I did read about the man who wanted to go up the M6. It was so busy he went up the M3 twice instead
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Groan.
Honestly this is the truth and it was many years ago .
My ex mother in law and her elderly brother went to visit her other son somewhere near the M25 . They were on this road for hours and hours because he didnt know where to turn off or how to get back to the SW .I know it was something like 10 hours . I dont know how they got off I have a feeling they found a fuelling stop and asked police to help. I was so concerned for him he must have been panicked , however they were supported by the police and shown how to get home
The M25? I’m just glad that I don’t live in London and never will.
The other really bad one is the M6 passing Birmingham, either going south-east or joining the M5. We usually use the M6 Toll to avoid the really bad traffic.
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The M25 is the worst road in England. If we ever had to go that way again I’d go cross country & we have, it will take longer, debatable perhaps, but it’s a much prettier ride.
My favourite motorway is the M5. Coming on to it from ‘up country’ you knew you were nearly home.
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I agree. We have used the M5 quite often when travelling down to Marge’s brother in Plymouth. Once you’re past and away from the Birmingham area, it becomes far more civilised as does the country in general.
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The M5 can get a bit congested around Bristol, but once past there it’s a very pleasant road, unless some dick head causes an accident that is, it has happened.
We’ve never been held up around Bristol other than occasionally near the M4 junction. Perhaps we’ve been lucky. Of course, there are dickheads everywhere.
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Cribbs Causway can be tricky.
I had to look that up. I see there’s an airstrip there, though I don’t know if it’s still in use.
I just looked more closely and can see it’s being used for parking or storing containers, etc., so it can’t be in use for flying.
Never seen planes but it’s a very vast & very popular retail park.
The M25’s nickname used to be “the almost mobile car park”. Does that still apply?
M6? avoid like the plague if you can. JBR has the right idea IF you’re using the M6 to travel to/from the M1 or places south of Coventry/North of Cannock. Forget it if you want the M5 if you’re travelling from the north.
We never use the M6 to get to the M5 in any case. From the Stafford area, it’s far easier to take the A449 south, around Wolverhampton’s ring-road and on towards Worcester. Pick up the M5 at Jcn 4 or 5 near Droitwich. Time taken will be about the same because of the heavy traffic on the M6 and M5 around Birmingham.
I haven’t been on the M25 for years. But it’s ok in certain parts. So the north East to South East section via the Dartford tunnel is ok. It’s the West part that is horrendous.
I used to love the M6 it was a free for all between the M1 and Birmingham. One of my most exciting M6 driving experiences was during a blizzard in 2000, it was like going through silly string but at speed. The road was pitch black at night and the weather may have been horrific - fog, sheets of rain, snow but you’d still have cars shooting past you doing 130 mph.
The worst motorway gridlock area used to be the M42 M40 junction, in fact anything M42 is awful.
I agree about the M5 being a nice drive.
If I am driving these days I prefer A roads.
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That sounds advisable, certainly if the motorway is especially busy. In future I shall probably have a quick look on Google Maps once we’re on the way down as it shows traffic holdups as red and black. If the A449, etc., is green compared to the motorway, that will certainly be the preferential route.
Fortunately, the M25 is not a road I am ever likely to drive on!
We went ‘up North’ via the M42. We were going to either Birmingham or Yorkshire though.
We go up to Lichfield from Devon and travel early Sat and come back mid afternoon Sunday’s, its only ever busy if there’s something on at the NEC ,
Daughter uses the toll, far better drivers on there she says.
ok what do you think of York’s one way system?
Well we don’t drive in York very often, but we did go on 22/23 December for the Nine Lessons and Carols in the MInster. I have to say, incidentally, that since the refurbishment of the organ earlier this year the organ sounds much more powerful than the last time I heard it live. We were half-way down the nave and it still blew our heads off at times. The two old biddies behind us who seemed to think that organ music is intended simply as background music to their chattering were obliged to give in and shut up!
Anyway, I digress. We stayed in the ‘Minster Walk’ guest house just the other side of the abbey ruins and had to negotiate the roads to it through the centre of the city. I didn’t find the one-way system difficult in any way other than the traffic moved very slowly thanks to the plethora of traffic lights.