Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83 based; site hou2h.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!houxm!hou2h!mr From: mr@hou2h.UUCP (M.RINDSBERG) Newsgroups: net.auto Subject: Re: Best Roads Message-ID: <1118@hou2h.UUCP> Date: Tue, 29-Oct-85 12:09:19 EST Article-I.D.: hou2h.1118 Posted: Tue Oct 29 12:09:19 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 30-Oct-85 07:23:21 EST References: <1109@hou2h.UUCP>, <1028@druxo.UUCP>, <665@petsd.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 62 > Contrary to the negative report on the Garden State Parkway (also known, > affectionately, as the "Garbage State Parkway"), it is by one measure the > best road I have ever driven on. No other road that I know of is easier > and safer for FAST driving. I am speaking primarily of the portion just > south of NYC, True. > that has five lanes each way, split into two express lanes and three local > lanes by a wide grass median. First, the curves appear to have been > designed to allow drunken business men in Cadillacs to get around them > safely at 75 mph. Second, the lanes are almost wide enough for two Hondas > side by side. Third, three lanes are MUCH better than two (readers are > invited to calculate the difference in expected duration of an accdental > travelling roadblock given three lanes vs. two -- answers in next month's > column). Fourth, potholes and cracks in the road surface are practically In fact they repaved pert of it recently and I found no reason why it had to be repaved. > nonexistent and the most severe dip or hill in the road is barely enough > to budge your suspension. Fifth, and most important of all, the police, > in an unfathomable display of common sense and decency (at least for N.J.) > seem to have acknowledged that this road is indeed safe at higher speeds > and do not seem interested in any cars going less than 75 mph. This is the only road where I have driven side by side with a police car at 70 mph and being ignored as he sped by me (presumably to catch speeders going over 70 mph) > > In fact, uh... er... a friend of mine drove his Honda for six months every > day on this road at speeds consistently between 75 and 85 without any near > collisions with vehicles or micro-wave echo analyzers (the eventual collision > of his car's pistons with its valves is another matter entirely, though quite > possibly related). > > Anyhow, this is why the average speed on this highway is about 70 to 75 mph., > with middle-of-the-night speed runs in excess of 133 mph not unheard of -- During the summer I used to come to work at the crack of dawn and once in a while I would drive at otherwise unheard of speeds of 120-125 mph especially at the hill right by the state police barracks (spite I guess). > limited not by the road but by the presence of innocent bystanders > (bydrivers?). Although this writer certainly does not endorse or approve of > any violations of state or local traffic ordinances, isn't it comforting to > know that the police and other emergency vehicles could, if necessary, get to > the scene of an accident so quickly? > > To put it in a nutshell, the G.S.P. seems to be the closest thing that America > has to an Autobahn, and its presence is the major justification for > owning or operating an expensive German car in N.J. If it didn't exist, > the pressure of the Yuppie lobby would create it overnight. :-) > > Michael Condict ...!vax135!petsd!mikec > free-lance consulting at > Exit 109 Don't flame me. I am actually a very careful driver. Mark ..!hou2h!mr Exit 114