Gyratory System

I've had a great day today. On the grounds that a change is as good as a rest, I decided to get out of the office and hit the road. So, as there was a long outstanding piece of work that required attention in Bristol, that was where I headed.

Bristol is an interesting place. Full of interesting road layouts. As you approach there are lots of signs suggesting that parking and riding is a great idea. And indeed this was my initial plan. But a combination of there being no free parking spaces at the park and ride site, and having a really, really heavy laptop bag full of stuff left me with no choice but to drive into the city.

So, I drove in.

Now, in fairness, I had been warned that drivers in Bristol will carve you up in ways that haven't even been thought of elsewhere. And this is indeed the case. They also ignore traffic lights in ways that put even Birmingham bus drivers to shame. And indicators? Well, they're just there for when you need your hazard lights on when you double park, aren't they?

All said though, I don't blame them. A more confusing road layout with less useful signposting I have yet to come across. Whereas in Brum, people will jump traffic lights or cut you up basically because they are pillocks, in Bristol I'm convinced it's because even the locals haven't got the faintest idea what they should be doing.

This may all sound quite contrary to my initial statement that I had a good day, but I did really. I got the work I needed to get done done, and then trundled off to visit my uncle and aunt for a cuppa or five, and discuss the finer points of problem solving technique, ODBC drivers, Pink Floyd, PIC controllers, frog spawn, APIs, elderly relatives and bloatware.... and then I came home and found I finally had a post card from Lovely Girlfriend. Marvellous!