Driving in London. Why bother?
Discussion
It's the holiday season and so our good friends at South West Trains have decided that they really can't be arsed to run a train service. Therefore to get to work on time I'm driving from Guildford to Canary Wharf this week.
The first 20 miles are fine - a nice cruise along the A3, a few cameras to contend with but all reasonably visible and nothing too outrageous.
Coming into London though I realize how bad things for the motorist are getting. Cameras have sprung up all over the place, often set at very low speeds when the conditions are safe for higher speeds. For someone who doesn't often drive in London this is a nightmare. It's bad enough that I have to try to simultaneously navigate; negotiate the lane changes, bus lanes, roadworks, potholes; avoid getting squashed by buses and trucks swerving all over the place; generally avoid the loons who cut you up. On top of this I now have to keep checking my speed to avoid getting snapped by the scameras that lurk behind every traffic sign.
To cap it all I then read this morning that the Limehouse Link is fitted with a sneaky digital average speed device. I drove down there yesterday in a state of utter confusion as I did not know where I was going - how on earth can i also be expected to observe an unadvertised speed trap.
As if all that wasn't bad enough I notice that red lights now last twice as long as they used to - thanks to Comrade Livinsgtone.
On the strength of just two days driving I've ordered an Origin B2 detector - I want to know in advance where these fruit machines are hidden.
Roll on Monday - back on the train! Never thought I'd say that.........
The first 20 miles are fine - a nice cruise along the A3, a few cameras to contend with but all reasonably visible and nothing too outrageous.
Coming into London though I realize how bad things for the motorist are getting. Cameras have sprung up all over the place, often set at very low speeds when the conditions are safe for higher speeds. For someone who doesn't often drive in London this is a nightmare. It's bad enough that I have to try to simultaneously navigate; negotiate the lane changes, bus lanes, roadworks, potholes; avoid getting squashed by buses and trucks swerving all over the place; generally avoid the loons who cut you up. On top of this I now have to keep checking my speed to avoid getting snapped by the scameras that lurk behind every traffic sign.
To cap it all I then read this morning that the Limehouse Link is fitted with a sneaky digital average speed device. I drove down there yesterday in a state of utter confusion as I did not know where I was going - how on earth can i also be expected to observe an unadvertised speed trap.
As if all that wasn't bad enough I notice that red lights now last twice as long as they used to - thanks to Comrade Livinsgtone.
On the strength of just two days driving I've ordered an Origin B2 detector - I want to know in advance where these fruit machines are hidden.
Roll on Monday - back on the train! Never thought I'd say that.........
I popped in to London over Xmas and drove from the Docklands to Westminster and I hadn't done the run for about a year or so.
Anyway, someone had turned the 30mph signs around just before a tunnel (probably the Limehouse one - I don't know the area well enough) and I then got single flashed by a gatso. The funny thing was, my RoadAngel had been beeping at me for ages and I was driving super slow anyway (thinking it was a 40 zone).
Further on down my route I actually had to turn my RoadAngel off, it didn't stop beeping at me. Gatso cameras were every 500m and my little GPS thing beeps 400m before the cameras, so it was only quiet 20% of the time.
I've never been so glad to have moved out of London.
Oh and in conclusion to my story, just as I arrived in Westminter, I opened my door and spat on the road outside parliment to register my displeasure before finally meeting up with my friends.
Anyway, someone had turned the 30mph signs around just before a tunnel (probably the Limehouse one - I don't know the area well enough) and I then got single flashed by a gatso. The funny thing was, my RoadAngel had been beeping at me for ages and I was driving super slow anyway (thinking it was a 40 zone).
Further on down my route I actually had to turn my RoadAngel off, it didn't stop beeping at me. Gatso cameras were every 500m and my little GPS thing beeps 400m before the cameras, so it was only quiet 20% of the time.
I've never been so glad to have moved out of London.
Oh and in conclusion to my story, just as I arrived in Westminter, I opened my door and spat on the road outside parliment to register my displeasure before finally meeting up with my friends.
skyrocketship said:
just to comment on the speed trap in the limehouse link tunnel - recently there was a very nasty crash in that tunnel - go slow in there it IS a dangerous place where excessive speed has caused deaths in the past!!!
I may not know the area, but I do know that that crash was a joyrider.
thepipesmoker said:
negotiate the lane changes, bus lanes, roadworks, potholes; avoid getting squashed by buses and trucks swerving all over the place; generally avoid the loons who cut you up.
But that's what makes the commute so much fun on a motorbike
Although the last three days of 3 - 5 degrees Celsius at 7am in the morning has been a little distracting. I cannot agree with the sentiments more.
On the other side, I am a Londoner who occasionally gets a chance to play outside of the concrete lanes. You wouldn't believe how much I look forward to these trips! Clear roads, few scameras, intelligent drivers who realise that there are people other than themselves on the road, the list goes on (cheap beer too). It's heaven!
Oli.
On the other side, I am a Londoner who occasionally gets a chance to play outside of the concrete lanes. You wouldn't believe how much I look forward to these trips! Clear roads, few scameras, intelligent drivers who realise that there are people other than themselves on the road, the list goes on (cheap beer too). It's heaven!
Oli.
Plotloss said:
Lightweights!
Drive in every day, no trouble at all, constant amusement from all the numpties and tourists trying to get from one place to another.
It easy but an acquired taste...
I'm with you mate
Get youself a
off great big truck thingie, sit back and go with the flow. You can even get a butchers at the birds legs in the car sat next to you. 
Paul
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