Where was everyone?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 12:06
Where was everyone? - Muggy
I had an unbelievable drive on Saturday.

Epsom to Hartland, Devon, and back - and had the roads practically all to myself all day, both ways, all the way. Managed to do a better time than even the notoriously optimistic AA website while staying prefectly legal as regards speed limits.

Obviously I'm not complaining at that, but I am wondering why it was so unexpectedly quiet?

Even the A303 past Salisbury towards Yeovil was nearly empty...!!

I also scored my best yet fuel economy - on the way out I filled up at the BP place near Yeovil a few miles before the A358 comes off the A303, full tank to the shut off function. On the way back I filled up at the Shell place a couple of miles nearer to London at the same place, again until the pump shut off. I could only get 3.5 gallons into it, and that was for 185 miles. Better than 52mpg, an amazing 10mpg more than I normally get.

Fantastic! :-)

But I'm still wondering why the roads were so empty on a good weather Saturday...?? [ And please don't say they all knew I was coming so they stayed out of the way - I've heard that a dozen times at work this morning already! ]
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 12:11
Where was everyone? - local yokel
Many schools broke up on Friday lunchtime, so perhaps the week-end traffic had all arrived at their destination by the time you took to the road.
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 12:26
Where was everyone? - Muggy
Sorry, I should have said:

I left Epsom at 07.10, arrived at Hartland at 11.42 with two stops en route totalling about 20 - 25 minutes.

On the way back I left Hartland at 15.36, made one stop of 9 minutes and got home at 19.45 [ a flat four hours driving; AA quotes 4h13 ].
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 12:58
Where was everyone? - DP
My journey home from work on Friday was the worst I've ever experienced (2hrs 30 mins to do 30 miles - 25 of which are on the M25 and M3), so I suspect a lot of people were travelling for the Easter holidays.

Actually, given that you left early on Saturday morning, I'm surprised many weren't still queueing from Friday night!! :-)

Cheers
DP
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 15:29
Where was everyone? - Round The Bend
May be a factor that some schools here (Devon) don't break up until next Thursday. Maybe this applies elewhere with consequent effects?
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 19:30
Where was everyone? - rover 75
Perhaps the 1 million plus drivers with 9 points on their licences have just been clocked by a speed camera .
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Mon 2 Apr 2007 20:06
Where was everyone? - Lud
They have actually. Someone told me so yesterday morning.
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