The county seat of Prineville (pop. 5, 250) is a "detour down a back road, " to lift a line from a country ballad popular there.

CNN: The Place That Picks Winners

On I-40 some 100 miles west of Memphis, I chose to avoid a lengthy repair zone for a detour onto an eastern Arkansas secondary road.

FORBES: Highways of the future? Not here

However, our detour, and now involvement, down the road of financial literacy happened because there is a need.

FORBES: How to Succeed at Business: Vision, Courage and Flexibility

In another sign of obstacles visitors could face, Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint on the road from Jerusalem made travellers take a lengthy detour into Bethlehem on Saturday.

BBC: Bethlehem begins millennium celebrations

It brings to an end a lengthy detour for drivers who would normally use the A708 Moffat to Selkirk road.

BBC: Collapsed A708 Moffat to Selkirk road reopens to traffic

"This road must reopen as soon as possible with the inconvenience of this major detour to locals and visitors alike kept to a minimum, " he said.

BBC: A708 closed after section collapses into stream

And on Monday a burst in a parallel pipe flooded the road, close to the entrance of St Peter's Hospital, forcing traffic to take a detour for several hours and leaving householders in the area temporarily without water.

BBC: Chertsey A320 floodings 'not linked'