Taking a long journey? Save your money, your clutch and your sanity!

Former_MSE_Andrea

What's it about?

If you've kids you'll know a lengthy journey, especially on motorways, can test your patience and your wallet. The last thing you want is to get stuck in traffic jams.

So what can you do about it?

There's a nifty little tool on the Highways Agency website called Traffic England. It'll let you know where the jams and roadworks are, when they should be finished, and even what's currently showing on motorway signs. Just click on the area of the map you'll be travelling in and use the menu on the left hand side to pick your settings.

Or, if you live or are travelling in Scotland or Wales, there's also Traffic Scotland (Thanks to 30111987 for pointing that out below) and Traffic Wales.

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beefcarrot

I use the traffic monitor at www.getmethere.co.uk which does the same thing.

Conor_3

And both are completely worthless. The traffic levels in this country are so high now that if there's massive congestion, all the alternative routes end up the same in very little time.

It's got to the point now that I've just packed in my job as a HGV driver purely because I feel I can't get anywhere anymore and have taken a job working in a Tesco RDC as a shunt driver because at least that way I'm still in the industry but know when I'll be going home.

beefcarrot

I'd agree with what Conor said but here in Cornwall, where there are fewer roads out of the county they are useful in that they give an indication as to whether we should be setting out on a journey or leaving it until a little later - not an option for professional drivers, I realise.

vikingaero

MSE_Andrea wrote: »

If you've kids you'll know a lengthy journey, especially on motorways, can test your patience and your wallet. The last thing you want is to get stuck in traffic jams.

I use Traffic England and the highways.gov.uk site whenever possible. Whilst posters argue they are useless they do help to manage and vary your journey if time allows.

Best holiday we had was in Scotland. That involved a Kent to Loch Lomond drive with 2 'orrible monsters. So I booked the kids and missus on a Ryanair flight to Glasgow Prestwick.:D We paid 1p per person and £9 taxes. Total cost of flights £29.97 each way.

I took the Friday off and drove up in the car with all the luggage and rubbish. With no kids and the urgency to get there asap I drove at 60-70mph with my 80's pop music on as loud as I wanted. No screaming. No shouting. It was bliss!:D It took me almost 10 hours and I dossed down in a Travelodge.

The next day my dad picked the wife and kids up at lunchtime and took them to Stansted. The kids didn't have time to misbehave and a couple of hours later they were in Prestwick and I was waiting for them. By the time I collected them I'd already checked into our pine lodge and bought all the food. Now that's how to travel with kids!:beer:

nickj_2

it makes me wonder what all those people with sat navs think they are gaining ? if there's a jam everyone's stuck in it , sat nav or not

tomstickland

I just choose anti social hours if I can, or totally obscure routes.

vikingaero

nickj wrote: »

it makes me wonder what all those people with sat navs think they are gaining ? if there's a jam everyone's stuck in it , sat nav or not

Traffic England is a website and not related to sat nav.

Sat nav guides you and stops you taking the wrong turns. That's how it saves you time.

tomstickland

I know people who still can't navigate, even with sat nav!
Personally I prefer looking at the map the day before and learning the important bits.

Mobeer

I like Traffic England. It tells me how late I will be getting somewhere.

TheWaltons_3

I am not fussed on Sat Navs at all.

My Tom Tom had me going up a one way street in Liverpool - bearing in mind it was on a Friday night and very dark, it was an awful experience - Tax Drivers all coming towards me beeping and screaming insults :eek:

AND prior to that, it took me over an unadopted road, bumpy as hell ...which went on for a good 10 minutes :mad: