What places do you hate driving in?

[TheOchreHare]

Big cities

Anywhere I don't know.

The M25 to A12 roundabout. One lane just disappears and it's a nightmare.

The Perephique
Most of the M25

The dreaded Leeds loop! The signage is terrible it doesn't help if you know the streets on foot, the one way system is nonsensical. Sat nav made it worse somehow.
I have sworn never to drive in Leeds again.

I am fine everywhere else, London is fine- just don't dilly dally.

This sounds similar to where I live! The live hazard perception high street is in a village and theres a double mini roundabout in the next big town along.

Oxford. Never go there. Park at Didcot and take the train in (Oxford Park and Ride is a rip-off).

Bath. Awful road layout and worse traffic. Always go there by train.

Parliament Square. Only place in London that scares me.

Being a passenger in Paris is bad enough! Couldn’t imagine driving!

@RampantIvy I have so many circuitous routes to avoid going anywhere near the Newcastle Central Motorway. I particularly hate the southbound stretch where you are below an overhead route and all the roads converge - at speed.

DH had a room overlooking it in student halls and said that there was an incident practically every day. That was in the dark ages with so much less traffic, so there’s no way I’m going anywhere near it today!

Leeds
Sheffield
Doncaster

A few years ago we stayed in a cottage near Brecon, beautiful place but to get to the cottage involved a 15 minute drive down extremely narrow lanes, some of them literally a few inches wider than my car. This wouldn't have been an issue if we'd had clear views of the road ahead but each side was bordered by really high hedges and it was a twisty road...absolutely no idea if there was traffic coming the other way.
I detested it, it marred the holiday somewhat and now if we book anywhere I check on Google maps and Street View to make sure it's easy to get to.

Oh, and the A180. If you've ever been on it you will know why.

Bristol. The reason it's so congested is once you're in the city the signage is so bad you will never get out of it again, just doomed to driving around and around for all eternity.

I get so confused with the lanes here I avoid it all together!

driving in barcelona at rush hour followed by trying to shoehorn the hire care into the narrowest, most awkward underground carpark I've ever been in. Terrifying and never again!

I don't mind Colchester, even the roundabouts. I always get lost in the Manchester one way systems and refuse to go there any more by car. I don't mind Salford strangely. I agree on the Coventry ring road. I have only been a passenger but that was bad enough!
One place I can't get on with it the relatively small city of Hereford. Ridiculous road system

Palermo, Sicily!

DD lived in Jesmond as a student and it was the most direct way for me to cross the Tyne to get home. The slip roads are too short and it needs a lower speed limit.

When DD moved to the coast I used the Tyne tunnel, except when it was closed at the weekends for repairs. Then lanes were closed on the Tyne bridge at the same time for roadworks! Getting across the Tyne at weekends was a nightnare.

I loved it but I'm odd!
Northern Norway, so much snow and ice, moose, deer etc scary! I leave the driving to DH when I go visit him.
Country/ mountain roads, I work down a very long thin country road and had deer jump over the hedgerow.

My student daughter is living in Jesmond now and this route is so hairy with the weirdly merging roads that I have vowed to only get the train up from now on. Was much easier driving when she lived right in the centre of Newcastle.

Yes it was. DD was in Park View and I used to drive over a different bridge to get there.
My tip is to continue on the A167M and merge on to the A1, rather than get off at the Jesmond/coast road turn off. Go up to the roundabout and double back to the traffic lights and turn left (you can't turn right at those lights when driving north).

Thank you! Might try that when I am feeling a bit braver. My daughter was at Newgate Court and the drive was a dream, with fab parking at The Gate.

Hate really narrow country lanes where you have to reverse if someone comes the other way- I am claustrophobic and if I get so much a whiff of a gridlock on those roads I really hate it.

Also hate that little toll bridge in Bathhampton for the same reason- always seems about to gridlock.

Agree with Petworth - it’s stupidly narrow with a massive wall on one side and you get massive lorries squeezing through.

And yes to country lanes at night - especially if the locals are doing that ‘turn off the headlights coming up to a crossroads so you can see other traffic approaching’ thing; even more so if two cars approaching the same crossroads are doing it at the same time 🫣

I’ll add the Worcester one way system which used to be awful (don’t know if it still is).

Hemel Hempstead’s roundabout is a bit of a nightmare too.

Anywhere unfamiliar if it's dark and raining. I have astigmatism in one eye and the glare and flare of lights on rain is almost too much and makes me a bit panicky.

Another Park View veteran ma here, now having to make my way to West Jesmond via the city. Only coming up from Durham and with DH a local I should be immune to the ‘charms’ of the central motorway but I’m always rigid with fear.

Brilliant tip above! As for me, I cross the Redheugh, go along the Quayside and make my way through Shieldfield towards Osborne Road. I said it was a roundabout journey! Allows me to stop off at the Big River Bakery for stotties but everyone always wonders why I take so long for a theoretically short journey. At least I arrive calm 😊

Limerick! I hate it too! I also hate driving to and from Limerick, to Shannon Airport from Limerick and to Clonmel from here and that's because of all the bends that slope from left to right or vice versa! I feel like the car is going to turn over and it terrifies me plus the culture of speed in Ireland is a real danger! "The CARNAGE on our roads!" is not hyperbole!
Driving on any unlit road anywhere in the dark is an ordeal for me anyway! Those fecking LED lights that newere vehicles have make it even worse, especially on arger vehicles like SUVs because they shine straight into your eyes! I know for a fact that other drivers hate them too and I think they should be banned because they're blinding oncoming drivers and have too much potential to cause an accident!
TBH now, I just hate driving anywhere that's not straightforward, either well lit or in the daylight and that the roads are FLAT, NOT FECKING BLOODY SLOPEY! My son says it "for drainage" but they terrify me! Basically, I can't wait to not have to drive anywhere anymore at all!

@Shangrilalala if you are driving anywhere near Byker on a weekend morning call in at Proven Goods and get some doughnuts and coffee. You will be loved forever.

Not just me then! I find it terrifying.