Commuting out of London

roger_merriman

DonDaddyD wrote:

What is a nonny nonny? I think you guys are exaggerating the temperature thing. It's not as cold as it used to be (say 20+ years ago) I remember being so cold I'd get chill blaze when trying to warm my hands by the calor gas heater at home. Nowadays its feasible to wear a t-shirt and coat in December. Sure, might be a little colder outside the M25, but we are talking "North of the Wall" temperatures.

ITB, I've already told the missus that if we have mice - can't see why we would - I'm getting a cat because I can't be going through that situation again. I found their nest once, baby mice almost translucent - I felt bad when I killed them.

Someone said foxes and badgers, I'd expect foxes (and other animals) to be more polite outside London. In London foxes are about as rude as Londoners; one fox chased me for my kebab, another fox couple did it on the green outside my parents right in front of my son and two other foxes, separate occasions, jumped in my brother's and my father's car and robbed their wallets, hats etc... - all true.

But guys, joking aside, thanks for the tips and pointers. Lights to see (and not just to be seen by) is something I wouldn't have considered, as is the conditions or the amount of space that's given.

Kent will be a few degrees colder, think how much colder Clapham junction feels and scale it up or rather down!

Sure Kent isn't high lands etc, but even so it will be noticeably colder.

Mind you your likely to be dealing with traffic still as the Home Counties are banker belt etc. don't expect empty quiet roads...

Kieran_Burns

DDD - being serious: the main thing to remember is that there is no nearby infrastructure if things go wrong when commuting in the country. I'm not talking accidents / collisions / whatever... I've had to walk 6 miles home before (actually very enjoyable as it turned out) because both spare tubes blew, and another time: rather than faff around I cycled 12 miles stood up on the pedals the entire way.

The point is that you need to be much more self-reliant and not work on the assumption that you can just grab a bus / tube / passing taxi and get home. It doesn't work like that 'round these parts; there are sections where I am miles from the nearest bus stop and even then they only come once an hour.

One time I was on leave and a mate phoned from a nearby village, his chain had snapped while commuting home. It was below zero and his wife wasn't at home. I got there as quickly as I could with the heating in the car on full blast. He was in a hell of state when I got to him, if I'd not been around he would've been in trouble.

andrewc3142

There be dragons.