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I am always amazed at how far the rest of Europe seems to have progressed with transport infrastructure. Last year we visited Strasbourg and Seville, both have a wonderful integrated tram/train bus layout, we parked outside the cities and with no stress at all hopped on beautiful clean, modern rolling stock for a euro or two. Back in the UK I made a trip from Newport to Bristol, crammed into a carriage out of WW2, couldnt even get a seat and it cost me something ridiculous. I decided that I would rather use a moped all year round than than endure that. For the 4th largest economy in the world, our public transport is an absolute shambles and embarassment, I hate to say this but we need to face up to it --( as is our energy policy but that is another story). As others have said, we live in semi-urban South Wales and a car is absolutely essential-- there just isnt any alternative.
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I would always prefer to travel by car, even if it cost a bit more(which is not often).
I despise having to travel with strangers these days. Most are rude, disrespectful of fellow passengers and quite often germ factories coughing their germs everywhere as nobody taught them to cover their cake hole before take off.
I'm more in love with the car than ever, to be able to have my own little environment where I choose what I listen to and how loud, not to listen to some retarded teenager shouting "shut up " into their mobile phone at a volume that almost makes using a phone a waste of time as I'm sure half of London could have heard them anyway.
I really don't know what happened to the UK as a nation, we suddenly became very uncivilised.
Edited by Wackyracer on 16/01/2016 at 10:15
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There are lots of reasonsble for falling out of love with car.
1. high cost of learning to drive/ get a license.
2. Nightmare to park in most city centres.
3. London is a no go zone for motorists.
4. Speeding fines, roadworks, confusing signs etc.
5. High insurance cost, high fuel cost (still we pay to much)
6. Too many cars on road - especially the South East (leads to driver frustration which leads to accident).
Edited by movilogo on 16/01/2016 at 13:17
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The "loudest inescapable mobile phone conversation" I ever heard was being relayed around a supermarket carpark by the loudspeakers in an open-topped luxury car by a gentleman? conducting a conversation with his aged father.
Just saying.
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Er, yes and no.
Just recently treated myself to a new car so it's a 'no' answer (at the moment) now if only I can switch off the auto satnav warning "you are over the speed limit" voice messages :-) PS. Treat yourself and get one you really' want and don't let your head over rule your heart! Then you'll want to get out and go for that drive.
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Not just too many cars on the road - too many aggressive and dangerous drivers who try to intimidate anyone who gets in their way or who might make their journey a few seconds longer.
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Not just too many cars on the road - too many aggressive and dangerous drivers who try to intimidate anyone who gets in their way or who might make their journey a few seconds longer.
It's to do with the fact that this island is over-populated - but politicians won't do anything about it, not even by ethical methods.
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It's to do with the fact that this island is over-populated - but politicians won't do anything about it, not even by ethical methods.
That's part of the problem, and it's going to get worse year on year for decades to come, though if the electorate keep voting for the same politicians yet amazingly expect a different result, they can hardly blame those same politicians for doing what they have always done when endorsed by said electorate.
The coming referendum will be life and future changing whichever way it goes.
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t's to do with the fact that this island is over-populated - but politicians won't do anything about it, not even by ethical methods.
That's part of the problem,
I know this is drifting off topic but in 3 years time all those "refugees" in Germany and some other countries will have eu passports and where do you think they will head?
swmbo is from the middle east by the way.
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Quite ORB and if the electorate are too blinkered or blinded to see what's happening and where it's going then they will just have to accept the consequences when it bites 'em.
If your SWMBO is anything like mine, who's Greek, she's more British minded and a more loyal patriot than any native i know.
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It's to do with the fact that this island is over-populated - but politicians won't do anything about it, not even by ethical methods.
Agreed: overcrowding causes people to hunker down into aggressive/defensive mindsets; courtesy and consideration for others goes out of the window and civility goes backwards. This is one real reduction in quality-of-life — on the roads, on public transport, and elsewhere — that no-one else seems to acknowledge.
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It's to do with the fact that this island is over-populated - but politicians won't do anything about it, not even by ethical methods.
Agreed: overcrowding causes people to hunker down into aggressive/defensive mindsets; courtesy and consideration for others goes out of the window and civility goes backwards. This is one real reduction in quality-of-life — on the roads, on public transport, and elsewhere — that no-one else seems to acknowledge.
Well, I for one have certainly noticed it. The more people there are, the more the quality of life goes down.
What do you do? People are living far longer than they have ever done, and no politician will want to discuss the thorny issue of birth control. And look what happened with this idea in China, where they have disproportionately large numbers of males that will never be able to marry, creating social problems.
We're like any organism who's population in numbers goes out of control, nature always has a way of dealing with it in the end. Somehow I don't think we're going to last anything like as long as the dinosaurs did :)
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Not just too many cars on the road - too many aggressive and dangerous drivers who try to intimidate anyone who gets in their way or who might make their journey a few seconds longer.
But they're the most fun to wind up
A couple of them have eaten Berlingo tow bar
Something ran out in the road
The tow bar was unscathed you'll be pleased to know
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But they're the most fun to wind up
A couple of them have eaten Berlingo tow bar
Something ran out in the road
The tow bar was unscathed you'll be pleased to know
Sadly it's drivers who behave as you do who add to the problem, I have been thinking about getting a dash cam and your post has persuaded me that I should get one. It's bad enough having to contend with those who are unaware of their failings as drivers without idiots who deliberately impede others. This always was and as far as I am aware is still an offence.
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Sadly it's drivers who behave as you do who add to the problem, I have been thinking about getting a dash cam and your post has persuaded me that I should get one. It's bad enough having to contend with those who are unaware of their failings as drivers without idiots who deliberately impede others. This always was and as far as I am aware is still an offence.
Tail gating is an offence too. Been brake tested before have you? Try leaving a gap between your bonnet and the car in front, I find it makes for a much more relaxing drive.
I've already got a dash cam, I recommend them.
Your post hasn't persuaded me of anything, sorry (Not sorry)
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Tail gating is an offence too. Been brake tested before have you? Try leaving a gap between your bonnet and the car in front, I find it makes for a much more relaxing drive.
I've already got a dash cam, I recommend them.
Your post hasn't persuaded me of anything, sorry (Not sorry)
No I haven't been as you put it been brake tested before, I found long ago that a powerful car is essential to remove the frustration of following the inept and b***** minded so I just wait untill I can quickly and safely pass drivers of the sort that you appear to be at the earliest opportunity as they make motoring at best unpleasant and at the worst dangerous. I'm one of those old boys who have been driving for over fifty years and despair of those who are unable to maintain a safe reasonable speed where conditions permit and then resort to the sort of antics you seem to think are acceptable. I didn't think for one moment that my post would make the slightest difference to your attitude so please don't worry appologies were not required or expected.
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No I haven't been as you put it been brake tested before, I found long ago that a powerful car is essential to remove the frustration of following the inept and b***** minded so I just wait untill I can quickly and safely pass drivers of the sort that you appear to be at the earliest opportunity as they make motoring at best unpleasant and at the worst dangerous. I'm one of those old boys who have been driving for over fifty years and despair of those who are unable to maintain a safe reasonable speed where conditions permit and then resort to the sort of antics you seem to think are acceptable. I didn't think for one moment that my post would make the slightest difference to your attitude so please don't worry appologies were not required or expected.
What are you on about? Where did I say I mimse around at 23.5mph everywhere?
I wish people did over take safely rather than hover 2 inches off off the rear bumper. Crack on, it's fine with me.
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What are you on about? Where did I say I mimse around at 23.5mph everywhere?
The speed at which you drive is irrelevant, what you have admitted to is irresponsible and dangerous.
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The Spanish didn't pay for their nice trains, we and the Germans did by the EU subsidy we pay them every year. Many countries that aren't often have far higher taxes to pay for such services.
We have to decide whether we want that, but the railways etc still under effective control of the Unions (where most of the extra money would end up - salaries of the train drivers and managers) and huge delays/disruption (never mind problems with noise and pulling down peoples' home that such works would require) for years whilst much-needed large-scale works to upgrade the system are carried out,
OR
More roads and less subsidies for railways (less taxes on everyone and higher fares to compensate).
Unless union control is taken away and incompetent management (failed private sector ones) from the (effectively public sector companies - there's no direct competition and are heavily subsidised by the tax-payer) railways, they will never improve as they need to. Of course, a lot of the problems are exascerbated by the ever-increasing population as a result of years of failed education, crime, housing and NHS policies which result in firms/organisations having to recruit abroad in huge numbers as the british-born candidates are often useless and/or want unrealistic pay. So much of this issue is intertwined with others in today's society and cannot be considered separately.
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Not sure where my previous reply disappeared to, perhaps the fact I mentioned the bad word 'race' ist ???
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Not sure where my previous reply disappeared to, perhaps the fact I mentioned the bad word 'race' ist ???
I think you'll find it's the 3rd post from the beginning of the topic. If so, you may have assumed, as I have done, that your post would be tacked on to the last contribution. Not so. When you click Reply, the forum software assumes you want to reply to the post you're currently looking at. It's difficult to explain. If you click View Threaded at the top of the topic, it will probably become obvious.
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Well you learn something new every day. .. not sure I agree with how the software handles it though.. Being old school it's not as I expected. Eh oh.
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Well you learn something new every day. .. not sure I agree with how the software handles it though.. Being old school it's not as I expected. Eh oh.
Forum software varies. A fairground forum, which I belong to, works in the way you were expecting.
Another motoring forum works like this one, except that, when you return to it after an absence, the new replies are easy to spot because they have a coloured background.
The trick here seems to be to scroll through the posts whilst looking at the dates and times of each.
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If the forum was very busy you could lose track of replies, so long as you don't automatically get your cookies cleared on shutdown when you re-open up new replies will be highlighted with 'new' (funnily enough) but if you reply to one of these posts often enough the 'new' tags vanish and its hunt the thimble time again.
Just one minor foible and all forums seem to suffer from gremlins now and again.
Nine times out of ten we can keep track of a conversation even if one of us should send it miles off topic....whistling nonchalantly as he strolls off head in the air.
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I agree entirely with the OP. Another sign of my age. I started driving when there were few speed restrictions and a level of skill was required to stay on the road. Sadly a few friends did not. Having said that I wonder how many modern drivers could be safe in an old Lotus Elan at the same speed that they drive their Fiestas.
Over the last 30 years a regular family route has been from Cheshire to Surrey. It takes longer now than it did then and that included stopping for chips in Banbury. Hey ho.....
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Well said Ethan and Avant. In rural Kent the bus service is just about adequate. But a car is really an essential for shopping, doctors, dentist etc etc. Trains are ok to London but you need to drive to get to the nearest station!! Years ago a friend lost his licence, silly boy was over the alcohol limit. During his 1 year ban he kept a detailed record of journeys and costs. The result was he did not replace his car. He could travel quite easily by public transport or taxi and be much better of financially. Even now 20 years on he hires a car when needed and uses public transport and taxis still. I suppose if you can organise your time and journeys anything is possible. The real advantage of a car is that you have instant access 24/7, but boy do you pay for the privilege. Cheers Concrete
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It depends on where you live. The road network here in sunny East Anglia is nationally recognised as one of the most inadequate, but the only thing worse than the road network here is the public transport network. There's a young lad at my work who has a two hour journey to work via a combination of bus and train. It'd be 20 minutes in a car.
Personally I've not been on a train or bus for around 15 years. If I want to go somewhere, I go in the car. If I can't park it at my destination then I don't go there. Councils don't want my large Jaguar in their town centre? Fine by me. I can think of better things to do than spend my day in a plaza of mobile phone shops and coffee 'outlets' surrounded by chavs.
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Personally I've not been on a train or bus for around 15 years. If I want to go somewhere, I go in the car. If I can't park it at my destination then I don't go there. Councils don't want my large Jaguar in their town centre? Fine by me. I can think of better things to do than spend my day in a plaza of mobile phone shops and coffee 'outlets' surrounded by chavs.
No reason for them to change anything then if you wouldn't go anyway :-)
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Well the flip side to that thinking if people other than unemployed cyclists were welcome in the town centre, the town centre itself might change to reflect that, but we'll probably never know.
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Absolutely agree Jamie, they've made town centres no go areas, and it must be said increasingly the same at retail parks due to idiotic traffic schemes.
We are the same as you, too difficult to access not a problem, we don't go, they don't get our money...the internet gets increasingly more of our money and the town centres can continue to be no go areas, win win all round.
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Well the flip side to that thinking if people other than unemployed cyclists were welcome in the town centre, the town centre itself might change to reflect that, but we'll probably never know.
After they have sorted access and making parking free what would you like there to be in the town centre?
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Something worth buying would be a good start.
Take the average high street in the average town. You've probably got six mobile phone outlets. I've got a mobile phone. Don't need another one.
At least five coffee shops. How much coffee can a person drink?
Three to five clothes shops, mostly selling the same old rubbish I didn't want last year or the year before. Except M&S to be fair, most of my clothes come from there but they never have what I want in the shop. I have to go on the M&S website to get it sent to the shop so as I can pick it up. What's the b***** point in that?! The staff even say to you 'oh you'll have to go online for that.' Pointless shop.
Another four or five cosmetics shops which decline in price and image as you proceed through the town. You'll start with Boots, where things are £6.49 and it's a well known brand, you'll end up at Savers, where the same things are £3.99 but you'll have to queue with the local hostel goers to pay for it.
And I always forget to take a sodding bag.
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Tell you whats missing in our town centre, public conveniences that should be provided free for the use of people, paid for out of the rates (whatever they are called this week), neither SWMBO nor i are prepared to pay to use the loo when we've already paid some serious wedge on the rates.
Its not right that McDonalds or the few town supermarkets should be providing free toilets for all and sundry, unless the council is going to pay them for the service and put appropriate signs up directing people there, other shops expect you to pay their over the top retails prices but don't provide a loo (staff only you know), well that's fine, don't expect solvent people as customers then.
Sat in comfort, click a few buttons shopping done, beverage of choice on the side, nice warm toilet a few steps away, they can keep the shops.
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Tell you whats missing in our town centre, public conveniences that should be provided free for the use of people, paid for out of the rates (whatever they are called this week),
Does depend on where you live - here in Barnsley (God's own country) they are free.
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so the difference between Savers & Boots is a bit like paying for fast track security lane at the airport?
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SWMBO made a point that if all city centre car parking was free, all if not most would be taken by shop workers/staff. As most currently use the bus etc. Hmmm.
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Something worth buying would be a good start.
Take the average high street in the average town. You've probably got six mobile phone outlets. I've got a mobile phone. Don't need another one.
At least five coffee shops. How much coffee can a person drink?
Three to five clothes shops, mostly selling the same old rubbish I didn't want last year or the year before. Except M&S to be fair, most of my clothes come from there but they never have what I want in the shop. I have to go on the M&S website to get it sent to the shop so as I can pick it up. What's the b***** point in that?! The staff even say to you 'oh you'll have to go online for that.' Pointless shop.
Another four or five cosmetics shops which decline in price and image as you proceed through the town. You'll start with Boots, where things are £6.49 and it's a well known brand, you'll end up at Savers, where the same things are £3.99 but you'll have to queue with the local hostel goers to pay for it.
And I always forget to take a sodding bag.
So other than M&S stocking a larger range you can't think of anything you want in a town centre? Maybe a town centre just isn't for you? :-)
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Hilarious! but I don't like city centers too, the only good thing I can think of is it has a Wetherspoons which has a very good selection of (cheaper too) good beers!
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