BASH scripting

sup
i'm using "read" to get a directory path into an env variable.
shit works well when the path doesn't contain an escape command for whitespaces like here:
/home/durp/pics/test_folder/
this here makes problems:
/home/durp/pics/test\ folder/
"read" simply ignores the escape command, but i need it. how do i circumvent that?

If a script brakes
brakes

Slow down there Andretti.

Just because it's a legal char. does not mean its The Right Way to do it, or even an advisable or smart way to do it either. Since it obviously breaks shit why do it, deeeeeeeeerp