Much like cars, I think streets should have real names, not just numbers and letters. There’s no denying that a Pontiac Firebird sounds way cooler than an Infiniti QX60. And as far as roads go, 2nd Street is a total snoozer. Why not something fun like It’ll Do Road in Pea Ridge, Arkansas?
I brought this up in The Drive‘s main Slack chat Tuesday morning. See, I drive on It’ll Do Road at least twice a week on my way to Bentonville. It makes me smile. Other folks, like my pal Adam Ismail, had some more great examples to offer up, like Street Road in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. How strange!
This has me wondering: What’s the best (or weirdest) street name near you?
A quick Google search shows lots of fun ones, like Stones Throw Lane in Tennessee and Frying Pan Road in Virginia. Goofiness goes a long way for entertainment, even if it makes navigation a lot more confusing. Sure, numeric streets may be essential in big cities with traffic grids, but we use landmarks to give directions where I’m from. Your route may take you from Double Dog Dare Ya Drive onto Shoot Dang Lane, but you’ll know it’s time to turn when you see the row of six chicken houses. If you drive past the row of eight chicken houses, that’s how you know you went too far.
I could go on, but hopefully, you get the gist. I want to hear—and see, if you have pictures—which local street names bring you the most joy, wonder, and/or confusion. Sound off in the comments and I’ll meet you there.
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