We have a monster new town not far from the edge of Exeter, still not finished. It has some benefits, in that the powers that be have organised a very regular bus service into Exeter (including on Sundays! A rarity round here) and even built a new station on the main line. I do take advantage of that, in that it is one of the few nearby stations with a big, and free, car park. In their enthusiasm to encourage use of public transport, they didn’t provide enough garages or car parking, so it’s quite an obstacle course actually driving to the station on somewhat narrow roads. They have only recently got a big supermarket, but they do have a decent sports pitch, and plenty of green spaces. We are now about to get another new town (Marlcombe) south of Exeter Airport. I can see a lot of problems with that, as the main road it will feed into, the link from Exeter to East Devon and Dorset, has only two lanes, and can get pretty congested at the best of times. Not near the railway either. I occasionally take the bus along that road, sitting in the front seats upstairs is quite an experience, as the bus hits the overhanging tree branches along the way!
We live in the middle of nowhere 14 houses in a 7 miles ridus and it has changed!!!! no even safe to go out for a walk on the road here
See, this is the problem we've had for decades - whenever something is built, it is built to 'encourage' public transport use as opposed to car use... except often times, the public transport is somewhere between non-existent or insufficient. Rather than build infrastructure to push a desired behaviour change, we should build it to match the needs and wants of those using (and paying) for it. Wider roads, with segregated cycle lanes, decent width pavements, signage and street lighting to the back of those pavements and where there is housing, have driveways/off road parking that would not only ease the flow of traffic buy help with installation of vehicle chargers.
Only in the last few years that 2 houses got mains water and elecy, the road is ok for it's needs at the moment but with every thing getting bigger,faster and heavyer the road will not coup, the bigish problem is the attatude of the people the don't care one jot,
That is a smidge too remote even for me - - been there when I was younger and it was grand, but don't want that sort of remote now. You're right about the roads and vehicle sizes too... whenever I visit home and take a trip down roads that I used to go down (literally in low level flight at times) my car nowadays feels absolutely massive. Verges and hedgerows not being maintained only makes that worse.
That's because your car now is absolutely massive, in comparison to what you was driving then. Everything, apart from mine seems like its so high and wide these days, often I cant see round the things.
It is - cars have become so fat to accommodate all the SIPS/Airbags, sensors, wiring etc that they've become huge! Contrary to what you might think, SUV's really aren't the issue either - the 'car' version of mine (V60) is the same width and same length, it only differs in height. Additional weight really isn't all that much either (circa 100kg), which when you consider that going for an electric car adds almost a ton and a half for batteries.... and even that pales in comparison to the stuff that really damages our roads, given that a standard EV single deck bus is now booting the backside of 12t unladen.
Few people can actually use their garage for a modern car, and they often hang off the driveways too and obstruct the pavement.
People often don't even use their driveways around here either, some park in the road all the time, which can make getting in and out your driveway slightly tricky, so they all start leaving their cars in the road. Parking wars goes on down the bottom end of my road, if only they realised how lucky they are, they wouldn't do it.
It’s weird seeing older houses with garages so small and narrow that they would never be able to house a modern car. Not surprising that people have to park on their drives or on the road. Unfortunately so many public car parks have failed to keep up with the times, and have spaces marked out that are also far too small. Not uncommon to see passengers having to get out before the driver parks, as there is no way they could open a side door. And woe betide you if you return to the car to find someone has parked so near to the drivers side, that even they can’t get in. We have on occasion driven round a car park looking for an ‘end’ space, and after only being able to find narrow gaps, have given up and gone elsewhere.
I was watching a programme last night and they said the modern Mini is 80cm longer and 50cm wider than the original. That's just the standard Mini, not things like the Countryman which has no business using 'mini' anywhere near its name.
There are lots of really tiny 2 seater cars popping up here now, smaller than Smart cars. Great around town and if you're too old to have a full car license for whizzing about but great for life in town.
Anyone in the Henley/ Reading areas, keep 'em peeled. Search for missing Walhampton School teddy bear after space flight Poor Ted !
This is one of those things that doesn't really fit easily into any thread. Might make some think about what is important. https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/fifteen_years.png
