So a discussion in another thread got me thinking. We spend a great deal of time and energy finding roads and highways to take our crack fueled british go-carts from hell on. I've owned mine barely a month and I'm already developing a detailed list of local roads that are fun drives, and I don't think I'm in the minority when it comes to Mini motorists eithers.
Nevertheless, for as much effort as we put into discussing and debating our "best drives"....what about our "worst drives"? Everyone knows what I'm talking about too. What is the road or area that you simply won't subject your Mini to? What stretch of pavement do you say "I'm sorry, sweetie" to your car on? What city or town has strucken itself off your list of "Cities I will visit or drive through" because their roadways are more akin to the angry result of a pack of middle schoolers throwing grenades from a school bus at medium speed? I'll start....

I refuse to, or at least greatly disagree with the notion of, take my Mini to Miami, Florida. I rather enjoy the long and straight roads of Florida, despite how boring they are, simply because they are fast, smooth, and sometimes offer great scenery. However, the drivers in Miami must smoke some kind of strange stimulant that turns off their rational throught neurons because in all honesty, I've never been through Miami and not had my life flash before my eyes as some trucker or high end sports car nearly destroys my sense of reality....and my face. If Clarkson ever gets to travel to the Keys.....may Thor, Cthulhu, and the Flying Spagetti Monster protect me from the unstoppable death harpies that are Miami motorists.

 

Well, I live in Mexico city, making it a nightmare full of potholes and traffic... So I never drive the MINI to a place whre I am unfamiliar within the city. So far I have clocked around 600 miles, 500 of which are highway only
BTW the highways I use down here are in better shape than the ones I used in the northeast

 

When circumstances necessitate a trip to WalMart (hate the company's business practices and avoid them whenever possible) I'll never take the MINI. Don't trust the human debris that makes up a substantial portion of their clientele to not run into, bang doors into, or leave shopping carts to roll into the car regardless of how far out or strategically I park it.

 

I will never ever drive my car in a Walmart Parking Lot. It has to be the most dangerous place in America for Walking OR Driving. OR parking. It is just plain """BAD""""

 

Camden, NJ

 

Thus far, there is no where that I won't drive. I intend to conquer all roads and make them subject to the mighty MINI!

 

I can not say there is any road I wont drive, i will say that if I could avoid the Cross Bronx Expressway and Routes 1&9 In Newark i would, but since I cant avoid them, I make sure both hands are on the wheel and do my version of high speed autocross, were the object is to dodge the potholes and stress any one who is in the lane next to me, but the best is the guy behind you who has no clue what you are doing and hits the hole straight on, there is always one word coming out of his mouth as he hits it. Can you guess what it is ?? LOL

 

There are many places. 1. Currently living in NC, I will not and do not drive on I-40 during the rush hours. It is areal nightmare at times with everyone trying to get somewhere and not paying attention to anyone else.
2. Grew up in NYC (Queens & Brooklyn) to be exact. The Belt Parkway, The Van Wyck Expressway, The BQE are some of the worst roads (deep craters/potholes) as well as a#@hole drivers.
3. I agree with NightFlyR about Routes 1&9, and I must add Route 287. Had to drive this everyday for 2+ years to work. No matter what time it was, this beast of a raod is always backed up and never an accident in site, as well as portions of the roadway having nasty potholes that can sneak up and get you.

 

I don't go places where I'll be shot at, robbed, mugged, car jacked, or killed.

 

That's very smart. I guess you have been to Newark and or Camden, NJ.

 

there are many roads/places I avoid because I don't like them, but if the question is specifically for the MINI - where I won't drive it but would take a rental car for example - then the answer is simply gravel roads or very sandy areas. And I don't categorically refuse since there could potentially be a good enough reason to do it.

 

[quote=Tmini08;3205051]1. Currently living in NC, I will not and do not drive on I-40 during the rush hours. /quote]

+1. I440 in Raleigh isn't much better during rush hour so I stay off that as well .....

 

Alaska or anyplace else where their is frozen water.
Anyplace south of the U.S./Mexico border.
Camden, Newark or anyplace else in New Jersey.
South of Vero Beach, FL.

 

We've got near a dozen old stone arch bridges in this county and I tried to organize a day trip that would visit them all with lunch at a quaint country cafe. First you gotta make the trip to time it out and make sure the plan works. Two miles down the first township road and we turned back. MINIs don't do well at all on rough gravel roads and the dust is horrible. Its even worse if the maintainer doesn't know how to avoid scrub boards. Those following the leader would have been in for a very unpleasant day. Club event canceled because of everybody would have hated it. We like to avoid big cities so places like Camden and others are right out anyway.

 

Add Costco to the no-go zone!

 

@ Camden, NJ

 

Cleveland, and any part of Pennsylvania I can avoid

 

@ I don't go places where I'll be shot at, robbed, mugged, car jacked, or killed.

 

Really??? You wouldn't cruise down to Boca Raton???

 

These are getting really good!!


Keep 'em coming!!


I'd like to add Buffalo, NY and on the FDR Drive in Manhattan as places that I'd "prefer NOT to take my MINI". I won't say "never". Because it may happen!

 

The states of New Jersey and Massachusetts.

OK... for real... How about Rt 1 and 9 between Rt 3 and Tonelle Ave. So basically going from Rt3 or the NJ Turnpike to the Holland Tunnel/Jersey City. What a hell hole of a road road. They could have shot the first Mad Max movie there, The Road Warrior. Its almost post apocalyptic.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...4&ie=UTF8&z=13

Its the length of road the runs parallel to the Hudson river.

 

I totally agree. You could easily disable a Hummer on those roads!

 

1&9 manhatten GSP or TPK durirng rush hour. tons of places in jersey. i wnt drive my car anywhere icy. OH jersey city has pretty horrible roads and some DUMB drivers

 

lol i bought my MINI off tunnele ave in some little lot. that place is hellon wheels! its been that way ever since i can remember too

 

East New York. Nice cars, fuggeddaboutit.