red7jase:
All this talk of London. What do you guys class as London. We regularly do the cash and carrys and booze storage, but never usually far from north and south circulars. Not the congestion zone really although I have once done bidvest near Chelsea bridge, which skirted the edge of the congestion zone which is the most central i have done.
“London” is my bread and butter, so for me it’s what’s inside the circular. It does seem that most drivers from north of Milton Keynes, London is anything inside the M25. The last time I checked, London wasn’t in Essex/Kent/Herts/Middlesex/Surrey
For me the two places worse than London are Bradford and Leeds.
Many years ago I had a situation in Bradford involving a private hire cab which appeared from nowhere as I was moving into a right hand lane, I missed him by millimetres.
The driver and his passenger jumped out and immediately started complaining of whiplash and started using words like “compensation” and “liability”!
So he says he’s calling police. I say no problems. There was no collision and no harsh braking involved. So plod comes and he’s happy no one hurt and is gone in minutes and so has the “injured” driver and his passenger. I’ve hated the place ever since.
Also Leeds inner ring. Not enjoyable during peak times.
So go into London and as others have said on here, just watch those blind spots and treble check everything. Do watch for pedestrians sneaking under the windscreen in slow traffic in built up areas. The blind spot mirror over the windscreen is a great bit of kit anywhere.
Above all, try and enjoy the drive and take in the experience for what it is, just another run really drive.
Butcher:
For me the two places worse than London are Bradford and Leeds.
Bradford is a godawful place to do multidrop. Manchester Superstore anyone? But Leeds, in general I find is one of the better big cities to drive round. Way better than London. Of course any city is going to be bad if your drop is slap bang in the city centre.
The problem with London I find is that some of the A roads are tight as ■■■■ in places with cars parked left and right and then out of nowhere you will encounter a sharp turn that you cannot get around in an artic.
red7jase:
All this talk of London. What do you guys class as London. We regularly do the cash and carrys and booze storage, but never usually far from north and south circulars. Not the congestion zone really although I have once done bidvest near Chelsea bridge, which skirted the edge of the congestion zone which is the most central i have done.
I’d class it as anything inside the North and South Circulars, whether that meets Carryfast’s or the resident pedants definition doesnt matter one iota to me. Driving in the congestion charging central zone is actually normally very simple, due to less traffic, and reasonably well laid out roads seemingly.
The worst traffic, hazards, tightest streets, most ignorant drivers, are almost solely contained within the boundaries of the the ring roads and the circulars.
The first time you go into “London” to a new drop and you don’t need the sat nav, is a very satisfying day indeed!
Slightly off topic…
Many years ago i unloaded 33 pallets (handball) of toys in Brick lane E1 London with a left ■■■■■■ artic. To date the worst place i’ve ever had to unload at (& i’ve been to many).
Only took 1 hour though to unload as 50 Pakistanis (spelling) turned up 5 mins after i’d arrived.
I would say London is anywhere inside the two circulars. My days are usually SE and SW postcodes. As has been said,some people think they’ve been to London if they go to Ilford or Bromley. St Thomas St SE1 was interesting the other day. Watching the window cleaners abseiling down the shard while I was waiting to get in the site. It’s not all bad
Winseer:
North circular will be alright to use - but avoid using the south circular.
Bridges on the north circular are over 15’ - but you’ve got several bridges that are 13’ something on the south circular, the lowest I believe being this one at Tulse Hill.
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They said on the traffic news this afternoon that a bridge at Tulse Hill had been struck TWICE today. The second time it was a lorry carrying a digger. I’m pleased to report it wasn’t me…
First of all im a clot. i left my phone at home and have been without it from when i put the op up till now.
Secondly i was going to Tunnel avenue just off the exit of the blackwall tunnel. greenwich delivering polystyrene out of a company in brum.
i grabbed a 45 at south mimms just to be on the safe side id only used 1hr 30 or so but i deemed it prudent. came down the M6 to the M1 and instantly hit M25 traffic. got to the services and cleared my card as i said then headed to the M11.
Ran down that following signs for the black wall tunnel. i had planned a route following that but cutting across to canary wharf then south over a bridge. checked it with the office cos inexperience and they recommended the tunnel.
i got to the drop with little trouble. was shocked by the amount of traffic but it was less stressful than driving through bradford. the post code i had put me to a residential part of tunnel avenue but a quick phonecall and 3 laps of the block sorted that out.
got sent to Cliffe after that to load out of the Tarmac plant there for a drop in Belvedere then had to go to tilbry docks after that. for north wales thismorning.
i have to say i didnt mind the soiree into london tbh. nowhere near as bad as my brain built it up to be. but i aint telling the office just in case.
cheers for the advice and comments as well. i appriciate it.
also as a bonus ive been given a FH to make my own as of next week.
Good going mate. Glad you had an steady break in for the big smoke.
As already said, It’s just another city. The issue I usually find is London folk (driver’s and pedestrians) don’t seem to give much of a ■■■■ for anyone apart from themselves.
I had a run from Wembley to Brixton yesterday. Probably not the quickest route but I went through Kensington, past Harrods and up to Hyde Park Corner. The only run in I had was with a McLaren P1, all £866,000 worth of it. 2 lanes merging into one, I was at a standstill and the P1 decided he’d squeeze through a gap to get in front of me. There was literally an inch either side of him as he squeezed between me and the 1ft high kerb. More money than sense, or more money than respect!
I don’t mind driving in London but I always feel more stressed at the end of the day than I do on a run to Scotland.
