Nerve racking drive in tunnel

[vettenuts]

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is my go to route from the Northeast to avoid Baltimore, Washington and the corridor to Richmond. Have stayed overnight at the north rest area as well. That worked well because when we headed out early, the tunnels didn't have many vehicles.

[Sandy Swede]

Originally Posted by vettenuts

Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is my go to route from the Northeast to avoid Baltimore, Washington and the corridor to Richmond. Have stayed overnight at the north rest area as well. That worked well because when we headed out early, the tunnels didn't have many vehicles.

Great idea, vettenuts. I have been avoiding the BBTunnel, but it's time to man up and do it. I would rather take a beating than go around DC on I-95 to points south. In fact, a beating is what it normally turns into - the coach takes the beating along with my sanity.

[BeaverDen]

Consider this, the vehicle your driving does not know it is in a tunnel nor does it know or matter that in is night or day. As a pilot I have flown over the Bahama straits back and forth from the Bahamas and Florida in a small single engine plane. I have also flown over the ocean and mountains at night. The plane did not know the differences. It is all a state of mind. Use your skills and relax.

[f18sailor]

Worst ever was the NADA Tunnel in Kentucky. 12ftx12ftX900ft. Only warning coming from the North was a sign "12ft clearance ahead - 14 miles". At the time my motorhome was 11ft6, so no worries.

[NXR]

I have also flown over the ocean and mountains at night. The plane did not know the differences.

You've never experienced mountain wave turbulence, clear air turbulence or spatial disorientation caused by miles of nothingness, whether it's fog or dark? You're lucky.

I'd consider those analogous to tight tunnels, hairpin turns, steep grades, etc. They all affect the environment around the method of conveyance and require pre-planning lest they affect the driver and thus the success of the mission.

As Clint Eastwood so famously said "A man's gotta know his limitations" and live within them.

Ray

[Ed Headington]

So sorry to hear of those who have had such a bad experience on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. We love to go that route and whenever traveling from the northeast to our home in Florida, we try to always take that way, missing all the Baltimore, Washington, Richmond traffic, and I love the long bridge and tunnels. In fact we drove it just about 3 weeks ago. We spent the night before crossing the bridge tunnel in the parking lot at the toll booth. When we went through the toll booth in the morning I took the far right booth which is extra wide and so had plenty of room fitting our motorhome and toad through it. We remember when we used to travel this when the entire route was 2 lanes with no shoulders. I can certainly imagine that with heavy traffic and having a traffic jam at the tunnels would be very frustrating, but we must be very blessed because we have never had traffic problems crossing the bridge-tunnel. I do confess that I sometimes go through the tunnels at 45 mph instead of 55, but we have been blessed not to have any issues to diminish our pleasure of the trip.

Ed Headington