
Quote from: 1995hoo on April 30, 2012, 10:43:59 AM
Not to mention the prevalence of what I call "invisible cars," i.e., vehicles being driven by people who think the "headlights on in the rain" law doesn't apply to them.
How about "invisible semis"? I encounter those every time I drive I-84 along the Columbia - the white trailers are almost impossible to see.
Quote from: NE2 on April 30, 2012, 10:32:43 AM
like oh my god have you heard of this road in south america like every other car falls off it's insane
you know - for once I have to back this one. :-D There are a lot of areas worth avoiding there or in Africa (like Libya or Egypt)
Oh, and I've gone through "questionable" neighborhood and got nervous personally. North side of Milwaukee, South Side of Chicago, Los Angeles (period).
3MX, Scott - We all have our tolerances of what we consider bad neighborhoods. They are unique. You seem to have a greater tolerance, while others like me, Brandon, H.B., etc don't. I've braved Milwaukee's north side to clinch the soon to be possibly former WIS-57 through there, but I won't do it again. I've also been on 95th street in Chicago (US 12/20) and in Gary to clinch all/part of both routes. Gary is Scary (have I made a rhyme?) simply because of all the boarded up businesses and dirty landscape giving me the idea that I'd be better off someplace else.
Quote from: Master son on April 30, 2012, 01:39:43 PM
Los Angeles (period).
have you ever actually been to LA? :-D
Quote from: Master son on April 30, 2012, 01:39:43 PM
3MX, Scott - We all have our tolerances of what we consider bad neighborhoods. They are unique. You seem to have a greater tolerance, while others like me, Brandon, H.B., etc don't. I've braved Milwaukee's north side to clinch the soon to be possibly former WIS-57 through there, but I won't do it again. I've also been on 95th street in Chicago (US 12/20) and in Gary to clinch all/part of both routes. Gary is Scary (have I made a rhyme?) simply because of all the boarded up businesses and dirty landscape giving me the idea that I'd be better off someplace else.
And on the other end of Illinois, Cairo is pretty desolate. However, I didn't feel a bit unsafe driving through it on US 51 between I-57 and US 60/62.
Only reason I felt edgy driving through the west end of Louisville is because of all the news reports of crime there.
And I know that there are some people who would feel nervous driving through my home area. "Deliverance" gave Appalachia a bad rap. :-D
Quote from: hbelkins on April 30, 2012, 03:29:32 PM
And I know that there are some people who would feel nervous driving through my home area. "Deliverance" gave Appalachia a bad rap. :-D
As the old saying goes, country folks fear people, city folks fear nature. :) It all depends on what you're used to.
Quote from: F350 on April 29, 2012, 06:04:45 AM
Not in the sense of road condition, but in the sense of personal safety. Inspired by that other thread of course.
Driving through Kansas City on eastbound I-70, I missed the slip to continue on I-70. I wound up going on US-24 eastbound little past 2AM, on some mixed-use boulevard that was full of people engaged in illicit activities. Needlessly to say I scrambled to find the way back to I-70 with my heart pounding out the chest.
That stretch of Independence Blvd. (US 24) is straight hood.
Post Merge: April 30, 2012, 10:22:17 PM
Quote from: mcdonaat on April 29, 2012, 08:07:16 AM
US 61/190 Bypass in Baton Rouge passes through a shady area... US 190 splits off towards Hammond and it gets shadier, but US 61 is a perfectly fine highway.
Airline Highway above Greenwell Springs Road...yes, it's a bad area. Between GS Road and Florida, it's an industrial area.
Florida Blvd is basically Baton Rouge's Main Street...lots of business. It does get questionable from North Ardenwood Drive westward toward downtown. The rest of Florida is pretty vibrant.
US 78/278 (Bankhead Highway) in Atlanta between Northside Drive and 285 on the west side....that is the definition of ghetto. You can add US 90/South Claiborne Avenue between Bus US 90 and Napoleon Avenue, North Claiborne Avenue (LA 39) between I-10 and the Judge Seeber Bridge...both in New Orleans.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on April 30, 2012, 03:23:56 PM
Quote from: Master son on April 30, 2012, 01:39:43 PM
Los Angeles (period).
have you ever actually been to LA? :-D
Yes, I have. Some places were ok - especially the beaches, but I was not comfortable on Hollywood Blvd. Unless they cleaned it up in the last 15 years (last time I was there0
Quote from: Master son on April 30, 2012, 06:58:31 PM
Yes, I have. Some places were ok - especially the beaches, but I was not comfortable on Hollywood Blvd. Unless they cleaned it up in the last 15 years (last time I was there0
I've never considered Hollywood Blvd to be bad at all. The worst parts of LA for me are south-central and even those are about averagely bad hood.
Quote from: Master son on April 30, 2012, 01:39:43 PM
3MX, Scott - We all have our tolerances of what we consider bad neighborhoods. They are unique. You seem to have a greater tolerance, while others like me, Brandon, H.B., etc don't. I've braved Milwaukee's north side to clinch the soon to be possibly former WIS-57 through there, but I won't do it again. I've also been on 95th street in Chicago (US 12/20) and in Gary to clinch all/part of both routes. Gary is Scary (have I made a rhyme?) simply because of all the boarded up businesses and dirty landscape giving me the idea that I'd be better off someplace else.
Well, I wouldn't say that. I avoid bad neighborhoods too; I am not as gung ho as Jake or someone that will intentionally head for the bad part of town to scour for old signs or something. I am simply making the point that the vast majority of bad neighborhoods are not so bad as to fear that you're in constant mortal peril just by passing though.
Los Angeles is very segregated between hood and non hood. It's hard to make an exceptionally wrong turn.
Gary is bad, even from I-90. Some parts of Grand Rapids are somewhat shady. I've never been to Detroit or Flint.
I agree with 3MX in that many (most) times the problem is our perception of an area or a totally irrational fear. (And, I would include racial, ethnic and age (any teen you see must be in a gang) in that.)
Adding to the problem is that if you've never lived in a "ghetto" you don't know what really goes on there and fearing the unknown is, unfortunately, a part of human nature.
I spent about 1 1/2 years in such an area in Akron about 22 years ago. From that, I learned first hand that if you mind your own business, you'll generally be OK. I also learned what to watch for that TRULY IS A BAD SIGN and to avoid that.
I don't go through those areas just to prove I'm tough. But, I don't shy away from them if I need to go there. Heightened awareness, yes, Nervousness, not so much.
Quote from: mightyace on May 02, 2012, 03:17:39 PMTRULY IS A BAD SIGN
and what is TRULY A BAD SIGN, shy of sudden new orifices in your body?
So the keyboard warriors never had anything bad happen while driving through sketchy neighborhoods? Okay, then, I have the worst luck in the world.
Quote from: F350 on May 02, 2012, 05:56:40 PM
So the keyboard warriors never had anything bad happen while driving through sketchy neighborhoods? Okay, then, I have the worst luck in the world.
Do you mind sharing what happened? I'd like to think I'm not completely oblivious, but maybe we're all missing something.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 02, 2012, 03:50:03 PM
Quote from: mightyace on May 02, 2012, 03:17:39 PMTRULY IS A BAD SIGN
and what is TRULY A BAD SIGN, shy of sudden new orifices in your body?
Empty lots and abandoned houses. People on the street at 10 AM just... there, not headed anywhere, and poorly dressed. No traffic besides your own car. Nothing at all looks new, and bars on all the windows. I was just in East St. Louis and saw all of these things. The key is to just keep your car moving - ignore stop signs and red lights, turn right if you feel so compelled or just run straight through them. I got the photos I wanted and got the hell out.
Quote from: Steve on May 02, 2012, 07:12:10 PM
Empty lots and abandoned houses. People on the street at 10 AM just... there, not headed anywhere, and poorly dressed. No traffic besides your own car. Nothing at all looks new, and bars on all the windows.
sounds like most of downtown Detroit.
US-40 through Baltimore, down Orleans Street. That is a scary neighborhood. Gets even worse going up Ensor Street.
None of the highways going through more "depressed" areas of Oregon really frighten me that much, though I did have a bum yell at me at OR-99 and Chambers Street in West Eugene while on my Honda scooter once. (Eugene has some really angry and aggressive bums. Vastly worse than Portland ones.)
Quote from: Tarkus on May 02, 2012, 09:13:56 PM
(Eugene has some really angry and aggressive bums. Vastly worse than Portland ones.)
What about the bums (politicians) in Salem? :sombrero:
Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 02, 2012, 07:58:31 PM
Quote from: Steve on May 02, 2012, 07:12:10 PM
Empty lots and abandoned houses. People on the street at 10 AM just... there, not headed anywhere, and poorly dressed. No traffic besides your own car. Nothing at all looks new, and bars on all the windows.
sounds like most of downtown Detroit.
Sounds nothing at all like downtown Detroit. Other parts? Certainly, but downtown is very safe.
Quote from: InterstateNG on May 02, 2012, 10:47:05 PM
Sounds nothing at all like downtown Detroit. Other parts? Certainly, but downtown is very safe.
I didn't know Windsor renamed themselves "Downtown Detroit". :)
Quote from: InterstateNG on May 02, 2012, 10:47:05 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 02, 2012, 07:58:31 PM
Quote from: Steve on May 02, 2012, 07:12:10 PM
Empty lots and abandoned houses. People on the street at 10 AM just... there, not headed anywhere, and poorly dressed. No traffic besides your own car. Nothing at all looks new, and bars on all the windows.
sounds like most of downtown Detroit.
Sounds nothing at all like downtown Detroit. Other parts? Certainly, but downtown is very safe.
Downtown (south of I-75, east of M-10, and west of I-375) is actually one of the best parts of Detroit, especially after the Tigers and Lions moved into new stadiums.
Bad neighborhoods don't make me nervous. But sometimes the people in them do. Like the other day when I was in a short line of cars trickling through an all-way stop, and there were these two guys across the street from one another apparently having some kind of argument; I was fairly nervous when I had to drive slowly between them. But I rarely encounter that kind of street drama, and most other times I can easily imagine that the locals are just people like anybody else, and have no reason to bother me.
Quote from: Tarkus on May 02, 2012, 09:13:56 PM
US-40 through Baltimore, down Orleans Street. That is a scary neighborhood. Gets even worse going up Ensor Street.
I'll echo that. When I cinched that road, some homeless bum stood in front of cars begging for money, preventing anyone in the lane he was blocking from going forward. Guess who was in the front...
Quote from: realjd on May 02, 2012, 06:15:37 PM
Do you mind sharing what happened? I'd like to think I'm not completely oblivious, but maybe we're all missing something.
The reply above was one of the examples. Another example was that I had a beer bottle thrown at me on US-50 in DC.
Rough neighborhoods don't bother as I have this (http://www.pentagonglasstech.com/supaglass/) fitted to my car.
What does scare me now is seeing a sign containing an animal with antlers. I used to like zooming along remote roads at night when there's no traffic to get in the way but after hitting a deer I now prefer to drive during the day.
Quote from: F350 on May 03, 2012, 02:41:32 PM
The reply above was one of the examples. Another example was that I had a beer bottle thrown at me on US-50 in DC.
I've had a beer bottle thrown at me while I was waiting for a bus in Geneva, Illinois. Didn't make me stop going to Geneva.
Quote from: F350 on May 02, 2012, 05:56:40 PM
So the keyboard warriors never had anything bad happen while driving through sketchy neighborhoods? Okay, then, I have the worst luck in the world.
About 20 years ago, a crackhead touched my car at 2am while waiting for a red light. I honked, he moved away, and nearly was hit (well, from my perspective) by oncomming traffic. I've been yelled or jeered at, but I just ignore them.
That's the worst I've dealt with. Big deal...I'm not inherently scared of country nor city nor color of skin.
I've been actually mugged, and I didn't think it indicative of my need to avoid large swaths of land.
Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 02, 2012, 07:58:31 PM
Quote from: Steve on May 02, 2012, 07:12:10 PM
Empty lots and abandoned houses. People on the street at 10 AM just... there, not headed anywhere, and poorly dressed. No traffic besides your own car. Nothing at all looks new, and bars on all the windows.
sounds like most of downtown Detroit.
Yes, another place where I kept moving. Though I wouldn't say "downtown," but rather some of the neighborhoods around it, particularly to the north/east.
Quote from: Tarkus on May 02, 2012, 09:13:56 PM
US-40 through Baltimore, down Orleans Street. That is a scary neighborhood. Gets even worse going up Ensor Street.
None of the highways going through more "depressed" areas of Oregon really frighten me that much, though I did have a bum yell at me at OR-99 and Chambers Street in West Eugene while on my Honda scooter once. (Eugene has some really angry and aggressive bums. Vastly worse than Portland ones.)
I drive US 40 a lot through Baltimore. I've even been on parallel and connecting streets. Honestly, it's really not that bad for the most part to the east. The bad stuff is to the west mostly.
Quote from: F350 on May 03, 2012, 02:41:32 PM
Quote from: realjd on May 02, 2012, 06:15:37 PM
Do you mind sharing what happened? I'd like to think I'm not completely oblivious, but maybe we're all missing something.
The reply above was one of the examples. Another example was that I had a beer bottle thrown at me on US-50 in DC.
Ah, DC. I found US 1 to be iffy, although OK during the day. (A homeless man pointed out that he, my friend, and I were the only three white people on the east side. My friend and I had lunch there, the place entirely barred/boarded to prevent vandalism, but good food and we were never threatened.)
Driving through bad neighborhoods: roll up the windows and don't make eye contact with anyone.
Not unlike the policy for walking through bad neighborhoods: walk with determination and purpose, keep a tough emotionless look on your face, and don't make eye contact with anyone. Just basically give off an air of "don't fuck with me" and no one will. Though this is admittedly tougher to do in office clothes, as my job sometimes demands of me.
US 22 (Lehigh Valley Thruway) in PA. Its a 4 lane freeway spanning the Lehigh Valley with a 55mph speed limit and it has a jersey barrier the entire way, making the left lane feel pretty unsafe at some curvy points, and it also has the worst traffic and an AADT of 70,000-95,000 at its worst areas. Heres a few examples of how merging/exiting makes rush hour terrible:
http://goo.gl/maps/iMMoF
http://goo.gl/maps/N8V0d
Notice how close some interchanges are to each other
All the Charleston, SC Bridges when its windy!
Quote from: OCGuy81 on April 30, 2012, 09:48:04 AM
Any freeway when it's raining. Semis kick up a huge amount of mist as do SUVs, compromising visibility.
Beginning in the early 2000s, Massachusetts freeways that have been resurfaced since then use open graded friction course and, more recently, gap graded friction course pavements. Makes a huge difference in rainy weather, but I wouldn't try applying thermoplastic markings on it (as MassHighway discovered the hard way - think snowplows).
I'm noticing two distinctly different viewpoints on this thread.
One involves the road itself; the other involves the neighborhood the road passes through.
I don't know that I have ever felt unsafe on a road due to the road itself or its geometrics, design, etc.
I have felt unsafe on some roads due to the amount and type of traffic on them, and also due to the neighborhood, but never solely because of the road.
CA-17 over the Santa Cruz mountains -- I've always felt like a dodged a bullet after making over to the other side. It's a narrow, windy two-lane expressway with grade crossings & heavy traffic that will go from 65 MPH to 0 in an instant.
Quote from: roadman on October 08, 2012, 07:42:10 PM
Beginning in the early 2000s, Massachusetts freeways that have been resurfaced since then use open graded friction course and, more recently, gap graded friction course pavements. Makes a huge difference in rainy weather, but I wouldn't try applying thermoplastic markings on it (as MassHighway discovered the hard way - think snowplows).
Ah yes, the famous "black popcorn."
My scariest drive was on the Indiana Toll Road in Laporte County during one of the infamous "lake effect" snows. Total white-out, so I wasn't sure if I was on the road or not. Trying to keep the barely pink taillights of the semi ahead in sight. Trying to not get too close, lest I become embedded in its undercarriage.
The worst was being passed by another semi whose driver thought we were going too slow. At that point, for what seems like forever, even the pink lights disappeared and I had to take it on faith the road didn't curve. We couldn't pull over either or we'd become sitting ducks.
* CA 9 through that Redwoods state park - too winding, no shoulders, and too many bicyclists.
* The two lane section of US 12 not too far north of I-43 - might have just been tired the night I drove this section, or had higher expectations for a US route, but seemed to be substandard and over capacity.
* US 20 in Illinois from Marengo to IL 47 - needs wider shoulders, and almost every intersection seems to be on a curve, a hill, or both.
Va. 56 between Steeles Tavern and the crest of the Blue Ridge (at the Blue Ridge Parkway). A narrow, twisting road, not much fun to drive even in good weather. Has the "look and feel" of a road with a route number greater than or equal to 600, not a primary system highway.
I-68 between Finzel and Hancock on a spring evening, when weather moved in and the clouds descended to some level lower than the ridge crests, resulting in extremely dense fog.
Speaking of dangerous and desolate places (which this thread started out with), I'd say Downtown St. Louis is getting more ghetto than East St. Louis. Grand Avenue from I-70 to the UMSL area is very ghetto, and a lot of poor housing can be found near I-70 going into downtown STL.
This year: Coahuila state highway 102 from General Cepeda to Parras de la Fuente (https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=25.448235,-101.980591&spn=2.901408,3.532104&sll=25.441453,-102.165513&sspn=0.022671,0.027595&geocode=FXIvgwEdWY_z-Q%3BFeM6hAEdezHp-Q&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=15&t=m&z=8)
I judged it ahead of time to be a decent highway based on Panaramio photos like this (http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/29237117.jpg) and this (http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/29174250.jpg). It turns out that much of the road between Panaramio shots is a giant sea of potholes–literally impossible to avoid in many places, even by driving on the wrong side of the road, and certainly difficult to avoid in most places at anything over 30 mph. If I hadn't replaced our minivan's tires before leaving for our trip, I don't think we would have made it without a flat. I was really hoping our friend following us would have gotten a picture of the road, but he didn't; when I asked him, he laughed and said there's no way he could have diverted any attention from the road. OTOH, the road from hell didn't keep the young ladies in the other car from sitting on top of the sunroof, butts on the rear and feet on the front. :-o
Quote from: hbelkins on October 08, 2012, 09:47:40 PM
I'm noticing two distinctly different viewpoints on this thread.
One involves the road itself; the other involves the neighborhood the road passes through.
The latter is what the OP was getting at; some people don't read much beyond the thread title before posting, resulting in the former (with help now from inertia).
US 1/301 in south Richmond. I used to feel the same way about US 1/460 Business in western Petersburg, but now I've driven it enough to become desensitized to it. I'm still not going down Halifax Street, though.
Having grown up in a small town (pop < 1,000) about 40 minutes from Montreal, which is a fairly mild city, and learning the rest from (or rather, being disinformed by) the news, movies and stories from "a friend of a friend", my tolerance of bad neighbourhoods is not that high (but I've seen worse; a friend of mine was nervous walking in the Park Slope area of Brooklyn, which is rather lovely).
I don't think I've seen "real" bad hoods yet. There have been areas in which I rolled my windows up and locked my doors: areas around Pearl and Clinton Streets in Albany, downtown Yonkers and, of course, the Bronx. I don't know what the fuss is about Scarborough in Toronto, even with it being the part of the city I've covered the most. It looks nicer than Montréal-Nord or Saint-Michel.
I've heard slightly scary things about Newark, Camden and, obviously, Detroit. I'm planning on visiting the latter within the next twelve months. So far I've avoided most areas of the Bronx and I'm not sure if I want to finish US 1 and NY 22 through it alone. I'm almost done with US 9 through it but it goes through a "nice" area (despite having driven across a group of colour bums about to fight just as I entered the Bronx). One thing that's on my mind when driving through a shady neighbourhood in the U.S. is that my tag is not only out of state; it's literally foreign.
Quote from: Morriswa on April 29, 2012, 05:23:54 PMMy parents were using the AAA Triptik service (back then, they gave you a "flip book" with maps that they highlighted for you).
They still do.
Quote from: Truvelo on May 03, 2012, 02:47:11 PMWhat does scare me now is seeing a sign containing an animal with antlers. I used to like zooming along remote roads at night when there's no traffic to get in the way but after hitting a deer I now prefer to drive during the day.
Avoid Canada at night.
eh, there's no neighborhood in the US that is so bad that I wouldn't drive through it alone. we're not talking about the slums of Johannesburg or Caracas here!
Quote from: Takumi on October 09, 2012, 10:15:17 AM
US 1/301 in south Richmond. I used to feel the same way about US 1/460 Business in western Petersburg, but now I've driven it enough to become desensitized to it. I'm still not going down Halifax Street, though.
I've lived here about 9 years and know a lot of the crime in South Richmond centers around the US 1/301 corridor, but I've never quite understood what the stigma is about Halifax rd. in petersburg. I know it a poor section, but it is crime riddled, I never really hear about crime there on the local news.
How about Business US 41 in Tampa north of Downtown and south of US 92 where Florida Avenue is one way NB? I did not feel comfortable there and was driving real fast and ready to run lights if I had to.
South Orange Avenue in Newark, NJ feels scary as I was the only whiite driver on the street. What got me scared was that in South Orange to the west, its an upscale community and has Seton Hall University. At one point all the people you see driving with you disappear and all of a sudden you have African Americans. No one bothered me, I have to say, but you figure people from the suburbs of Newark must go Downtown sometime and South Orange Avenue is the most direct route to the city from Livingston and South Orange. So, there must be something that would cause people from the burbs to avoid that section of South Orange Avenue from Downtown to the City limit.
While it is true that people in a given area know what areas to avoid, it's also been my experience that they often overreact. They'll completely avoid certain neighborhoods that outsiders have no problem travelling to. A good example of this is Calumet City, Illinois. People avoid it, saying it's dangerous (likely due to the racial makeup), but, staistically, crime isn't all that high there.
Any twisty, curvy mountain secondary road at night, because they are usually poorly marked (no reflectors, faded or patched over striping) and there are no guardrails.
Quote from: roadman65 on October 09, 2012, 03:21:18 PM
How about Business US 41 in Tampa north of Downtown and south of US 92 where Florida Avenue is one way NB? I did not feel comfortable there and was driving real fast and ready to run lights if I had to.
South Orange Avenue in Newark, NJ feels scary as I was the only whiite driver on the street. What got me scared was that in South Orange to the west, its an upscale community and has Seton Hall University. At one point all the people you see driving with you disappear and all of a sudden you have African Americans. No one bothered me, I have to say, but you figure people from the suburbs of Newark must go Downtown sometime and South Orange Avenue is the most direct route to the city from Livingston and South Orange. So, there must be something that would cause people from the burbs to avoid that section of South Orange Avenue from Downtown to the City limit.
You forgot the standard "I am not a racist" disclaimer that goes along with all racist posts.
South Carolina 70 between Denmark and Orangeburg. There was a(nother) fatal accident on that highway just two and a half weeks ago.
Also, SC 3 between Springfield and Swansea for the same reason.
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
We were in part of Anacostia during the DC meet back in the spring. The part we were in didn't look particularly "hood-ish" to me. Yes, the majority of the population visible on the street had dark skin, but it looked as if the neighborhood had undergone a revitalization of sorts and was one of those quaint little areas you'll find in many cities with restaurants, shops, etc. It didn't appear unsafe to me at all.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
My favorites are always the gas stations where you pay the attendant through a bullet-proof window.....
The Crater Lake West Rim Drive, and to a lesser extent the East Rim Drive. No guardrails or signs to warn you of the thousand foot dropoffs just inches from the edge of pavement. Take care while driving 'cause an errant move could mean being stuck in a ravine (at best) for quite a while.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2012, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
We were in part of Anacostia during the DC meet back in the spring. The part we were in didn't look particularly "hood-ish" to me. Yes, the majority of the population visible on the street had dark skin, but it looked as if the neighborhood had undergone a revitalization of sorts and was one of those quaint little areas you'll find in many cities with restaurants, shops, etc. It didn't appear unsafe to me at all.
That's amazing. A predominantly black neighborhood that actually looked safe? I'll have to think on that.
Quote from: Special K on October 15, 2012, 03:59:46 PM
That's amazing. A predominantly black neighborhood that actually looked safe? I'll have to think on that.
Is Tiger Woods' house large enough to qualify as its own neighborhood?
Quote from: NE2 on October 15, 2012, 05:08:41 PM
Is Tiger Woods' house large enough to qualify as its own neighborhood?
no way, the per-capita crime rates are through the roof.
Quote from: Special K on October 15, 2012, 03:59:46 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2012, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
We were in part of Anacostia during the DC meet back in the spring. The part we were in didn't look particularly "hood-ish" to me. Yes, the majority of the population visible on the street had dark skin, but it looked as if the neighborhood had undergone a revitalization of sorts and was one of those quaint little areas you'll find in many cities with restaurants, shops, etc. It didn't appear unsafe to me at all.
That's amazing. A predominantly black neighborhood that actually looked safe? I'll have to think on that.
Anacostia is a bit of a crapshoot. Some areas look OK. Others qualify as, to borrow a phrase from Bruce Springsteen, "the part of town where when you hit a red light you don't stop." The real issue is when you're there. I don't worry about driving through pretty much any of Southeast DC during the day, but I'll drive 20 miles out of the way rather than go down some of those streets late at night.
I'm guessing the areas they saw on the DC meet are near the 11th Street Bridge project. That area's not too bad. The proximity to the Metrorail station helps.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2012, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
We were in part of Anacostia during the DC meet back in the spring. The part we were in didn't look particularly "hood-ish" to me. Yes, the majority of the population visible on the street had dark skin, but it looked as if the neighborhood had undergone a revitalization of sorts and was one of those quaint little areas you'll find in many cities with restaurants, shops, etc. It didn't appear unsafe to me at all.
Probably not the same area.
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 09:53:37 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2012, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
We were in part of Anacostia during the DC meet back in the spring. The part we were in didn't look particularly "hood-ish" to me. Yes, the majority of the population visible on the street had dark skin, but it looked as if the neighborhood had undergone a revitalization of sorts and was one of those quaint little areas you'll find in many cities with restaurants, shops, etc. It didn't appear unsafe to me at all.
Probably not the same area.
Definitely not the same area. This is where we (me, Carl, Mike) were with 1 mile's worth of gas left in the tank: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=4700+South+Capitol+Street+Southeast,+Washington,+DC&hl=en&ll=38.82186,-77.001323&spn=0.001567,0.003278&sll=38.822992,-77.00429&sspn=0.006269,0.013111&hnear=4700+South+Capitol+St+SE,+Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20032&t=m&z=18
(For the record, this was 100% my fault)
Living in Baltimore means that half of the roads are unsafe, especially at night. I mostly feel okay on major thoroughfares, but there are certain neighborhoods where I would never ever drive on the tertiary roads. It just screams suspicion.
Anyway, I've listed my top 5 sketchiest in Baltimore.
5. "The Block" - Baltimore Street. If it isn't closed off already that night.
4. MS 129 - Druid Hill Ave. Something about this street late at night gave me the heebie geebies.
3. Any of the North/South Streets in East Baltimore, north of US 40 (Broadway, Wolfe, Milton, etc.) An aquaintance friend of mine (who was admittingly up to no good) got robbed in this area. Long story short, he was with a friend, and in an effort to miss hitting people in the middle of the street, the friend swerved and hit a parked car instead. Then, the group of people came over to the accident scene and robbed them. Unfortunately, his recollection of what happened and where was confusing, but that he remembered being near 40.
2. US 1 - West North Ave (west of Eutaw Place) lots of abandoned, boarded up buildings.
1. US 1 - Fulton and Monroe Aves. One night, Mike and I were driving and definitely saw police tape and a car blocked off. We think someone shot at the car. We didn't wait around to find out.
Bonus: Routes where I feel debatable at night:
MD 372 Wilkins Ave
US 1 - West North Ave (east of Eutaw Place), East North Ave, Belair road up to 25th street.
MD 140
Hilton Pkwy
Greenmount Ave below 29th Street
Quote from: NE2 on October 15, 2012, 05:08:41 PM
Quote from: Special K on October 15, 2012, 03:59:46 PM
That's amazing. A predominantly black neighborhood that actually looked safe? I'll have to think on that.
Is Tiger Woods' house large enough to qualify as its own neighborhood?
Tiger isn't predominantly black.
Quote from: Special K on October 16, 2012, 07:44:18 AM
Quote from: NE2 on October 15, 2012, 05:08:41 PM
Quote from: Special K on October 15, 2012, 03:59:46 PM
That's amazing. A predominantly black neighborhood that actually looked safe? I'll have to think on that.
Is Tiger Woods' house large enough to qualify as its own neighborhood?
Tiger isn't predominantly black.
True, he's also white and orange.
Quote from: Laura Bianca on October 16, 2012, 12:13:20 AM
Definitely not the same area. This is where we (me, Carl, Mike) were with 1 mile's worth of gas left in the tank: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=4700+South+Capitol+Street+Southeast,+Washington,+DC&hl=en&ll=38.82186,-77.001323&spn=0.001567,0.003278&sll=38.822992,-77.00429&sspn=0.006269,0.013111&hnear=4700+South+Capitol+St+SE,+Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20032&t=m&z=18
That looks to be a bit south of where we were.
You spoke of Baltimore ... my wife had an interesting experience in Baltimore several years ago trying to find some landmark having to do with the inspiration behind your city's pro football team. She had a small video camera and was trying to shoot some video of the neighborhood when someone yelled at her and told her to quit shooting video. It shook her up pretty badly.
You guys are wussies. I used to drive Prospect Avenue in Kansas City every day and nothing ever happened. I also drive through the 61st and Peoria ghetto in Tulsa all the time, sometimes at night, and I've never felt scared.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 15, 2012, 11:58:58 AM
Quote from: Dr Frankenstein on October 15, 2012, 11:08:40 AM
As of last Saturday, Anacostia takes the crown as the worst hood I've been through. We had to stop for gas late at night while clinching I-/DC/MD 295. No time was wasted.
We were in part of Anacostia during the DC meet back in the spring. The part we were in didn't look particularly "hood-ish" to me. Yes, the majority of the population visible on the street had dark skin, but it looked as if the neighborhood had undergone a revitalization of sorts and was one of those quaint little areas you'll find in many cities with restaurants, shops, etc. It didn't appear unsafe to me at all.
And it's interesting to note that Anacostia is where the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is building its new headquarters complex.
Quote from: bugo on October 18, 2012, 06:49:52 PM
You guys are wussies. I used to drive Prospect Avenue in Kansas City every day and nothing ever happened. I also drive through the 61st and Peoria ghetto in Tulsa all the time, sometimes at night, and I've never felt scared.
I work for a cable contractor. As far as I know, Tulsa is the only city in which one of our cable technicians got shot. It was a brand-new house in a nice neighborhood, and the folks hadn't even really moved in yet–the house was pretty much empty except for the car in the garage. Masked men armed with assault weapons stormed in the door, and our cable guy got winged by a bullet while he was trying to escape the line of fire in the half bathroom. He's fine, but it's a heck of a story to tell new hires. :wow:
Another one of our techs was carjacked in Tulsa, with a supervisor parked right behind him on the street. He says he actually prefers Tulsa's rough neighborhoods over the nicer ones: when you're the cable guy, you're everyone's hero because all the neighbors will get to watch the game. That was before we started doing disconnects there, though.... Those are a little dicier, especially after dark.
Quote from: hbelkins on October 18, 2012, 02:17:21 PM
Quote from: Laura Bianca on October 16, 2012, 12:13:20 AM
Definitely not the same area. This is where we (me, Carl, Mike) were with 1 mile's worth of gas left in the tank: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=4700+South+Capitol+Street+Southeast,+Washington,+DC&hl=en&ll=38.82186,-77.001323&spn=0.001567,0.003278&sll=38.822992,-77.00429&sspn=0.006269,0.013111&hnear=4700+South+Capitol+St+SE,+Washington,+District+of+Columbia+20032&t=m&z=18
That looks to be a bit south of where we were.
You spoke of Baltimore ... my wife had an interesting experience in Baltimore several years ago trying to find some landmark having to do with the inspiration behind your city's pro football team. She had a small video camera and was trying to shoot some video of the neighborhood when someone yelled at her and told her to quit shooting video. It shook her up pretty badly.
Statistically, Baltimore is a fairly violent city. It averages around 40 homicides per 100,000 population; Compton (CA) averages around 42, and Tijuana (BC) posted 53 in 2010.
Quote from: kphoger on October 19, 2012, 02:21:40 PM
I work for a cable contractor. As far as I know, Tulsa is the only city in which one of our cable technicians got shot. It was a brand-new house in a nice neighborhood, and the folks hadn't even really moved in yet–the house was pretty much empty except for the car in the garage. Masked men armed with assault weapons stormed in the door, and our cable guy got winged by a bullet while he was trying to escape the line of fire in the half bathroom. He's fine, but it's a heck of a story to tell new hires. :wow:
I wonder what the motive was behind that break-in... something weird involving drugs, I'll bet.
thanks, Richard Nixon!
Quote from: agentsteel53 on October 19, 2012, 02:48:01 PM
Quote from: kphoger on October 19, 2012, 02:21:40 PM
I work for a cable contractor. As far as I know, Tulsa is the only city in which one of our cable technicians got shot. It was a brand-new house in a nice neighborhood, and the folks hadn't even really moved in yetthe house was pretty much empty except for the car in the garage. Masked men armed with assault weapons stormed in the door, and our cable guy got winged by a bullet while he was trying to escape the line of fire in the half bathroom. He's fine, but it's a heck of a story to tell new hires. :wow:
I wonder what the motive was behind that break-in... something weird involving drugs, I'll bet.
thanks, Richard Nixon!
I'm not sure, exactly. It was a large, nice house, with an expensive car in the lit-up garage. They might have expected there to be more loot to steal, and not to find a near-totally empty house. The customer decided to cancel their cable subscription, and ended up not moving into the house.
Quote from: blawp on April 29, 2012, 12:51:44 PM
FM 1093 between Chimney Rock and Highway 99.
You mean Westheimer? What Makes you feel unsafe driving down Westheimer through that area? Is it that it looks seedy and sketchy?
I-4 and its infamous Fairbanks Curves. I think FDOT is doing something about making it safer as many accidents have occured there, however several miles to the east on I-4 the ramp to I-95 north has had its share of overturned vehicles due to not slowing down around its very tight curve. FDOT has narrowed it down to single lane, and have not heard many road closeures on traffic reports since that has been done, so I assume it has helped that situation there.
I really have no concern for myself driving the Fairbanks Curve, but I feel unsafe at times when other people put it to the test and hope that no one hits me or causes me to crash there.
The worst ones are the ones where ALL the drivers but me are going the wrong way. I HATE those highways.