Re: The all-new all things driving thread

[Fangirl Three]

I got some the other day at 04:20 at Hythe Tesco when I was on my way to work

I didn't know it was open that early.

Although I probably won't have any use for the information now, as I only come to Zarnichester to look over my stuff in storage, and I never arrive before 8.30am.

[Fangirl Three]

I've just been painstakingly drawing out a diagram of Junctions 5 and 6 on the M6 for my strip map. It is very complicated!

The problem is y'see, there's a handy BP at J5, and a prime Sainsburys just up the road under the M6, but you can't get back on at J5 to continue your journey north.

Instead you have to go round the back, into an area which I believe is called Erdington, and get back on at J6, which inconveniently happens to be Spaghetti Junction.

I didn't realise that when I started the project, I always think Spag J is J8.

Anyway, one bonus of the J5-J6 route is that you get to see the bottom half of Fort Dunlop, rather than just the familiar top bit which looms over the M6 flyover.

[Zarniwoop]

I got some the other day at 04:20 at Hythe Tesco when I was on my way to work

I didn't know it was open that early.

Although I probably won't have any use for the information now, as I only come to Zarnichester to look over my stuff in storage, and I never arrive before 8.30am.

At one time it was 24hrs, I used to fill up when doing night shifts years ago, then it suddenly wasn't ever open, I diverted there to see on the off chance as I was early for work and got lucky.

[Butterfield]

I've just been painstakingly drawing out a diagram of Junctions 5 and 6 on the M6 for my strip map. It is very complicated!

The problem is y'see, there's a handy BP at J5, and a prime Sainsburys just up the road under the M6, but you can't get back on at J5 to continue your journey north.

Instead you have to go round the back, into an area which I believe is called Erdington, and get back on at J6, which inconveniently happens to be Spaghetti Junction.

I didn't realise that when I started the project, I always think Spag J is J8.

Anyway, one bonus of the J5-J6 route is that you get to see the bottom half of Fort Dunlop, rather than just the familiar top bit which looms over the M6 flyover.

Yes, I don't know why they didn't put "on-ramps" for junction 5 heading north/west. Spaghetti Junction is always much easier to navigate than I expect. I guess because from the air it looks like a nightmare, but when you actually traverse it you're only using a small bit of it each time. Driving through it on M6 you barely even realise you're upon it as all you really see are a few twisty slip roads ahead of you and then you pass under several narrow flyovers - a lot of the rest is hidden underneath you or out of sight.

[Butterfield]

In other news, I got a full tank of petrol today. I wondered what to expect at the Asda pay-at-the-pump - millions of queueing cars, lots of staff in florescent jackets telling us where go, customers fighting with baseball bats.... but there was literally no one there! At first I thought it was shut, such was its surprising state of abandonment. About three cars turned up whilst I was filling with petrol - and then off I sailed.

[Fangirl Three]

Yes, I don't know why they didn't put "on-ramps" for junction 5 heading north/west

There's a housing estate where the On/NW slip road should be, perhaps it would have been too wasteful to knock the houses down.

On the other side where the Off slip road should be, there's a railway line, and it looks like there used to be a siding running round the back of where the Holiday Inn Express is. Probably they didn't want to get in a fight with British Rail about it.

The petrol shortage seems to be just a London/SE thing now. Which is good, because when I go away in 3 weeks I'll only need enough petrol to get to the Midlands, rather than all the way to Scotland.

[Butterfield]

Do you not use the M6 Toll at all? I was quite excited when it was built 20ish years ago but I've still never been on it! I guess I have never had a need for it being a resident of the West Midlands, having never needed to bypass the entire conurbation. I'd probably still stick with the old M6 anyway as it's more interesting - and free.

[SiberianPrincess’sMidriff]

I'm down in that there London next week, I might have to fill up at that there Sainsbury's on the M5/M6 as well, what with those cockney zombies still (apparently) driven insane by petrol lust,

[Fangirl Three]

They do say it's eased off now. Even in that London only 15% of forecourts were dry on Monday, compared to 11% nationwide.

Do you not use the M6 Toll at all? I was quite excited when it was built 20ish years ago but I've still never been on it! I guess I have never had a need for it being a resident of the West Midlands, having never needed to bypass the entire conurbation. I'd probably still stick with the old M6 anyway as it's more interesting - and free.

I do not. Although when I go to Birmingham, I do indeed - meaning no disrespect - wish to bypass the whole conurbation and just get to Hilton Park Services as fast as I can, I won't go on the M6 Toll in case I somehow get charged loads more money than is due.

My parents swear by it though, they're always trying to persuade me to use it.

[Butterfield]

I've never stopped at Hilton Park services before, obviously being my closest motorway services and therefore not having any need to do a we* we* within about 20 minutes of setting out on a motorway journey.

[Fangirl Three]

Good point. There is a large A-road services about 2 miles from my parents' house, and I have only ever stopped there once and tend to forget it exists. I didn't even consider it when searching for petrol stations on Google Maps 2 weeks ago.

[Fangirl Three]

I got petrol at Sainsburys today, and I didn't even have to queue. I had a choice of at least two pumps.

It's a pity I only had room for 4 litres, but every little helps.

I've been driving dead economically since the crisis, I averaged 54mpg today.

[Butterfield]

Yes, when I did my motorway journey last week during the panic I stuck at around 65mph to save that bit more fuel. Any less than that though always feels a bit strange on the motorway.

[Fangirl Three]

I have spent the last hour working out how I got lost last time I was going west from Welwyn on the A414 to get onto the M1 northbound.

What I did was take the 2nd exit at the Park Street roundabout instead of the 3rd. It doesn't have a sign so you assume it's the continuation of the A414.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.7322701,-0.3447415,3a,75y,271.87h,87.48t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soiDDfZi0qxZvLbwn_g7bEQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

But it's a trap! It's the A405, which confusingly is called the North Orbital Road, which is the same name as the bit of the A414 you've just let. The name stays the same but the road numbers change.

You have an opportunity to recover when the A405 goes under the M1. You can turn right and get onto the M1 sliproad. But I failed to see this inconspicuous sign

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.7051053,-0.3823801,3a,76.7y,171.63h,90.75t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3xfc0p93CIJpgOM82rEDNQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

and went on down the A405 towards Watford

I foolishly assumed I could recover by turning left here, turning round in the side road and turning right back onto the A405

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6987013,-0.384089,3a,75y,185.33h,90.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sB5zCZ7pvYt_i3jTI3e67NA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

but I found you can't!

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6983302,-0.3837084,3a,75y,269.98h,75.31t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1K6T53x6Xf-wFldlxPXNzw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

I nearly went through the red light too, I had to screech to a halt and all my maps slid off the front seat.

And I had to go on towards Watford, till I was saved by this handy U-turn opportunity

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.6973881,-0.3840637,3a,75y,177.75h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjN3zJXneKwV43yicoNirfg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

and I was back on my way!

Thanks for listening to the story of how I lost my way. Rest assured that I learnt my lesson; I updated my folder of motorway strip maps to show, for every junction on the M1, M6 and M74, the nearest place you can stop the car to read the map, and the nearest place you can turn round to get back to the motorway.

[Fangirl Three]

I must be careful not to make the same mistake this morning.

[Fangirl Three]

I didn't. But I would have if I hadn't done all that research, because it was so dark at 8am and raining.

[SiberianPrincess’sMidriff]

So there I was late at nite trundling along at 69.9mph in the left hand lane of a motorway, and oh dear there shut all but one lane and it's now a 50. Cones a'plenty! and a

TTT40

sign on one of those little boards, so I slow down to 40, and stay at exactly 41.5 40, cuz I'm scared of breaking the law Anyway this car come up behind me flashing his lights and beeping his horn, so I speed up to 41mph, until it gets to a bit where it's wider on the right where there's more space between the 'fast' lane where I am, and the central barrier and he overtakes me.



When I came out of the roadworks there was a National speed limit sign above the fast lane, as I pull over to the left hand lane and increase my speed to 69.9rMPH I wonder if I missed another sign saying the speed was a 70 through the roadworks?






 ️

[Fangirl Three]

I have to drive from Glasgow to Bedford today. I wonder what turns of fortune await me at Birmingham this time? May Junction 10 smile upon me.

[The Call of the Wendigo]

[SiberianPrincess’sMidriff]

Lol, you think it's just J10, and not the entity of the M6 from Birmingham the M5 to north of Manchester

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