Hell - ... Driving in London

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 15:10
Hell - ... Driving in London - _

Yesterday, I went to Collect some friends from Gatwick,

(Pleasantly surprised at the petrol price, Tesco, on the A217 just noth of the airport )

In and out in an hour, and that is where the fun started, Was taking them to a London postcode, E10 trying to turn onto the A13 north of Dartfort tunnel got almost t-boned by an i**** and instead of going left ended up going round the junction and because of the mess ended up back on the M25 so went up to the A127, then into the north circular, rounf to take the A104 to get almost directly to whre my fiends were staying. Virtually no parking, taffic wardens galore, plenty of no right turns and finally got there.

Got lost/missed turning leaving, ang glad to finally get out of there.

I don't know how many of you live there., but never setting foot or wheel in there again.

Cpould have walked out to the north circ faster !!!

Edited by Xileno on 16/06/2023 at 21:38

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 15:26
Hell - ... Driving in London - Adampr

M25 - A20 - Blackwall Tunnel - A12 - Done. Straight shot up the A12 home.

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 15:31
Hell - ... Driving in London - movilogo

Those who don't live in London driving is experience is indeed hell.

I avoid driving in London. I park somewhere in tube stations in outskirt and then take tube or public transport.

Heaven.

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 16:17
Hell - ... Driving in London - RickyBoy

I'll only venture as far as Hampstead Lane (B519) these days when we visit Kenwood Hose for a coffee & long stroll.

M1/teeny bit of the N Circular/A1 to Bishop's Avenue, turn right up BA, turn left onto HL at the top/traffic lights. There's usually always FREE parking available on there, well certainly at 09:30/10:00 on a Sunday morning.

I used to go as far as the Business Design Centre (Liverpool Road, Highbury/Islington) back in the day for a pal when delivering/collecting exhibition stands for him but wouldn't even consider that these days.

Was in London earlier this month for a stroll with some folk. MK to Euston is 30-mins on the 'Flyer', Northern Line to Battersea Power Station without any changes then an 11-mile walk back to Hyde Park tube via Chelsea, Kensington, Notting Hill & a late afternoon lunch in Bayswater. An excellent day out, particularly as the railway's were all operating for once, but driving/parking/avoiding camera's... forget it!

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 16:53
Hell - ... Driving in London - Xileno

I avoid the place like the plague, if I didn't have family there I wouldn't go at all. Usually get away with one trip a year to just south of Hammersmith bridge and that's Christmas day so lighter traffic.

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 17:26
Hell - ... Driving in London - RT

I haven't driven into London for 30 years - apart from 2 trips to the US embassy (when it was in Grosvenor Square) to renew visas, just parked at a tube station just inside the M25.

Back in the day, I had no qualms about driving in/through London before the M25 was built, I usually found it easier to go straight through the centre than use the North/South Circular.

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 17:35
Hell - ... Driving in London - RickyBoy

Agree with your 'back in the day' observation.

We used to drive down to watch the Marathon and park round the back of Fenchurch Street station all day for nowt.

That's never er going to happen again...

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Fri 2 Jun 2023 22:29
Hell - ... Driving in London - bathtub tom

Daughter in Epsom, I'm eighty miles North. Got a senior rail card a couple of years ago. No way I'm experiencing the hell of the M1/M25 again. If there's rail problems, I don't go!

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Sat 3 Jun 2023 10:52
Hell - ... Driving in London - Lee Power

Its rare I visit London but I haven't driven in London in over 20 years, I'd rather take the train which is cheap enough & only about an hour away then use the tube when I'm down there.

I could do without the hassle & stress of ever trying to drive round that hell hole.

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Fri 16 Jun 2023 18:23
Hell - ... Driving in London - OceanMan

Those who don't live in London driving is experience is indeed hell.

I avoid driving in London. I park somewhere in tube stations in outskirt and then take tube or public transport.

Heaven.

Where are some of the best places for this? I'm going to Notting Hill next week and was look for somewhere to park one tube ride away

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Fri 16 Jun 2023 18:45
Hell - ... Driving in London - _

Those who don't live in London driving is experience is indeed hell.

I avoid driving in London. I park somewhere in tube stations in outskirt and then take tube or public transport.

Heaven.

Where are some of the best places for this? I'm going to Notting Hill next week and was look for somewhere to park one tube ride away

WestField, shepherds Bush, just off the A40M Westway.

One tube stop away. Book parking before travel, a lot cheaper. bus or tube to NHG, Central line is VERY noisy and VERY hot.

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Sat 3 Jun 2023 12:08
Hell - ... Driving in London - Big John

It's not just London I avoid, I also dislike driving through most big cities especially Birmingham. Abroad I avoid Paris(horrible) , Lyon, Rouen, Brussels etc...

I remember being stuck in 8 hours of traffic around Lyon, took me 12+ hours to drive from the south of France to Paris - now that was Hell. I've since learnt to never drive through France on the first and last Saturday in August and always have a suitable motorway toll tag:- www.emovis-tag.co.uk/

Edited by Big John on 03/06/2023 at 12:57

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Sat 3 Jun 2023 19:16
Hell - ... Driving in London - Crickleymal

The last time I drove regularly in London was in the 1980s. I wouldn't dream about it now. If we do venture in it's by train or tube. Mind you any train journey that includes London seems to be incredibly expensive too. I couldn't afford to go to a friend's funeral in Greenwich last month. The train was way too expensive and driving was out due to the various charges and the traffic.

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Sun 4 Jun 2023 21:07
Hell - ... Driving in London - Ian_SW

Until about 15 years ago I lived a couple of miles up the road from there, and frequently visited friends in Leyton (E10) and Walthamstow.

Even back then driving around both were a pretty awful experience; the combined effect of really bad drivers and bad pedestrians (who just suddenly walk out into moving traffic with no warning or apparent reason) was by far the worst I ever came across in London. Worst bit was a one way street by the Bakers Arms junction, where if you lived near there it was apparently ok to go down this the wrong way as long as you went backwards really fast!! I regularly drove all around other parts of London for work and I never found anywhere which was worse, even the South Circular was an enjoyable drive compared to that...

I had reason to be back in Leyton a couple of years ago and the driving didn't seem to have improved - though there were now lots of extra restrictions making it even more difficult to navigate.

If I have to go again, I think I'll leave the car in the car park at Epping station and take the tube instead.

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Sun 4 Jun 2023 23:28
Hell - ... Driving in London - focussed
The last time I drove anywhere near London was the year we escaped to France - 2009 - the year I retired from instructing. I was winding down my pupil list and the last half-dozen first time test passes all wanted to do Pass Plus - at £175 a time!

My PP course was Norwich area via A11 to M11 at J9 then M11 south to the M25 anticlock round to Bricket Wood and join the M1 southbound to Brent Cross then round the North Circular westbound to the Ace Cafe for lunch.

(Chilli +cheese + chips + heaps of salad was my favourite!)

Return via similar route until out of London then back home usually via A1M Baldock onto the A505 back to the M11 at Duxford and home.

I had worked out of an office/workshop/warehouse around J5 M1 for 12 years back in the day so I knew the area quite well.

Most of the pupils loved it and were ecstatic they had achieved getting to London from Norwich and back, usually with the minimum of coaching.

I looked the Ace up on google maps for old times sake and there are around 1200 photos of the cafe, custom cars and bikes on there - enjoy!
If you are in the area during the week it's worth a visit just for the food!
Happy days!






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Sat 17 Jun 2023 10:15
Hell - ... Driving in London - Andrew-T

The last time I drove regularly in London was in the 1980s. I wouldn't dream about it now. If we do venture in it's by train or tube.

When I returned from 4 years in Canada I decided not to live within 50 miles of London (I was at school in Herts in the 50s). A decision I have never regretted, and faced with the same choice today I would say 100 miles :-)

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Sun 4 Jun 2023 23:18
Hell - ... Driving in London - Smileyman

I learnt to drive in London, great way to learn the way about from A to B etc (although going anywhere south of the Thames and I'm still lost). I worked in Shoreditch, after work I would often drive into the West End for late night shopping, then drive home again. then, nearly 25 years ago I moved to Kent, but my family are still in London so I visit regularly. However I have not gone into the centre for many years, the last time I did so it was Christmas time and the congestion charge was not in force.

London has changed, and not for the better. Traffic is heavier than ever, and there is a new evil peril springing up like a nasty plague infecting much of the city's roads that someone actually regards as being positive - 20 mph zones. Last month I was lucky to get audience tickets for "Beat The Chasers" filmed in Borehamwood. I stopped off with my family first, google maps indicated congestion on parts of the A406 (North Circular, which I recall used to bad going westbound) so I took the A1400 (Woodford Avenue) then A406 as far as Chingford (before the congestion) then cut through to the M25 ... I was amazed to see the roads that had been reduced to 20mpg, it was menacing, requiring more attention to my speed than other road users and pedestrians in what was such an un-natural way of proceeding.

I've 40+ years of driving experience, across over 20 countries on 3 continents, now some bright upstart wants me to re-learn how to drive after all these years. I gather central London is as bad if not worse. Clearly a keep away / no-go zone for likes of me.

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Mon 5 Jun 2023 08:59
Hell - ... Driving in London - daveyK_UK
I go in as far as Paddington station but often no further than the north cuticular,

Recently I have considered going across London from West Hampstead down to Gatwick but it’s easier during the daytime to drive out and around the M25 (provided it’s moving) than go over the Thames.

Edited by daveyK_UK on 05/06/2023 at 09:01

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Mon 5 Jun 2023 10:22
Hell - ... Driving in London - Sofa Spud

I haven't driven in London for years but from memory traffic and driving are no worse than other big cities, it's just that there's more of London so the nightmare lasts longer.

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Mon 5 Jun 2023 10:22
Hell - ... Driving in London - gordonbennet
Furthest i go in now is Park Royal industry, so M1/A406, or Dagenham/Barking M11/A13 depending on traffic at the time.

I'd never go near the hell hole again unless being paid to do so.
20/40 years ago spent over half my working week driving in and around london in a car transporter or supermarket deliveries, loved it apart from Friday afternoons which are a nightmare on the roads anywhere.

Never had any parking issues, red routes were only just coming in and many of the traffic wardens were still of the old type, used their common sense and responded well to some respectful enquiring if it would be ok to (un)load here quick as i can?

Everywhere has changed, mostly not for the better, things will only get worse.
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Mon 5 Jun 2023 12:45
Hell - ... Driving in London - barney100
That’s two of us then. London extorts money from motorists.
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Tue 6 Jun 2023 15:10
Hell - ... Driving in London - Vroom78

Listen that's not even one of the more stressful trips in London and it already sounds terrible. I used to have to take my van from Croydon up through London most days, between the congestion charge, the pure misery of other motorists and being late for a job it is a nightmare, it will get even worse now with the ULEZ, the place is a mess.

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Wed 7 Jun 2023 07:00
Hell - ... Driving in London - FoxyJukebox
When driving up from East Sussex to Crouch End ( N. London) we usually go through the Dartford tunnel , stay on the M25, turn left onto the M11 and then do the North Circular. I usually come at weekends so get going at 07.00. Takes 1 hr 45mins..Fine.
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Wed 7 Jun 2023 07:36
Hell - ... Driving in London - _

Dentist today in Ealing, (our normal dentist)

Emergency, broken tooth !!!

train Colchester to Ealing Broadway with Elizabeth line included £28.10p return.

No brainer,

Expect the dentist to cost a lot more...

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Wed 7 Jun 2023 14:04
Hell - ... Driving in London - Engineer Andy

Dentist today in Ealing, (our normal dentist)

Emergency, broken tooth !!!

train Colchester to Ealing Broadway with Elizabeth line included £28.10p return.

No brainer,

Expect the dentist to cost a lot more...

Ah, the days when you could find a good (NHS) dentist in your home town. I have to drive 10 miles to find a very average one. When I first moved to my (now) home town - 35 miles+ away, I continued to use my parents' dentist (as well as a barber I'd used since I was a wee lad) for a good few years after moving.

My dad goes into North London (Mill Hill area) from just outside to get a haircut. His dentist is still local, but hasn't been NHS for 15 years and has been charging 'the going rate' as a private dentist (rather than an 'in-between' price) since around 2010.

He gets the train (about 5-10 mins walk either end), quite cheap (£6) as it's only one stop if you go out of the rush hour and use an Oyster card / contactless. Factor in local parking charges or the pfaff of trawling around trying to find a free parking spot (if one even exists) and a car journey probably isn't worth it, even for a 5 mile journey each way.

That (going via public transport) certainly wouldn't be a worthwhile option for me up my way. Cycling, perhaps, although an hour each way might not be such a good thing when visiting the dentist! I'll probably stick to the car.

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Thu 8 Jun 2023 07:14
Hell - ... Driving in London - _

Ah, the days when you could find a good (NHS) dentist in your home town. I have to drive 10 miles to find a very average one.

We have kept ours since the days of living in Rickmansworth. Intoduced by YRg's friends, He is literally a "top" man, consultation, cleaning and a filling £120 (mates rate).

The nice bit is that in a case like this, (travelling this weekend) Come along, seen immediately, and sorted.

Sorted now...

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Fri 16 Jun 2023 18:46
Hell - ... Driving in London - _

Those who don't live in London driving is experience is indeed hell.

I avoid driving in London. I park somewhere in tube stations in outskirt and then take tube or public transport.

Heaven.

Where are some of the best places for this? I'm going to Notting Hill next week and was look for somewhere to park one tube ride away

WestField, shepherds Bush, just off the A40M Westway.

One tube stop away. Book parking before travel, a lot cheaper. bus or tube to NHG, Central line is VERY noisy and VERY hot.

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Sat 17 Jun 2023 09:53
Hell - ... Driving in London - daveyK_UK
I used to know a bloke who rented a parking space near Canary Wharf for £6K a year

It was a prime spot, right on the corner of a road to show off his BMW carrying company branding.

He did it as a tax write off

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Sat 17 Jun 2023 10:22
Hell - ... Driving in London - Andrew-T

Ah, the days when you could find a good (NHS) dentist in your home town. I have to drive 10 miles to find a very average one.

I can walk to my good NHS dentist in 5 minutes, or 6 on a poor day .... :-))

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Fri 23 Jun 2023 00:09
Hell - ... Driving in London - Bilboman

I can't help wondering how regular London drivers manage the 20 zones. No cruise control is ever going to work at that speed, and I don't think speed limiters can be set as low as 20. For those in manuals it has to be especially wearing on ankles (and clutches!)
So what do first responders do? Are police and ambulance drivers regularly snapped then let off the fine? Do they just cruise around in "L" or 2nd gear?

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Fri 23 Jun 2023 00:15
Hell - ... Driving in London - Adampr

I can't help wondering how regular London drivers manage the 20 zones. No cruise control is ever going to work at that speed, and I don't think speed limiters can be set as low as 20. For those in manuals it has to be especially wearing on ankles (and clutches!)
So what do first responders do? Are police and ambulance drivers regularly snapped then let off the fine? Do they just cruise around in "L" or 2nd gear?

I lived in London for about 20 years. In some cases, the speed limits are irrelevant as there's too much traffic to go any faster. A lot are enforced with quite hefty speed humps. In an auto, you just cruise around. In a manual, there can be quite a bit of dipping the clutch involved, but most cars will pull along OK in 3rd gear at 20.

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Fri 23 Jun 2023 13:18
Hell - ... Driving in London - alan1302

I can't help wondering how regular London drivers manage the 20 zones. No cruise control is ever going to work at that speed, and I don't think speed limiters can be set as low as 20. For those in manuals it has to be especially wearing on ankles (and clutches!)
So what do first responders do? Are police and ambulance drivers regularly snapped then let off the fine? Do they just cruise around in "L" or 2nd gear?

I can use 3rd gear in my car to do 20mph - never found it an issue.

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Fri 23 Jun 2023 14:05
Hell - ... Driving in London - gordonbennet

Cruise works fine in trucks at slow speed (can select the speed required precisely via the digi display), i would expect a newish car to be the same.

I get overtaken and carved up regularly going down greenford road at a genuine 22mph.

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