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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

DirectorFury · 30/11/2015 21:33

It's standard for it to take me 2 hours to do 16 miles (with 8 being on motorway!) around rush hour times. Non-rush hour can take anything from 25 minutes (my personal best, I know, I'm pathetic) to an hour and a half.

I'd cycle if it was viable but bypassing the motorway adds another 10 miles onto the journey and drivers round here are generally awful so it's too dangerous. I watched a very obviously small penised man try to overtake a car turning (indicating) right yesterday. How the turning car missed him I'll never know. The same cunt dickhead overtook me in a 30 zone into oncoming traffic like my car was stood still. He was prob doing 60mph+. In a residential area. Twat

YouMakeMyDreams · 30/11/2015 21:33

That would drive me mad. Dh has a 50 mile commute that takes and hour. I sometimes wish I still lived in a city but when I read posts like this it makes me glad we hit a trunk road and don't have all that traffic to deal with.

wtffgs · 30/11/2015 21:38

Try the Waze app on your smartphone. It's no miracle cure but it can shave time off your commute

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 21:48

I'll download that thanks!

The morrisons is the nearest supermarket to me where I live but it's a nightmare to get to. In fact the only time Warrington is clear is on the dead of night, so annoying.

OP posts:

sharoncarol43 · 30/11/2015 21:50

public transport and walking?

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 21:51

But there would be the same issues with public transport: we would still be stuck in traffic just on a bus!

Walking is fine if it's a walking distance, but it mostly isn't at this time of year especially.

OP posts:

Purplestarssparkle · 30/11/2015 21:54

Dont venture that far south op due to traffice nearest to me is the new aldi sigh and it causes so traffic as they have not bothered to do a left turn only for the exit so the car park gets backed up and the main road even though if you go left at the exit theres a large roundabout 100 yards down the road many a time i have dropprd dh off near the roundabout to walk the rest of the way to work so he wouldnt be late think sat navs havent helped as when warrington is gridlocked the locals cant use the back roads as they get clogged up too sigh

londonrach · 30/11/2015 21:55

I once spent 3 hours driving 0 miles when in london. In the midlands now i try and avoid 8.30-9.15 and 3-4.30 in my car as its worse than london.

Sirzy · 30/11/2015 21:55

I don't envy you, I have a few friends who live there and it's a pain to drive when traffic is bad.

Any slight problem on the m6 and it becomes gridlocked

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 22:03

It really does sirzy!

OP posts:

sharoncarol43 · 30/11/2015 22:05

But there would be the same issues with public transport: we would still be stuck in traffic just on a bus!

But on a bus you can get out and walk the last couple of miles, varied according to weather, and amount to be carried.

I'm a bus travelled, and frequently get out and walk in traffic jams, passing fuming colleagues in their cars on the way!

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 22:09

In Warrington the bus routes aren't very organised. You would need to get two or even three buses for something ten minutes away - or should be ten minutes in normal traffic!

We live in a place called Appleton and DC do an event in a place called Penketh; we would need to get a bus from Appleton to Warrington town centre and then another bus to Penketh. Then I would need to sit around waiting for them rather than going to ikea quiet time in the car. Then two buses back.

Plus buses are expensive!

OP posts:

sharoncarol43 · 30/11/2015 22:14

wouldn't work for you then.. maybe a few of you need to get onto the council and start pressurising them, better bus services might help with the congestion!

I'm in London, so many roads gridlocked much of the time, but we tend to know ways round it by bus/walking/going early or just making allowances for journey time, and having some work to be getting on with in the bag.

NewBallsPlease00 · 30/11/2015 22:14

M6 carpark for me everyday; leave at 615 be at desk for 7, or leave at 745 and get in any time around 10... I have to be at work for 9
Then repeat on ththe way home; leave at 7, home by 8, leave at 5, home by er..8
I finish at 5
It has got this bad in last 6 months as there seems to be no strategy on anything joined up with roadworks, so everyone is channeller same way then add inevitable weather or accident issues... Such fun

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 22:14

I know London is a nightmare for traffic but on the upside public transport is much better - it's just not the same in the frozen north!

OP posts:

CantSee4Looking · 30/11/2015 22:15

I live in Warrington, do any of you know it? I'm considering emigrating! hang on a mo this is normal isn't it? Most people in Warrington are considering escaping no? and that is just cos of the shit weather

A6 rush hour 1 mile in 1 hr. You could walk the mile faster. I refuse to drive this road and have sucessfully managed to avoided it for a rather large no of years. Apparently this situation has not improved though.

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 22:16

I love Warrington if we could move half the people who live there out!

OP posts:

CantSee4Looking · 30/11/2015 22:18

glowing

CantSee4Looking · 30/11/2015 22:18

Once met a lost londoner, waiting for a bus. They'd just missed one and was going to catch the next one. Was going to be a very cold 2 hour wait. They then asked about the train which left the same time as the bus but at the other end of the town. It was almost cruel to be educating them.
Public transport? it apparently exists but I am beginning to think it is just a legend

Kpo58 · 30/11/2015 22:20

Try my journey to work. 1.5 hours sitting on the bus to go... 4 miles! Has several times taken 2.5 to 3 hours.

Original poster

glowingemberfire · 30/11/2015 22:24

Oh no, the poor Londoner! I hope you showed proper northern hospitality and invited him back for a cup of tea! (Joke!)

But I do love Warrington.

OP posts:

CantSee4Looking · 30/11/2015 22:29

It does have its perks ikea

Nope pointed them out to the nearest cafe where a good proper fry up could be acquired

mudandmayhem01 · 30/11/2015 22:30

When I am queen of the world no able bodied person would be allowed to drive if the distance was under 2 miles ( there maybe occasional exceptions for heavy shopping) Not driving on a daily basis is an absolute key aspect to my quality of life. An hour in a traffic jam is a wasted hour, an hour on a bike is a work out. I feel really sorry for people on this thread who don't have any choice but to drive ( due many to poor public transport and cycling infrastructure) It could happen to me ie a change of job or ds not getting into a local school and I think I would cry at the thought of a regular car commute on Britains roads.

CantSee4Looking · 30/11/2015 22:33

You would hate my life mud I regularly have a 50 mile plus one way commute. My car is a god send.

Postchildrenpregranny · 30/11/2015 22:37

DD1 cycles everywhere in London She says she would have to leave(she really means 'get up' ) at least an hour earlier if she drove to work. The buses in Outer London are OK though, as the bus lanes are usually quite effective

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