Junction
Posted: Thu 1 September, 2011 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Driving, London, Work-related | Leave a comment »During my regular commute at the moment, I drive down the M11 into London. This involves one of my most-loathed junctions ever – the M11/M25 junction.
If you hit it at the wrong time, it can be snarled up beyond belief, for miles on either side. It’s a hateful piece of road.
You can begin to see why from the Google Maps image of it…
It’s just a nasty piece of work. If you’re sticking to the M11 coming from London, you have not one but two lanes trying to get onto it from the M25, and everyone tries to get out into the outside lane. It’s totally common to see people wedging their cars into gaps only slightly larger than the cars themselves, and it leads to tailbacks and frustration.
Then once you’re (finally) past the two lanes, all the idiots decide that they’ll stay out in the outside lane, and add their stupidity to the mix too.
All in all, it’s a piece of road that I loathe with a passion.
Broken Infrastructure
Posted: Fri 5 August, 2011 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: 1BEM, Cynicism, London, People, Thoughts, Travel, Work-related | 1 Comment »At the moment, as I’ve said before, I’m working in London. The carriages on the tube are full, (sometimes to bursting, and leaving people on the platform to wait for the next train) the roads are pretty much full, and the buses – well, I don’t use the buses, but I’m pretty sure they’re full too. In short, the infrastructure of London is pretty well stretched already.
This time next year London will also be hosting the 2012 Olympics – which should make things pretty interesting. The other day, advice came from the transport minister that Londoners – the people who live and work in London – should ‘try and avoid peak times for travelling in London’
Transport minister Norman Baker urged Londoners to avoid peak times or change their routes to avoid pinch points during the 17 days of the Games, saying: “It’s time to oil the creaking bike, dig out the walking boots, work out how to use the video conferencing equipment, and fire up the laptop,”
Genius.
So the people that use – and pay extortionate amounts to use – the transport services should find alternative methods, while visitors for the olympics are here. In other words “The transport infrastructure can’t handle the extra traffic“. Well there’s a shock. People have been saying it for at least the last ten years, to my knowledge.
So what’s the point of bidding for a huge event like the Olympics, if you already know the infrastructure is knackered and can’t deal with the extra people?
Selfish Bastards
Posted: Wed 3 August, 2011 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Charm School, Cynicism, London, Thoughts, Work-related | 2 Comments »At the moment, Westminster School is high up on my Most Loathed list. I’m sure they neither know nor care about this, but they’re still on the list.
Currently, I’m back working in London – same place as before, different client, different contract, same agency – and the nearest bit of green space is the one visible in the map below.
Indeed, it’s the only big bit of green space around here, within a decent walking distance. It’s mainly a cricket pitch, but with benches round the outside, what appears to be a play area, and – well – it looks like a nice spot to sit and have your lunch.
Except you can’t, because it’s owned by Westminster School, who keep it all locked and secure, so it can’t be used at any time. Fair enough, it’s a playing field, so I can understand the “No Dogs” – but really? A big (for London) bit of green space that’s totally unusable except to a bunch of privileged school kids.
Tosspots.