Escaping from New York

You'd think that navigating through Manhattan would be simple. The grid pattern of conveniently numbered streets and avenues mean that in theory you should be able to find your way without the use of maps or a GPS. But if you look closely at the map below, you'll see that most streets are one-way. And when trying to plot an escape route upstate to Sleepy Hollow it became apparent that simply heading north wouldn't work because eventually you reach water, so a bridge or tunnel is needed, and you need to find the exact route onto the correct bridge or tunnel lest you end up in Brooklyn or the Bronx rather than on an expressway in the right direction. It took hours of planning the evening before but eventually I found a path, and the actual driving the next morning wasn't too tricky, but without the preparation it could have been a nightmare. One factor that does help is the dominance of pedestrians, who flood across streets, allowing you plenty of thinking time before you need to move.