And I won’t even get into USC or Clemson, much less anything even remotely close to education.  But in three separate studies released over the weekend dealing with driving, hunger, and safety, South Carolina ranked near the bottom in each. Hooray us!

A test administered by GMAC Insurance found that one in six licensed drivers — roughly 36 million people — would flunk a driving exam if they had to take it again. In that survey, South Carolina tied for 33rd with three other states; although anyone who has ever driven in the Palmetto State will agree that number should be more like 48th.

And another recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that an average 15 percent of South Carolinians endured “food insecurity” between 2004-06, placing the state in the top five for hunger.

Also of importance, South Carolina had three cities rank among the most dangerous in the America, including North Charleston, which came in 7th, in the 14th annual “City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America.” Charleston made the list as the 97th most dangerous city in country, and Columbia came in 116th. To be fair, the crime rankings have not been without a lot of criticism.

All this sure makes you proud to be a resident of this fine state, don’t it? Maybe we just need more maps…