Scariest vehicle and/or road you've traveled?

[maxaroni]

Scariest RIDE was a cab in Jamaica.

Yup. Fast driving, no brakes and honking.

I've tried twice & come up short both times. Dad rented a car locally (ours was tuned for sea level) so we could go up in 1977. Got within sight of the top when I started vomiting severely from the altitude. Down we went.

Tried again in 1994. BIL's car was tuned for sea level despite the fact he'd lived in CO 2 years by now. Got to about 13,200 and the car would run no more. Thought he was going to back over the edge turning around. I said some bad words.... quite loudly.

Did pikes peak twice. First time in 1975 with ex fiancé in a ford pinto!

2nd time was with DH and DS. I did ok but DS (15 at the time) did not like the drive up at all. He was sure we were going to die. Once at the top, DS and I had to sit for awhile from the altitude. Felt quite sick.
We also took the cog railway up which was fun. Another day we took a bus up and bicycled down. It was 32 and icy on top. Once back down it was 80.


My scariest ride was a reggae bus in Barbados. Goodness, it was interesting. Also, renting a car and driving on the left. Another was renting scooters in Bermuda.

 

[smadath]

I went to college in the upper Midwest. Some friends and I were visiting Lake Superior one winter day when the driver turned toward the lake and kept driving. My SW PA City Kid self flipped out, wanting to know where we were going. Onto the Ice Road! (this was waayyy before Ice Road Truckers) Needlees to say, I wasn't terribly amused that first time. Got used to it eventually, though!

 

[dennis99ss]

coming out of Chennai, India, on (maybe) hwy 716. interesting in that you play chicken with oncoming traffic constantly. Even more interesting as you pass the wreckage of losers of past chicken games on the sides of the road, and, much more interesting at night, when people do not use lights but for running lights if any at all (to save the light bulbs)

and then for number 2, driving through a lower economically baranguay in manila, at night,

and, several years ago, Buenaventura Colombia at dusk, trying to get back to the airfield before our pilot decided to leave on his own--because he does not stay in Buenaventura at night........

 

[*3*Mouseketeers]

I can't remember if it was the Grand Tetons or Pike's Peak. I was 8 at the time and we were traveling in a pickup truck with a camper that fits in the bed of the truck. I was in the camper with my brother and sister while going up the mountain. It was so windy and we were so top heavy my Dad would get on the intercom and tell us which side of the camper for us to get on to help with the top-heaviness. I was SO TERRIFIED, they finally pulled over and let me get up front with Mom and Dad.

 

[DeaverTex]

I remember one midnight ride from the top of Manning Mountain to the bottom, in an open jeep. Manning Mountain is on North Fort Hood, TX, and is more of a bluff than a mountain. I doubt it's a total of 100 feet high. There are three "roads" that go to the bottom. The best one is only mildly frightening -- in daylight. Of course, on a pitch black night, using blackout drive lights (which are almost as useful as holding up a birthday candle), all three ways down look alike, so you pick the right one by counting. We missed one in the counting, and came down the worst of the three. Indeed, at the bottom was the wrecked jeep we were coming to assess.

The way we came down is terrifying in broad daylight. It's nearly vertical in some spots, and has been responsible for destroying more jeeps -- and, honestly, killing more soldiers -- than any other stretch of trail on the post. So, my driver and I are basically in free fall much of the time going down, with the tires hitting the "road" occasionally at best, certainly not enough for the brakes to do any good. His face looked like the figure in Munch's "The Scream". I probably looked the same, and I had my feet braced against the firewall to keep from bouncing out. We hit the bottom with the wheels still pointed pretty much at the trail, and the jeep bounced to a stop.

Scared? Terrified? Nah... it was past that. Terrified is a much better word. I'm still surprised there was no damage to my jeep or us.

 

[perdidobay]

Jeeping over Black Bear Pass in Colorado, start watching at 4:15 in the video to see why, the scariest part for me was at 11:00-12:00

 

[Planogirl]

Jeeping over Black Bear Pass in Colorado, start watching at 4:15 in the video to see why, the scariest part for me was at 11:00-12:00

Just watching the video makes me want to scream. Nope, no way, never!

 

[perdidobay]

As scary as it was I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[Dawnlight]

Rte 93 thru downtown Boston on a Friday at rush hour - now that is terrifying

Very true, but I'd have to say 128 can be worse.

For me, the scariest were various roads in Israel, more specifically the areas Judea and Samaria (also known as the West Bank), where we were subjected to rock throwing and occasional gunfire by terrorists.

 

[gwynne]

The Amalfi Coast. That's one beautiful but scary drive.

 

[Simba's Mom]

As a passenger, the road between Harlingen, TX & Matamoros Mexico with the plant manager behind the wheel. A typical trip had him with a cell phone in left hand, digging through his briefcase with his right hand, and steering with his knee. This all took place at 90+ MPH (in a minivan) while we occasionally went 4-wide on a 2-lane road. The last straw was the day he blew through a 35 KPH zone at 80 MPH & passed a dump truck on the left while the truck was signaling (and turning) left. Told my boss if he wanted to keep riding with Raul, he was welcome to. But, from that day forward, I always rented a car & drove myself.

OMG! I can't believe it-I live in Harlingen and DH used to be a plant manager, but hopefully not the crazy driver you had (although he does have a reputation as a driver!) I thought Matamoros would be the most dangerous part-it usually is these days.

The scariest drive I ever took was about 30 years ago up Mt Washington is a tall 4 wheel drive truck. Our kids loved it but I was petrified.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

OMG! I can't believe it-I live in Harlingen and DH used to be a plant manager, but hopefully not the crazy driver you had (although he does have a reputation as a driver!) I thought Matamoros would be the most dangerous part-it usually is these days.

The scariest drive I ever took was about 30 years ago up Mt Washington is a tall 4 wheel drive truck. Our kids loved it but I was petrified.

Real shame what's happened South of the border these days. In the 90's, I never once felt nervous in Matamoros.

Was it you who told me Lone Star closed in Harlingen? We used to love that place!!

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Jeeping over Black Bear Pass in Colorado, start watching at 4:15 in the video to see why, the scariest part for me was at 11:00-12:00

That was always considered a rite of passage back in my Jeeping days. Never made it myself. A couple from a local (St Louis) Jeep club went off the edge & were both killed just a few years ago. They got caught in a terrible storm & apparently tried to press on and must have made a mistake somewhere along the way

 

[bcla]

I start thinking about this, and perhaps I haven't really driven on any roads where I had the immediate thought that I might not make it. I just would concentrate on the road just like any other driving. However, I've been on quite a few footpaths where the thought crossed my mind. I would stop to take a breather and all of a sudden it comes into focus. It was stuff like hiking down the Grand Canyon where there was exposure, or Angels Landing in Zion NP. Or walking up the side of a cascading waterfall, but not too close.

Every once in a while I hear of someone who didn't make it, and then I wonder why I ever thought it was a good idea.

 

[China Expat]

I spent three days and three nights traversing the Himalayas from Manali, India to Leh, India. The dirt road was maybe 5 feet wide, at some places 18,000 ft. in elevation, and filled with pot holes, snow and rocks. We were constantly passing huge trucks on this narrow road with no guardrails.It is known as one of the "World's Most Dangerous Highways!" Truly terrifying and strangely amazing!

 

[manning]

Driving 70 mph on I90/I94 thru Gary Ind. with semis all around me. Even did it once on a rainy day. I don't think those drivers know about wheels hydroplaning

 

[dashofsunshine]

1) first trip to Europe, in Italy, driving a smart car going through a traffic circle with about 10 lanes and mopeds everywhere (not obeying traffic laws).

Close second: every single time I have had to cross the Tappan Zee bridge, in any car, with anyone driving