Travelling in London and the tip of the garbage iceberg that is Hackney

[MarkMas]

May I offer my sincere thanks for your careful analysis of my original post. Its deeply gratifying to see someone take the time and trouble to clarify something written in haste whilst in the midst of frustration.
Members of society who can deal with life's annoyances so adroitly are few and far between, and should be held out as a beacon for the rest of us 'mere mortals' to learn from and aspire to be!
Should your local authority deem owning and driving an eight cylinder highly poluting performance motor car, be contrary to the good of society, and as a result apply a hefty levy for the use of such a vehicle, you will I'm sure view this as a fair and reasonable price to pay, for potentially jeopardising the long term health of your fellow members of society. Although I do remain a little puzzled as to your choice of car, particularly given your high moral stance on tackling the issues presented by the use of such poluting means of private transport.
Nevertheless that aside I remain deeply indebted to your good self.

I can see how my post might have come across as 'superior' and of 'high moral tone', but actually it really intended as an exercise in cheerfulness and optimism (and self-indulgence), to counterbalance your heartfelt frustration. I apologise if it seemed pious or offensive. I make no real claim to be green myself, being lazy, comfort-loving, profligate and and V8-positive. Although I am enthusiastically woke, it's true.

 

[MarkMas]

London has gone downhill very very quickly. It's grotty and a very unpleasant place to be.

I've moved my business out of London now, I took the opportunity thanks to everyone working from home.

Now based in Cambridge and very happy here. If my staff want to live in London that's fine, but I really don't think it's a good use of their money.

I first lived in London in about 1978 and it was a dirty, crowded, congested rat-infested, pot-holey dump back then.

 

[P5Nij]

As someone who's family (my Mum's side) were all born there, as someone who once lived there and as someone who has worked in and out of there for years, I still have a love / loath relationship with London. Perhaps loath sounds a bit harsh, but the weeds, litter and graffiti I see in certain parts of it are just downright depressing. It's one of the most vibrant places on earth, yet parts of it look so unwelcoming, neglected and dirty. I lived there from January '83 to March '85 in Hammersmith, just a few hundred yards from the river and loved it, Sunday mornings were akin to living in a village back then but these days it's so crowded, seemingly all the time. All I see these days through work is Willesden, Wembley, Acton and Neasden, not the most welcoming looking places it has to be said. In a bad mood, the best thoing to come out of London is the M1. In a good mood, the best thing to come out of London is The Who!

 

[DLax69]

I first lived in London in about 1978 and it was a dirty, crowded, congested rat-infested, pot-holey dump back then.

Some dude...Dicken Chuckles?...wrote some books about it being like that a little while before then...if memory serves.

 

[Nibby]

I first lived in London in 1962 because I was born there, my dad once lived in Mare St in Hackney, he knew all round there, Victoria Park, football on the marshes, Hackney Wick dog racing with dad. In the 60s and the 70s there were still bomb sites from the war, it was a poor area. Petticoat Lane on a Sunday was the norm. The route master buses in them days use to kick out some **** and thankfully they sorted that sort of pollution.
I lived back in London for a while in the 80s in Powis Square in Notting Hill, great times always. In the 90s I would drive into London most Sunday’s and park in Surrey St just off the Strand, easy walk through to Piccadilly Circus and spend a fortune in Tower Records but within a few years the internet came around and I could buy the same cd’s for a fraction of what I payed in Tower. I suppose the late 90s pre-internet were the last time I enjoyed going to London, to spend or see a show. To me now there’s no reason to go in there and I also avoid the cash grab cameras for Khan’s war on the motorist.

 

[Gazcw]

I’m struggling for sympathy with the OP on this one. At least you have alternatives when not taking the car even they’ve inconveniently closed it to spend yet more money on the public transport network in London.

Meanwhile, HS2 to Leeds has been cancelled, investment in the trans-pennine route has been cut massively, TransPennine Express (a joke company name if I ever heard one) cut around 50% of their trains last week and Leeds Council is banning cars from the city centre by making it just too difficult to drive there. I could use public transport to get to work but don’t have a train station within walking distance meaning I have to drive at some point on my commute. I could get the bus but that’s so unreliable and is caught up in all the roadworks that delay me if I’m driving.

Just remember average spend per head on transport in London - £1200pa. Average spend per head in Yorkshire - £450pa.

You don't have to go that far north for naff public transport. If I had to use a bus to get to a station I would have to leave hours before or the night before for an early morning train.

 

[DLax69]

You don't have to go that far north for naff public transport. If I had to use a bus to get to a station I would have to leave hours before or the night before for an early morning train.

Maybe not for the "differences" thread...our urban areas basically subsidize those in rural areas. And you've seen the maps around our passenger rail...

 

[CatmanV2]

I've always loved London, ever since my parents took me as a kid. Went to Imperial College and lived in various parts from '89 to '96 where we moved to Debden. Then out to Harlow in the early 00s. My entire career has been based in London (albeit with a significant amount of national and international travel). For years I took a bus from Debden to Old St. My dentist was on Mare St, and my Alfas were serviced at The Baker's Arms.
When I worked for myself I had clients from Clerkenwell to Lea Bridge.
Mrs C worked in Walthamstow, Leyton, Tower Bridge and Belgravia.
Current base is Lower Thames St.
Yes it has its problems but I wouldn't change it for anything else.

C

 

[P5Nij]

I first lived in London in 1962 because I was born there, my dad once lived in Mare St in Hackney, he knew all round there, Victoria Park, football on the marshes, Hackney Wick dog racing with dad. In the 60s and the 70s there were still bomb sites from the war, it was a poor area. Petticoat Lane on a Sunday was the norm. The route master buses in them days use to kick out some **** and thankfully they sorted that sort of pollution.
I lived back in London for a while in the 80s in Powis Square in Notting Hill, great times always. In the 90s I would drive into London most Sunday’s and park in Surrey St just off the Strand, easy walk through to Piccadilly Circus and spend a fortune in Tower Records but within a few years the internet came around and I could buy the same cd’s for a fraction of what I payed in Tower. I suppose the late 90s pre-internet were the last time I enjoyed going to London, to spend or see a show. To me now there’s no reason to go in there and I also avoid the cash grab cameras for Khan’s war on the motorist.

Powis square has been gentrified since then, but back in 1968 it looked like this - screen grabs from the Mick Jagger / James Fox film 'Performance'...

 

[bigbob]

Powis square has been gentrified since then, but back in 1968 it looked like this - screen grabs from the Mick Jagger / James Fox film 'Performance'...

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Thanks for posting. A lot of young people don't realise how much London has changed. When I started working in London Thatcher was the PM and I used to drive to work and park in bomb sites run as car parks for £5 a day. Changed a bit since then!

 

[bigbob]

I've always loved London, ever since my parents took me as a kid. Went to Imperial College and lived in various parts from '89 to '96 where we moved to Debden. Then out to Harlow in the early 00s. My entire career has been based in London (albeit with a significant amount of national and international travel). For years I took a bus from Debden to Old St. My dentist was on Mare St, and my Alfas were serviced at The Baker's Arms.
When I worked for myself I had clients from Clerkenwell to Lea Bridge.
Mrs C worked in Walthamstow, Leyton, Tower Bridge and Belgravia.
Current base is Lower Thames St.
Yes it has its problems but I wouldn't change it for anything else.

C

Was at a shindig in the Oyster Shed just along from you recently. Too loud and noisy for me now but takes me back.

 

[MarkMas]

Powis square has been gentrified since then, but back in 1968 it looked like this - screen grabs from the Mick Jagger / James Fox film 'Performance'...

 

[rockits]

Can't stand London any more and luckily have not had to endure too much if it full time for too long. It is a pain in the butt to work in at great cost, inconvenience and hard ship. I have to do some jobs in London on occasion for some customers but it is always a chore and never a pleasure.

Pollution and traffic/congestion has got worse not.better from what I have experienced. It took way less time to get to and travel around as a field engineer in the 90's than it does now by some margin. Also at a much greater cost. People like SK are selfish low creative thinking imbeciles. They never fix problems just make them worse, tax them or push them elsewhere.

 

[Wack61]

Worse bit about London for me at the moment are the 20 mph zones and speeding fines that follow them.

Every 30mph zone in wales will be 20mph from september , I can't see that being very popular

Introducing default 20mph speed limits | GOV.WALES

We have introduced a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales.

www.gov.wales

 

[Wack61]

I thought it would be good to share with all, including of course MarkMas the wonderful conditions I had to endure,

at least somebody had a good time in London that night , he's definitely getting it when they get off that train

 

[safrane]

Every 30mph zone in wales will be 20mph from september , I can't see that being very popular

Introducing default 20mph speed limits | GOV.WALES

We have introduced a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales.

www.gov.wales

So as I drive thorough one of those areas (early adopter areas) every 2 days, it is not quite as it seams - it is mainly residential streets, with the 'high-streets' still at 30 mph. Although I have to say at 05:30 its hard to keep to 30 if there is no traffic about, but when the high streets are busy, there is no way you could drive at >30 for more than a few yards.

The 20 mph areas are like driving into your own close, culdesac, lane etc with house both sides and cars both sides... you probably only do 20 anyway for fear of hitting a kid - btw If you are doing 31 rather than 30 and tried to stop, you would still be doing 8 mph at the point you would have stopped if doing 30, try sprinting into a lamp post and state it did not hurt at 8mph.

 

[DLax69]

So as I drive thorough one of those areas (early adopter areas) every 2 days, it is not quite as it seams - it is mainly residential streets, with the 'high-streets' still at 30 mph. Although I have to say at 05:30 its hard to keep to 30 if there is no traffic about, but when the high streets are busy, there is no way you could drive at >30 for more than a few yards.

The 20 mph areas are like driving into your own close, culdesac, lane etc with house both sides and cars both sides... you probably only do 20 anyway for fear of hitting a kid - btw If you are doing 31 rather than 30 and tried to stop, you would still be doing 8 mph at the point you would have stopped if doing 30, try running into a lamp post and state it did not hurt.

I have. To be fair, it was because I got t-boned by a truck that ran a red light. Still not sure how I not only lived, but only got a concussion and a couple of broken ribs...

 

[Nibby]

Powis square has been gentrified since then, but back in 1968 it looked like this - screen grabs from the Mick Jagger / James Fox film 'Performance'...

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It was a flat that my employers owned who were based in Kilburn. There were 3 of us staying there, we use to work strange hours and I remember the place being robbed twice over the period I was there, we had a great time nonetheless.
These days I do chuckle about the place because I always think of Harry Enfield’s I Saw You Coming.

 

[Nibby]

I wonder if this could be SK's 'Thatcher's poll tax moment' when he's gone one step too far?

 

[Swedish Paul]

I wonder if this could be SK's 'Thatcher's poll tax moment' when he's gone one step too far?

It’s funny about the poll tax because there are now 8m households with single occupancy in the uk and they’re are complaining it’s unfair they pay an unfair share of taxes when compared to household of multiple occupancies.