When we were out in Cali this past December I actually drove all over Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose without any issue! They drive fast out there, but at least they drive normal!! LOL I didn't fear for my life. I have to admit, never had driving issues anywhere in NY or PA, but yea…NJ was a little white knuckle-ish!

What makes NJ a tough state to drive in is the poor signage. I've worked w/people from all over the Delaware Valley and have family that have moved out of state. To a person when they return they always say the same thing, the signage is never current and poorly situated at best. I've not been back to NJ since I moved away in Feb. 2001 but can't imagine it's gotten any better.

***Maryland state trooper are the WORSE, talk about stormtroopers, holy moley***

Never noticed a problem with the Zoners, and what the heck is a pumpkin plate?

baja california/mexican plates.

My sister lives in Holmes, Pa. I think that's DelCo.

I do NOT miss the weather in the Delaware Valley and the winter 99-00 cured me of any secret love of snow I may have been harboring since childhood! There was so much snow on the ground people were going nuts from cabin fever. Now I would be lying if I said I DIDN'T miss certain elements of the weather there…4 distinct seasons and summer rainstorms being high up on the list. Some of Monkette's family & new friends I've made here always ask when they see these bad storms back east stuff like "Why on EARTH would anyone want to live in a place where you get weather like that?" to which I normally respond, "Why would anyone live where at any time w/relatively no warning, and earthquake could turn Arizona and Nevada into beach front property?". You can always dig out of a snow storm but you can't always recover from an earthquake or mudslide. As I'm typing this there's a watch going on over in Pacifica, CA (10 Miles south of SF) for an apartment complex that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and the erosion from the latest round of winter storms was/is so bad that the ground is crumbling away beneath the foundation and it might tumble into the ocean. The authorities had the folks evacuate and they're trying to crane massive boulders into place to create a sea wall to prevent further erosion at the base of the cliff. If they're successful, they'll then attempt to sure up the cliff somehow. What is amazing is the aplomb the residents show about a pending disaster like this…the people around here laugh when I say "only in California" about stuff like that and ask "who says that?". I smile sweetly and tell them the rest of the country and possibly the world!