Suddenly, there are signs everywhere.
I-17.
I-10.
Loop 101.
Loop 202.
US-60.
Phoenix.
Tucson.
Mesa.
Scottsdale.
Chandler.
Tempe.
You have approximately three seconds to process all of it.
Your GPS says:
“Keep right.”
The overhead sign appears to suggest something completely different.
The lane beside you is full.
Someone is driving directly next to you.
And your exit is approaching much faster than expected.
This is when the Arizona driver’s concentration level suddenly reaches 100 percent.
Step 3: Don’t Miss the Exit
You see the exit.
You know you need it.
You begin moving over.
But there’s a car beside you.
You wait.
The car doesn’t move.
You wait a little longer.
Now the exit is approximately twelve feet away.
You realize it’s too late.
And then…
You miss it.
Step 4: The GPS Starts Recalculating
At first, you’re calm.
“That’s okay. The GPS will find another route.”
Then:
Recalculating.
A few seconds later:
Recalculating.
You continue driving.
Recalculating.
At this point, you begin questioning whether your GPS understands Arizona at all.
You look at the screen.
The route has completely changed.
The little blue line seems to be sending you somewhere you have never heard of.
And you’re thinking:
“Where exactly are we going?”
Step 5: Accept Your New Destination
Maybe you were heading to Mesa.
Now you’re somehow approaching another interchange.
Maybe you’re supposed to turn around.
Maybe you need to take another exit.
Maybe the next exit is five miles away.
And suddenly you start thinking:
“Well… I guess we’re seeing another part of Arizona today.”
This is where the joke becomes reality.
Missing one exit can feel like you’ve accidentally entered a completely different part of the desert.
Step 6: Learn the Arizona Mental Map
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