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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Manchester Fining Hellhole.

209 replies

Minnierose11 · 05/09/2023 21:45

We recently visited Manchester from Devon for a birthday break, never been before and wanted to sample the city's shopping and eateries.

I'll never visit again - the whole place feels like a scamming hellhole.
One morning walking to our car (parked in a car park) at £21.95 for 8 hours and over when a EHO stopped us and tried to fine us £200 on the spot for supposedly spotting us drop fag butts on the floor ... WE DONT EVEN SMOKE!!
My husband refused to give our details and we walked off to which he claimed to call the police and followed us all the way back to our hotel where we sat in our room for 40 minutes feeling rather panicked!!

Now back at home, we've just received a fine for driving through a 'bus gate', of which being from Devon never even knew was a thing!! I know of bus lanes, clearly marked on the road but a bus gate??
No vehicle access between the hours of 6am and 9pm... and a sign which supposedly indicates that which I've never seen before in my life. Not even in the Highway Code..
and I know fear we may have another one or two on the way, because we were none the wiser! Just blindly following the sat nav around a city we'd never visited before.

Never again!

Manchester Fining Hellhole.
OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
MzHz · 05/09/2023 22:27

GotMooMilk · 05/09/2023 21:58

Manchester is a great city! Don’t blame the city, like london it’s not somewhere you want to be driving around really better to explore on foot.

What on earth is great about it? It’s dirty, smelly, everyone is pissed and high at 6pm on weekends and Sunday morning walking in the city is over broken glass and police cordons

its proper grim.

Startyabastard · 05/09/2023 22:27

I've never heard of a bloody bus gate and I live in a major city.

MzHz · 05/09/2023 22:28

WhateverMate · 05/09/2023 21:59

Can I just show some solidarity to the Mancunians here? ✊

It's just that I'm a Londoner and it's usually us getting it in the neck 😂😂

London is never as bad as Manchester. Never.

MrsMoastyToasty · 05/09/2023 22:29

Bath has bus gates and a clean air zone .
Bristol has bus gates and a clean air zone .
I live between the two.

5foot5 · 05/09/2023 22:29

Manchester is a great city, but best to avoid driving there. We used to but gave up a few years ago. It is much easier to use public transport. We try and go in on the tram, dead cheap and really convenient. Otherwise we get the train.

MMorales · 05/09/2023 22:30

What has this got to do with a car fine?

melj1213 · 05/09/2023 22:31

Other than the EHO wrongfully hounding you I'm not exactly sure what the problem is - it's not Manchester's fault that you drove into the city centre, had an issue with the cost of parking, don't know the Highway code and just blindly followed the satnav.

I live in the Lakes so it's about 90mins drive to Manchester, but I never drive into the city because it's an utter nightmare city to drive in - I either get the train if I'm going overnight to an event or if I'm just going for the day I do "Park and Ride" at one of the suburb metro links so that I don't have to drive into the centre.

MMorales · 05/09/2023 22:32

MzHz · 05/09/2023 22:25

Yanbu.

4 days in that place last year for work and I was amazed at how seemingly simple dishes could be absolutely ruined by literally everyone

there was a WAG of some Manchester player complaining about the food and it being one of the many reasons why she was delighted to leave the city, I thought she was being precious

she wasn’t. She was bang on.

It must be a revelation to the people who live there how much flavour there is in food NOT made in Manchester

Meant this
But never mind seen your other posts now.

Emz6103 · 05/09/2023 22:35

Why? Most cities are horrible, nightmare to navigate of you're new and Devon has just about everything one could possibly need for a nice life.

RudsyFarmer · 05/09/2023 22:37

I’ve never heard of a bus gate and have been driving thirty years.

Verytall · 05/09/2023 22:40

A bus gate is a stretch of road only for buses. (Ie the whole road, not just one lane) Usually with big warning signs not to enter them. Not having heard of the name isn't a reason to drive down them (although appreciate if you're lost and panicking you might do so if you cant work out where you're supposed to go)

User16328715 · 05/09/2023 22:40

Leicester has a Bus Gate, we managed to find it when we drove there, that was a horrible experience as well.

Emz6103 · 05/09/2023 22:40

Yeah and they're a bloody nightmare to get in and out of!! Lol clean air zone where you have to drive miles out of your way causing bottlenecks and filthy air for another part of the city! It's a scam!! I'd stay I'm Devon. I drive to Bristol IKEA and straight out again. The rents are sky high too, cities are an and rip off

User16328715 · 05/09/2023 22:43

I can recommend Milton Keynes for the motorist, lots of roundabouts and a grid system, with numbered roads, even I don't get lost round there and if you do it's easy to find your way back

Emz6103 · 05/09/2023 22:43

Yep, if the punishment is a fine then the law only applies to the poor

Inyournightgarden · 05/09/2023 22:47

bossybloss · 05/09/2023 21:52

I agree! Much smaller and lots to do on foot !

Show quote history

You have to be on foot in liverpool cos the locals will nick anything with wheels

Zampa · 05/09/2023 22:47

Not sure where people are eating but there are so many great places to eat in Manchester.

Emz6103 · 05/09/2023 22:47

She didn't ask who's fault is, might be a common sign, but not everyone knows what it is! I've never heard of a bus gate either!

Findyourneutralspace · 05/09/2023 22:51

And on the eight day, god created Manchester. He left his car at home.

Lovetogarden2022 · 05/09/2023 22:54

I'm 20 minutes from the centre of Manchester and have refused to drive in for about 8 years. I'd rather get the tram in, which works out significantly cheaper than parking, and the car parks terrify me tbh - far too many friends with dreadful experiences of muggings. At least on the tram you can guarantee there'll be people around 😬
But yes, I find Manchester quite scary these days. A bit lawless.

ScarletWitchM · 05/09/2023 22:56

Regardless of who’s heard of bus gates or not, the sign was clear that cars and motorbikes were not permitted. The sign the OP posted a photo of is in the Highway Code as No Motor Vehicles.

theGooHasGone · 05/09/2023 22:56

Lovetogarden2022 · 05/09/2023 22:54

I'm 20 minutes from the centre of Manchester and have refused to drive in for about 8 years. I'd rather get the tram in, which works out significantly cheaper than parking, and the car parks terrify me tbh - far too many friends with dreadful experiences of muggings. At least on the tram you can guarantee there'll be people around 😬
But yes, I find Manchester quite scary these days. A bit lawless.

I'm 20 minutes from the centre of Manchester and have refused to drive in for about 8 years. I'd rather get the tram

The system is working!

RJnomore1 · 05/09/2023 22:59

ScarletWitchM · 05/09/2023 22:56

Regardless of who’s heard of bus gates or not, the sign was clear that cars and motorbikes were not permitted. The sign the OP posted a photo of is in the Highway Code as No Motor Vehicles.

Yes I’ve never heard of a bus gate but know quite clearly what that sign means.

Where I would be supposed to go in that situation escapes me though!?

OMGitsnotgood · 05/09/2023 23:01

I absolutely love Manchester. Each to their own

Goodbyetoauntie · 05/09/2023 23:02

I can navigate Manchester like a boss. Lived here all my life but its an easy mistake to make but it is ace, you've just not seen its best bits.