No, they were not joking. I earned my first license out on HiWay 1.
Funny thing is, no one in my family thought a thing about driving HiWay 1. I never have either. But what I have learned is this:
Many people have astigmatism, abnormal curvatures of eyeballs, and all sorts of strange ways of seeing things...and none of that is intentional but they may not see a curve the same way as we did or do...
In the end, it is a difficult high way to drive if you drive too damned fast. The guard rails don’t do it justice.
And people who are impatient of slower drivers or just impatient in general should NOT drive it.
I have always loved the views!!
I have a hunch this one was on purpose since few cyclists would drive there without high confidence and ability. Since Covid suicides are alarmingly high.
I have astigmatism too, but I’ve never had any trouble seeing nor driving curves. In fact no problems in any other conditions except depression after my divorce when I did consider suicide by car accident to spare family and friends the very idea that I took my own life.
The views are breathtaking. 10 X better than any postcard could depict.