Worst Interstate drive you have experienced

[Alex]

Worst interstate for me... I-65 south of Montgomery, AL is so boring I've gotten several tickets there just trying to get it over with.  As if it weren't bad enough, they've recently stuck a 10-mile-long 50MPH construction zone speed trap in the middle of it.  I've yet to see any workers in it.

Just had to chime in on this again, as that stretch of I-65 ranks as my most boring of any stretch driven. I encountered that 50 mph speed limit stretch for resurfacing a few weeks ago, and like you, saw no workers. Fortunately by the time I got out of it, everyone was traveling at 70-75 mph. ALDOT must have amended their policy on construction zone speed limits a few years ago, because now the default is 50 mph. When they did an almost year long "slide corrections" project on I-10 in Baldwin County, it was set at 50 mph, even though ALL of the work took place beyond the shoulder. The current widening of I-10 between Exits 15 and 17 also sees a 50 mph speed limit.

Back to that stretch of I-65, it used to be that you could easily maintain 80-85 mph between Montgomery and Satsuma (where US 43 meets I-65), but I have noted many more state troopers along that stretch. The same can be said for I-10 in Baldwin and Mobile Counties (outside of the urban/suburban areas). Mobile County is heavily enforced now by Mobile County Sheriff's department and state troopers. I would not advise doing anymore than 72 on the stretch west of Mobile. It is hit or miss in Baldwin, but troopers or Loxley Police (which are not supposed to have jurisdiction on I-10 per an ALDOT correspondence I made, but patrol it anyway) lurk in the forested median periodically east of Exit 38. All of these stretches are somewhat boring as well.

There has been mention of I-10 between Pensacola and Jacksonville, sans the Tallahassee stretch. At least with this boring stretch, traffic counts are lower (especially with the number of trucks), and speed enforcement is not as rigid as it could be.

[mightyace]

I'll agree as well on that section of I-65 south of Montgomery.

Tennessee likes those tree walls as well.  Parts of I-24 between Murfreesboro and Chattanooga and parts of I-65.

[jcarte29]

.... even in the middle of NC or SC it can get aggravating 

I-40 East of I-95 is a snoozer, but just to the north taking (I know it's not an interstate, but...) US 264 is the WORSTTTTTT from Zebulon to Wilson...

[ftballfan]

My father hates the Ohio Turnpike.

My personal least favorite has to be I-75 between Macon and the Florida line. Almost every single interchange looks exactly the same.

[sr641]

interstate 80 in pennsylvania

[allniter89]

interstate 80 in pennsylvania

Why? At least there is some pretty nice scenery across PA. A couple of downsides to I 80 are it can be nasty in the winter and it's a loong way across PA.

[sr641]

interstate 80 in pennsylvania

Why? At least there is some pretty nice scenery across PA. A couple of downsides to I 80 are it can be nasty in the winter and it's a loong way across PA.

I like going on i76 in pennsylvania bacause of the tunnels.

[Alps]

interstate 80 in pennsylvania

Why? At least there is some pretty nice scenery across PA. A couple of downsides to I 80 are it can be nasty in the winter and it's a loong way across PA.

Actually I-80 is among my worst Interstate drives, due to having to deal with trucks, unpredictable breakdowns, and 50 miles between usable exits at random places.

[roadman65]

Every day along I-4.

[the49erfan15]

Pretty much a tie between:

I-59 from I-12 in Louisiana to Birmingham

I-16 and I-75 from Savannah to Atlanta, although I drove that from about 12-4 AM after a friend's wedding in Hilton Head, SC trying to make the 49ers-Falcons game the next day. Brutal!

I-40 from Arkansas to LA was pretty desolate, save Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Flagstaff. The only redeeming quality was I was driving it with a good friend, and we were driving from South Carolina to LA so we were in the mindset that it was going to be a long drive. I feel like the 6-7 hour trips where you're just ready to get to your destination are MUCH worse than the multi-day trips where you know you won't be anywhere for a while.

[roadman65]

Pretty much a tie between:

I-59 from I-12 in Louisiana to Birmingham

I-16 and I-75 from Savannah to Atlanta, although I drove that from about 12-4 AM after a friend's wedding in Hilton Head, SC trying to make the 49ers-Falcons game the next day. Brutal!

I-40 from Arkansas to LA was pretty desolate, save Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Flagstaff. The only redeeming quality was I was driving it with a good friend, and we were driving from South Carolina to LA so we were in the mindset that it was going to be a long drive. I feel like the 6-7 hour trips where you're just ready to get to your destination are MUCH worse than the multi-day trips where you know you won't be anywhere for a while.

I always thought that I-40 was nice.  I drove it from Tucumcari, NM west to Kingman, AZ and found the drive nice.  Plus many truckers and one bus driver once told me that is the best cross country road.

I have driven I-10 from I-75 to New Orleans in the day, the other was at night from Lafayette to New Orleans, and thought that drive is the most boring.  Plus what I hear about Texas is not too good either, especially from El Paso to San Antonio.  With it being almost 900 miles (that is more than from the state line at either end to the nearest terminus) that alone would tell you something.  I know this  topic is about what we have been on and the last sentence is hearsay, still you cannot help take note of that compared to what you have been on making a conclusion.

[Bigmikelakers]

I had to drive from Albuquerque to El Paso on I-25. Its only a 270 mile trip but, I-25 at night in pitch blackness made it feel like it was 600 miles. My eyes were straining because it was so dark. Felt like it took forever to get there. Then to top it off, I drove through the worst thunderstorm in my life once I reached El Paso!

[vdeane]

Funny, my clinch of I-84 in PA was just like that!

[mightyace]

interstate 80 in pennsylvania

Why? At least there is some pretty nice scenery across PA. A couple of downsides to I 80 are it can be nasty in the winter and it's a loong way across PA.

Actually I-80 is among my worst Interstate drives, due to having to deal with trucks, unpredictable breakdowns, and 50 miles between usable exits at random places.

Actually the trucks are why I-80 in PA is one of my BEST interstate drives.  The truckers are much more sane and predictable than 4 wheelers these days.

And, 50 miles between usable exits, I think your exaggerating to make a point.

A quick services list on I-80 in PA:
Exit 2 (I-376, PA 760): Gas Stations, Motels and the original Quaker Steak and Lube
Exit 15 (US 19): Gas stations
Exit 28 (PA 8 ): Truck stops (24 hour)
Exit 42 (PA 38): Truck stop (24 hour)
Exit 60 (PA 66 North): Gas stations
Exit 62 (PA 68): Gas stations (24 hour), WalMart (24 hour), Eat 'n Park (24 hour), Motels, Clarion Mall, other restaurants
Exit 78 (PA 36): Truck stops (24 hour), Sheetz (24 hour), Motels, Restaurants
Exit 86 (Reynoldsville): Truck stop
Exit 97: (US 219): Truck stop (24 hour), Sheetz Travel Center (24 hour), Restaurants including Dutch Pantry
Exit 101 (PA 255): Restaurants, Motels, DuBois Mall
Exit 120 (PA 879): Sheetz (24 hour), Wal Mart (24 hour), Gas stations, Restaurants including Dutch Pantry
Exit 133 (PA 53): Truck Stop, Gas station
Exit 147 (PA 144): Truck Stops (24 hour)
Exit 158 (PA 150): Truck Stops (24 hour), Gas Stations, Restaurants
Exit 161 (I-99 South, US 220 South, PA 26): Gas stations
Exit 173 (PA 64): Truck stops (24 hour), Gas Stations, Restaurants
Exit 185 (PA 477): Gas Station
Exit 192 (PA 880): Truck stop (24 hour), Gas Station
Exit 210 (US 15): Gas stations, restaurant
Exit 215 (PA 254): Truck stops (24 hour)
Exit 224 (PA 54): Motels, Gas Stations (24 hour), Restaurants
Exit 234 (PA 42): Truck stop (24 hour), Gas station, WalMart (24 hour), Motels, Columbia Mall
Exit 236 (PA 487): Gas station, Restaurants
Exit 241 (US 11): Gas station, Restaurant, Motel
Exit 242 (PA 339): Truck stops (24 hour), Gas stations, Restaurants
Exit 256 (PA 93): Truck stop (24 hour), Restaurants, Motel
Exit 262 (PA 309): Gas stations
Exit 273 (PA 437, 940): Gas stations, Restaurants
Exit 277 (I-476, PA 940): WaWa Food Market (24 hour), Gas stations, Motels
Exit 284 (PA 115): Gas Station
Exit 299 (PA 715): Gas Stations, Restaurants
Exit 302 (PA 33): Truck Stops (24 hour), Gas stations (24 hour), Restaurants
Exit 305 (Bus US 209): Downtown Stroudsburg including Gas Stations (24 hours), WalMart (24 hour), Restaurants
Mile 311: Delaware Water Gap Toll Barrier

Nothing on that list is more than 18 miles apart.  Even looking at 24 hour only nothing is over 30 miles.  Plenty of stuff if you know where to look.

I-71 in Ohio is one of the worst. Not much scenery south of Columbus and often little room to maneuver, especially in the sections that are still 4 lane instead of 6.

[agentsteel53]

Actually the trucks are why I-80 in PA is one of my BEST interstate drives.  The truckers are much more sane and predictable than 4 wheelers these days.

you've never had a trucker force you into the median (and about six feet away from a bridge abutment where the median ended!) because of a knee-jerk reaction to the "move over for emergency vehicles" law.

[mightyace]

Actually the trucks are why I-80 in PA is one of my BEST interstate drives.  The truckers are much more sane and predictable than 4 wheelers these days.

you've never had a trucker force you into the median (and about six feet away from a bridge abutment where the median ended!) because of a knee-jerk reaction to the "move over for emergency vehicles" law.

No, I haven't though I did have one once try and run me off the road between exit 158 and 161 on that stretch of I-80.  In that case I don't think it was intentional, more that he didn't see me.  Still, having driven that stretch of 80 for 27 years, I have a good idea of what trucks can do.  Or, I am less likely to panic having to avoid a stupid truck move than a stupid car one.

[agentsteel53]

No, I haven't though I did have one once try and run me off the road between exit 158 and 161 on that stretch of I-80.  In that case I don't think it was intentional, more that he didn't see me.  Still, having driven that stretch of 80 for 27 years, I have a good idea of what trucks can do.  Or, I am less likely to panic having to avoid a stupid truck move than a stupid car one.

I think if you claim to be a "professional driver", the least you can do is see the other cars on the road.

[vdeane]

I think it's due to the main focus of professional driver training being "how to avoid having trucks run into you" (or put another way, "why you shouldn't pass trucks except in textbook ideal conditions").

[agentsteel53]

I think it's due to the main focus of professional driver training being "how to avoid having trucks run into you" (or put another way, "why you shouldn't pass trucks except in textbook ideal conditions").

so trucks should not be passing other trucks?  tell that to all the trucks that think it is legitimate to swing out doing 59mph to pass another truck doing 58mph, while traffic is coming up from behind doing 77mph.

furthermore, for all their concern about "making time", I have never seen another truck speed up to accommodate the traffic coming from behind by minimizing their time spent in the left lane.  Not once.

in conclusion, the main focus of professional driver training appears to be "how to be an oblivious asshole with no regard to any other vehicle on the road, except other trucks which are traveling marginally slower than you".

[kkt]

I think it's due to the main focus of professional driver training being "how to avoid having trucks run into you" (or put another way, "why you shouldn't pass trucks except in textbook ideal conditions").

so trucks should not be passing other trucks?  tell that to all the trucks that think it is legitimate to swing out doing 59mph to pass another truck doing 58mph, while traffic is coming up from behind doing 77mph.

furthermore, for all their concern about "making time", I have never seen another truck speed up to accommodate the traffic coming from behind by minimizing their time spent in the left lane.  Not once.

in conclusion, the main focus of professional driver training appears to be "how to be an oblivious asshole with no regard to any other vehicle on the road, except other trucks which are traveling marginally slower than you".

On the Coquihalla Highway two weeks ago, on the uphill section it's three lanes... should be enough, right?  But there was a truck in the right lane going 25 km/h, being passed by another truck in the middle lane going 27 km/h.  The left lane was occupied by people trying out their sports cars at 130 km/h, so I was stuck at 27 km/h for the entire uphill section.

[vdeane]

I think it's due to the main focus of professional driver training being "how to avoid having trucks run into you" (or put another way, "why you shouldn't pass trucks except in textbook ideal conditions").

so trucks should not be passing other trucks?  tell that to all the trucks that think it is legitimate to swing out doing 59mph to pass another truck doing 58mph, while traffic is coming up from behind doing 77mph.

furthermore, for all their concern about "making time", I have never seen another truck speed up to accommodate the traffic coming from behind by minimizing their time spent in the left lane.  Not once.

in conclusion, the main focus of professional driver training appears to be "how to be an oblivious asshole with no regard to any other vehicle on the road, except other trucks which are traveling marginally slower than you".

I imagine the driver training for a truck is different than for other vehicles... plus, just because someone took a course doesn't mean they're going to follow it.

[myosh_tino]

I think it's due to the main focus of professional driver training being "how to avoid having trucks run into you" (or put another way, "why you shouldn't pass trucks except in textbook ideal conditions").

so trucks should not be passing other trucks?  tell that to all the trucks that think it is legitimate to swing out doing 59mph to pass another truck doing 58mph, while traffic is coming up from behind doing 77mph.

furthermore, for all their concern about "making time", I have never seen another truck speed up to accommodate the traffic coming from behind by minimizing their time spent in the left lane.  Not once.

in conclusion, the main focus of professional driver training appears to be "how to be an oblivious asshole with no regard to any other vehicle on the road, except other trucks which are traveling marginally slower than you".

This is one of my pet-peeves about truck drivers and I see it all of the time on I-5 and I-80.  It's especially bad on I-80 when two trucks are going up a grade side-by-side at 40 MPH (automobiles generally do 65-75 with a 65 MPH speed limit).

On I-5, it's bad when one truck is going 57 MPH in the left lane trying to pass 3 or 4 trucks in a row going 55 MPH in the right lane.  I have seen numerous times where there is room for the truck to move back into the right lane but doesn't because he can see another "slow truck" about a 1/4 mile ahead and decides to not move over until he passes that truck too.  The result of this is about a dozen cars all stacked up behind the truck waiting for him to finally move over.  I believe this is a violation of California state law too because on two-lane highways, a slow-moving vehicle must pull over when he/she is holding up 5 or more vehicles to allow them to pass.

[roadman65]

I-81 Northbound in Syracuse on 6/15/2012 where there was construction narrowing I-81 to only one lane!  It took almost 20 minuets to go from I-481 to I-690. 

[Compulov]

But, I love the scenery and it's one of the few interstates these days where the balance is mostly trucks 24x7.  The are much easier to deal with than the average car driver.

I actually disagree... I go out of my way to avoid I-80 *because* of the truck traffic. It makes it impossible to set my cruise control to any reasonable speed because more often than not, some truck decides the best time to do a whole 5mph faster than the guy in front of him is when I'm about to pass him. Every... damn... time. Even if there's no one behind me and they could have waited all of 20 seconds for me to pass. There's heavy truck traffic on other roads, but I've never run into this nearly as often as I do on I-80 through PA. It's almost as if they do it on purpose...

Edit... heh, was in a ranting mood right after I read your post, so I responded immediately. Didn't see the few posts right below it which basically stated the same thing. It's not just me, though!

[allniter89]

I 35 between San Antonio, TX and Laredo, TX