to not really understand the M25?

[bonkers20]

I just don't get all that Eastbound/Westbound stuff.
Then they talk about hold ups clockwise between junctions 3 and 4 and I don't have a clue whether I'm going clockwise or anticlockwise.

I can only think of north as the way I'm going and east as right and west as left. I KNOW it's not right, but it's so hard to turn the map round in my head mentally.

I need signs that say "This way bonkers".

It's not only me is it?

I normally picture it as Heathrow (West), Gatwick (South), Dartford Crossing (East) and the North (North). You head towards the bit you want, and come off at the relevant junction. These directions are on most signs, it gets tricky if you are doing more than 1/4, but you look at your map before setting out and decide which direction you need to go past t your junction.

The M40 I think is signposted East/West, although it does feel more North/South, but East is into London, West is out of London.

I do find I have to concentrate more on little roads, especially if I've been overseas for a while, as I have to remember to keep driving on the left, not swap to the right at empty junctions. We also have one badly laid out junction near here, where it feels right to turn into the wrong direction carriage of a dual carriage road. M25 is easy by comparison.

I earlier said that I got confused eastbound and westbound. I only meant that if you are south on the m25 (brighton side) it is the opposite direction to go east or west than it is if you are north on the m25 (enfield side). Not that I don't know my directions.

I know what you mean. Obviously if you're looking at a map it all makes sense but when you've just turned off a different road and it says North/South or East/West it can take a second to get your bearings.

I was once driving from Tenby to Peterborough and when I got to Birmingham there were signs saying m6 north or m6 south (London). I had to choose quickly which one to take and thought well I don't want to go to London and as Peterborough is north of Tenby I went that way. I got to Preston before I realised I was wrong. Then went to Peterborough via Watford gap, Northampton and Kettering, not sure in which order. I was rather late.

Not knowing your clockwise from your anti clockwise is completely unreasonable... M25 jargon is really not that hard to understand if you actually bother to think about it.

why are people so stupid?

Oh gawd and the M25 M26 turn off to stay on thing! Too much for my tiny mind. It's unbelievable the number of times I've fucked it up.

Good grief, you've all made me feel reeeally intelligent just for knowing what "tailbacks eastbound on the surrey stretch" means...

George I challenge you to a game of Sudoku or Mastermind (the peg game, not the black chair one)! I am NOT stupid, I just get really confused when I'm driving and have to made on the spot decisions about whether I need to go East or Westbound.

Having read this thread I do think I get the clock -anti clockwise thing and admit that was a bit daft.

I did manage to drive all the way from Norfolk to Heidelberg in my Austin Allegro in 1992!

George we all have mental blocks about some things. This is the OP's . Lighten up