Now I know why we mostly go to France.

Clarky

Clarky

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Just driven back home to Suffolk from Calshot, near Southampton and the traffic has been a nightmare.
I chose a route that would miss a lot of the dreaded M25 and A12 and left just before 10 this morning, thinking the traffic wouldn’t be too bad.
We crawled up the M3 until past Winchester, stopped and started around the M25 near Heathrow and sat in jams trying to get to the A1m.
Just to add to the merriment there was a car fire and some of the driving was pretty awful.
It took over 5 hours.

We drive thousands of km around France (other countries are also available) every year and I have never had a drive like that while there.

And folk wonder why we prefer going to the continent rather than staying in the UK. :cool::france:

Richard
 
That was like the route we did from down there that prompted my France thread last week
 
Clarky said:
Just driven back home to Suffolk from Calshot, near Southampton and the traffic has been a nightmare.
I chose a route that would miss a lot of the dreaded M25 and A12 and left just before 10 this morning, thinking the traffic wouldn’t be too bad.
We crawled up the M3 until past Winchester, stopped and started around the M25 near Heathrow and sat in jams trying to get to the A1m.
Just to add to the merriment there was a car fire and some of the driving was pretty awful.
It took over 5 hours.

We drive thousands of km around France (other countries are also available) every year and I have never had a drive like that while there.

And folk wonder why we prefer going to the continent rather than staying in the UK. :cool::france:

Richard
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Ditto.

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Drove around Paris from South to North one Sunday afternoon assured by Google maps, using its real time traffic information, it was the quickest way go. I would rather sell the motorhome than do that again.
 
Ditto, try the journey south Wales to Cromer!! its less than 300 miles and a real killer!!!
 
Know the problem well. Your journey was not helped due to the many schools breaking up today and during the past week for the start of their summer holidays. M25 on Fridays around Heathrow is a nightmare without the start of the school holidays.

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too many cars, I know one of many terraced houses in little streets in and around London where a single household has 4 cars and works vans parked in the little street. my own relatives, a family of 4 have 4 cars to that household.

how many vehicles do you own dear reader? My camper van is my only means of transport. (unfortunately!)
 
I have avoided Paris for years after 3 consecutive nightmare trips, the third time I thought it should be OK on a Sunday. I was wrong. So I always go around it nowadays.
jimcg said:
Drove around Paris from South to North one Sunday afternoon assured by Google maps, using its real time traffic information, it was the quickest way go. I would rather sell the motorhome than do that again.
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Agree, our recent return home to Suffolk via the Dartford crossing was a nightmare..
 
Tigertom said:
Yep, we don’t moho in the UK at all and I do feel sorry for folk who have to because of circumstances.
Just too much traffic !
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Thing is though there are folks on here who have never been to France in a motorhome and swear blind they are not going to, you just have to despair for them never knowing any different.

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Totally agree with you Richard. We came back from France (Loire and Ile de Re) a couple of weeks ago. No holdups anywhere in France, with usual easy/relaxing driving. Came off M20 from Dover and immediately hit the hardly moving queue of traffic on M25 for Dartford Tunnel (6 miles ahead). Took one hour to get to Tunnel. All ok then on M25 and M11, until we got to turnoff for Stansted with nothing moving ahead. As we sat at side of sliproad I chose to exit (having already seen sign saying possible delays ahead due to air show at Duxford) and cut across country round Bishop’s Stortford to go up the A10. A few minor holdups but nothing major but had to queue again to get back onto A14 near Huntingdon. Nearly got taken out by a lorry which had got into wrong lane at Peterborough sliproad off A1 who decided to come into my lane when I was almost level with his cab (I couldn’t move over due to fast cars at side of me in outer lane). Finally got home after 5 hours of driving for 177 mile journey which on a good day we can do in 3 1/2 hours.
Absolutely hate driving in U.K. and now do most of our mileage with van on other side of Channel. Hoping to go back at end of August, down to Gruissan. Bliss. Thinking when we return to try the Dartford Crossing during the night so as to (hopefully) avoid delays.
David.
 
Sat at the moment just below Orleans traffic has been smooth ,light . And
the only Gendarmes I've seen were at the scene of a fender bender van verses concrete pylon someone carried off in a body bag D357 won't put the dash footage on yt.
Apart from that an easy drive
 
Have to agree with all comments it is getting worse year on year, especially anywhere around M25. After getting down to Dover/Folkstone for twenty years or more we are considering just doing the western ports. Much more expensive but much less hassle.
 
Clarky said:
Just driven back home to Suffolk from Calshot, near Southampton and the traffic has been a nightmare.
I chose a route that would miss a lot of the dreaded M25 and A12 and left just before 10 this morning, thinking the traffic wouldn’t be too bad.
We crawled up the M3 until past Winchester, stopped and started around the M25 near Heathrow and sat in jams trying to get to the A1m.
Just to add to the merriment there was a car fire and some of the driving was pretty awful.
It took over 5 hours.

We drive thousands of km around France (other countries are also available) every year and I have never had a drive like that while there.

And folk wonder why we prefer going to the continent rather than staying in the UK. :cool::france:

Richard
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Sorry to hear of your journey from and to hell, Wat time did you leave Calshit

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I agree 100%. Takes me 10 hours to get to Dover, Southampton to France every time ?
 
dalspa said:
bsolutely hate driving in U.K. and now do most of our mileage with van on other side of Channel. Hoping to go back at end of August, down to Gruissan. Bliss. Thinking when we return to try the Dartford Crossing during the night so as to (hopefully) avoid delays.
Click to expand...
Fingers crossed, we should be there too.
Look forward to seeing you and Ann and getting out on the bike.
As you say.........bliss. :dance2: :france:

Richard
 
Over 5weeks driving around Europe at 50mph with no stress, queues behind me at times dawdling along and no fuss.....

10 mins off the train into the uk and I’ve got a English plate bmw up my arse giving it the horns big time and verbals as it went past .......?
 
I find that the journey down to Folkestone is no problem, but coming back is awful.

Two weeks ago the approach to the Dartford tunnels came virtually to a halt with about five miles to the entrance.

We are now considering returning at night.

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LesW said:
Two weeks ago the approach to the Dartford tunnels came virtually to a halt with about five miles to the entrance.
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Last Monday I was stopped IN the right hand tunnel.then rest at walking pace.should never be allowed.
 
Source Google.

GB 2017 = 37.50 million registered passenger vehicles
FR 2017 = 32.07 million registered passenger vehicles

France is approx. 4 times the size of GB so there is no surprise that congestion is a much bigger problem in GB. To change things you should all take up cycling for journeys of less than 100 miles, you'll become fitter and your overdriven motorhomes will then do even less miles between your painfully annual mot's.

What a spiffing idea .... me for the green party ... bugger ... I'm in France .. can't stand ..... mind .... that's probably more to do with our cheap wine.
 
Most of my long trips in the UK are to the ports, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Newhaven even then my ferry bookings are planned to avoid the M1, M25 and weekdays - Saturday, Sunday preferred
 
Just smiffy said:
Over 5weeks driving around Europe at 50mph with no stress, queues behind me at times dawdling along and no fuss.....

10 mins off the train into the uk and I’ve got a English plate bmw up my arse giving it the horns big time and verbals as it went past .......?
Click to expand...
Must be the same idiot ( same car) that tried to cut me up near Ramsgate just driving up from the tunnel a couple of months ago.
I moved into the right lane of a dual carriageway to turn right at the nearing roundabout. There were a couple of cars behind me but at least 200m away. Then this idiot in a BMW came racing up on my left and swerved in front of me, shouting and fist waving out of his window.
I gave him my best smile and showed him how long my middle finger was, then drove off.
 
One thing I would add is that the south of the M62 is worse than north of it. But I agree it’s easier to drive in France.

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