True enough, although LJM's clunker would be the last car I'd try to take on these roads. Were he to get stuck, he'd have a lot of explaining to do! Plus, these roads don't start until you're out of Charlottesville.
How would a criminal choose a way to get out of Cville without detection, assuming there's an unconscious/wounded person in the car and the registration/inspection stickers are bad or stolen...? I find it rather difficult to imagine such a scenario, but here goes. Bring up a map of Cville in Google Maps to see these...
My top choices:
1. Barracks Rd. (Rt 654) west... goes right by UVa, allowing perp to tell MH he was taking her back to the dorms... short section of four-lanes but quickly becomes windy, rural 2 lane road with lots of farm/gravel roads branching off and numerous additional, lightly traveled paved roads are accessible... best way to get to Earlysville without risk
2. Rt 742 (Avon St.) south (direct exit on downtown on city streets, 2 lane, short four lane section near county jail, not much traffic at night, intersects with rural section of Rt 20, allows access to Red Hill area after a short distance
Maybes:
* Rt 250 west (back streets to access from downtown, mostly 2 lane with some passing lanes) also goes right by UVa
* Rt 20 north (have to use 250 bypass for a short distance, then 2 lane, windy, but a lot of traffic)
Here are the ones I'd avoid... in no particular order...
* Monticello Ave to Rt 20 south (Monticello Ave out of town has a lot of traffic... 2 lane mostly except for a short distance around the I64 underpass, windy road to the south... better to take Avon
* Rt 250 east (have to use busy four-lane Pantops Rd or I64 to access, lot of traffic even at night... speed traps
* 5th St. to Rt 631 south (have to use Ridge St./5th St which is four lane, and goes by the Albemarle County police station... I travel this route daily and frequently see police cars)
* Hydraulic Rd to 743 north (743 is 2 lane and really windy, but you have to use heavily traveled four lane roads to get to it)
Cville websleuths, any more? Thoughts?
P.S. (added): When I posted this, I hadn't seen Appalachia Girl's post (#249) making much the same point. Would like to hear from more area residents...