Renault Megane - Driving in London

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Wed 16 Sep 2015 22:12
Renault Megane - Driving in London - dandyr
We moved down to London earlier this year and believe me driving in London is competitive to put it lightly!!

For example, when approaching a set of traffic lights that are red I would slow down gradually. But I see many cars accelerating then braking harshly at the last moment before the lights, even when they know the lights are red.

When waiting to get out from a side road that is near to a pedestrian crossing - if the crossing is red, drivers won't let you out. Instead they'll block your way, even when it says keep clear.

The other day I was turning right at a cross roads Controlled by traffic lights. It was the Woodstock cross roads near Sutton. I was coming from the direction of Cheam, in the lane to turn right to go towards Sutton. A white van overtook me on the left and turned right. Very dangerous! The sheer way in which van drivers drive here is reckless!

Tolworth roundabout is another good one. Controlled by traffic lights but the amount of cars that jump the light is amazing. Once one side goes red the next side goes green so it is so so dangerous.

Lastly I was in Croydon the other week, just pulled out of the Jet garage near the A23 and in stationary traffic needing to get in the right lane, signalled right and a Black Nissan came from nowhere on the right and started honking their horn at me. Guess what, they didn't let me go into the right lane. But where did they end up, you would have thought they'd got to Gatwick. But no, they were just a cars length in front. It's amazing the way they drive around here.

It is not long since I passed my test but driving around here is becoming a challenge!
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Thu 17 Sep 2015 06:31
Renault Megane - Driving in London - oldroverboy.

A couple of years ago we spent a few months in Tooting.

Except for taking swmbo to one friends house just off the A40 at Park Royal I totally avoid london now for driving, and avoid Public transport and buses around rush hour.

Buy yourself a dashcam...

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Thu 17 Sep 2015 11:21
Renault Megane - Driving in London - SteVee

Yes, it's competitive - and progress can be slow. If you find it stressful then I suggest you get some lessons from IAM or RoSPA. They are very good value and a good observer can really cut the stress level.

I'd agree with the dashcam.

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Thu 17 Sep 2015 14:29
Renault Megane - Driving in London - Ethan Edwards

Born and Bred in Lahndun me. It's always been awful but over the last ten years or so it's become much much worse.

I couldn't possibly give you the reason as it would contravene the forum rules but lets just say - it's fairly obvious.

Just stay cool and allow extra time to get anywhere due to repeated Acts of Muppet. Expect to encounter terrible drivers all the time...you'll not be disappointed.

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Fri 18 Sep 2015 00:58
Renault Megane - Driving in London - Smileyman

I learnt to drive in London - as soon as I had mastered the skills of driving I used to drive into the West End from the suburbs in order to gain driving experience. Later I used to commute by car, usually in a car of 4, some boroughs made it very clear they did not like commuters driving throught their districts. Over time the congestion has got worse.

As with everyting in life for working people, 'time is money' and a mix of too many cars, not enough allocated roadspace and a climate of creating congestion for the motorist to endure - often by road schemes that reduce lanes and control traffic flow thus causing yet congestion and frustration in the motorist. As ever when caged it leads to competative behaviour, fighting for every inch of roadspace in order to make any form of progress and this is not a recipe for civil behaviour.

I'm not sure there is an answer, certainly it's wrong to use an economic answer as allowing only a certain class of person (eg wealthy) to drive on London roads is a discriminatory solution worthy of the former USSR.

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Tue 22 Sep 2015 20:23
Renault Megane - Driving in London - dandyr
I don't think it's going to get any better here.
Today I was driving, there was a parked car on the other side of the road. A car was coming from the oncoming direction. You would have thought the driver would have waited as the obstruction is on the other side of the road, but no, the driver just flies along the road. Comes at such speed that he smashes the drivers side wing mirror of our family car. The speed that driver was going at was staggering, the impact was such that our wing mirror was shoved in and the glass shattered.
Did the driver stop? The answer to that begins with 'n' and finishes in 'o'. We stopped, only to get annoyed looks from some drivers, they really have no patience here at all. The driver directly behind us even stopped, he was amazed by what happened.
This was in a residential area where there were lots of parked cars about.

I don't see the point of 20 zones here at all when no-one does 20mph. The other week I was on the West Barnes Lane leading up to the level crossing between Motspur Park and Raynes Park, doing 20. A white van overtakes, going at such speed. There's lots of bumps on that road leading up to the level crossing, so it makes sense to slow down as its 20. Even on that level crossing itself I wouldn't go fast, as we take care of our car; the vast majority of people here don't have any care about how they drive.
If you go fast on a speed bump it's only going to damage the bearings on the axles, even I know that.

You give a signal to get out at a box junction where it says keep clear in the middle. The cars and vans here will box you in even though it says keep clear. Common sense isn't it to read the signs, but no, they'll just keep going thinking they're going to fly to their destination.
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Wed 23 Sep 2015 14:37
Renault Megane - Driving in London - galileo

You have my sympathy, I used to regularly drive through central London to visit relatives some 30-odd years ago; it was not as bad then but still not a pleasant and relaxing experience compared to the rest of the UK.

I would suggest you contact the Institue of Advanced Motorists - they will arrange for one of their observers to accompany you in your own car and coach you, with a view to taking the advanced test. (Total cost about £138?)

Even with more than 50 years experience in the UK, Europe and the USA I found this course helpful, picked up useful safety tips.

I'd also suggest you get a good dashcam (e.g.Roadhawk) which may help you if you are the victim of more lunatic drivers.

(You could always swap the Megane for an old Landrover, the sort with solid steel bumpers, they would give you more space!)

Edited by galileo on 23/09/2015 at 14:40

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