OP is right on some points. There are some very long runs\rides to far reaches only to double back to the opposite side of the map, AND THEN double back again.
I like this game and continue to play. Just saying that even as a fanboi, the OP has a good point.
On the other hand, I don't pick up every possible mission.
I saw the OP's poing on being underleveled for the class mission if he skips, but thats going the extreme. It's not hard to lvl up and still not do every mission.