Basingstoke to Reading commute

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I decided to take a short cut to work, so drove to Basingstoke then to Reading. I got to Basingstoke at 7:15. Jeez, I've never seen so much traffic. Almost walking pace till the A33 dual carriageway, then high speed for a few miles, followed by the M4 junction nightmare. Back to driving to Hook then Reading, much better. Oh for a small personal plane or microlight.

And I thought the London area was bad.

 

[JohnD]

So it took you 7 hours to get back where you were before?

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I think the Reading journey was typical. I once sat for over one hour stationary outside the Hindhead tunnel, engine off, while numerous emergency vehicles rushed past stationary vehicles. Lord knows what had happened, the traffic got going again, no wreckage to be seen. Southern England is too populous with not enough motorways.

I recommend keeping a torch in the car. If you need to wee, it is a godsend.

 

[jockscott]

I recommend keeping a torch in the car. If you need to wee, it is a godsend.

??????? Is that so you don't p**s down your leg if it's dark ??

 

[EFLImpudence]

I recommend keeping a torch in the car. If you need to wee, it is a godsend.

Doesn't it leak?

 

[Newboy]

Wouldn't that spoil the torch batteries?

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I recommend keeping a torch in the car. If you need to wee, it is a godsend.

??????? Is that so you don't p**s down your leg if it's dark ??

Well you can always get out of the car and pee in front of the other parked cars. Or you can stumble through the undergrowth at the side of the road in the dark, and fall into the ditch. Or you can carry a torch, walk up the steep bank in this case, down the other side, and have a wee out of view of the masses. Perhaps you prefer to wave your gentleman sausage about in public?

 

[Brigadier]

Only if they've flashed their headlights. Otherwise, it's poor form.

 

[MarkBarl]

Which way did you go into Basingstoke? The Black Dam roundabout just off junction 6 of the M3 is terrible at the moment as it is being redeveloped. 8.30am - 9.30am has always been bad with traffic queuing back onto the M3 in both directions.

An alternative is to go one junction up to Junction 5 and to Reading that way. Usually better traffic.

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

Which way did you go into Basingstoke? The Black Dam roundabout just off junction 6 of the M3 is terrible at the moment as it is being redeveloped. 8.30am - 9.30am has always been bad with traffic queuing back onto the M3 in both directions.

An alternative is to go one junction up to Junction 5 and to Reading that way. Usually better traffic.

Yes, I went via the roundabout you mention, dreadful. Mind you, even when I was on the Chineham road, traffic was crawling along, and then once into open country, it was still at walking pace.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

least you didn't have to get stuck for 5 hours on the M11 North bound on Friday due to a bad accident and Northbound carriage way totally closed just 1 mile from Harlow junction 7, people returning from work hungry and thirsty sat with absolute patient, no riots! I was lucky as I was leaving Harlow for home south bound. I saw all 3 lanes tail to tail all the way from Harlow to Chigwell that is well past M25 junction!

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Aparently the accident was caused by a Braintree Man crashed into a Tree that suddenly popped out of no where on the M11!

I kid you not see this heading : http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/...njuries_after_he_crashed_into_a_tree_on_M11/?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Also, as WWT was mentioning in another thread, I imagine "a shed load of whack jobs" would sometimes block the carriageway until cleared.

Have I got that right?