4 ms·

I wouldn't be so sure of that with the currently absurd amount of roadworks on the M4 ;)

by robotmay 14y ago

kokey 14y ago
That's not a problem, if you drive on it at 2am.
- robotmay 14y ago
  It was last week; I had to go 20 minutes through Bristol to go from the M5 to the M4 as they had closed the entire junction :(
  - freehunter 14y ago
    Despite my previous attempts to moonlight as a Brit, I'm an American. As such, I find the stereotypical British aversion to driving long distances amusing. I know I would be upset at driving 20 minutes out of the way if my journey was shorter than an hour, but I (and many other Americans) frequently drive hundreds of miles in one journey every week/month/multiple times per year. I moderated a subreddit once upon a time with two Brits who lived about an hour apart. I mentioned to them that I had just attended a meeting with a company that was directly in between their towns, and said "I was just in your neighborhood". They vehemently denied that their neighborhood stretched for a half-hour journey. Meanwhile in America, our stomping grounds can sometimes cover a hundred miles in each direction. Sorry for going off-topic >_> As an American I don't get a chance to talk to foreigners often.
    - opminion 14y ago
      More fun than representative or informative: max mobility demand for unemployment-related benefits in various countries (UK, US, Germany: 1.5-2h, Spain: 30Km, Turkey:...). http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/facts/DICE/Labour-Market-and-Migration/Labour-Market/Unemployment-Benefit-Schemes/ECUB-dem-geo-mob/fileBinary/ECUB-dem-geo-mob.pdf http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/facts/DICE/Labour-Market-...
    - JonnieCache 14y ago
      I have always enjoyed the following phrase: To an american, a hundred years is a long time. To a brit, a hundred miles is a long way. It's definitely true, like you say, and also its faux-profundity makes me laugh.
    - robotmay 14y ago
      I usually try to justify our whining about driving comparatively short distances by pointing out that our roads are rarely straight and normally badly maintained :D And you're right about the neighborhood; I'd probably not consider mine to stretch for more than 5 miles from where I live. It's on topic enough for me!
    - kokey 14y ago
      I'm originally from South Africa, and I share your amusement with the British fear of driving long distances. That said, the drive I'm doing tonight, is only 73 miles and without traffic will take close to two hours. The roads and the trains here are simply not designed to travel a decent distance in a short period of time. That said, people still don't even do the two hour drive to the next town to go visit places on the weekend, but part of that is because one accident on the road can turn the trip into a 3-4 hour trip easily on a Saturday. Oh, and the fuel price also has to be considered.
freehunter 14y ago
Being infatuated with Top Gear, I have to imagine your name means you are an AI that James May built to do the boring things humans do like spend time online while he's away in the garage or doing another special on planes. Therefore, with you being an extension of Mr May, I have to say I agree with your proposal to charge councils by the minute for not having roadworks done properly. Imagine how well funded the Raspberry Pi Foundation would be with just one trip from Cambridgeshire to Wales! http://www.topgear.com/uk/james-may/james-may-road-pricing-2007-04-01 http://www.topgear.com/uk/james-may/james-may-road-pricing-2...
- robotmay 14y ago
  Haha, I do share the same surname & hair style so you're not too far off!

I wouldn't be so sure of that with the currently absurd amount of roadworks on the M4 ;)

kokey 14y ago

That's not a problem, if you drive on it at 2am.

robotmay 14y ago
It was last week; I had to go 20 minutes through Bristol to go from the M5 to the M4 as they had closed the entire junction :(
- freehunter 14y ago
  Despite my previous attempts to moonlight as a Brit, I'm an American. As such, I find the stereotypical British aversion to driving long distances amusing. I know I would be upset at driving 20 minutes out of the way if my journey was shorter than an hour, but I (and many other Americans) frequently drive hundreds of miles in one journey every week/month/multiple times per year. I moderated a subreddit once upon a time with two Brits who lived about an hour apart. I mentioned to them that I had just attended a meeting with a company that was directly in between their towns, and said "I was just in your neighborhood". They vehemently denied that their neighborhood stretched for a half-hour journey. Meanwhile in America, our stomping grounds can sometimes cover a hundred miles in each direction. Sorry for going off-topic >_> As an American I don't get a chance to talk to foreigners often.
  - opminion 14y ago
    More fun than representative or informative: max mobility demand for unemployment-related benefits in various countries (UK, US, Germany: 1.5-2h, Spain: 30Km, Turkey:...). http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/facts/DICE/Labour-Market-and-Migration/Labour-Market/Unemployment-Benefit-Schemes/ECUB-dem-geo-mob/fileBinary/ECUB-dem-geo-mob.pdf http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/facts/DICE/Labour-Market-...
  - JonnieCache 14y ago
    I have always enjoyed the following phrase: To an american, a hundred years is a long time. To a brit, a hundred miles is a long way. It's definitely true, like you say, and also its faux-profundity makes me laugh.
  - robotmay 14y ago
    I usually try to justify our whining about driving comparatively short distances by pointing out that our roads are rarely straight and normally badly maintained :D And you're right about the neighborhood; I'd probably not consider mine to stretch for more than 5 miles from where I live. It's on topic enough for me!
  - kokey 14y ago
    I'm originally from South Africa, and I share your amusement with the British fear of driving long distances. That said, the drive I'm doing tonight, is only 73 miles and without traffic will take close to two hours. The roads and the trains here are simply not designed to travel a decent distance in a short period of time. That said, people still don't even do the two hour drive to the next town to go visit places on the weekend, but part of that is because one accident on the road can turn the trip into a 3-4 hour trip easily on a Saturday. Oh, and the fuel price also has to be considered.

freehunter 14y ago

Being infatuated with Top Gear, I have to imagine your name means you are an AI that James May built to do the boring things humans do like spend time online while he's away in the garage or doing another special on planes. Therefore, with you being an extension of Mr May, I have to say I agree with your proposal to charge councils by the minute for not having roadworks done properly. Imagine how well funded the Raspberry Pi Foundation would be with just one trip from Cambridgeshire to Wales! http://www.topgear.com/uk/james-may/james-may-road-pricing-2007-04-01 http://www.topgear.com/uk/james-may/james-may-road-pricing-2...

robotmay 14y ago
Haha, I do share the same surname & hair style so you're not too far off!