To Drive To London Or Not
Discussion
Hello
I'm planning a trip to visit some friends in London next weekend (one night). However, with only 5 months driving experience under my belt, I'm in two minds whether it's a good idea.
The train is incredibly expensive so I'd like to drive if at all possible. I've driven through many cities in my 6 months such as Birmingham, Derby and Leicester but I've heard terrible things about driving through London.
As far as specific locations go, my friends live in the SW4 area and I am coming from Leicester.
On top of that there's no parking available so I was planning on using a website such as parkopedia to find a place to park.
en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london_sw4/
I really like my car and don't want to put it at risk as I saved for a very long time to purchase it.
Is this a disaster waiting to happen?
Thanks in advance for any tips or advice
JonnyP100
I'm planning a trip to visit some friends in London next weekend (one night). However, with only 5 months driving experience under my belt, I'm in two minds whether it's a good idea.
The train is incredibly expensive so I'd like to drive if at all possible. I've driven through many cities in my 6 months such as Birmingham, Derby and Leicester but I've heard terrible things about driving through London.
As far as specific locations go, my friends live in the SW4 area and I am coming from Leicester.
On top of that there's no parking available so I was planning on using a website such as parkopedia to find a place to park.
en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london_sw4/
I really like my car and don't want to put it at risk as I saved for a very long time to purchase it.
Is this a disaster waiting to happen?
Thanks in advance for any tips or advice
JonnyP100
Edited by jonnyp100 on Saturday 30th August 23:39
Driving in London is fine, if you know where you are going, if you don't it's an absolute nightmare and becomes 'stressful' - I would recommend leaving plenty of time and using a satnav.
Given the lack or parking etc ... sometimes it's just easier to take the train, which generally is what I do when I go in.
Given the lack or parking etc ... sometimes it's just easier to take the train, which generally is what I do when I go in.
jonnyp100 said:
Hello
I'm planning a trip to visit some friends in London next weekend (one night). However, with only 5 months driving experience under my belt, I'm in two minds whether it's a good idea.
The train is incredibly expensive so I'd like to drive if at all possible. I've driven through many cities in my 6 months such as Birmingham, Derby and Leicester but I've heard terrible things about driving through London.
As far as specific locations go, my friends live in the SW4 area and I am coming from Leicester.
On top of that there's no parking available so I was planning on using a website such as parkopedia to find a place to park.
en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london_sw4/
I really like my car and don't want to put it at risk as I saved for a very long time to purchase it.
Is this a disaster waiting to happen?
Thanks in advance for any tips or advice
JonnyP100
I've driven to London twice and then parked in a multi story carpark in Mayfair, the first time was only 6 weeks after I had passed and 3 weeks after I got my car.. It was fine apart from everybody is in a need to get everywhere so fast, the taxi drivers pull in when they want and you get bullied into not being able to change lane if you are unsure.I'm planning a trip to visit some friends in London next weekend (one night). However, with only 5 months driving experience under my belt, I'm in two minds whether it's a good idea.
The train is incredibly expensive so I'd like to drive if at all possible. I've driven through many cities in my 6 months such as Birmingham, Derby and Leicester but I've heard terrible things about driving through London.
As far as specific locations go, my friends live in the SW4 area and I am coming from Leicester.
On top of that there's no parking available so I was planning on using a website such as parkopedia to find a place to park.
en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london_sw4/
I really like my car and don't want to put it at risk as I saved for a very long time to purchase it.
Is this a disaster waiting to happen?
Thanks in advance for any tips or advice
JonnyP100
Edited by jonnyp100 on Saturday 30th August 23:39
My second time was last week Saturday, drove from Birmingham straight to Mayfair and then back out at like 4pm, it gets so f
king hectic, but if you have some confidence you will be fine 
Oh on my first time I got lost and took me an hr to find out how to get back to where I needed to go, nobody would let me change lanes as the traffic was so bunched up so I went the wrong way, got lost and then quite annoyed but its a good experience to have.
Im a country bumpkin who's lived in London for nearly 5 years now, both central and north.
It's not any scarier than driving in any other big English city tbh. Be aware that your satnav may take you through central London on an unnecessarily long schlep unless you tell it otherwise. Don't get caught out by being satnaved through the congestion charging zone.
Make sure you come at where your going from the M25 or north/ south circular as much as possible, or you'll add ages to your journey.
Parkopedia is excellent. It'll tell you how many spaces available, cost etc. Have a back up parking spot, as if your travelling at a busy time alot of carparks will be full.
Otherwise it's a very enjoyable city to drive in, provided you have realistic expectations re journey time!
It's not any scarier than driving in any other big English city tbh. Be aware that your satnav may take you through central London on an unnecessarily long schlep unless you tell it otherwise. Don't get caught out by being satnaved through the congestion charging zone.
Make sure you come at where your going from the M25 or north/ south circular as much as possible, or you'll add ages to your journey.
Parkopedia is excellent. It'll tell you how many spaces available, cost etc. Have a back up parking spot, as if your travelling at a busy time alot of carparks will be full.
Otherwise it's a very enjoyable city to drive in, provided you have realistic expectations re journey time!
Take the train, buy an oyster card at the nearest station and catch the tube down to SW4. Keep the oyster card for future trips to London.
If you must drive, travel in the morning to avoid traffic building up too much. Bypass most of London and take the M25 all the way around to the A3 (not M3) and follow sat nav's directions into SW4.
I can't see that being more enjoyable than just getting on the train and then enjoying yourself all night with your friends.
If you must drive, travel in the morning to avoid traffic building up too much. Bypass most of London and take the M25 all the way around to the A3 (not M3) and follow sat nav's directions into SW4.
I can't see that being more enjoyable than just getting on the train and then enjoying yourself all night with your friends.
I dont have a problem driving to London or the central/busier parts.
But its a different beast from anywhere else in the UK when it is busy. I always feel like I am on edge. The roads feel totally different in some areas - and egnerally they are overloaded with way more traffic than they were built for.
As mentioned leave PLENTY of time because you will prob get stuck in traffic and use a sat nav.
But its a different beast from anywhere else in the UK when it is busy. I always feel like I am on edge. The roads feel totally different in some areas - and egnerally they are overloaded with way more traffic than they were built for.
As mentioned leave PLENTY of time because you will prob get stuck in traffic and use a sat nav.
Have you looked at the cost of a coach ticket, then an Oyster card to get from Victoria out to SW4 by tube or bus?
Alternatively find a suitable Parkway station somewhere on the line leading to your destination and park there for the night, leaving you with a short hop by train instead of the full expense of a long distance ticket
I've driven round London plenty of times in all kinds of traffic, but I'd honestly rather take public transport if the price is reasonable. I think I'm getting lazy in my old age!
Alternatively find a suitable Parkway station somewhere on the line leading to your destination and park there for the night, leaving you with a short hop by train instead of the full expense of a long distance ticket
I've driven round London plenty of times in all kinds of traffic, but I'd honestly rather take public transport if the price is reasonable. I think I'm getting lazy in my old age!
OP - I would drive, because it is cheaper, and at the end of the journey you will have conquered the mountain of driving in London and realised it's a very small hill.
I learnt to drive in Leicester, and went to University in SW7, and know the SW8 area reasonably well.
My usual route was to take the M1 until it ends at Brent Cross shopping centre, take the A41 for Swiss Cottage until you pass the Lords Cricket Ground, head to Maida Vale and take the A5 towards Hyde Park. I crossed the park and I was where I needed to be.
In your situation once you see Hyde Park from there you go past Marble Arch down Park Lane, head for Vauxhall Bridge at Hyde Park Corner and once you cross over the bridge you are pretty much where you need to be. It's very, very easy. Don't feel rushed, don't get flustered by other drivers and you will be absolutely fine.
Parking in the street is not difficult either, it just requires you to figure out where you can park and do it before everybody else does.
I learnt to drive in Leicester, and went to University in SW7, and know the SW8 area reasonably well.
My usual route was to take the M1 until it ends at Brent Cross shopping centre, take the A41 for Swiss Cottage until you pass the Lords Cricket Ground, head to Maida Vale and take the A5 towards Hyde Park. I crossed the park and I was where I needed to be.
In your situation once you see Hyde Park from there you go past Marble Arch down Park Lane, head for Vauxhall Bridge at Hyde Park Corner and once you cross over the bridge you are pretty much where you need to be. It's very, very easy. Don't feel rushed, don't get flustered by other drivers and you will be absolutely fine.
Parking in the street is not difficult either, it just requires you to figure out where you can park and do it before everybody else does.
Driving in London is a walk in the park compared to most other cities, Paris is downright scary at rush hour. As has already been said, a SatNav will see you right, although I did once end up having to fork out £60 after my elderly Tom Tom routed me onto a buses only section of Lewisham High Street along a tight, one way street with no way of turning round. In fact, the main thing to look out for is getting fined for stuff - buses all have cameras installed front and back and if you get caught in a box junction or stray into a bus lane in at the wrong time of day it can prove very costly.
If you have Windows or Android phone the Nokia Drive app seems to work quite well round London, hasn't sent me wrong yet.
If you have Windows or Android phone the Nokia Drive app seems to work quite well round London, hasn't sent me wrong yet.
What does it say about the standard of new drivers (competent, according to the test) that even someone with 5 months experience is even considering not driving somewhere in the UK. I wouldn't relish Shanghai or Mumbai, but it certainly wouldn't cross my mind not to drive in these places and they're at least a million times harder than London.
Might just as well scrap the test and just give everyone automatic entitlement to drive on their 17th birthday.
Simon.
Might just as well scrap the test and just give everyone automatic entitlement to drive on their 17th birthday.
Simon.
jonnyp100 said:
On top of that there's no parking available so I was planning on using a website such as parkopedia to find a place to park.
en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london_sw4/
I really like my car and don't want to put it at risk as I saved for a very long time to purchase it.
You can use streetview to read parking restrictions on the streets near where you are staying. They may be anything from residents only 8am-6pm Monday-Friday up to restrictions at all times, or up to 10pm, or Sundays as well.en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/london_sw4/
I really like my car and don't want to put it at risk as I saved for a very long time to purchase it.
Edited by jonnyp100 on Saturday 30th August 23:39
If you really like your car do you want to leave it parked a couple of streets away, or in a station car park in the suburbs for 24 hours?
Two single train tickets, down Saturday, back Sunday from Leicester to St Pancras total £47. That might not be massively more than your fuel cost. But you may live nowhere near Leicester.
Myself I would at your age, and would still, drive to a convenient parking place and public transport from there, but I'm not precious about the odd scratch I might pick up.
mph999 said:
Driving in London is fine, if you know where you are going,
ThisUse Google Streetview to get an advance look at the junctions. Central London is fine, mainly because everyone else also knows exactly where they are going. The bit between central London and the North/South circular is the tricky one since everyone seems either impatient, disorientated, or both.
Top tip, if you get to a junction and you're in the wrong lane for where you want to go, just go with the flow and worry about getting back on course later. Resist the temptation to suddenly change lanes.
If you're going down to London for a piss-up with your mates, then think carefully about driving. The last thing you want is to get picked up on your way home and breathalysed. Figure on sobering up at the rate of 1 unit of alcohol per hour from when you stop drinking. So if you are out until say 01:00 and have drunk the equivalent of 6 pints of decent beer at 2.5 units per pint, you won't be clear to drive until at least 15:00 the next afternoon.
Taking the train might be much the wiser option for you.
Taking the train might be much the wiser option for you.
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