Manchester Fining Hellhole.

Minnierose11 · 2023-09-05T20:45:23+00:00

We recently visited Manchester from Devon for a birthday break, never been before and wanted to sample the city's shopping and eateries. I'll never visit again - the whole place feels like a scamming hellhole. One morning walking to our car (parked in a car park) at £21.95 for 8 hours and over when a EHO stopped us and tried to fine us £200 on the spot for supposedly spotting us drop fag butts on the floor ... WE DONT EVEN SMOKE!! My husband refused to give our details and we walked off to which he claimed to call the police and followed us all the way back to our hotel where we sat in our room for 40 minutes feeling rather panicked!! Now back at home, we've just received a fine for driving through a 'bus gate', of which being from Devon never even knew was a thing!! I know of bus lanes, clearly marked on the road but a bus gate?? No vehicle access between the hours of 6am and 9pm... and a sign which supposedly indicates that which I've never seen before in my life. Not even in the Highway Code.. and I know fear we may have another one or two on the way, because we were none the wiser! Just blindly following the sat nav around a city we'd never visited before. Never again!

PuddlesPityParty · 11/09/2023 06:27

Lantyslee · 09/09/2023 19:27

I've never heard of a bus gate but last time I drove to Manc I was fined for being in a bus lane and spent £25 on parking for the day. I agree it's best to travel in by train but sadly have to go by car next weekend to drop DC at uni.

We'll have to disagree about the Trafford Centre OP. It's a pit of doom.

Depends where you need to park and what not but there are cheaper car parks, one right by Piccadilly station that’s £7.20 for a full 24hrs

Dwappy · 10/09/2023 16:08

enchantedsquirrelwood · 10/09/2023 16:03

I am not in Devon but as I said above had not heard of a bus gate until I saw one being complained about on Twitter a week or so ago. I have however seen lots of lanes and roads which are bus-only.

Anyway you don't really need to know the technical term for something as long as it is well signposted and you know whether or not you are allowed to use a certain lane or road. I think the issue is that these bus gates are often not well signposted - certainly the one on Twitter looked very confusing.

Edited

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I think they did mean the actual sign with the car and motorbike in the red circle rather than the term bus gate.
I've never heard the term bus gate either (I live in London) but I've seen the sign meaning no cars/motorbikes allowed etc. Whether it's because of a bus only area or a low traffic zone etc.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 10/09/2023 16:03

FarmGirl78 · 10/09/2023 13:22

If you think that sign isn't in the highway code you need to stay in Devon. Not just Devon actually, you need to stay in your street.

I am not in Devon but as I said above had not heard of a bus gate until I saw one being complained about on Twitter a week or so ago. I have however seen lots of lanes and roads which are bus-only.

Anyway you don't really need to know the technical term for something as long as it is well signposted and you know whether or not you are allowed to use a certain lane or road. I think the issue is that these bus gates are often not well signposted - certainly the one on Twitter looked very confusing.

enchantedsquirrelwood · 10/09/2023 16:01

Exeter is a lovely city and the park and ride works very well.

FarmGirl78 · 10/09/2023 13:22

If you think that sign isn't in the highway code you need to stay in Devon. Not just Devon actually, you need to stay in your street.

Flamingogirl08 · 10/09/2023 10:46

Inyournightgarden · 07/09/2023 07:23

I’m afraid my experience of liverpool and its people is summed up by vile. Car crime, mrs being harassed by men, no interest in helping someone with clearly not a local accent.

total opposite to Manchester where everyone was genuine

Absolutely not my experience of visiting Liverpool at all! Great city, lots to do and the people I met were all friendly. I mean it's a city so it has the same problems as other cities but I think its great.

I like Manchester too but I wouldn't choose to drive around any city centre tbh.

Mumof2teens79 · 10/09/2023 10:24

Malbecfan · 10/09/2023 07:47

As a native Mancunian in exile in Devon, I found the OP very odd. SatNavs tell you that road signs take precedence. Did you not bother to update yours? The weekend you were there, I had to drive from Devon to Cambridge to help DD move house then to Enfield to drop DD at a tube station as there were no trains. I could have driven her to St Pancras but although I'm a competent and experienced driver, I didn't fancy driving in a large city to a part I don't know well at all. I then drove up to Manchester, staying on the outskirts before returning to Devon. The day before I went, I updated my SatNav.

The tram in Manchester is efficient and inexpensive, especially compared to the rip-off buses in East Devon. For £4.90 I could travel for the entire day on the Metrolink. I can't do the 8 miles into Exeter for that, notwithstanding the mile and a half walk on single track roads with no pavements and a 60mph speed limit to actually get to the bus stop from my village.

As soon as I retire, I'm moving back to Manchester. It rains loads in Devon, so that doesn't bother me. Devon is a cultural vacuum with a lot of rude, xenophobic and ignorant people. Driving standards here are dire, but people have no option. Parking in Exeter is extortionate - yesterday I spent £4.50 for 2 hours' parking in the centre. The park and ride would have been a similar amount but would have added another hour to the morning. Unlike Manchester, the Exeter non-driving options don't work. I still have to drive to the outskirts of the city, I have to wait for 10 - 15 minutes for a bus at either end and they get stuck in the traffic. Begging in Exeter is rife - I encountered more homeless people on Exeter High St yesterday morning than I did walking from the Etihad to Piccadilly Gardens last Saturday.

OP, stay in Devon. Your attitude fits in well here.

😆 totally agree

Qilin · 10/09/2023 08:05

For those advocating for,Liverpool - which I agree if a great city to visit - well, Liverpool does have at least one bus gate.
I live in Sheffield and we have bus gates, as well as bus lanes.
I think many cities have bus gates these days.

It doesn't really matter what they are called tbh. They all have road signs, usually more than one in the run up or before the last turn off before reaching it. The Ines I've seen also have signs with the hours they are active, alongside the road signs.

Our sat nav avoids these during their active hours. However, I suspect if you have a non-live sat nav system which hasn't been updated in a while, it may try to take you down them. In cities it's probably better to use a live traffic version, even if it's just Google maps in your phone to plot your city centre routes.

User16328715 · 10/09/2023 07:55

Malbecfan · 10/09/2023 07:47

As a native Mancunian in exile in Devon, I found the OP very odd. SatNavs tell you that road signs take precedence. Did you not bother to update yours? The weekend you were there, I had to drive from Devon to Cambridge to help DD move house then to Enfield to drop DD at a tube station as there were no trains. I could have driven her to St Pancras but although I'm a competent and experienced driver, I didn't fancy driving in a large city to a part I don't know well at all. I then drove up to Manchester, staying on the outskirts before returning to Devon. The day before I went, I updated my SatNav.

The tram in Manchester is efficient and inexpensive, especially compared to the rip-off buses in East Devon. For £4.90 I could travel for the entire day on the Metrolink. I can't do the 8 miles into Exeter for that, notwithstanding the mile and a half walk on single track roads with no pavements and a 60mph speed limit to actually get to the bus stop from my village.

As soon as I retire, I'm moving back to Manchester. It rains loads in Devon, so that doesn't bother me. Devon is a cultural vacuum with a lot of rude, xenophobic and ignorant people. Driving standards here are dire, but people have no option. Parking in Exeter is extortionate - yesterday I spent £4.50 for 2 hours' parking in the centre. The park and ride would have been a similar amount but would have added another hour to the morning. Unlike Manchester, the Exeter non-driving options don't work. I still have to drive to the outskirts of the city, I have to wait for 10 - 15 minutes for a bus at either end and they get stuck in the traffic. Begging in Exeter is rife - I encountered more homeless people on Exeter High St yesterday morning than I did walking from the Etihad to Piccadilly Gardens last Saturday.

OP, stay in Devon. Your attitude fits in well here.

You really sound quite unpleasant

Malbecfan · 10/09/2023 07:47

As a native Mancunian in exile in Devon, I found the OP very odd. SatNavs tell you that road signs take precedence. Did you not bother to update yours? The weekend you were there, I had to drive from Devon to Cambridge to help DD move house then to Enfield to drop DD at a tube station as there were no trains. I could have driven her to St Pancras but although I'm a competent and experienced driver, I didn't fancy driving in a large city to a part I don't know well at all. I then drove up to Manchester, staying on the outskirts before returning to Devon. The day before I went, I updated my SatNav.

The tram in Manchester is efficient and inexpensive, especially compared to the rip-off buses in East Devon. For £4.90 I could travel for the entire day on the Metrolink. I can't do the 8 miles into Exeter for that, notwithstanding the mile and a half walk on single track roads with no pavements and a 60mph speed limit to actually get to the bus stop from my village.

As soon as I retire, I'm moving back to Manchester. It rains loads in Devon, so that doesn't bother me. Devon is a cultural vacuum with a lot of rude, xenophobic and ignorant people. Driving standards here are dire, but people have no option. Parking in Exeter is extortionate - yesterday I spent £4.50 for 2 hours' parking in the centre. The park and ride would have been a similar amount but would have added another hour to the morning. Unlike Manchester, the Exeter non-driving options don't work. I still have to drive to the outskirts of the city, I have to wait for 10 - 15 minutes for a bus at either end and they get stuck in the traffic. Begging in Exeter is rife - I encountered more homeless people on Exeter High St yesterday morning than I did walking from the Etihad to Piccadilly Gardens last Saturday.

OP, stay in Devon. Your attitude fits in well here.

GotMooMilk · 10/09/2023 07:01

@MagentaMadge picadilly gardens is a large concrete square thing just beside the main bus station and on the main walk into town from Picadilly station. In the day it’s just a bit grey and unattractive but at night it’s known for all the crackheads congregating. DH and I actually walked through after a lovely afternoon in Manchester and it was grim- not dangerous but loads of rough people conked out on the floor (at 10pm!).
Otherwise Manchester is a brilliant city! We had a great day going round different places for drinks yesterday, it was so buzzy and had a brilliant time. Honestly your son will be miles away from PG in a bar having a ball with his mates!

MagentaMadge · 09/09/2023 23:58

Sayut · 07/09/2023 19:44

I hope you didn’t venture to Piccadilly Gardens on your trip. That would have finished you off! I agree though. Manchester is ridiculously expensive to park and you have to be careful driving. That’s when you can even niece due to the shit traffic.

Just for my own curiosity (and the fact that DS (17) enjoys travelling by train to Manchester with his mates) please explain a bit more about Piccadilly Gardens?

Lantyslee · 09/09/2023 19:27

I've never heard of a bus gate but last time I drove to Manc I was fined for being in a bus lane and spent £25 on parking for the day. I agree it's best to travel in by train but sadly have to go by car next weekend to drop DC at uni.

We'll have to disagree about the Trafford Centre OP. It's a pit of doom.

Fightyouforthatpie · 09/09/2023 19:09

RudsyFarmer · 07/09/2023 19:54

Please MNHQ can we have a block button?

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Ooooo yes please.

Tisfortired · 07/09/2023 20:00

Mancunian here, it is not advisable to drive around the city centre - the public transport in MCR is fantastic and you should have utilised it. (Speaking as someone who has also been stung by more than one bus gate fine)

I would have thought the same logic would apply to most city centres?

RudsyFarmer · 07/09/2023 19:54

Fightyouforthatpie · 07/09/2023 19:47

Why would imagine I'm the misfit here? You're the one celebrating ignorance.

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Please MNHQ can we have a block button?

Fightyouforthatpie · 07/09/2023 19:49

MiddleParking · 07/09/2023 10:08

People getting tribal over their local council vs that of somewhere they went for a poorly planned weekend break is hilarious 😂 as is defending your right not to know the Highway Code and just drive about breaking it.

Yeah "I've never heard of a bus gate" as if that is something to brag about.

Fightyouforthatpie · 07/09/2023 19:47

RudsyFarmer · 06/09/2023 11:19

Honest to god this site! I think you should shuffle off to Reddit or Kiwi Farms and find your people.

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Why would imagine I'm the misfit here? You're the one celebrating ignorance.

VeronicaSawyer89 · 07/09/2023 19:45

Inyournightgarden · 07/09/2023 07:23

I’m afraid my experience of liverpool and its people is summed up by vile. Car crime, mrs being harassed by men, no interest in helping someone with clearly not a local accent.

total opposite to Manchester where everyone was genuine

I don't care about your experience, tell me where you're from so I tell you how fucking shitty and judgemental the people from there are.

Sayut · 07/09/2023 19:44

I hope you didn’t venture to Piccadilly Gardens on your trip. That would have finished you off! I agree though. Manchester is ridiculously expensive to park and you have to be careful driving. That’s when you can even niece due to the shit traffic.

OneTwoThreeShake · 07/09/2023 19:03

AcclimDD · 05/09/2023 23:21

As well as Liverpool city centre being much more aesthetically pleasing than Manchester OP, you can actually drive in the Liverpool bus lanes too. I don't think I've ever come across a 'bus gate' in Liverpool either.

There's a bus gate on Ranelagh St.

PinkCherryBlossoms · 07/09/2023 11:21

MiddleParking · 07/09/2023 10:08

People getting tribal over their local council vs that of somewhere they went for a poorly planned weekend break is hilarious 😂 as is defending your right not to know the Highway Code and just drive about breaking it.

Isn't it!

CasperGutman · 07/09/2023 11:14

User16328715 · 07/09/2023 11:02

The only thing DS moans about Manchester is the dull and wet weather which he says is much worse than where we live in the south east.

It's certainly duller and wetter than the SE. Whether it's "worse" is subjective. Overcast and drizzly is better for not getting sunburnt. It's also better for cotton threads not snapping, hence the damp weather was the basis of the region's whole economy not very long ago!

ManateeFair · 07/09/2023 11:12

Manchester is a brilliant, vibrant city with a huge and thriving arts, music and cultural scene. Loads of theatres, galleries, museums and public art, hundreds of gig venues, tons of independent shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Lots of nice suburbs with good links to the city centre too.

User16328715 · 07/09/2023 11:02

The only thing DS moans about Manchester is the dull and wet weather which he says is much worse than where we live in the south east.