My London Navigation Strategy
I don’t have a satellite navigation system, or ‘sat-nav’ as it is ever so fondly referred to by people who seemingly hold it in similar regard to a family pet. Hell, thinking about it I don’t even have a map. I have a less advanced system of navigation. If there had been motor cars in the stone-age (a tremendous feat of engineering admittedly) then this is the system they would have used.
I head for London Zoo or C. London when travelling towards London from the North. In the hope that on reaching the centre, or better still Regents Park, I will eventually stumble upon Edgware Road or Marble Arch if I drive around a bit.
Now on Tuesday I drove 77 miles going from Stevenage to Luton and then on to the Victoria. The RAC Route-finder suggests that my route, whilst arguably more scenic, adventurous and educational, is perhaps not the most mileage and time efficient. Mind you this navigational method is, believe it or not, second generation, and superseded the ‘drive straight theory’ that I used, almost religiously, up until a Friday in January 2004 that I remember quite vividly.
I had been at Wimbledon dogs, and my journey there was surprisingly smooth mainly thanks to the simplicity of the A3 and the close proximity of the A3 to Plough Lane. I live in the Woking area so Painshill to Wimbledon proved easy even for a man of my reputation. Afterwards I decided to go to the Victoria Sporting Club. Wimbledon to Edgware Road proved rather troublesome.
I set about driving North East expecting something familiar to appear at any moment that would act as my point of reference. Twenty minutes or so after I had left Wimbledon I was force to accept that despite having been on the particular road I was on before it didn’t mean that I wasn’t lost. I remember knowing that I was somewhere in Streatham, but quite how I had managed to go so far off track was something of a mystery.
Rather than driving about until I saw I a sign with “C. London” on it (this ‘new’ technique was as yet not my preferred method of navigation) I instead employed the ‘drive straight theory’. Now this theory is absolutely fool proof in its own way. It is simple and easy to follow and pretty much guaranteed to get you to your destination eventually.
Basically the theory is based on the fact that the perimeter of London is entirely circumnavigated by the M25. Thus provided you drive in an approximate straight line from anywhere in London you will before long see a sign directing you to an M25 junction.
It all went a bit wrong on this rainy Friday in January. From Wimbledon to Streatham to a few other non-descript places time was ticking. However I knew that if I just picked a direction and stuck to it I would hit the M25. If I could get on the M25 I would have no trouble finding the M40/A40 and even I knew the way to the Vic from the A40.
What can I say it is fool proof, and it worked again. However from Wimbledon I had somehow managed to intersect the M25 at South Mimms! Two and three quarter hours from Wimbledon to Edgware road was a touch embarrassing, and brought shame upon the technique that would mar it forever. The drive straight theory had its final bow that evening, and was retired in favour of the current technique.
I head for London Zoo or C. London when travelling towards London from the North. In the hope that on reaching the centre, or better still Regents Park, I will eventually stumble upon Edgware Road or Marble Arch if I drive around a bit.
Now on Tuesday I drove 77 miles going from Stevenage to Luton and then on to the Victoria. The RAC Route-finder suggests that my route, whilst arguably more scenic, adventurous and educational, is perhaps not the most mileage and time efficient. Mind you this navigational method is, believe it or not, second generation, and superseded the ‘drive straight theory’ that I used, almost religiously, up until a Friday in January 2004 that I remember quite vividly.
I had been at Wimbledon dogs, and my journey there was surprisingly smooth mainly thanks to the simplicity of the A3 and the close proximity of the A3 to Plough Lane. I live in the Woking area so Painshill to Wimbledon proved easy even for a man of my reputation. Afterwards I decided to go to the Victoria Sporting Club. Wimbledon to Edgware Road proved rather troublesome.
I set about driving North East expecting something familiar to appear at any moment that would act as my point of reference. Twenty minutes or so after I had left Wimbledon I was force to accept that despite having been on the particular road I was on before it didn’t mean that I wasn’t lost. I remember knowing that I was somewhere in Streatham, but quite how I had managed to go so far off track was something of a mystery.
Rather than driving about until I saw I a sign with “C. London” on it (this ‘new’ technique was as yet not my preferred method of navigation) I instead employed the ‘drive straight theory’. Now this theory is absolutely fool proof in its own way. It is simple and easy to follow and pretty much guaranteed to get you to your destination eventually.
Basically the theory is based on the fact that the perimeter of London is entirely circumnavigated by the M25. Thus provided you drive in an approximate straight line from anywhere in London you will before long see a sign directing you to an M25 junction.
It all went a bit wrong on this rainy Friday in January. From Wimbledon to Streatham to a few other non-descript places time was ticking. However I knew that if I just picked a direction and stuck to it I would hit the M25. If I could get on the M25 I would have no trouble finding the M40/A40 and even I knew the way to the Vic from the A40.
What can I say it is fool proof, and it worked again. However from Wimbledon I had somehow managed to intersect the M25 at South Mimms! Two and three quarter hours from Wimbledon to Edgware road was a touch embarrassing, and brought shame upon the technique that would mar it forever. The drive straight theory had its final bow that evening, and was retired in favour of the current technique.
posted by Matt at 12:38 PM
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