Idea for a segment - American roads

[mkiv808]

The "best road in the world" bit got me thinking. (Awesome segment, btw)

There is a definite bias against American roads on the program. I understand part of this is the entertainment factor - but either way I think it would be a good show idea to try and prove to the TG team that there are, in fact, excellent driving roads in the US.

Clarkson's special focused on Nevada. The American special on the deep south. No offense to anyone in these places, but they are awful places to find a good driving road. And, Florida/Alabama/New Orleans is obviously a pretty bad representation of the country in general. But either way, the roads are nothing special.

The best roads in the US are in the mountain passes of the Rockies in Colorado, Utah, Montana. Twisty canyon runs in California, and the Sierra range. They are in the Appalachians, rural New England and upstate New York. There are some roads that rival Europe's best. Just in Connecticut here alone are some roads I've discovered over the past few years that are astoundingly good. I just did a run with a local Lotus group, and not only are the roads very twisty, but smooth as well. They definitely test the limits of adhesion. Even near NYC, the Bear Mountain roads are amazing.

Tourists coming to America get a bad impression from city streets and high volume highways and don't really get to see the backroad magic that exists.

I wonder if Clarkson and crew are aware that these great roads exist and just choose to ignore it for entertainment's sake, or whether they are truly ignorant to what exists here.

As (hopefully) some folks from the show watch this board, I figured it couldn't hurt to throw this idea out there. Get them in some good sports cars (not necessarily American either - maybe a mix of American/German/Italian to see which is at home on America's own roads) and see if America has any decent roads.

Good starting points:
Tail of the Dragon - One of the most famous of all. 318 curves in 11 miles.
Rocky Mountain passes - Colorado, Montana, Wyoming
Adirondacks, Bear Mountain, Catskills - New York
Northwest Connecticut, Western Mass, Vermont, New Hampshire

Anyone else think this would make for a great episode?

[TomCat]

I don't know about other famous roads, but the PCH would be cool. The Pacific Coast Highway is something I've been wanting to do for years.


Other then that, I only know of some local roads that I love to drive. I particularly like Route 88 here in Arizona, from Apache Junction all the way to the 188. I've never driven the entire length, because it's quite long, but it's fun as hell when there is very little traffic. It's a local hot spot for crotch rockets.

[Chupacabras]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

I wonder if Clarkson and crew are aware that these great roads exist and just choose to ignore it for entertainment's sake, or whether they are truly ignorant to what exists here.

I think that is very likely.


HOWEVER, I have driven alot of the best roads in BC, which are likely some of the best roads in Canada - and that one they called the best still looks more fun! 8)

[quazi]

Evans Road, Highway 155 in Kern County, California -- from Kernville to Glennville.

It starts at about 7,000 feet. In the middle of the Sequoia National Forest:



winds its way along the edge (looking back)



And always gives you cool stuff to look at:



Heck, I was in a Buick and it was still fun!

My second-favorite has to be, well.. the entire southeast corner of Utah: (Highway 163, for example.)

The absolute worst : Highway 95 through Beatty, Nevada on the edge of Death Valley. (pic) "I spy with my little eye, something starting with the letter 'd'.. 'desert', 'dead people', 'desolate wasteland'"

[Blind_Io]

Ideal for a cabriolet test: CA Highway 1 from Marin county (just north of SF) to Mendocino, CA. I mean, c'mon! This road has it's own Wiki entry!

Just east of Salt Lake City you have a plethora of mountain passes and small two-lane blacktop. There's a whole network in the Uinta (you-in-tah) Mountains where you can drive for days and never get bored. That's where my dad takes his RX-8 for some exercise. He's gotten the car up to 125 in a few places, always mid-day and mid-week when the roads are deserted. On the weekends there is more traffic with weekend hikers and fishermen.

[.cmd]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

There is a definite bias against American roads on the program.

Uh, not really.

It is a British show, and as such it makes sense that, for logistical purposes aswell as places that the intended audience can relate to more, that their is going to be a focus on European roads.
Also, the only other continent they've been to that's been shown so far, is North America. They've never been to Australia, or Asia or anywhere else, does that really sound like bias againts American roads? Australia also has amazing roads, as does any of the other continents, it just makes a lot more sense to have a British show based on places that you can relativly easily, and cheaply, get to from Britain.

[Red_Bull]

Originally Posted by mkiv808

There is a definite bias against American roads on the program.

Yeah, just like there was for Africa, Australia, Sth America...

[jensked]

I thought it would be fun to have it as a weekly feature: great driving roads.

[eddysdaman]

To all americans: Don't feel so bad, we got shunned cause we have "too many spiders"

And believe me, we have some nice roads/scenery (Eagerly awaits the FG meet some more)

[jensked]

Hey, probably they stayed on the old continent because it was to costly to film somewhere else...probably the only reason.

[otispunkmeyer]

Originally Posted by eddysdaman

To all americans: Don't feel so bad, we got shunned cause we have "too many spiders"

And believe me, we have some nice roads/scenery (Eagerly awaits the FG meet some more)

i know its not Aussie land but i believe new zealand has some spectacular roads.

but .cmd really hit the nail on the head with this. its not bias, or bias for entertainments sake its simply got to be that a) the cost and logistics of such a trip and b) the target audience (many of whom will of never been to america even once in their lifetimes) count america (and other far off places) out of the running for such a segment.

is it a shame? yes, yes it is, but thats just how it has to be, unless the beeb see fit to award them an unlimited budget! (one can only hope)

[anti-net]

Originally Posted by .cmd

Uh, not really.

It is a British show, and as such it makes sense that, for logistical purposes aswell as places that the intended audience can relate to more, that their is going to be a focus on European roads.
Also, the only other continent they've been to that's been shown so far, is North America. They've never been to Australia, or Asia or anywhere else, does that really sound like bias againts American roads? Australia also has amazing roads, as does any of the other continents, it just makes a lot more sense to have a British show based on places that you can relativly easily, and cheaply, get to from Britain.

Doing it on American roads would be like going there and saying "Ha - You can't do this!" Plus, can't get V8 Vantage N24s in the US...

[Goose+]

Wow, some of those roads in California are beautiful.

[MattD1zzl3]

I dont know where they get this "everyone drives 5" idea. Remember that first bit of Highway/5 lane motorway in the america special when "Life is a highway" is playing?

Thats I-95, a big wide stretch of freeway where (in miami at least) speed limits are not really enforced, and it has provided me with the best driving of my entire life. Watch me fly down the freeway doing 120MPH and tell me how i do 5MPH Mr. BBC presenter!

[andyhui01]

Originally Posted by eddysdaman

To all americans: Don't feel so bad, we got shunned cause we have "too many spiders"

And believe me, we have some nice roads/scenery (Eagerly awaits the FG meet some more)

we'll post some pictures/videos of what Melbourne has to offer, you guys will be jealous

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Ideal for a cabriolet test: CA Highway 1 from Marin county (just north of SF) to Mendocino, CA. I mean, c'mon! This road has it's own Wiki entry!

].

Word to that Highway 1 is a very nice road, I have been there myself... but I would love to have a drive on the tail of the dragon though

[Kukelikki]

see, matt, it's just a straight road...not too much excitement there. i think jeremy meant that everbody "goes 5" around corners. plus you are going a lot above the speedlimit, which might be a problem on camera. the art is to find a road on which you get all kinds of curves and straights, and you rarely have to (can) go above the speedlimit to have proper fun. plus there's the scenery aspect: while the deserts, or grasslands might be jolly nice, they're no match to the alpine panorama.

[No Boss]

Originally Posted by MattD1zzl3

I dont know where they get this "everyone drives 5" idea. Remember that first bit of Highway/5 lane motorway in the america special when "Life is a highway" is playing?

Originally Posted by Kukelikki

see, matt, it's just a straight road...not too much excitement there. i think jeremy meant that everbody "goes 5" around corners. plus you are going a lot above the speedlimit, which might be a problem on camera. the art is to find a road on which you get all kinds of curves and straights, and you rarely have to (can) go above the speedlimit to have proper fun. plus there's the scenery aspect: while the deserts, or grasslands might be jolly nice, they're no match to the alpine panorama.

Guys you're reading wayyyy too much into this. He said Australia was "FULL OF SPIDERS" for science's sake