You need to factor in those four minutes, at least once, because it’s part of the route

Barring traffic, the way home from Lakewood takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

Plus four minutes.

You need to factor in those four minutes, at least once, because it’s part of the route.

It happens when you exit the Garden State Parkway and reach the fork between Perth Amboy and Smith Street. At that point, you’re supposed to turn right onto Smith Street. That is, toward Perth Amboy. That is, to the 440N, toward the US9… you think.

You’ve only traveled this route several dozen times before; how can you be sure?

It doesn’t help that Waze is urging you to “Keep right, then, keep right.”

Naturally, you keep left.

The first time this happens, you panic. You’re sure this wrong turn will lead you all the way to Kentucky with no chance to turn back along the way. Then you realize the detour only delayed you by four minutes. You figure, “Four minutes? Big deal. Let’s do it again.”

You do the Perth Amboy/Smith Street circle five times, netting a substantial 20-minute delay.