Southampton traffic this evening (Friday)

[Moose.]

So, I need to be in Southampton this evening (~7pm) and was wondering what the traffic will be like getting into the city? From past experience I know the M27 can be a total pain at times....

I have two options to get there from Bristol:

1) M4 - A34 - M3 - M27 - Soton
or
2) Cross country - A36 - M27 - Soton

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to which one's going to be less busy at that sort of time?

cheers

[LukeBird]

At 7 I'd've thought it'd just be getting down to acceptable traffic levels.
Even so, I'd still avoid the A34/M3, I would imagine you'd have gone insane by the time you arrived!

[S1mon L]

A36 without a doubt. Stay away from that horrid M3!!

[Neil.D]

At 7 you should be fine. Most people will be leaving Southampton (as it's a dump) as commuters.
The only other consideration you may have is that the M3/M27 junction is often busy as caravanners make their way down to the forest on a friday afternoon.

[Moose.]

Interesting replies and contradicting what everyone at work is saying

I think this might be one of those six one half dozen situations as leaving Bristol at 4pm, it's better to get onto the M4 rather than try to go south east.....

[flatfour1]

Neil.D said:

At 7 you should be fine. Most people will be leaving Southampton (as it's a dump) as commuters.

Spoken like a skate, You're not a pikey skate are you per chance?

[jonboy21t]

There's lane closures on the Salisbury ringroad (college roundabout)- it'll be stacked.....

When you get to Wilton, take the first right after the roundabout (A338) & head through Harnham - the traffic will be lighter onto college roundabout or head to Downton on the A338 & then take the B3080/B3078 over the New Forest & join the M27 @ Cadnam.....job done...

God i must be bored @ work.......

Good luck!!

[Neil.D]

flatfour1 said:

Neil.D said:

At 7 you should be fine. Most people will be leaving Southampton (as it's a dump) as commuters.

Spoken like a skate, You're not a pikey skate are you per chance?

What is a 'skate' exactly? Presumably something gypsy related?
If you had looked at my profile (you may recognise the top picture) you will see I live near Southampton, doesn't mean I have to like the place.

[minimatt1967]

Neil.D said:

flatfour1 said:

Neil.D said:

At 7 you should be fine. Most people will be leaving Southampton (as it's a dump) as commuters.

Spoken like a skate, You're not a pikey skate are you per chance?

What is a 'skate' exactly? Presumably something gypsy related?
If you had looked at my profile (you may recognise the top picture) you will see I live near Southampton, doesn't mean I have to like the
place.

Ditto WTF is a Skate?

[Loque]

Skate is a person from portsmouth. What kind of South Coast inhabitants are you lot...

I'd always go for the cross country method. The amount of times I have driven to Winchester using backroads rather than the M3 even though it's slower and uses more fuel is mind boggling...

[minimatt1967]

Loque said:

Skate is a person from portsmouth. What kind of South Coast inhabitants are you lot...

Well I live in Bournemouth and originate from up north

As they say 'you learn something everyday.'

[Neil.D]

Loque said:

Skate is a person from portsmouth.

Oh right. For a minute I thought Tyrone may take issue.

Well forgive me if im not offended but that is possibly the worst insult I have ever heard.

'A person from Portsmouth' - Oh no.

[Thejimreaper]

Neil.D said:

Loque said:

Skate is a person from portsmouth.

Oh right. For a minute I thought Tyrone may take issue.

Well forgive me if im not offended but that is possibly the worst insult I have ever heard.

'A person from Portsmouth' - Oh no.

I have a feeling the word 'skate' originated on the football terraces. Thought up by some group of under achievers sat drinking Stellas that they smuggled in, whilst watching a group of 11 blokes kick a football round a field. Revelling in the success of the team which doesn't even know they exist apart from the entry fee they paid, feeling like they too have achieved something by purely being there chanting offensive nursery rhymes and showing the bird to groups of families with children sat in the opposition supporters seats.

Please dont look on this as a reason to turn this thread in to a football debate, I am purely saying where I believe the unoffensive insult 'skate' originated from. I have never really understood the whole Portsmouth/Southampton thing.

[Neil.D]

Hi Jim,

thanks for clarifing that.

So presumably that is the same sort of people that you see hanging round the pub called 'Le Tissier's Arms Legs' (I see what they did there - brilliant) clutching a plastic pint glass, all wearing the same shirts and staring out passing police cars. Right, I see.

The very same that, should they be 'supporting' the winning side, later being seen forming a circle with other such men, arms around each others shoulders singing these 'nursery rhymes' at the tops of their voices.
Conversely, should the team lose, a surley gaggle of pot bellied men saunter back to their estates, only to drown their sorrows in yet more Stella. Inevitably this deteriorates to slapping the wife around, punching the flimsy internal doors and throwing the childs dinner plate at the kitchen wall.

So, in my best working class impression and in the direction of whoever it was who initially mentioned 'skate',

'Its all gone quiet over there...'

[Loque]

Calm down everybody, it's just a word, and I believe that it was said in provocation that 'Southampton was a dump' anyway.

If you haven't figured it out already, Southamptoners generally dislike people from Portsmouth, and vice versa. Natural rivalry, etcetera, nobody needs to cry about it.

Yes, it did originate on the football terraces of the Archers Road stand of the Dell, IIRC. I believe that amongst other things, Southampton Scummers is the term of choice for people from southampton.

Anyway, back on topic

[Moose.]

After a final check of the travel I opted for the M4 - A34 - M3 - M27 - Soton routing as there was apparently problems on the A36 and also lots of people heading toward Glastonbury. Took just over 2 hours despite a bit of stop-start on the A34 getting onto the M3

Not been to Soton for years! They've certainly added lots more speed cameras since I was last there (2001) and lowered the limits all over the place. My one abiding memory still remains though of plenty of traffic lights!

Spent the weekend hooning round the Isle of Wight which was rather pleasant. Could have done with more suspension travel on their roads though; a bit bloody bumpy in places!

[scoobydude]

Thejimreaper said:

Neil.D said:

Loque said:

Skate is a person from portsmouth.

Oh right. For a minute I thought Tyrone may take issue.

Well forgive me if im not offended but that is possibly the worst insult I have ever heard.

'A person from Portsmouth' - Oh no.

I have a feeling the word 'skate' originated on the football terraces. Thought up by some group of under achievers sat drinking Stellas that they smuggled in, whilst watching a group of 11 blokes kick a football round a field. Revelling in the success of the team which doesn't even know they exist apart from the entry fee they paid, feeling like they too have achieved something by purely being there chanting offensive nursery rhymes and showing the bird to groups of families with children sat in the opposition supporters seats.

No No Skate refers to the seagoing heritage of the inhabitants of Portsmouth. During long voyages at sea, some of the ships company would take solace from the afforementioned flat fish, which had been sliced open from end to end. Then all manner of unspeakable sexual acts were undertaken using the , now conveniently, cut open flat fish. That my dear boy is why people from portsmouth are refered to as "skates"