25 September 2013

Fraught Ride In!

Riding in today was fraught again. I was hosting a training session starting at 0930 for 15 school staff that wanted to know about SIMS, the MIS that we use almost exclusively in Islington's schools. I was up early and on the road some 30 minutes earlier than normal, giving me an ETA of before 0900.

The ride up the M20 wasn't too bad. Overhead signs said that there were holdup s on the M25 but the junction number seemed to be either side of the Dartford Crossing. Then more signs to say that there were holdups by the A223 - "A2 DELAYS AT A223". Meaningless to everyone but the most anally retentive pillock imaginable.

As it was, the signs should have said "Blackwall Tunnel closed" and then me and thousands of other road users could have planned an alternative. But no. This information was only published a couple of miles from the closed tunnel and mostly after you had past the last exit! Brilliant. Take a bow Kent Police and Metropolitan Police.

In the end I diverted onto the old A2 where the traffic was horrendous. Given the extra load the roads were taking one might have expected PC49 to be out and about keeping traffic flowing. Not a single cop to be seen. The Met's finest Wiggums no doubt too busy tucked up with their breakfast and tea - the UK equivalent of the donut break.

Instead it was left to Joe Public to police himself. A job that the average car and truck driver is sadly incapable of doing without grid locking every junction and doing and impersonation of a mong. I eventually managed to get through to the bus lanes of Greenwich and up to Tower Bridge. Yes, it is a tourist site but when you have an appointment, no amount a scenic splendour can make up for being pissed off and late.

In the end I arrived with fifteen minutes to spare and was changed and down in time to meet and greet.

See what the ride home brings!

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