I take back roads to work, because the main roads are full. These back roads are in pretty bad shape (including a couple of stretches where there is no pavement at all). But, they are still two-way roads, and as such, it's expected that people will keep to the right (the yellow lines make it easy to tell where to drive).
But, people in SUVs and trucks don't do that. Instead, they like to drive down the middle of the roads, to avoid driving over sections of road where holes have been patched. Yes, see those dark spots in the picture? Those are patches - new blacktop where there used to be a hole. They're smooth enough to drive on, even in my stiff little Beetle; but people driving vehicles that are advertised as being able to cross streams, climb mountains, pull a boat up a ziggurrat, while the driver sips her latte, are afraid to drive over a rumbly little patch in the road.
I expect to be killed one day, by an SUV driver who preferred to drive down the middle of the road, rather than subject himself to the horrors of letting his suspension do its job.
And yes, taking pictures while driving is much safer than driving down the middle of the road....
Looks like a nice drive…besides the insane “but my poor SUV doesn’t like bumps” drivers.
I drive a Jeep Wrangler and it’s about as bumpy as they get, but I’ve never tried some crazy stunt like driving down the middle to avoid the bumps…even when I lived in Minnesota (land of pot-holes and shitty roads).
Although I have taken photos while driving, most recently a few weeks ago, and man does that make me nervous.
SUV=Shiny Unused Vehicle.
It’s OK to try and avoid potholes as they can do more damage than just “letting the suspension work”, but driving down the center of the road is just lazy.
I live in snow country, and I’ve actually had to show people how to put their rigs in 4WD.