Friday, August 10, 2007

The London Orbital road otherwise known as the M25

I'm back! I have been absent for some time I know but am back again now with more tales of London and surrounding areas!

Today I was inspired, or would that be depressed after a trip round the M25 motorway. Now anyone who travels on it often will know that when it's running well then it is fabulous but boy, when there are problems then there are BIG problems! Today was no exception for trouble. Just for a change there were roadworks.....there are always roadworks!

The M25 is a very unpredictable place to be, you just never know what will be waiting around the next corner or at the next junction. If you listen to the radio in London all you ever hear is about the tailbacks on the M25. I thankfully have never been unlucky enough to get caught in a seriously bad hold up. My friend did though! She went to visit her brother who lived at the next junction and it took her 3 hours to travel the one junction....isn't that terrible!! She was pulling her hair out by time she arrived.

This the the M25 on a good journey....until that is I drove a little further! The 50mph sign should have given me a clue as to what was waiting round the corner......

*Sigh*

So here is the oh so familiar "get in lane" sign that is the thing you just don't want to see on any motorway!

Todays tailback was caused by a couple or workmen having a chat on the hard shoulder! It caused about 5 miles of very slow traffic and probably lots of stress too. It wasn't too bad to be honest as at least the traffic was moving....ok it was only able to move at about 30mph but at least it wasn't at a standstill. I have started to tell my TomTom sat nav to take me on routes that avoid motorways. For some odd reason these routes are rather fun and take some very interesting routes. You should all try it sometime!
Some may say that the M25 has been a great idea and bless the day it was built. Others mutter that it is awful and they avoid it like the plague. What do you think?

3 comments:

sciencebod said...

Ever had the experience of taking the slip road onto the M25 (or any other motorway for that matter) and discovering too late that the traffic is backed up ? You're committed: if you tried to reverse back, there's probably a CCTV somewhere to record the event and land you with a hefty fine.
Is there an illuminated sign at the entry to the motorway, warning there's a delay, and advising you find a different route ? Is there heck ! Installing such a system would be "prohibitively expensive" unlike the myriad of cash-generating speed cameras that criminalise people who unwittingly stray 3mph over the speed limit.

Blair has a lot to answer for, allowing private enterprise with electronic toys to milk ordinary citizens of their hard-earned cash, or what was left of it after Brown had taken his bite. Blair's name is reviled in our household ! He turned Britain into a nation of persecuted people, seething with resentment while pursuing a single agenda - that of his own power and advancement.
Sorry, but the subject of Britain's foul, clogged up transport really gets me going, and Blair/Prescott were personally responsible, having well and truly knackered the nation.

Marvin -The Hollow Hound said...

Hi! Frae Bonnie Scotland.....where we too have horrid traffic probs near the cities, Glasgow in particular, and the Forth Road Bridge entrance to Edinburgh.

Not as bad as the M25 though, but I listen to Radio 2 quite a bit, and the traffic reports always seem to be about the wonderful M25.....

Interesting stuff on here1

love and Scottish Och Ayes!

The Noo.

Jeannie xxxxx

angela said...

I've heard it desribed as the biggest car park in the world!
Angela