Blackfriars Bridge :baghead:

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08-07-2017, 09:49 AM
Ash

Blackfriars Bridge :baghead:

Not as bad as having a needle stuck in your eye, I'm sure, but still pretty **** on a Sunday evening trying to drive back over the river on. I don't use the car much but there are some places you need a car to get to.

All to do with the pesky cycle lanes, I think. No room on the bridge for traffic to get on and double-length traffic lights at either end as all the bicycles get their own go. There was only about one bleedin cyclist on the bridge the whole time took to get over it. AND there's a bus lane which cyclists could use, surely. :headwand:
08-07-2017, 10:55 AM
Alberto Balsam Rodriguez

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

Not as bad as having a needle stuck in your eye, I'm sure, but still pretty **** on a Sunday evening trying to drive back over the river on. I don't use the car much but there are some places you need a car to get to.

All to do with the pesky cycle lanes, I think. No room on the bridge for traffic to get on and double-length traffic lights at either end as all the bicycles get their own go. There was only about one bleedin cyclist on the bridge the whole time took to get over it. AND there's a bus lane which cyclists could use, surely. :headwand:

Begs the obvious question.....why go south of the river at all :shrug: ;-)
08-07-2017, 11:44 AM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alberto Balsam Rodriguez

Begs the obvious question.....why go south of the river at all :shrug: ;-)

Because that's where Brands Hatch is. Though after one three-hour, and one two-and-a-bit hours journey back from there (about 20 miles) in the last few weeks I'm thinking it might be easier to go and watch motorsport at Silverstone instead. It isn't as good as Brands though.
08-07-2017, 11:48 AM
Burney

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

Because that's where Brands Hatch is. Though after one three-hour, and one two-and-a-bit hours journey back from there (about 20 miles) in the last few weeks I'm thinking it might be easier to go and watch motorsport at Silverstone instead. It isn't as good as Brands though.

Surely the M25 is your friend in this situation? After all, Brands is literally just off Junction 3. Better off heading up the A10 to J25 and going around than buggering about driving through London, no?
08-07-2017, 11:48 AM
Pat Vegas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

Not as bad as having a needle stuck in your eye, I'm sure, but still pretty **** on a Sunday evening trying to drive back over the river on. I don't use the car much but there are some places you need a car to get to.

All to do with the pesky cycle lanes, I think. No room on the bridge for traffic to get on and double-length traffic lights at either end as all the bicycles get their own go. There was only about one bleedin cyclist on the bridge the whole time took to get over it. AND there's a bus lane which cyclists could use, surely. :headwand:

It also takes forever to cross and is a bit confusing as a pedestrian.
08-07-2017, 12:01 PM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burney

Surely the M25 is your friend in this situation? After all, Brands is literally just off Junction 3. Better off heading up the A10 to J25 and going around than buggering about driving through London, no?

Thanks for the suggestion. I did consider something like this but I basically never use the M25, and generally prefer driving through London to motorways if there's not gridlock. Driving from Islington to Kent via Tottenham seems well wrong and would be at least 50 miles shirley, but also I gather the Dartford crossing can be as snarly as any other, which is why they're having to build a new one near Gravesend.

I may just have been unlucky the last two Sundays I've done it with big problems in the Blackwall Tunnel which affects everywhere else. Only takes an hour if the traffic is clear.
08-07-2017, 01:19 PM
Pat Vegas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

Thanks for the suggestion. I did consider something like this but I basically never use the M25, and generally prefer driving through London to motorways if there's not gridlock. Driving from Islington to Kent via Tottenham seems well wrong and would be at least 50 miles shirley, but also I gather the Dartford crossing can be as snarly as any other, which is why they're having to build a new one near Gravesend.

I may just have been unlucky the last two Sundays I've done it with big problems in the Blackwall Tunnel which affects everywhere else. Only takes an hour if the traffic is clear.

go up on the North circular then chuck a left on A13 and go the bridge that way.

Or go through Islington and turn left off of Southgate road through Hackney past that big Tescos and Burberry and go through the Blackwall tunnel that way.

there is no easy way :-(
08-07-2017, 01:32 PM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Vegas

go up on the North circular then chuck a left on A13 and go the bridge that way.

Or go through Islington and turn left off of Southgate road through Hackney past that big Tescos and Burberry and go through the Blackwall tunnel that way.

there is no easy way :-(

I sometimes go via Hackney and Blackwall tunnel. The A13 sounds the best bet to try from the Dartford crossing.

There used to be ways to beat the traffic through rat-runs off the main roads but they put a stop to that in favour of intentional congestion. All to save a few kids' lives :shrug: :-(
08-07-2017, 01:48 PM
Pat Vegas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

I sometimes go via Hackney and Blackwall tunnel. The A13 sounds the best bet to try from the Dartford crossing.

There used to be ways to beat the traffic through rat-runs off the main roads but they put a stop to that in favour of intentional congestion. All to save a few kids' lives :shrug: :-(

:nod: It's quite frustrating for example what should be a simple trip to a supermarket or whatever a couple miles down the road leads to a long event by the time you get home it's time for dinner. It's been particularly a nightmare lately with the unnecessary cycle lane they are installing the length of Green lanes all the way to Enfield. The road that goes in to the cul-de-sac where I live in was closed at one end for 4 months so going anywhere meant I had to go via the North Circular and the traffic was a mess because of the diversion.
now that's reopened they have closed the other road the other side so all the traffic is now down the road near I live so again takes forever to go anywhere.

You get the odd lucky run I got back from Folkstone in just over an hour a few months back.
08-07-2017, 01:53 PM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Vegas

:nod: It's quite frustrating for example what should be a simple trip to a supermarket or whatever a couple miles down the road leads to a long event by the time you get home it's time for dinner. It's been particularly a nightmare lately with the unnecessary cycle lane they are installing the length of Green lanes all the way to Enfield. The road that goes in to the cul-de-sac where I live in was closed at one end for 4 months so going anywhere meant I had to go via the North Circular and the traffic was a mess because of the diversion.
now that's reopened they have closed the other road the other side so all the traffic is now down the road near I live so again takes forever to go anywhere.

You get the odd lucky run I got back from Folkstone in just over an hour a few months back.

I saw the local campaign against that Green Lanes cycle lane when I walked down it. I am coming to the conclusion that the Damned Things are a menace. A bit like bicycles themselves, really.
08-07-2017, 01:55 PM
Pat Vegas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

I saw the local campaign against that Green Lanes cycle lane when I walked down it. I am coming to the conclusion that the Damned Things are a menace. A bit like bicycles themselves, really.

:nod: I had this thought the other day on my way to work.
If you are crossing the road and I was driving I'd slow down and probably not nearly drive into you and shout at you at the same time.

Though cyclists do the same. I know sometimes people will walk in front of them unexpectedly but if you see a lot of people are in front of you stop you silly cyclist.
08-07-2017, 02:02 PM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pat Vegas

Though cyclists do the same. I know sometimes people will walk in front of them unexpectedly but if you see a lot of people are in front of you stop you silly cyclist.

Oh, it's true that annoying and inconsiderate road users can be on foot, in a car, bicycle, bus or lorry. I've saved a few pedestrians from getting hit by vehicles as they are about to cross a road without looking by shouting at them to stop. It's just that most of the cunds are on bicycles.