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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it shouldn't take me over an hour to drive five miles

56 replies

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 19:13

Traffic in my hometown is famous for being bad but lately with the bad weather it's an utter nightmare. Using the car for anything - DCs hobbies, the supermarket or even going to work! - involves creeping along stopping starting stopping starting.

I feel close to screaming with it today and feel like I can't go anywhere as we get stuck in a jam.

Is it this bad everywhere!?

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 30/11/2015 19:20

It took me two hours to drive 11 miles this morning. The weather doesn't help and a major set of traffic lights was faulty.

BackforGood · 30/11/2015 19:21

Fraid so - if it's the wrong time of day, you can crawl through any journey.

LunchpackOfNotreDame · 30/11/2015 19:23

I hear you. I have an 8 mile commute on an A road. Last week it took 2.5 hours to get to work.

VodkaJelly · 30/11/2015 19:25

When the road is clear it can take 4 minutes to drive from my house to my works car park (takes 45 minutes to walk) but today it took me 20 minutes to do the same journey, traffic was horrendous.

Original poster
glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 19:38

It's so frustrating! I don't dare venture outdoors between 8 and 9 and between 3 and 7 in the evening.

OP posts:
karalime · 30/11/2015 19:46

It took me an hour to get out of the town I work in today, should take 15 minutes.

I would get annoyed but what's the point, I can't get annoyed at other people trying to do the exact same thing I'm doing.

StarlingMurmuration · 30/11/2015 19:50

Oxford? I've just come back from maternity leave and it's even worse than it was before I left, and it was awful then. Seems like they're digging up half. the roads in the city.

PippaFawcett · 30/11/2015 19:52

Cambridge? I am doing a bus, train and bike to work thing now to save me driving the 15 miles to work which would take me 1.5 hours. I often think that more people should work flexible hours where possible - there are obvious exceptions - to help reduce rush hour.

pinotblush · 30/11/2015 19:54

Try living in London Grin

Original poster
glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 19:57

No thanks pinot Grin I live in Warrington, do any of you know it? I'm considering emigrating! Grin

OP posts:
BikeGeek · 30/11/2015 19:57

I was going to guess Oxford too...

Biking is immensely more satisfying when you're faster than all the cars though, and so much easier to motivate yourself in all weathers if the alternative is a car journey that takes 3 times as long.

Palomb · 30/11/2015 19:58

Same here. An hour and 54 minutes to do 13 miles last week I could have cried. It's so frustrating :(

This week I'm leaving 20 minuted earlier.

StarDustMonkey · 30/11/2015 19:58

I'm guessing Cambridge? It takes me almost an hour sometimes to crawl the 2.5 miles to my work...I have to drive in because I live quite a way away and have the school drop to do before commuting. I can understand your frustration!

StarDustMonkey · 30/11/2015 19:58

Ooops, x-post!

PippaFawcett · 30/11/2015 20:16

StarDustMonkey, I fancy one of those Dutch bikes that look like a wheelbarrow. Cambridge is bloody awful. OP, I do know Warrington, I used to swim for Warrington Warriors a long time ago but I don't remember the traffic being too bad.

Original poster
glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 20:17

It's dreadful - when did you move? It's been bad as long as I've lived here (ten years) but it is getting steadily worse.

OP posts:
VodkaJelly · 30/11/2015 20:29

I have been caught up in Warrington traffic a few times, it's awful (fellow northwesty) we were sat for ages not moving

PippaFawcett · 30/11/2015 20:29

Oh over 20 years ago and I was a child so I probably didn't notice the traffic at all!

Original poster
glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 20:36

We've probably passed each other vodka Grin

OP posts:
StarDustMonkey · 30/11/2015 20:40

oooh yes Pippa! The number of unusual bikes that I see in Cambridge is amazing! I would love wheelbarrow one I could stick the kids in Grin

StarDustMonkey · 30/11/2015 20:40

bah was meant to be Grin!

PippaFawcett · 30/11/2015 20:47

They are a lot of money though and look heavy to me but I could be wrong. My other bright idea was to buy a Brompton - or cheap alternative - and ditch the car as soon as I hit stationary traffic but that could still mean 10 plus miles of biking each way!

Purplestarssparkle · 30/11/2015 21:01

I feel your pain op also live and work in warrington it took me 2 hours once to go from 21a junction m6 to my home which is 3 miles away i work elsewhere now but still hate driving when its rushour dont even try to drive anyway near the big tescos on a saturday after 11 am

ohtheholidays · 30/11/2015 21:25

Thankfully no,the only time it's that bad where we are is when it's snowed.

Two years ago was awful,there were people leaving they're cars in rows of traffic,getting out and walking they're children home because they'd been stuck in the traffic for over 2 hours and hadn't moved at all and it was freezing.

All of the buses were cancelled as there was nearly a massive accident in the area we live in with a bus and a local supermarket.

ForalltheSaints · 30/11/2015 21:30

If it rains traffic is always worse.

Take away those making journeys under a mile who are able bodied and too lazy to walk, and then disqualify from driving all those who should never be allowed to drive because of previous conduct. Follow that up with proper management of roadworks. Don't put the clocks back in winter (those who are bad at getting up in the morning and have flexible hours would start later and fewer people would travel pre 9am). Then perhaps then congestion on the roads will be reduced.