Adventures on Route 8: Navigating the Chaos in Connecticut

Route 8 is roughly 70 miles of state highway in Connecticut that runs North-South from Bridgeport, through Waterbury and all the way to the Massachusetts state line where it continues into Mass.

Most of the highway is a 4-lane freeway but the northernmost stretch is a two-lane surface road.

I don’t travel Route 8 often but when I do, I wish I wasn’t. Route 8 sucks in the way that fighting with an alligator sucks. I shouldn’t, but once I’m “in it ” there is no way out but through. It is super dangerous and from my experience people treat it like a race track. Recently, I came across a Reddit thread and saw there are a lot of people that feel the way I do.

The post was started by u/hgravesc who said:

Attention Crazy Route 8 Drivers
If you’re going to weave in and out of traffic and tailgate people because they’re not going 100 in a 55, please do us all a favor and wrap your car around a tree. Thank you, that is all.

Here are some of the many comments and there is a fair share of swear words:

NovelRelationship830: “To everyone responding ‘Stay out of the left lane then’, I’d point out that OP said nothing about that, and I agree someone cruising in the passing lane is annoying. OP is complaining about the a-holes that ‘weave in and out of traffic and tailgate people because they’re not going 100 in a 55. Downvote me to your heart’s content, but OP is right. The idiots that drive at breakneck speed and constantly weave in and out of lanes are a hazard. If you have a problem with this, I assume you are one of them. As I said, downvote away…”

NOTE: OP stands for Original Poster

Helpful-Visit6646: “Please stop with the left lane bitch already. I’m more concerned about the people that can get one of us killed and I rarely see people camp in the left lane around here. But I do see the assholes going 90+ waaay too often.”

SpermicidalManiac666: “I’m with you 99% but let’s not ignore the left lane campers. They’ve gotten totally out of control as well and DO cause problems in their own right. When they’re gumming up the left lane it definitely leads people to using the right lane just to pass and that should not be happening. But to be clear – F— the ass—– doing 100+ and weaving. They’re definitely more dangerous.”

wingey674: “I will be in the left lane then, doing forty, with the blinker on. Good night to all a good night.”

coldnesofrain: “Same with 91/95. Usually an all tinted windows including front windshield Nissan Altima driver or occasionally Honda Accord.”

SuckaMC69: “I’m with you!!! I’m doing 75/80 passing 7 cars on the right and this s— bag comes up on my ass at least 100, then whips into the far right truck lane by the Shelton exit and cuts all the way back over to the left lane. Clipping the front bumper of a lady in the far left, sending himself into 360’s and into the center median just missing a s— load of cars. Of course it was a BMW all blacked out windows thinking he was Mario f—- Andretti !!! I see it every morning after 7:00am when I have to travel that stretch… state police have been out there in force the last 2 months and seems to have slowed it down.”

sylvester1218: “Time to update that reference. Maybe Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen.”

StonkOmaticz: “Just watched a car without a doubt speeding up to the back of a cop as we were approaching the road work that had the fines doubled sign. Cop moved over to the slow lane and I was like here comes karma baby, nope he didn’t do s—. Cops don’t even care as they hand out false tickets.”

CharacterKatie: “Seriously. Why are there SO many accidents on route 8 in the Naugatuck/Beacon Falls area? It could not be an easier highway to drive on. A few months ago, they had two in one day. Got one cleared just for another one to happen right after. I drive from Watertown to Derby a few nights a week and it’s always nerve wracking. Mostly because people are either doing 94 mph or 38 mph over there with no in between.”

heathercs34: “I saw a late 90s-ish Jeep Cherokee Sport smash right into the jersey barrier on Friday night right by exit 17. Was speeding and weaving around traffic, totally lost control, and smashed head on into the barrier. It was terrifying.”

Wooderson: “Y’all come on down to super 7 in Norwalk and enjoy the fart can morons who do this in beaters.”

Incendiomf: “I couldn’t agree with this any more! My commute is from Thomaston to Derby (exit 15) and I’ve developed significant anxiety in the four months since starting my new job. It’s a frequent topic of conversation between my therapist and I (lol). You’re either stuck going 55mph in the R lane or getting assaulted in the L hand lane. It’s been very difficult and is beginning to interfere with my work. Send help, lol.”

enviri: “don’t forget the horrible water management when it rains…hydroplane city until shelton.”

7worldtraveler: “Something needs to be done. It’s out of control. So dangerous.”

Swear words, therapists, high-speed wrecks and down-vote dares, this post had it all.