The roads were quite empty on the way to London early yesterday evening and we could bimble along at a speedometer 55 like most other traffic. From time to time a small white van or car would pull out of a side road going our way, causing me to lift my foot and start to gnash my teeth. But every time they ran briskly up to my speed or better. They were on their best behaviour.
London was another matter of course. The last 15 miles took as long as the previous 40-plus. Hot too, I was running with sweat (don't like using the a/c which needs regassing I think). And getting wound up in that stupid way one has.
It's nice to be here in a way though. This place has many conveniences. Almost worth the low traffic speeds and constant anxiety about parking carp, not to mention the considerable cost.
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Mrs F loves London and is there today on some prestige jolly with impressive river views. She always uses the train/tube/taxi. 17yr old daughter is similarly keen but self and 19yr old don't really get the vibe so don't go.
I must admit I did enjoy London as a teen in the early 70s as F snr went every week thurs/fri for Bermondsey market and other associated places. He knew every side street and cut through in the city and double yellows parking was just an amusing game with the wardens who rarely issued more than a amiable ticking off.
Different days.
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For we old codgers, London is just too crowded.
It wasn't so bad when SWMBO (Victoria area) & I (Harrow down to Paddington) worked there, but there is no way I'd want to go there now. (Unless, I suppose, I was very rich and could afford a decent hotel & a chauffeured car, but even then the incentive to visit would need to be good.
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>> For we old codgers, London is just too crowded.
>> It wasn't so bad when SWMBO (Victoria area) & I (Harrow down to Paddington) worked
>> there, but there is no way I'd want to go there now. (Unless, I suppose,
>> I was very rich and could afford a decent hotel & a chauffeured car, but
>> even then the incentive to visit would need to be good.
I don't think age or codgerism has anything to do with that one, Roger. I'm still in my 30s and can't stand the place. Felt exactly the same in my 20s as well.
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I've lived in Norfolk for half my life. The first part was spent in London. Both have their attractions. To live a decent life in London you do need lots and lots of money. If I had that
I would move there tomorrow.
When I say London I mean central London, not some dreary suburb where most "Londoners" actually live.
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I lived in London for 31 years.
For me it's a total crap hole.
It has however done me a huge favour. It was where I forged an interesting and fulfilling career ..and.. it makes me truly appreciate what I have now..i.e. the countryside... and the price of my London property allowed me to buy something half decent here.
I don't miss it in the slightest and have no wish to return. Hopefully that will mellow and in say 5 years time I'll go back and do the tourist bit, in a hotel, with a show, etc... not going to happen at the moment thought.
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The furthest south I have lived (so far) is Bradford, although I now live in N Yorks as opposed to W Yorks!
I thoroughly enjoy the occasional long weekend trip to London, perhaps once or twice a year. See a show (Comedy Club) visit exhibitions and museums, drink in some fine old pubs and get jostled on pavements!
Always nice to get on the train home though.
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Does the ferret miss you when you go to London LL?
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That's not a very nice thing to call my gf
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Might send my pigeons over to poo on your LEC for that comment
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Thinking on I've never driven in London. Been I think 3 times always parked up and got the tube in.
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Does the whippet travel well enough in the car?
;-)
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I have a multiplicity of skinny canines.
They travel exceptionally well.
Until they reach the county boundary.
Good taste tha knows
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Living in London, but outside zone 1, you might as well be dead.
Last edited by: Mapmaker on Wed 16 Jul 14 at 18:37
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I quite enjoy London, even driving in the city for a day or two. But the best view of it in the end is always the one in the rear view mirror as you join the northbound M1.
It is a lot easier driving around nowadays with the aid of an automatic gearbox, some reasonable local knowledge and the comfort of a sat nav though. Years ago, not knowing the city and armed with a manual Cortina with an A-Z in my left hand it was a bit stressful sometimes.
The wretched cameras are a pain though. Too easy to get caught with a wheel in a yellow box or a bus lane or whatever when it looked like your route was clear but gets blocked by someone.
What I do notice on the whole though is that you can make progress if you drive positively. What I mean by that is if you need to change lanes for example, you simply indicate and go and you will be "let in". Try that in a provincial town and the driver baulked would almost certainly object noisily. London drivers seem to understand that in order for things to flow you need to let others move too. They won't wait for a dilly dallier though, he who hesitates is most definitely lost.
People moan about the cyclists and pedestrians and while there are lots of them, it's not a problem to me. Just have to keep your wits about you really and appreciate that they will be there, and that as with all sub sections of the community, however they are conveying themselves, that some of them will be stupid.
One final thought occurs though, by comparison to days gone by, driving in London in the summer is much more tolerable since the advent of air con in cars. Used to be miserable sitting in traffic on a hot day.
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I only lived in London for 3 years but have worked there now for nearly 30 years (because that's where the best paid work is), but I could never ever live there now, let alone bring my kids up there. I do actually enjoy driving in London, which is fortunate as I have to do it for my work.
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Worked in London from 1979 until 2013.
Initially lived in a hostel in Highbury then shared houses in Stanmore, Golders Green and back to Kenton/Belmont before first flat with Mrs B in Bessborough Rd Harrow.
Moved out of town then, first to Watford and since 1990 a 'village' over the M1 from Northampton.
Driving in London is a challenge and on whole a bike is preferred. Even in 1982 YHA group club nights were more easily accessed by bike via Cool Oak Lane then North Circular and risk if losing parking space.
Last car trip into 'Town' was a year ago early doors on a Saturday to collect personal stuff from closing office in Chancery Lane. The Lad did most of inner city driving while I acted as Nav.
Culturally, the Sabbath round Golders Green was fascinating.
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>> ..i.e. the countryside...
>> and the price of my London property allowed me to buy something half decent here.
>>
>> I don't miss it in the slightest and have no wish to return.
>>
Same here, except that I would like to return occasionally. Perfection would be owning a flat right in town and popping up occasionally. But as GKN says, you'd need a fortune.
But nothing in between bustling metropolis or real country seclusion. I can't stand villages - nosey people leaning on gates watching how my beans are coming on, and a pseudo "community" of ex-townees and commuters.
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>> But nothing in between bustling metropolis or real country seclusion. I can't stand villages -
>> nosey people leaning on gates watching how my beans are coming on, and a pseudo
>> "community" of ex-townees and commuters.
Totally with you there Cliff. We now live in a small town. It doesn't suit me. My wife likes it though but I prefer city life or being out in the sticks.
Small towns ( maybe villages too ) are just the worst of everything. Nothing much to do but everyone knows and has an opinion when you do. Hate it.
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I would like a 3 storey townhouse with a small back garden and off road parking in Kensington, a beach house in Pembrokeshire and a log cabin near Oban. For my British houses anyway. Oh and a New Town flat in Edinburgh of course.
I shall have to give a bit more thought to my offshore ones but I suspect one of them will be a small vineyard in the south of France, a ...
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Wed 16 Jul 14 at 23:04
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What's wrong with Scarborough?
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>>a beach house in Pembrokeshire
Near Dale. Perhaps when I win the lottery I'll buy the Druidstone. One of my favourite places.
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Been running about the place all day today, quite happily although somewhat out of practice and circling around a bit... but of course I don't even notice the driving, apart from giving the odd curse, and do it unconsciously and with dispatch.
Crisscrossed my old manor a few times too, and passed the old gaff, sadly shuttered and dark at night... every street, every junction, carries memories spread over 55 years.
No one approached me offering to sell dope (so flattering when you are my age). But I wasn't bothered. It's tourist season after all and the hustlers are all in soppy disguises.
I had a phenomenally unsuccessful day. When I turned up the other person didn't, and vice versa. Things smoothed out a bit in the evening with a coupe of drinks with the Iraqi comrade, but of course the pubs weren't at their best because of the hols. Nevertheless got a couple of nice Leffes in horrible plastic glasses, and were buttonholed by a genuine Notting Hill pub bore (run a mile is my advice).
Parking and drinks have cost a fortune and been a constant worry. And that reminds me: I now have to go out and stick a couple of Islington scratchcards in the jalopy, or it'll cost me. God what a bore. I only hope the foxes don't notice how old and weak I am and decide to have a go.
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One of the appointments I missed - so late I thought I'd cut it for the next one, whose other party didn't turn up of course - was getting to UCH to see one of my oldest and most beloved friends who was taken there with pneumonia and is thought unable to look after himself. The pneumonia has gone it's said, amazingly enough, but he has degenerative Parkinsonism which has multiple effects, all baleful and essentially ageing (he can't see his feet hardly, poor old boy). And since last summer when he made it to my 75th down here he has got much worse, can hardly articulate words properly.
The worst of it is that this cat is celebrated for energy, creativeness and many events and as it were movements of the sixties and seventies. He has an enviable mix of fame and notoriety. When he dies he will get interesting obits, more or less everywhere.
Not that his death is necessarily imminent. He's always had massive resilience and has just shrugged off a pneumonia although he's a year or two my senior. But last time I went to see an ill friend at UCH he left the place feet first. All the same I will try to fall by there today on the way out of town. He's supposed to be being discharged but not before 2.30.
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Did you remember to pay the Congestion Charge?
Or have you signed up to this automatic debiting system?
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For a 3/4 month period on 1967/8 I commuted, by road, from Pratts Bottom in Kent - my parent's home - to Kenton Road in Harrow.
I was working as a new business representative for Lombank (Old fashioned HP/Lease company)
That trip used to take me about an hour, I suppose, using lots of rat-run knowledge gained by trial & error.
I then drove around from (roughly) Edgware to Ealing, Paddington and Kilburn, plus Wembley and Ruislip, seeking new business, followed by more driving in the evening collecting money from defaulters before returning, at around midnight, to home, where a dried up meal would be waiting in the AGA's bottom oven.
No overtime pay, whatsoever.
Then I moved to Pinner, which meant I was home around 10 or 11PM - bliss.
I could not imagine that sort of activity in a car, these days.
(I dare say that banging on knocker's doors at 10pm would not be allowed now, either!)
Last edited by: Roger. on Thu 17 Jul 14 at 09:15
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>>
>> Then I moved to Pinner,
Whereabouts?
I was based at Pinner nick for about 18 months .. and at South Harrow for 13 years.
There's worse places in the world.
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A rented flat at 28, West End Court. West End Lane, Pinner. (Hows that for a memory?).
The block is still there (Google Earth) just as I remember it !
Then came matrimony.
We then moved to Ruislip: 29, Pond Green, Ruislip - bought new and described as a "town house" ie a modern terrace! (That's still there, too.)
Then it was to the place where, in retrospect, we should have stayed - Chalfont St. Peter!
I looked at our old house there, on Google Earth and it has been extended beyond recognition.
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I spent many a debauched weekend in Chalfont St Peter in my rutting years. A good friend lived there and we used to frequent a nightclub called "Winkers" and a wine bar on the High St. Can't remember it's name. Oh and the "Greyhound" of course.
A lot of air hostesses lived there I seem to recall. Handy for Heathrow I suppose.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 17 Jul 14 at 16:23
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>> I spent many a debauched weekend in Chalfont St Peter in my rutting years. A
>> good friend lived there and we used to frequent a nightclub called "Winkers"
>>
Damn swear filter, eh Runfer?
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Actually it's right. Apparently the original owner was an ex Wing Commander or something ( or said he was )
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>> Did you remember to pay the Congestion Charge?
>> Or have you signed up to this automatic debiting system?
Ages ago. It's the expensive luxury option, but worth it because you never have to think about paying it again, the government just steals the money as authorised.
The barefaced effrontery of those working for the powers that be disgusts me every time I think of it. Snivelling thieves and pickpockets.
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Best behaviour - Fenlander
