A31, M3, M27, A337 - Wish me luck!

[thedonal]

This is my planned route to the folks tomorrow after work- I guess I'd just better check the travel news all day.

Any comments appreciated- will put off until Xmas morning if necessary...

[Spiderman]

Supposed to very cold and icy overnight but then again the gritters know about this. So i guess you better be prepared to sit for hours on ungritted roads, lol.

Nah you should be fine as most of the main roads are being looked after pretty well...apparently.

[thedonal]

Yeah- few reports on the BBC travel re these roads and ice now. As I'm on two wheels, I'm being even more careful...

[Amanda]

M27 was on news today about being like an ice rink. Guy went to change from inside lane to middle lane and skidded to the outer lane. Sounds fun!!

I image the A337 through the forest will be a nightmare.

[thedonal]

I'm praying it'll be fine by tomorrow eve- it's going to be warmer over the next 24 hours anyway- should help...

[TEC]

Beware of the odd ice patch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MPRmOUxRMY)

[Spiderman]

erm, why the hell did they jump out their car? :lol: WTF was the point of that?

[hindle8907]

erm, why the hell did they jump out their car? :lol: WTF was the point of that?
lmao wtf ... im thinking the same as you why did they jump out a small speed bumb into somthing isnt going to hurt that much lol

[5hort5]

depends what was a little further down the hill that you can't see past the house tbh, Paignton has some v steep bits so here are some options:

Big hill and a main road at the bottom
Large truck coming up the hill
Sight of the mother in law
Burning oil trap of doom
six foot metal spikes erected by the locals

There could b a few things ;-)

[Spiderman]

depends what was a little further down the hill that you can't see past the house tbh, Paignton has some v steep bits so here are some options:

Big hill and a main road at the bottom - woohoo lets slide into the main road on our butts instead of in a car! Yay!
Large truck coming up the hill - Woohoo, lets slide under a truck on our butts rather than have the car protect us a bit! Yay!
Sight of the mother in law - understandable bail out
Burning oil trap of doom - Probably warm up quicker out the car than in, so good call to bail.
six foot metal spikes erected by the locals - locals sound cool.

There could b a few things ;-)

Your forget the obvious one tho. Any idiot that drives around with his back wiper going full tilt hasnt much brain. They probably get out at Tesco like this every weekend too.
Idiots. You gotta love their comedy value to us smart folk.

:lol:

[tigersaw]

the blub says:

Shocking driving condtions in Paignton on the busiest shopping day of the year. The car is barely moving but the hill makes stopping impossible and both people in the front of the car decide to jump out?????

FFS! The guy nearly gets runs over by his own car, Brian Harvey style, and the car ends up hitting a hedge, a Merc and a wall. Merry Xmas eh?

[tigersaw]

I can see M27 / M3 junction from work. Was Chaos all day, then another drop of snow at tea time. Its not too bad out there now (2am), its +3 degrees and any snow has turned to slush

[Richie]

I herd the the M3 was inbetween the M2 and the M4.. Good luck.

[blueto]

HEy donal

be safe mate if your on 2 wheels. Although most snow has melted round here its still salty which emans dont forget to clean your bike when you get to your parents

[thedonal]

Cheers all- looks like there's no news on the M27/A337 this morning according to the Beeb- looking much better than it was yesterday..

I'll take it easy of course and stop off for a nice hot cuppa at Rownhams.

Now to start praying we get out early...

[LK-SV]

Good luck mate .... it'll either be heaven or hell ..... but something to remember fondly in the future for sure ..... thats the joy of xmas ...

How far ?? How long (you expect?) ,,,

[thedonal]

It is around 90ish miles from Suburbiton (home). So about 80 ish from Waheybridge (the office), I think.

I'm allowing for 2 hours in my riding behaviour including a cuppa stop. This is without factoring in adversity, for which there is potential. So, with problems, it'd be 3 hours max

[LK-SV]

Ah, not the end of the World then .... took me 2.5 hours to get from Hampton Hill to Sutton the other day .... and the GF 4.5 hours to get from Bromley to Sutton .... neither journey is more than about 16miles !!

We were sat in nice warm cars tho .... take it easy ..... the roads look a-ok at the moment .... its the first day I'd get back on the bike .....

[Wideboy]

m27 and a337 where ok'ish yesterday, depending on how far your going down the a337..... as you go under the railway arch at lymington the drains are overflowing and the road is flooded at about 3/4 foot deep, but i dont think there is a way round it :|, the a337 was gritted all the way along but the rounderbouts at the cadnam junction for the m27 were completely covered in snow

[thedonal]

I'm getting heading off towards Walkford at Lyndhurst, so should avoid that.

Oh- I'm exiting the M27 onto the A337- but I doubt they'd be too snowed up now, would they? After the rain and that?

[Wideboy]

ah you'll be doing the a35, that road should be sound its a busy road

[thedonal]

HEy donal

be safe mate if your on 2 wheels. Although most snow has melted round here its still salty which emans dont forget to clean your bike when you get to your parents

I haven't cleaned anyhting on the bike except the headlights and mirrors over the last few weeks- so it's salty as helly anyway.

I did used ACF50 a while back, so should be fairly OK.

[thedonal]

Now I've settled in and eaten and had a couple of glasses of wine....

WHAT A NIGHTMARE JOURNEY!!!

The fog on the A31 was terrible- about 25m visibility at best. very, very scary!

I had my heart in my mouth for the entire journey. I now wish I'd done the motorways- the traffic was minimal.

Stopped at the Shell station in Ropley to fill up and have a tinkle. There was a gixxer outside-belonging to one of the staff there- even he asked what I was doing out on the bike on such an awful night! Decent couple of lads there though- quick chat really cheered the journey up.

Did the trip in about 2 hours. The roads are fairly sound- just cold and wet. Bit of snow lining them (Blueto- as you said, the Cadnam roundabout was surrounded by snow- but not on the riding line itself), but not too bad. My only skitter was on a straight while leaving Four Marks (or thereabouts!)- something on the floor- excess grit or summink.

So- relieved to arrive in one piece, finally calmed down a bit and absolutely knackered!

Have a good evening folks- thanks for your help on this thread and have a lovely Christmas- though expect I'll have a look in some time tomorrow!

[Wideboy]

i said about the snow!! i am the best!! not stupid ross he sucks :smt068

[thedonal]

i said about the snow!! i am the best!! not stupid ross he sucks :smt068

Many apologies. My mind is going. I can feel it. :D :smt112

And I'll let the pair of you discuss the rest between yourselves! :rolleyes:

[Bibio]

i'll be thinking of you when i'm all nice and cozy in my nice warm house on the thaught i dont need to go out.

[Wideboy]

he's al ready there you dunken idiot lance vance

[thedonal]

i'll be thinking of you when i'm all nice and cozy in my nice warm house on the thaught i dont need to go out.

Very considerate- if a little late!! :)

I am now rather warm and am about to hole up in bed with a book and wait for sleep.

[Amanda]

dunken


.... like tea and biscuit??? Lol!

[Wideboy]

stop mocking me!! i am cool :cool:

[Bibio]

am about to hole up in bed

you dirty beggar :smt080

[thedonal]

you dirty beggar :smt080

yes