Another example of drivers just not getting it

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Glow worm

Legendary Member
Location
Near Newmarket
An article in our local rag caught my eye yesterday. Apparently drivers (poor darlings) were exasperated by gridlock in Norwich city centre caused by, er, drivers cramming the place with cars (for shopping and whatnot). Article here.

They're blaming the chaos not on traffic, but those nasty planners turning over a couple of streets in the city centre to be car free (buses, taxis and bikes allowed). It seems making life more pleasant, cleaner and safer for the rest of us is unfair to folk who insist on dragging two tons of metal around with them everywhere.

The quote in the article from one driver from North Walsham is almost beyond belief. He queued for 3 hours ( 3 hours FFS!) to find somewhere to park. This from a town 11 miles away (an easy hours ride) served by an hourly direct train (journey time 30 mins) and numerous busses. The best quote from Mr North Walsham is ''there must be a mass shortage [of parking] or something''. No bonehead - there's a mass glut of self entitled twits like you!
 
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Article Name: Norwich city centre traffic misery for shoppers - but it’s great news for our economy
Comment: "One annoyed driver had to search for three hours to find a parking space, having travelled with his son from North Walsham."

How do you contend with rank stupidity of this order? These idiots are poisoning our city, pumping out particles that cause cancers for three hours, because he wants to go shopping.
Reason: - offensive
 
Good to see that planners are now reclaiming some of the streets to just pedestrian thoroughfare and open spaces for events and market stalls. Been to few towns in recent years and there is a new buzz about. Only wish is that they have more bike stands and in prominent places to avoid the vandalism and thefts.
 
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Saluki

World class procrastinator
We have had no issues with traffic or parking in Norwich. Not even on Christmas Eve. Oh, we took the bikes. That would be why :laugh:

The cars were a nightmare but being able to spin down St Stephens and Castle Meadow was a joy. St Stephens has only just been closed to traffic, except for Taxis, Busses and bikes. I say just, in the last month or two anyway. It's brilliant.
There are several park and ride schemes in place for the less useless. It's a darn sight cheaper than city centre parking too.
 

Saluki

World class procrastinator
Good to see that planners are now reclaiming some of the streets to just pedestrian thoroughfare and open spaces for events and market stalls. Been to few town in recent years and there is a new buzz about. Only wish is that they have more bike stands and in prominent places to avoid the vandalism and thefts.
Norwich has a brilliant bike park. Its a big cage in one of the big, central car parks. The parking attendants, in their booth thing, let you in. You get to know them after a while. We used it a lot the year before last and took them chocolates at Christmas time. Magnetic lock is broken at the moment but I'm sure it will be fixed soon. There are cameras in there too. Much safer than locking your bike to a bike rack elsewhere.
 

BrynCP

Über Member
Location
Hull
It makes me laugh in Hull. You get cars driving around the Tesco car park for ages trying to find a spot, just stopping dead in the middle of the road and putting their hazards on at the site of anybody who may be about to get in their car and exit, and generally causing gridlock in the Park Street area. And this is the Tesco in St Stephen's, which is literally about 100 metres away from the combined bus, coach and train station.

At this time of the year, I either get on a bus, or park at one of the car parks on the edge of the city and walk in.
 
OP
OP
Glow worm

Glow worm

Legendary Member
Location
Near Newmarket
A web comment you posted has been rejected by a site moderator.

How do you contend with rank stupidity of this order? These idiots are poisoning our city, pumping out particles that cause cancers for three hours, because he wants to go shopping.
Reason: - offensive

That's the EDP for you. I sometimes wonder if the editor is Jeremy Clarkson. I once wrote a pro -cycling letter to them which they published, (following a prolongued period of cyclist bashing you often get in there), but they butchered to such an extent it made little sense.
 

citybabe

Keep Calm and OMG.......CAKES!!
I've often left the car in Trowse and walked into the city
 
That's the EDP for you. I sometimes wonder if the editor is Jeremy Clarkson. I once wrote a pro -cycling letter to them which they published, (following a prolongued period of cyclist bashing you often get in there), but they butchered to such an extent it made little sense.

It's "offensive" to say cars pollute? wtf? Whether the man is an idiot or not I guess is subjective.
 

Ern1e

Über Member
For 27 years ar my last place of employment which was at the top of an Asda carpark it used to be so much fun watching what would be normal people fight at times just to park their tin box up and go shopping. It was the same thing every year they never seemed to grasp that it was going to be a free for all.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
The OP is right. some drivers are so bone idle lazy they don't have the energy to think.

On our local news recently was some article about traffic chaos caused by the school run drivers. They interviewed a few, but one in particular made me want to spit. She was a big lass, clearly a proponent of the burger-for-breakfast diet plan, and was monaing that she had no choice but to use her car to drop off Wayne and Chardonnay at scool, as otherwise it would be a 20 minute walk...
 
It makes me laugh in Hull. You get cars driving around the Tesco car park for ages trying to find a spot, just stopping dead in the middle of the road and putting their hazards on at the site of anybody who may be about to get in their car and exit, and generally causing gridlock in the Park Street area. And this is the Tesco in St Stephen's, which is literally about 100 metres away from the combined bus, coach and train station.

At this time of the year, I either get on a bus, or park at one of the car parks on the edge of the city and walk in.
Park Street, was there ever a more appropriately named street? I've strolled down it leaving queuing cars in my wake.
I'm on the bike every time I go into town on my own. More people than that it's usually the car unfortunately, just as a matter of economics depending on how long we'll be parking up, because of the price of the buses £1.60 one way for a 2 1/2 mile trip, £6.40 for a return - car parks are less for several hours.

The car park on Mount Pleasant is just as interesting too. Which reminds me, I must create a Strava segment for it so I can claim a KOM :smile: (for those not from my fair city, I doubt there is a more inappropriately named road. It's completely flat.
 

BrynCP

Über Member
Location
Hull
£1.70 these days on Stagecoach! I'm going to drop my bike off at the shop tomorrow, it's going to cost me £3.40 in bus fares to get home then get back later to pick it up. I am tempted to walk at least one of those, I walked the bike home when I got it from there new because I forgot my helmet and hadn't ridden a drop bar before.
 
Norwich has a brilliant bike park. Its a big cage in one of the big, central car parks. The parking attendants, in their booth thing, let you in. You get to know them after a while. We used it a lot the year before last and took them chocolates at Christmas time. Magnetic lock is broken at the moment but I'm sure it will be fixed soon. There are cameras in there too. Much safer than locking your bike to a bike rack elsewhere.

Good to hear it. Decent of you to look after the attendants. It goes to create and entrench a cycling culture that society needs.
 
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