any - like turning the clock back 40 years

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Sun 20 Apr 2014 16:35
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - gordonbennet

this morning.

Had to work today, just part of my strange but enjoyable shift pattern, so was up at dawns crack and left the yard at 04.15.

Cruising down the A43 towards Oxford, and onwards down the 420 was eerie, able to travel for 4 or miles sometimes on full main beam, the roads were completely clear, straightened all the roundabouts out, even the traffic light controlled roundabouts went green for me.

M4 was a doddle too.

Quite amazing, haven't seen the roads as clear as that in a generation.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 20 Apr 2014 17:35
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - craig-pd130

Despite the fact you were going into work :) drives like that are something to cherish.

A few years back now, I was driving from Macclesfield to Chertsey, starting at about 7:30 in the evening. No hold-ups either end of the journey and scarcely anything on the roads, cruising at an indicated 80, did the 190-odd miles in 2h50m. Arrived feeling fresh as a daisy.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 20 Apr 2014 18:16
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - daveyjp
Similar tale here. I once did Cardiff to Leeds in 3.5 hours on a Bank Holiday.

Almost all the trip was done on cruise control and there were no roadworks with 40/50 mph limits for miles on end. Unfortunately with the current upgrading works to motorways to enable hard shoulder running I don't think this will be the case again for years to come.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 11:39
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - Bobbin Threadbare

The nicest journey I have ever done was Lancaster to the Isle of Harris; the chunk of M6 and A74 (M) done in the early hours of the morning (I set off at 3.30am) was cruising bliss. Just me and the lorries!

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 14:55
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - corax

Best drives for me have been the A68 to Jedburgh in November, hardly another car in sight.

Also an epic drive up the A82, through Glen Coe, then up past Fort William, past Loch Ness, then a small cut through to the A835 to Ullapool. The sun shining, pine forests and lochs and no one but me for mile after mile on fast smooth roads.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 15:55
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - Bobbin Threadbare

Driving through Glen Coe in the dead of night is quite eerie though.....

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 17:59
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - Avant

The A68 is one of my all-time favourite roads. Through the bleak Durham moorlands, down into the Tyne Valley, then up into the Cheviots and over Carter Bar into Scotland.

Wonderfulle evocative place-names too - Tow Law, Riding Mill, Kirkwhelpington and eventually Carfraemill.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 20:13
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - galileo

The A68 is one of my all-time favourite roads. Through the bleak Durham moorlands, down into the Tyne Valley, then up into the Cheviots and over Carter Bar into Scotland.

Wonderfulle evocative place-names too - Tow Law, Riding Mill, Kirkwhelpington and eventually Carfraemill.

I used the A68 from Yorkshire/Edinburgh weekly for some months in 1966, usually at night, virtually traffic free and as you say, a great drive.

A few years ago used it and found it spoiled by 50mph limits and revenue cameras. Riding Mill seemed to have acquired a short bypass/flyover too, the nighttime glow of Consett steelworks also long gone.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 18:00
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - corax

>> Driving through Glen Coe in the dead of night

The errier the better.

Love that place - I've driven through Glen Coe in winter and it is not an area where you would want to break down, although people would be friendly enough to give you a lift before you freeze to death :)

Edited by corax on 21/04/2014 at 18:00

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Apr 2014 22:37
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - csgmart

Cruising down the A43 towards Oxford, and onwards down the 420 was eerie, able to travel for 4 or miles sometimes on full main beam, the roads were completely clear, straightened all the roundabouts out, even the traffic light controlled roundabouts went green for me.

As a regular commuter on the A420 between Swindon and Faringdon you have my sympathies - that stretch of road is nothing short of diabolical. The council keep attempting temporary repairs - only filling in the larger pot holes. The whole lot needs completely resurfacing but I bet that won't happen..

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 4 May 2014 11:12
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - John F

Saturday 0030hrs, returning home from Stansted airport. Crawled along the A14 delayed by the interminable 0.001mph overtaking manoevres of lorries. Is it really so difficult to temporarily disengage the cruise crontrol? Are they deliberately b***** minded? I frequently cross this road on my bicycle and frequently observe the outside lane to be completely empty, when, far away, two lorries can be seen abreast making stately progress at 55.9999mph and 56.00001 mph respectively.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 5 May 2014 00:25
any - like turning the clock back 40 years - Andrew-T

Chester to Portmadoc last summer, leaving at 06:30 on a perfect blue day. Almost nothing on the roads - A5104, A5 to PentreFoelas, then over the top into Ffestiniog. Memorable. Almost a repeat on the way back, same evening.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link