Unbridled chaos for a few weeks

[dipsydoodle]

Last edited Mon Jul 16, 2012, 03:46 PM - Edit history (1)

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16583939

The A40, North Circular Road and the A4 are not all that funny in the rush hour at the best of times. Shutting down lanes for Olympic use will simply add to the problem.

[fedsron2us]

1. There were big tail backs to the west of London today on the M4

Last edited Mon Jul 16, 2012, 05:05 PM - Edit history (2)

Traffic from the south of London appears to being held at the Robin Hood roundabout on the A3.

It appears the plan is to keep the centre of London moving by pushing the congestion to the surrounding areas.

[dipsydoodle]

2. That's because the regs started today on the M4.

London 2012: M4 Olympic Games Lanes come into operation

The first of the Olympic Games Lanes has come into operation on the M4.

The restrictions on the 3.5-mile (6km) stretch of the motorway between Heston and Brentford in west London will be in place from 05:00 BST until 22:00 BST.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18850578

[non sociopath skin]

3. Blissfully normal up here (smile)

It's even stopped raining.



You're welcome to 'em.

The Skin

[dipsydoodle]

4. It's even stopped raining......

You might not find Wednesday too funny.

Bloody Jet Stream.

[non sociopath skin]

5. Hey, we're due two whole dry hours on JetStream Wednesday, the Beeb says.

That's progress!

The Skin

[non sociopath skin]

8. Raining now, but it's been quite a pleasant day hereabouts.

Didn't realise till I got home today that 'Er Maj had the good sense to get away from the run-in to (Or should that be the "stand-still" to?) Ronald's Supersized Sports Spectacular and spend the day up here.

She kept that very quiet.

The Skin

[fedsron2us]

6. Hitlers fag lighter was run along the South Coast this morning right by my office

The Olympic torch was preceded by a fleet of clapped out sponsors buses, caravans and old vans accompanied by a police escort. In fact it looked not dissimilar to the bands of Irish travellers who occasionally visit our neck of the woods at this time of the year. I tried to get a photo of the poor chump carrying the flame but all I could see was the army of goons surrounding him. Amazingly quite a few people turned out in the rain to watch the procession but then what with the weather I suppose there has not been much for people to do outdoors this summer. I actually find it astounding that £9 billion has been spent producing something so cheap, tacky and crap.


My Mum saw the Olympic torch run through Betchworth in 1948 on its way to London . It was carried by a lone runner who so impressed her that even now she remembers him looking a bit like a Greek God. He had no company apart from a few spectators. There were no sponsors, no security and no cops. There could not be a greater contrast between what she witnessed and the Carry On Up Your Olympics farce I saw today.

[dipsydoodle]

7. Some pictures here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2174441/London-Olympics-2012-The-ridiculous-example-Olympics-lanes-making-farce-driving-London.html

[dipsydoodle]

9. Late in the day..........

I noticed driving back from Hammersmith to pick up the bottom of the M1 last night that the line painting for the Olympic lanes has yet to be completed. Seems to be night work - they cone off what needs painting.

The funny bits are those like the strip from Hanger Lane gyratory on the North Circular down where you'd turn left for the Stadium just before Ikea. Between Hanger Lane and Stonebridge park underpass its the outside lane. The other side of the underpass its the nearside lane. I have visions of numerous pissed off drivers mouthing "f*ck *ff" as drivers try to get across the lanes.

[dipsydoodle]

10. Today - London 2012 Games Lanes: Traffic delays of two hours

Drivers coming into London have been facing delays of up to two hours after new restrictions came into force for the Olympics.

Lane restrictions have begun to be applied on the A12, A13 and A40.

Motorists using all three roads faced traffic jams of between one and two hours on the first morning the lanes were enforced.

Transport for London had warned journeys on the roads may take "considerably longer than usual".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18953088

[T_i_B]

11. I was in London yesterday morning & all day on Tuesday

Despite all the warning from Transport for London, it wasn't like WWIII had just broken out. Granted the tubes were busier then normal but the trains weren't.

To be honest Londoner's are doing what they do best and getting on with things regardless of the tsunami of bullshit eminating from LOGCOL, TFL & Boris Johnson. The main gripes are the Olympic lanes on the roads and also, the Boris Johnson announcements on the tannoy in tube & train stations. Personally I think that Boris Johnson lecturing commuters over the tannoy is the surest way for him not to get re-elected.

[dipsydoodle]

12. Thursday night

I got completely screwed on the North Circ. despite the fact there wasn't even anything on a Wembley Stadium. It was caused by wholly unnecessary use of the Olympic road lanes during the rush hour.

[T_i_B]

13. My golden rule for travelling in London....

....is that travelling in London is best done by public transport wherever possible. Cars are not always the right way to get about Central London. That was my view even before the congestion charge, let alone the Olympics.

Also, it is noticable that Olympic lanyards & security passes do seem to be a bit of a status symbol right now in London.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. Severe delays on the Central line east of Liverpool St.

A key London Underground line to the Olympic Park is running again after being suspended due to a fire alert.

People going to Stratford on the Central Line had been told services were ending at Liverpool Street due to a fire alert at Leyton.

Transport for London (TfL) said a driver reported smelling smoke, thought to be from a locked axle.

Services have resumed but with severe delays, with TfL advising people to still avoid using the line.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19060095