pablo Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 To get this in perspective....Paris has about 20k people per km2.....London has about 5k per km2.....go to places like Dheli and your looking at about 30k per km2....London is a modern city that has infrastructure in place to deal with millions of people....look at the Olympics, how many were in the city then?....it coped ok.....you go to any city during rush hour and you will get traffic jams, thats just a fact of life....I drive in occasionally for work and have no real probs....I go in at weekends and its a breeze....straight to Leicester square in about 30 mins.....estimates predict the population will rise by a million in the next 10 years.....the transport system is not "full to busting at the seams" that is just a joke statement coming from someone that doesn't even live down here lol.....unbelievable lol.....London doesnt even make into the top 50 densely populated cities.....lol Isnt it like you and others commenting on the North,never having lived here,thats different is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Isnt it like you and others commenting on the North,never having lived here,thats different is it? I was quoting the workers and narrator from the programme, I suppose they only work there, so what do they know? I have been to London a few times, we took a prisoner from Brixton prison to the court of appeal and it was gridlock, it took us an hour for a short journey. A woman on the programme said she travels 12 miles every morning and it took her well over a hour. It's not something to get yer knickers in a twist over, I just found it interesting and I'm glad I don't have that in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 To get this in perspective....Paris has about 20k people per km2.....London has about 5k per km2.....go to places like Dheli and your looking at about 30k per km2....London is a modern city that has infrastructure in place to deal with millions of people....look at the Olympics, how many were in the city then?....it coped ok.....you go to any city during rush hour and you will get traffic jams, thats just a fact of life....I drive in occasionally for work and have no real probs....I go in at weekends and its a breeze....straight to Leicester square in about 30 mins.....estimates predict the population will rise by a million in the next 10 years.....the transport system is not "full to busting at the seams" that is just a joke statement coming from someone that doesn't even live down here lol.....unbelievable lol.....London doesnt even make into the top 50 densely populated cities.....lol It did cope brilliantly with the Olympics, but knowing people who have businesses around the area I have an idea how much of that was down to them being told they had to alter their business hours and when their staff should be using public transport. Definitely no driving into work. My friend's bil had to spend a lot more on staffing during that time due to the unsocial hours they had to work. It worked well, so maybe that's the way forward? To be fair, it was the woman in charge of Transport for London who said how much more difficult it's going to be in the future. You're right though, it's still not a patch on trying to drive in Paris, Rome, Delhi etc. Thank god! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Isnt it like you and others commenting on the North,never having lived here,thats different is it? If ya like.....but please feel free to correct me when I write something that's not entirely accurate or true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 The last programme I saw, it showed black and white footage of two posh gents talking about the road plans for London, it showed the old vehicles and there was hardly any traffic, it was like that Harry Enfield sketch, I think it's Chumley Warner, lol. The posh guy said, we have a plan to keep London moving and no matter what, London hasn't to be ever over crowded. It was priceless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 One day we will spend a week in London, I love the galleries and museums, the shows, the history, the incredible buildings, everything it has to offer, to me London is the best city in the world. I think your right as usual Hoff, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I lasted a year in London. I was mugged by a group of guys when walking home from the tube one evening and I didn't ever feel safe again. I know it could've happened anywhere but it was really common there and happened to a few people I knew. Loved it socially though as almost all of my friends from university went there after graduation but it wasn't for me long-term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 One day we will spend a week in London, I love the galleries and museums, the shows, the history, the incredible buildings, everything it has to offer, to me London is the best city in the world. Now that is a statement I do agree with.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 If ya like.....but please feel free to correct me when I write something that's not entirely accurate or true. Im just asking,how is it different to you talking about the North never having lived here? Nah,i'll swerve your suggestion ta,too many incidents of it for me to be arsed with Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Im just asking,how is it different to you talking about the North never having lived here? Nah,i'll swerve your suggestion ta,too many incidents of it for me to be arsed with Like I said....feel free to correct me.....when you can be arsed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Like I said....feel free to correct me.....when you can be arsed. Not going to address the hypocrisy then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Hypocrisy.....this website is full of it.....if it bothers you that much then do something about it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamffc Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I moved from Wiltshire to London 8 years ago and only saw it as being for a year or two while I got some work experience. Hated it for maybe the first couple of months but then you just get used to it. You don't try drive miles across the city, and if you have to you know it might take a long time so prepare accordingly. Then in time you find back roads, short cuts etc. The tube is pretty amazing, look at how limited Sydney's transport system is in comparison. The only downside being those few places like clapham common where you can forget about getting in it between 8-9am, so don't live there go a bit further down the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I lived in fairly-central London (Notting Hill) for my first six years in the UK and never bothered owning a car. The mix of tube, bus and taxi, along with a car rental when I wanted to head out of London was WAY cheaper and far less frustrating that trying to own and park a car. When we moved out into commuter land, we did buy a car--but even then I used the train to get to and from London. The car was for around home out in the sticks and for long trips like camping holidays in Scotland. Too bad they're not putting enough of those fines into improving the Underground. It was sad watching it deteriorate and get excessively crowded over the 30+ years I was using it--all the while while fares rising to stupid levels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I lived in fairly-central London (Notting Hill) for my first six years in the UK and never bothered owning a car. The mix of tube, bus and taxi, along with a car rental when I wanted to head out of London was WAY cheaper and far less frustrating that trying to own and park a car. When we moved out into commuter land, we did buy a car--but even then I used the train to get to and from London. The car was for around home out in the sticks and for long trips like camping holidays in Scotland. Too bad they're not putting enough of those fines into improving the Underground. It was sad watching it deteriorate and get excessively crowded over the 30+ years I was using it--all the while while fares rising to stupid levels. Although there was a period in the 80s when then London mayor, Ken Livingstone brought the fares down. Never happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I was quoting the workers and narrator from the programme, I suppose they only work there, so what do they know? I have been to London a few times, we took a prisoner from Brixton prison to the court of appeal and it was gridlock, it took us an hour for a short journey. A woman on the programme said she travels 12 miles every morning and it took her well over a hour. It's not something to get yer knickers in a twist over, I just found it interesting and I'm glad I don't have that in my life. I recently finished a job in Lavender Hill and used to drive through brixton on route and total comute time from Mottingham 35mins (There) 45mins (back). Compared to my commutes in Brisbane its nothing!. Loads of upgrades to Londons public transport going on with crossrail and a proposal for a new orbital route underground the "flyunder" would have parks and green areas top-side making London even greener than it is already. Compared to other major important cities in the world I don't think London does badly at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 A sad aspect of life in Australia is that it is rather auto dependant. Perth is especially so, being close to the top in car usage in the world. Why is that sad? I quite like being able to jump in the car, drive somewhere, be able to park, usually for free. Bit of a novelty for a lot of folk I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Why is that sad? I quite like being able to jump in the car, drive somewhere, be able to park, usually for free. Bit of a novelty for a lot of folk I guess. For me the walk to the shops is a great way of getting out and being part of the community. Lots of free parking st my shops but being able to spontaneously get up and walk there with kids beats the car any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I couldn't live there now, but I loved it when I did. I saw that programme the other night - what a nightmare!! London is great unless you have to drive anywhere, although there are too many people there now for me, I like my space! When I lived there I was in Brixton, then Clapham and from Brixton I had to drive into Sloane Square three times every day (I was a nanny and had to take the children to school and kindergarten). It was bad enough then. I'd hate it now. Much preferred working in Clapham and only having to go as far as Battersea and Putney, but that's bad too now. I still love the buzz and vibrancy of London, but not the cramped feeling of it. I took my daughter down a couple of weeks ago for a uni open day and using the tube felt like we were in an ant colony - it was packed. All these people going in different directions in a subterranean world. It's still a fantastic city though. I worked in London in the late 80's and it was a nightmare to drive anywhere then. We had to drive every day as I worked for an IT company that put in and looked after networks. The company used to pay parking fines for us as it was just a cost of doing business there. Can't walk out on a customer to move the car when the network is down. I got clamped a couple of times too and the company paid for that as well as writing most of the days work off. Luckily we were based in Teddington, which I loved. Used to get back to the hotel, park the car up, go for a run in Bushy park and a few pints in the Teddington Lock, beautiful. Lived in Manchester at the time and used to drive down on Monday, back Friday. If I didn't get out of London before lunch time on Friday the journey home could be anything up to 8 hours. I watched a Grand Designs episode a couple of weeks ago where 2 guys were converting an old water tower near the centre of London. Kevin McCloud was asked if he would live there when it was finished, at first he just said no. When the builder pushed him for a reason he said "because it's in London, that's reason enough isn't it?". The guy paying for the building was spending 7,000 pounds a day at one stage to get the building finished, he ended up with a 2,000,000 bill on his credit card. God knows how he is ever going to pay it back??:swoon: Here's a picture of the finished building. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 For me the walk to the shops is a great way of getting out and being part of the community. Lots of free parking st my shops but being able to spontaneously get up and walk there with kids beats the car any day. Oh we do that sort of stuff here too you know. It's not compulsory to drive.:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Oh we do that sort of stuff here too you know. It's not compulsory to drive.:cool: Hmmmm, shopping by foot in London or Perth....:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Never owned a car in the UK. Anyone dim enough to get about by car in London is clearly so dim that they deserve everything they get. Millions of pretty dim folk in London VS.:cool: You come out with some crackers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Oh we do that sort of stuff here too you know. It's not compulsory to drive.:cool: no sh!t!!?:eek::biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I'd never live in London,but thats only because I'm not a city slicker!I do love visiting though.Always vibrant,busy,exciting and fun!I like a more laid back lifestyle.Having to take the tube each day for work would seem to fast and busy for my liking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Interesting thread Hoff. I worked in London for a few months in 2008 - lived on the Strand and worked at Australia House so an 8 minute walk to work. Totally loved the whole aspect of London life and actually thought the traffic then was much better than it had been in the 1980's when we were Sussex based and commuted to London for work. Mind you, when my work commission ended, I was extremely happy to get back to Perth and the clean air. The one thing that really struck me about London though was how brilliant public transport was. Friends I have who live there do not own cars and should they need one for a weekend away or holiday, just hire one. Seems extremely sensible to me! Looking forward to going back for a long holiday next year though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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