Gah!

**UK-C200** · 07-07-2008

So you know those days where no matter what you do, you just know it's not going to be a good one?

That pretty much describes my Monday. I end up going in to work early, so figure what the heck, I'll drive, the DLR is screwed, and hey, I'll be leaving early, so I'll avoid traffic on the way home as well.

Hop out of the office a bit later than I'd hoped, and make it all of about 500 yards before traffic slows to an absolute crawl. I'm stuck behind a f'ing lorry whose last exhaust check must have been in the '70's, and I'm breathing fumes like none other.

Traffic's going nowhere fast, and I'm trying to get to my happy place with some Norah Jones on the iPod. 5 minutes later, I've moved about 10 yards, and the traffic alert pops through to tell me "you are outta luck if you are going south through the Blackwall Tunnel - one lane is closed due to emergency repairs". Yep - that's me - heading towards the tunnel.

I'm starting to get high from lorry fumes, and it's starting to really piss down rain. I've pretty much gotten to my "ah well" place, which is probably as good as it gets.

Cut to an hour thirty and two roundabouts later - I've managed to almost get around the lorry (Daily Mail for those interested), and he's now beside me in the "wrong" lane, and indicating that he's now going to try and cross from the inside of the roundabout over to the outside. My "ah well" place is rapidly becoming an "ah sh*t" place.

I'm keeping a eye on my friend from the Daily Mail delivery service and going nowhere fast. He's managed to now creep forward and block the two inside lanes of the roundabout - looks like he's determined to create a third exit lane where two have always been before. I've got nowhere to go, so I'm just holding back.

A brief respite in the traffic, and we all move forward a bit. Maybe 5 yards. Only problem is that my friend the lorry driver has now driven into the side of the car beside him, and in front of me.

Gotta love it - the guy who's gotten hit is out of his car via the passenger side, and screaming and yelling. The lorry driver's climbing down and screaming and yelling as well. I'm figuring if they are both well enough to yell at each other, I'll creep around and try and escape.

Manage to extricate myself - and move forward another 10 yards or so. The entertainment behind me seems to be growing in scale, as a couple of other folks stuck behind the lorry have now popped out of their cars and joined in the yelling, shouting, and general expression of displeasure.

Creep on forward, and make it to the tunnel just as they are opening the other lane. Pop to the head of the queue, and notice that my mileage has now hit an all time low, and that I'd probably be well served to go ahead and fill up since I'm now no longer in any type of hurry to get home.

Pop into the forecourt, and fill her up - gotta love London! End of rant, now safely home watching the wifey adjusting the route for our next trip stateside - looks like she's going to include more mountains!

**alroumi** · 07-07-2008

Thats an interesting story well let me just say that your equivalent of a worse day is way better than mine being surrounded by hooligans or let me say football supporters hitting and fighting other supporters from another team.

**etyu** · 07-07-2008

Thank you for posting your experience.

**UK-C200** · 07-07-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by alroumi

Thats an interesting story well let me just say that your equivalent of a worse day is way better than mine being surrounded by hooligans or let me say football supporters hitting and fighting other supporters from another team.

Wow - does sound bad alroumi! I guess all in all it was not the "worse" day, just a bad Monday. I'm headed down to Dubai on Saturday, and after a week of traipsing between there and Abu Dhabi I'm sure the London traffic will seem almost peaceful. Nothing like bumper to bumper at 100mph+ on the Sheik Zayed Intergalactic Raceway - but at least I don't have to do the driving.

mtiede · 07-07-2008

UK-C200,

Everything is relative. Your post reminds me of one I posted before on a similar vein.

Here's a re-post:

Oh come on. Travel can be a lot more unpleasant than that.

I remember traveling in Ghana when I was in the Peace Corps back in 1969-1972. First we had to walk for 20 minutes to get into town. Then you got in the lorry. It was a van about the size of a VW bus, but a little bigger. If the van filled up, it would leave. If it didn't fill up, it didn't leave. Potentially, you could wait all day and it wouldn't go. Once everybody was inside, about 20 to 24 people and their goods over head and chickens under the seats, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee, then they would collect the money. After they had the money, they would drive over and get some diesel fuel.

Then we would go the 36 miles or 1 1/2 hour drive to the nearest big town. No air conditioning, black diesel fumes blowing in where windows should have been, hot summer heat and no deodorant in use.

I remember I used to take books to read while waiting in the lorry. We started off and it was full up. In fact, 3 or four kids were standing up between the u-shaped bench seat. One of the kids was drinking chocolate milk. After driving for about 45 minutes down the dirt escarpment, the boy kind of leaned forward and then heaved (vomitted) the chocolate milk... Onto the pages of my book. I blotted the pages together and continued to read.

And this was the GOOD transportation.

One trip from Niger to Ghana we took by land and had a portion by train. When the train pulled in, most of the cars were just flat cars with people hanging all over them. Luckily, our tickets were to a cabin with actual seats. I was nervous there for a while.

Don't get me started on the trips with the cows, the sheep, the crazy guy, and the driving off the road over an embankment down about 20 feet into a river bed at night while sitting on a 55 gallon drum of gasoline in an open LandRover!

So you see, sometimes you just have to put things in perspective.

Tslick · 07-07-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by UK-C200

......Pop into the forecourt, and fill her up - gotta love London! End of rant, now safely home watching the wifey adjusting the route for our next trip stateside - looks like she's going to include more mountains!

A bit of positive... it may take longer but... the way I look at it, at times, I'll drive the opposite direction from work to get home. I'll have the ocean on my left and young girls in scant costumes frolicking along the way. Much better than sucking a lorry's tail pipe.... Perspective

07-07-2008	#2 (permalink)
alroumi Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kuwait City, Kuwait Vehicle: 2006 Kleemann Designo Mocha Black SLK55 AMG Other Toys: 2007 Ebony Jaguar XKR Coupe' and 06 Black Cayenne S Posts: 6,080 Country: Thanks: 246 Thanked 187 Times in 110 Posts	Thats an interesting story well let me just say that your equivalent of a worse day is way better than mine being surrounded by hooligans or let me say football supporters hitting and fighting other supporters from another team. __________________ 06 Kleemann Designo Mocha Black SLK55 AMG 06 Porsche Cayenne S 07 Jaguar XKR Coupe' I use the Torque and keep the HP for my Steak Sauce!

07-07-2008	#3 (permalink)
etyu Founding Member #2 / Ambassador Of Good Will Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Vehicle: 2008 SLK 55 Posts: 4,940 Country: Thanks: 330 Thanked 216 Times in 116 Posts	Thank you for posting your experience. __________________ *Eddy* To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Pewter/Beige, PIII package, Airscarf, Hands-Free Communication System, Lighting package Designo Black Leather Cover on e-brake handle, ( To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Bill T), SmartTop v1.0, Kleyman 3BFM (NoRegret Custom), Green Air Filters, *Mod. R170 ant.* EuroClear sidemarkers w/PIAA PlasmaIon lamps, chromed front & rear turn indicator lamps, PIAA SuperPlasmaGTX front parking lamps, HyperWhite license plate lamps ( To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Scott), bilateral rear fog lamps enabled.

07-07-2008	#5 (permalink)
mtiede Founding Member #7 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Western New York Vehicle: 2006 SLK 350 Posts: 1,419 Thanks: 71 Thanked 40 Times in 30 Posts	UK-C200, Everything is relative. Your post reminds me of one I posted before on a similar vein. Here's a re-post: Oh come on. Travel can be a lot more unpleasant than that. I remember traveling in Ghana when I was in the Peace Corps back in 1969-1972. First we had to walk for 20 minutes to get into town. Then you got in the lorry. It was a van about the size of a VW bus, but a little bigger. If the van filled up, it would leave. If it didn't fill up, it didn't leave. Potentially, you could wait all day and it wouldn't go. Once everybody was inside, about 20 to 24 people and their goods over head and chickens under the seats, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee, then they would collect the money. After they had the money, they would drive over and get some diesel fuel. Then we would go the 36 miles or 1 1/2 hour drive to the nearest big town. No air conditioning, black diesel fumes blowing in where windows should have been, hot summer heat and no deodorant in use. I remember I used to take books to read while waiting in the lorry. We started off and it was full up. In fact, 3 or four kids were standing up between the u-shaped bench seat. One of the kids was drinking chocolate milk. After driving for about 45 minutes down the dirt escarpment, the boy kind of leaned forward and then heaved (vomitted) the chocolate milk... Onto the pages of my book. I blotted the pages together and continued to read. And this was the GOOD transportation. One trip from Niger to Ghana we took by land and had a portion by train. When the train pulled in, most of the cars were just flat cars with people hanging all over them. Luckily, our tickets were to a cabin with actual seats. I was nervous there for a while. Don't get me started on the trips with the cows, the sheep, the crazy guy, and the driving off the road over an embankment down about 20 feet into a river bed at night while sitting on a 55 gallon drum of gasoline in an open LandRover! So you see, sometimes you just have to put things in perspective.

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