AIBU to think that driving around Reading town centre is shit scary?

[lolaflores]

It is the most monstrous place to navigate. I am sure there are loads of Readingondions on here ready to kick my arse into space. But, I am not familiar with the place and it was a nightmare. I

oh yes - sweeny's pies

Oh Yanbu at all!
Taking the kids to a party a few weeks ago missed the turn off for Wokingham & ended up in a hellish reading one way system nightmare.

It was boiling hot I'm very pregnant and all the kids are small.

Argh.

Reading the work of the devil - what did I go there for? Ah the Gap and John Lewis. Next month they open in Newbury so I never ever ever ever have to go to Reading again [hgrin].

Oblomov, I agree with you on Cairo. Alexandria is scary enough, but Cairo is terrifying.

Crossing the road on foot is a herculean task. I used to have to get one of the girls in X office to come and get me, and help me across the ONE road to the office! apparently 7 people a DAY die on the Corniche road.... There are 3 lanes of traffic, but 5 lanes of cars. Indication sorts the locals out from the forriners, and mirrors are largely decorative.

The only trick I seemed to be able to use when crossing the road was wait until there is a large crowd wanting to cross.

When THEY go, YOU go, and if you all get hit, the others will absorb some of the impact before the overloaded, speeding minibus/deathtrap taxi gets to you. Yes I am aware that Human Shield is a term that could be used for this tactic, but when needs must and all that.

You never, ever forget that ONLY by the grace of god (insha-allah) do you ever get anywhere...

It's a lot easier if you have the benefit of blue lights. . Otherwise I admit it is the work of the devil. I've been working and driving round it for a year and I still get confused especially in the centre where roads become one way over night.

I drive through Reading every day - even better at moment with all the roadworks. The IDR is a nightmare if you don't know it, but the Paris Terrif Periphique is the worst creation of a road (but we did have fun watching the traffic around the Arc de Triomph recently!

Maybe you should park at Uni and get bus into the town for a meal etc, then drive from the Uni back to the Motorway avoiding the town completely.

Reading is a nuisance. Though, getting into the one way in Maidenhead is just as annoying!

Whoever said the magic roundabout in Hemel though? That's easy!

There speaks an OP who's never had to deal with the Coventry ring road.

Piccadilly Circus - no problem.
Hanger Lane - not pleasant but manageable.

Cov RR - an abomination in tarmac.

Oh I love the Coventry Ring Road, drove on it with my eyes shut on my 17th birthday

otoh we attempted to go through Reading en route to Legoland - in retrospect I think this was an unwise decision. It was 7pm and still rush hour. I leapt out with dd1 and carried her into Subway for the loo. Dh had moved forward by about 2 cars distance when we came out.

I think they are Readigensians rather than Readingongdians. Both sound a little like Dr Who aliens IMHO!

NO OFFENCE MEANT - I was one, but am now a born again Northerner and wouldn't move back there for all the Biscuits, bulbs and beer in the town (yah see what i did there...little historical Reading industries joke going on)

Time for bed I feel!

YANBU

VeryLittleGhastliness, no Reading is more scary to drive round. Get stuck in the wrong lane and you get swept off to who knows where - by the time you can see the road sign it is too late.

My DH got some spurious fine in the post after a trip there one Sunday because a CCTV operator spotted us when we had stopped to ask directions (stopped for 20s max near a bus stop and no traffic behind us). What with the parking such a rip off too, we decided to boycott shopping there!

The town development is just a money-making vehicle for John Madjeski imo.

Snort at 'Oscar Wilde's old residence'.

In prison. Enough said.

Reading is bloody awful but whoever designed Bedford's one way system was pissed at the time.

Reading is awful but my personal fear is Bristol.. particularly Hotwells I had a 'friend' who didn't know you should leave your car in gear if you park on a particularly steep hill - need I say more

fanni oh I had a "friend" like that too. When she returned to her vehicle it was touching the one parked in front, slightly lower down the hill. No damage thankfully, and thank goodness there was another car in front, it was a long slope down to the bottom (so I hear!)

How for your friend and mine