Replies

Funny story. Well maybe it isn't funny. A few years back, when GPS systems in cars were still fairly rare, I was visiting a relative in Naperville, IL. We were in Chicago visiting the Navy Pier and we took separate cars. Around rush hour, we decided to head back to Naperville and my relative warned me about the brutal traffic we would encounter on the way back and gave me directions that involved all highways.

Well I had my GPS system and thought I'd impress my relative by beating him back to his house by using my GPS to avoid the clogged highways and stay on backroads.

Bad idea. My wife and I were taken through neighborhoods where we were literally in fear of our lives should we run out of gas or break down. Now I've been through the worst parts of NYC such as Fordham, Hunts Point and Brownsville but those places are quiet suburbs compared to what I drove through in parts of Chicago.

Chicago is a nice place to visit if you stick to the downtown area and the tourist spots but stick to the major roads - even if they are clogged with traffic. Finding shortcuts is just not worth it.

I’ll bet you went west on Madison thinking you’d beat traffic one the Eisenhower. I tried that trick.

Once.