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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be totally dreading the Olympics because I live in London

295 replies

labelwriter · 11/07/2012 08:59

I just am! Yesterday, I went to London Bridge to get to work and there was a practice for the Olympics and the whole station was in chaos and it was really shambolic. Last week I went to St James Park and most of it and the Mall was closed. It's going to add ages on to my journey. We have been told to cycle to work if we can but the bus lanes are to be closed so the VIP cars can use them and as i am sure anyone who cycles in central London will agree, this is going to cause lots of problems. Am sure the games themselves will be brilliant but it's the trying to get about in London bit I am dreading.

OP posts:
RubyWho · 11/07/2012 09:11

YANBU. We live on the zone 1/2 border and it's going to be hell on non-moving wheels.

OlaRapaceFru · 11/07/2012 09:14

Someone told me the other day - and I'm really not sure if this is true, it seems a bit far-fetched but not impossible, IYSWIM - that all the official Olympic cars have some sort of microchip (or whatever) in them that can make all the traffic lights turn to green, so they don't get held up by red lights. I mean, surely that's a recipe for even more traffic chaos? Confused

RubyGates · 11/07/2012 09:15

YANBU, it's going to be hellish.
How is our already over-crowded, over-burdened transport system going to cope?

GwendolineMaryLacey · 11/07/2012 09:20

YANBU and I'm bloody glad that

GwendolineMaryLacey · 11/07/2012 09:21
Hmm

....I'm on maternity leave so I don't have to deal with it. It's going to be bad enough round here with the cycling. You have my sympathies.

ethelb · 11/07/2012 09:23

yanbu we are mvoing tlondon next week and it seems we are going to spend the first three weekends cooped up at home as nothing woudl be simple to get to.

i was planning a trip to Greenwich, but that is chaos apparently. I want to go and see friends but will have to go through central london. No way.

i have even had to postpone my housewarming as there is a real chance people won't be able to get there!

HKat · 11/07/2012 09:24

YANBU - I live zone2/3 near Greenwich and am just thanking my lucky stars (and DD!) that I'm on mat leave so won't have the nightmare journey that will be the DLR every day - even so it's still inconvenient just driving around there! I do like the Olympics though....

topbannana · 11/07/2012 09:28

YANBU! We used to live in Weymouth where "the sailing events are being held" (actually they are being held on Portland and the council has got a bollocking for telling everyone that Weymouth is hosting the Olympics :))
Its a complete shambles and I am delighted that we now live in the depths of the countryside.
And as far as the chips in the cars are concerned, that is a rumour that has been bandied about for ages. Weymouth certainly had every major roundabout en-route to the venue removed and replaced with an elaborate set of traffic lights. These are rumoured to be "intelligent" so will turn to green when the official cars come through. My gut feeling is I am not sure if that would work, what if two cars were coming in opposite directions?!
What seems more likely is that they can be turned remotely on and off in order to allow a clear passage through for emergency vehicles and fleeing dignitaries in the event of a disaster (while all the residents sit patiently waiting on the side roads Hmm

goingtoofast · 11/07/2012 09:28

YANBU.

Dp had always worked in London. For the first time ever this year he found a job out of London as he really wanted to avoid the Olympics!

JamNan · 11/07/2012 09:33

YANBU it's going to be hell. Thousands of people are being inconvenienced and can't get to work.

griphook · 11/07/2012 09:34

Yanbu, it will be hell on earth. It really hasn't been thought through

Empusa · 11/07/2012 09:35

YANBU, you have my sympathy!

Gettheetoanunnery · 11/07/2012 09:35

Yanbu, I don't envy you at all!

GaryTankCommander · 11/07/2012 09:36

I work in London and am absolutely dreading it... But...

I'm hopeful that it'll be fine and I'll have been worrying for nothing. Smile fingers crossed Smile

labelwriter · 11/07/2012 09:37

I'm glad it's not just me. I hate to be so bah humbug about it but it seems to be great for London, unless you actually live / work in London. I live in Zone 3 and still seems to be annoying, I have to go either via Canada Water or London Bridge which are meant to be awful. Honestly, the practice there yesterday was a nightmare, I nearly missed my train as kept being herded to other entrances / exits... and this is before it starts getting busier. Doesn't bode well.

OP posts:
missmiss · 11/07/2012 09:37

I live in Balham and am dreading it. Luckily I'm a teacher so won't actually be working, and DP's company have told everyone to work from home for a fortnight. Even so, just getting into town for any reason is going to be hell. And I don't even care about the Games!

GlassofRose · 11/07/2012 09:40

YANBU

Some of the test events blocked traffic back up from Stratford to Barking - Nightmare.

I'm fed up of those stupid "Plan your journey" posters on the underground & buses (both inside and on the side of them).

Just imagine how many amateur cyclists are going to have accidents thanks to these silly posters.

Who is suddenly going to walk into the centre of London? The olympians are the fit ones, let us keep our transport and traffic lanes and makes them walk!

TheRealMrsHannigan · 11/07/2012 09:44

OP YANBU I live in zone 6 and I have to go through either stratford or Liverpool street to get to work, I also have to use either central line or Met, Hamm & City, Piccadilly or circle lines or I just will not be able to get to work.

I work in the west end and it is going to be absolute bloody chaos, there are already days when the journey to work leaves me feeling stabby and twitchy, thats without an extra few million people jamming up the transport system! It has been completely ill thought out, I resent having to pay (via increased council tax) for an event that is going to cause me nothing but hassle and stress.

ilovesparklythings · 11/07/2012 09:47

I live in zone 5, so not really in "london" but I do go into town an awful lot and I've already been told to avoid if possible. Not ideal when its the summer holidays and the kids want to go to any of the big parks, go into China Town etc. Ive been told by a few people to avoid it if at all possible.

And stupidly I got carried away when the tickets came out and ordered loads thinking - wow, what an opportunity. Now I've got tickets to 2 events I'm really hesitant to take my kids up to Stratford incase something happens. Silly I know as I'm sure the security will be so strong that it wont be a terrorist threat (I think its more likely someone will try to bomb another city/country as all focus will be on London) but I'm not sure I want to take the risk now..

Anyway YANBU.

labelwriter · 11/07/2012 10:13

Summer holidays... urghhhh! Everywhere is going to be packed.

OP posts:
Nancy66 · 11/07/2012 10:16

I bet you it will hardly impact on your lives at all

GlassofRose · 11/07/2012 10:18

You don't live anywhere near Stratford then Nancy Wink

OTheHugeManatee · 11/07/2012 10:19

YANBU to be dreading it. I am too. I started out as a dedicated bah-humbugger about the Lympics and have been generally grumbling at everyone for the last year about it Grin

But just recently I've come round to it. I reckon it's possible to mutter about the horrible traffic (which has started already - my bike ride in today was wall-to-wall tourist coaches. gaah) and still feel proud that such a massive global event is happening in our city.

I'm resigned to the traffic chaos and to commuting by bike for a few weeks. But at the end of the day it's only a few weeks, and I think having the Lympics happening here is pretty exciting.

Nancy66 · 11/07/2012 10:22

I'm sure if you love on top of the Olympic Park it will affect you but if you just live 'in London' then i can't see how it will make any difference

4goingon14 · 11/07/2012 10:23

We live in West London just off the A40 in Ealing and the thick white lines for the 'Olympic only' vehicles has been painted and the signs put up. The A40 is already congested at the best of times and now they are going to be reducing large sections of it to 1 lane....I dread to think.

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