Driving in London

[real4star]

I won't... and never will

Unless you live &/or work there, is there actually any legitimate reason to risk your insurance/pride&joy/sanity in that hell hole of congestion charges, box camera's, Boris bikes, buses and brain dead pedestrians?

[Baryonyx]

Worst place in the UK to drive. Utterly joyless, and miles and miles from any decent roads. Give me the countryside and B roads any day!

[JDFR]

As someone who drives in London every day, the risks are nowhere near what you describe.

[RivieraBlue]

real4star said:

I won't... and never will

Ok?

[Mr Gear]

I drove to Victoria in central London on a Sunday morning once and parked for free all day. No congestion charge, no congestion come to think of it either.

But you are right - it amazes me that so many people will happily sit for hours queuing to get into London in their cars on a weekday morning. I ride past literally hundreds of people on my motorbike every morning and it never ceases to amaze me how many mugs there are.

[Froomee]

JDFR said:

As someone who drives in London every day, the risks are nowhere near what you describe.

+1 although it is notably worse than a lot of places it isn't too different to any major UK city or any major city in the world from my experience......

[tdog7]

I drive in London everyday, and have done for 10 years. So far I haven't hit a single pedestrian, and have survived both the box cameras and Boris bikes........did get caught by a bus lane camera once though!

Its really not that bad....

[Mr Gear]

Froomee said:

JDFR said:

As someone who drives in London every day, the risks are nowhere near what you describe.

+1 although it is notably worse than a lot of places it isn't too different to any major UK city or any major city in the world from my experience......

That is also true. Driving to central Brighton is just as bad as driving to central London some days!

[RichB]

JDFR said:

As someone who drives in London every day, the risks are nowhere near what you describe.

Whilst I wouldn't do it for pleasure mid-week I concure with what you say. Indeed a drive up the embankment, around parliament square, up to the city and back via Buck Pal with coffee in Hyde Park early on a Sunday morning with the roof down can be quite enjoyable.

[nyxster]

I lived and drove in London for years without problem.

The standards of driving in Luton, Hatfield & Guildford were far worse.

[smileymikey]

I live in Somerset, and work in central London during the week. Give me central London any day, the drivings more assertive, however people appear to be looking where they are going, and in the rougher areas the thought that the other driver may be a tooled up crack dealer seems to encourage a remarkable courtesy towards other road users. I get more thank you blips of the hazards and let out of far more side junctions than is ever the case in Bristol.

[smileymikey]

However park in a yellow box, and you are Boris's bh!

[sjg]

If you don't think your observation and defensive driving skills are up to it, then it's probably best that you stay at home.

[Alfahorn]

Driven a lot in London, it's not that bad at all.

[s p a c e m a n]

sjg said:

If you don't think your observation and defensive driving skills are up to it, then it's probably best that you stay at home.

This.

Sitting in traffic is a bit pants, but there's always something to look at and it can be good fun when the roads are clear.

[dibblecorse]

real4star said:

I won't... and never will

Unless you live &/or work there, is there actually any legitimate reason to risk your insurance/pride&joy/sanity in that hell hole of congestion charges, box camera's, Boris bikes, buses and brain dead pedestrians?

Aaaaah, country folk, I do love em ....

[andy-xr]

I once worked for a company that gave a car allowance for travel. Meaning, dont take the train and try and expense it. Use the car. So I did.... Piccadilly Circus meeting. That was a laugh and a half that one

[Gooly]

Driven 8000+ miles in london, its really not that bad, alot of the time its quite enjoyable as for the most part people know what they're doing, and dont hang about. Driven 7000 miles in brighton and they have been the worst, slowest, most dangerous, most police ridden and most frustrating miles possible.

[s p a c e m a n]

I just had a thought (doesn't happen often) I can't think of any annoying speed hump filled roads in the square mile.

[johnthesifu]

I've lived in london for about 20 years and never liked driving in london. Far too many red lights, traffic and bus drivers who dont look in their mirrors, signal or give way. I find it much faster and peaceful to take public transport.