Congested Cities You'd Least Like to Drive Your RV Through?

[brobox]

ALL of the above. I am from LA and moved because of traffic and taxes, never to return.

I just wish I could find away around Atlanta for our return trips home.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by brobox

I just wish I could find away around Atlanta for our return trips home.

Don't be leery of taking secondary highways instead of the interstate. Just look at a road atlas and pick one that begins perhaps 50 miles from the big city. There are always ways to skirt those massive cities. Sometimes you don't loose much in the way of time because of all the traffic in Atlanta. Plus, you see more at a leisurely speed. We rarely traveled interstates during our 16 years of full-timing.

[Spinner]

Atlanta
Chicago
Denver

[LarrytheBear]

I lived and worked in Atlanta for about 25 years. There is a window of opportunity from about 10am until about 3pm (not considering accidents and road construction) that allows you to get around or through. Outside of that 5 hour window it can be bad, but not always. Seems to me that traffic is somewhat better than it used to be, generally...

We made a mistake a few years ago by going through Chicago. Not only did we hit afternoon rush hour traffic in a cold misty rain, we also took the toll road where you have to stop every 200 feet and pay more money. (Maybe it was a little more than 200 feet, but not much.) Now we love to plan ways to avoid Chicago. Chicago is a beautiful city if you go there on purpose, but if you are just passing through, you better have a plan. (Better than mine)

[gwlaeb]

Houston

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Chicago would be the worst for us....did it once with a RV.

We always prefer getting off the interstates and traveling secondary roads. This way, you avoid any congestion anywhere.

I've only been through Chicago ONCE and I did the secondaries too.

[padre44]

Atlanta!

[YC1]

Originally Posted by cenfl

The northeast corridor: DC, Baltimore, Phila., NJ, NYC, Boston. It's all chaos!

Ditto: This is our first trip on the East Coast. Last one too through those places. Tunnels, propane tank issues, pot holes big enough to swallow a car, and Tolls that I am still making payments on.

I have been through LA with the forty footer and toad several times. Not fun. San Francisco area several times. Not fun.

Traveling through Salt Lake City once a year was so bad we video taped the route and then would review it the night before so there were no wrong turns. Freeways are better now but GPS units have not caught up.

Orlando Florida can be an amazing pain,

[Tony Lee]

Can't remember where this was. LA judging by the complete disregard for rules of the road.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink



Ah sorry, my mistake. NOT LA, but La Paz

[brabono]

Houston was not much fun!

[doc]

I can only comment on the places that I hated when we came through there.


New York (Cross Bronx expressway to the Bridge) Expressway my big fannie!!!
Washington DC metro area (Georgetown and Arlington)
Boston (Logan Airport area)
St Louis
Kansas City
Birmingham - downtown (traffic not terrible but you might get shot after dark)
Denver (Lord help you if the Broncos are playing)


Atlanta can be a bear, but I guess I spend to much time there I have become shell shocked. The interstate system can be a PIA during morning rush hour but is usually over by 9 or 9:30. Afternoon over by 7 PM. Does not apply anytime on Fridays and especially if it is raining ever! Quicker to go straight through than take the 285 bypass. Pay attention on your surroundings, especially if you are towing - people will change lanes right in front of you, cutting you off

[beaverfever]

salt lake city and denver both should be on the list

[ralphie]

All of them!

[JFXG]

This is interesting. So far we have (in no particular order) New York City, Boston, Kansas City, Birmingham, Denver, Houston, Orlando, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington DC, Dallas, St Louis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Jersey (sic), Honolulu, Seattle, San Jose, Miami, Portland, Las Vegas, and Sacramento. Twenty four cities that could pretty much be taken as representative of American cities in general, and all of them mentioned as some RVer's most hated city to drive an RV through.

And yet, in each of these cities, and dozens more, every day there are charter buses, city transit buses, and large delivery trucks that manage to wend their way around the cities- usually on some kind of schedule-- without having the world explode. It occurs to me that the difficulty may lie somewhere other than with the cities.

Unfamiliarity can make almost anything difficult. I've spent most of my life living in Boston, and a lot of time driving in and out of New York. I wouldn't hesitate to take my DS into either city, because I know where I'm going and I know where not to go. I've been through parts of Seattle with the DS a few times, with no major problems- but never tried to drive down I-5 at rush hour. We spent six weeks in Salt Lake two summers ago and never encountered the horrible problems someone described.

Any time you drive through a strange city you may be subject to difficulties, but I think they likely relate more to your own unfamiliarity than to any inherent "deficiency" in the city.


John & Diane, fulltiming since '12
'02 DS 40, FL, 3126, '04 Element