I don’t drive, never learn. I would take the bus, which likely runs on the Main Road. Although a express freeway bus might be available to take.
When I’m commuting, I just want to get there and back. I’ll take the highway unless traffic is bad enough to make it stressful, then I’ll go to less traveled options as necessary even if it’s slower. Sunny Friday afternoons I’ll take the country road.
The highway. Driving is a chore. Get me home faster!
Random tangent – do country backroads there have speed limits? In the UK basically everywhere outside towns is derestricted (ie. national speedlimit, 60 except on motorways and dual carriageways), and you’re supposed to use your common sense to not go at 60 if it isn’t safe. Although people’s record at actually using common sense is mixed.
I actually have this choice! Well, the highway is a two-digit A road, and the main road is a three-digit A road (this will only make sense to people used to the British road system) and the country road isn’t even a B road.
I take the highway to work, and the country road home if the weather is fine. I usually have to slow down for rabbits, geese, and ducks on the road. There’s also a fantastic lake I drive past where I slow down to look at all the birds. Oh, and there’s a lovely big paddock with heavy horses too.
I’ve actually been in the situation of having three routes available, whose descriptions more or less matched those in the OP.
I’d choose one or another depending on my mood.
It drove half my coworkers crazy that I would refuse to use every single day whichever route was their favorite. The other half found the frustration of the first half absolutely hilarious.
The highway. I just wanna get home and it’s a long trip.
What I will do sometimes is bail out of crawling traffic and take secondary roads even though I’m probably not saving much time. I like to keep moving.
Very rarely I’ll take local roads on purpose if it’s a particularly glorious day or I’m just in the mood to go for a little cruise.
This is mostly representative of my commute options, except that in this area, at rush hour, there is no such thing as a 55mph highway.
I always take the back way, which would be equivalent to the “main road” option. There are a few lights, but even when it’s slow it doesn’t feel like a parking lot. It’s also only a lane or two in width, so there are fewer chances for idiots to weave through traffic and piss me off. I could take the beltway, but at the time of day I’m traveling, it wouldn’t save me any time - the traffic reports on the radio every morning seem to be proof of that. Then there’s the shiny new toll road, but who the hell has $8 to spend on their commute every day, on top of the cost of gas?
John Denver would obviously choose #3.
Normally I’d take the quickest, most direct and efficient way (the highway), but occasionally I’d mix things up a bit. There’d certainly be days when I’d want to avoid the back road, like after a heavy snow.
For my daily commute, road #1, no contest. All I want is to get there and back in as little time and with as little fuss as possible.
But whenever I’m traveling and in no particular hurry, I definitely seek out the country back roads. It’s the best way to see the country! (But that wasn’t the question, so #1 it is.)
I’d take the highway. If the middle road’s speed limit were at the 55 mph that many county roads are, then I’d take that one. But at 35-45 all that would happen is that I’d get a ticket for speeding.
In DC, traffic is so consistently bad all the time that the speed limit is irrelevant; you’re going to be averaging 25mph or less no matter which road you take. “Fun” is not a factor, ever.
I picked #4. It makes all the difference.
I would prefer #3, but my commute is more than an hour as it is, so IRL I’d take #1.
My vote goes to “the road less travelled” because that’s my objective every time I’m driving. Unless I’m on a timetable or in a real hurry otherwise, I like the back roads and side streets. I use the interstates only for “must get there quickly” driving, and stay off them at rush hour times, purely to avoid being trapped in case of accidents between exits.
I like the “blue highways” (an outstanding book, by the way) and always find little pleasures in going through the little towns off the main throughways. Especially if it’s been a while since I saw them last. Examples: US 31 or 41 instead of I-65; US 70 or 64 instead of I-40.
But I always try to go on roads where there are options for detours and changes of plan.
I’m always going to take the highway because it’s faster and easier on my equipment. I will test the other two routes to know they exist. If there is a store on the slower routes that I can use, that could be the most efficient route on a few days. If I see the highway is backed up from an accident, the next fastest route is chosen. Otherwise, I will always pick the highway.
I love driving country roads but I don’t think I could keep it under 25. I’ll go the less traveled route instead.
The main road, and I like driving, but I almost always take the most direct and the same route.
The highway.
No matter how more enjoyable an alternate route might be, if it’s a slower route I’m losing out on the much greater enjoyment I derive from being home, spending my time doing something other than working or driving.
I had to vote for #5. I don’t fancy the drive to work - the Atlantic Ocean is a long commute by car.