Interesting Route

[BrumJim]

Some parts of Birmingham are dodgy, others aren't so. With respect to my commute, the Birmingham and Fazeley canal tends to be frequented by homeless, and also ASBO geese. There is also the danger of mountain bikers riding blind round bridge parapets at speed.

Canon Hill Park can be a continuous set of chicanes, particularly if schools are out, students are "revising", or the weather is warm and sunny. Otherwise it is just suicidal squirrels and early morning dog walkers that get in the way.

Nechells/Aston is surprisingly quiet, although there was a lot of trouble a few years back, and have seen someone taken out of their house in handcuffs just opposite our office window.

Balsall Heath used to be a red light district, but is much better now, thanks to local action.

However one section that doesn't usually merit a sharp intake of breath (although often has an air of niggle about it), is Highgate up to the Middleway. Lots of Police there yesterday, and road blocked this morning. Why? Well, actually two separate incidents:
Last Night shooting
This morning. man on fire

Makes User's run-ins with buses seem almost tame. Should I take a different route?

 

[gemsno4]

Not sure about Highgate not being scary - thats the bit I thought was the roughest on my old commute from the city centre to moseley. The sign saying "murder here" that was up for ages just the other side of the middleway was concerning - I only missed that by 5 minutes I think. I never took a different route, as that is the shortest, least busy and least dangerous road for miles I reckon - apart from idiots in cars going straight on through the bus/bike only bit near the mosque

Balsall Heath is OK, although every year when the clocks went forward I used to think to myself that I prefered it in the dark so I couldn't see how rough it was!

Still miss the brum commute though, far better cycle lanes and paths than Southampton.

 

[HaloJ]

In vast contrast to Highgate in North London which is a sleepy, beautiful, leafy and quaint part of the city.