Today I took advantage of the fierce south-westerly and decided to cycle from Southampton to Basingstoke via the Candovers (very posh); instead of battling against the wind all the way back, I thought I'd catch the train.
Now, I've never cycled through Basingstoke before. Apart from it being possibly the most soul-less place on earth, it has the most unfriendly road system I've ever come across: great, sweeping 50mph roads piling up with queues at roundabouts and linking to more sweeping 50mph roads. Only about 1/4 mile from the 'town' centre did I see a 30 zone. I didn't see one cyclist on Basingstoke's roads. I encountered many irate motorists.
I can recommend Roman Road, which is the continuation of Kempshott Lane/ Old Kempshott Lane off the A30 and is a good way of just about bypassing Roundabout City, if approaching from the SouthWest.
You also need a good map.
I can also slate the Hilton National Hotel in Basingstoke. Couldn't supply me with cake/pastry when I arrived at 11.30 one morning having cycled 40 miles from Hillingdon :-(
"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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Basingstoke.
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Now, I've never cycled through Basingstoke before. Apart from it being possibly the most soul-less place on earth, it has the most unfriendly
road
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system I've ever come across: great, sweeping 50mph roads piling up with queues at roundabouts and linking to more sweeping 50mph roads. Only about 1/4 mile from the 'town' centre did I see a 30 zone. I didn't see one cyclist on Basingstoke's roads. I encountered many irate motorists.
I can recommend Roman Road, which is the continuation of Kempshott Lane/ Old Kempshott Lane off the A30 and is a good way of just about bypassing Roundabout City, if approaching from the SouthWest.
Thanks for the tip. I will use it when I next need to get round Basingstoke. But this time I had to enter the city to get to the station.
Today I took advantage of the fierce south-westerly and decided to cycle from Southampton to Basingstoke via the Candovers (very posh); instead of battling against the wind all the way back, I thought I'd catch the train.
Now, I've never cycled through Basingstoke before. Apart from it being possibly the most soul- less place on earth, it has the most unfriendly road system I've ever come across: great, sweeping 50mph roads piling up with queues at roundabouts and linking to more sweeping 50mph roads. Only about 1/4 mile from the 'town' centre did I see a 30 zone. I didn't see one cyclist on Basingstoke's roads. I encountered many irate motorists.
Very nicely surfaced roads. Home of the AA.
Hideous.
Oi you. That's my home town you're talking about.
But luckily I escaped 20 years ago :-)
But got to go back tomorrow for some Games Workshop LOTR battles :-(
I lived there until 1962 - it was a great place with plenty of places for kids to play. Sleepy and quaint. Our house backed onto woods and fields - Stratfield Road - but there is just motorway there now, according to the map. A great shame and I am glad I don't live there now.
"dwb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message -"]news:[email hidden]- berlin.de...
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"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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Basingstoke.
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Now, I've never cycled through Basingstoke before. Apart from it
being
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possibly the most soul-less place on earth, it has the most
unfriendly
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road
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system I've ever come across: great, sweeping 50mph roads piling up
with
Quoted message said:
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queues at roundabouts and linking to more sweeping 50mph roads. Only
about
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1/4 mile from the 'town' centre did I see a 30 zone. I didn't see
one
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cyclist on Basingstoke's roads. I encountered many irate motorists.
I can recommend Roman Road, which is the continuation of Kempshott Lane/ Old Kempshott Lane off the A30 and is a good way of just about bypassing Roundabout City, if approaching from the SouthWest.
Thanks for the tip. I will use it when I next need to get round Basingstoke. But this time I had to enter the city to get to the station.
Most of the main town footpath routes through the estates are open to cyclists. but you need to know where they are.
I try to avoid the South East of England but I did attend a course in Hursley (IBM of course) just before Christmas and I had the great pleasure of visiting Basingstoke one evening to watch Ice Hockey. Much to my delight I found a separate foot/bike path leading from the town centre to the ice ring keeping us away from the traffic. The path was pretty dark but used by a few cycling commuters and a few scrotes on motor scooters, stolen I presume as they had no helmets with them.
It's where I live too and it's a damn site better than the grotty city I used to live in. Basigstoke is an excellent base from which one can make many very good cycling trips. Yes there are loads of idiots in cars but that's the same anywhere. The town may be a bit sad but I'd prefer to shop here than many of the surrounding towns (except perhaps Winchester).
Lay off Basingstoke. It may be the butt of jokes but compared to many unmentionable towns and cities in the UK it's an absolute diamond of a place.
It's where I live too and it's a damn site better than the grotty city I used to live in. Basigstoke is an excellent base from which one can make many very good cycling trips. Yes there are loads of idiots in cars but that's the same anywhere. The town may be a bit sad but I'd prefer to shop here than many of the surrounding towns (except perhaps Winchester).
Lay off Basingstoke. It may be the butt of jokes but compared to many unmentionable towns and cities in the UK it's an absolute diamond of a place.
It has a well planned road system - for cars - and doesn't suffer the same gridlock as, say, Swindon, where the road system seems to have evolved into the mess it's in today.
"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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Smudger said:
It's where I live too and it's a damn site better than the grotty city I used to live in. Basigstoke is an excellent base from which one can
make
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many very good cycling trips. Yes there are loads of idiots in cars but that's the same anywhere. The town may be a bit sad but I'd prefer to
shop
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here than many of the surrounding towns (except perhaps Winchester).
Lay off Basingstoke. It may be the butt of jokes but compared to many unmentionable towns and cities in the UK it's an absolute diamond of a place.
It has a well planned road system - for cars - and doesn't suffer the same gridlock as, say, Swindon, where the road system seems to have evolved into the mess it's in today.
Why the for cars caveat? I mean, surely any reasonable competant cyclist can cope with such roads? And surely cylists benefit from not having to stop for signals every hundred yards?
Now I appreciate that the behaviour of some road users on such roads may be dangerous, but to blame the roads is somewhat like blaming "dangerous trees".
Now I appreciate that the behaviour of some road users on such roads may be dangerous, but to blame the roads is somewhat like blaming "dangerous trees".
I had no difficulty dealing with the road system. But that is not to say it makes any allowances for cyclists. It's a [censored] road system.
"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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Nathaniel Porter said:
Now I appreciate that the behaviour of some road users on such roads may be dangerous, but to blame the roads is somewhat like blaming "dangerous trees".
I had no difficulty dealing with the road system. But that is not to say
it
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makes any allowances for cyclists. It's a [censored] road system.
Central London's road system makes no allowances for motorists. Should we demolish half of London to fix that? Or should motorists just work with what is there?
Likewise for cyclists in Basingstoke. It's a perfectly adequate, usable road system. It maybe not be ideal for you usage, but I'm afraid thats life.
Central London's road system makes no allowances for motorists. Should we demolish half of London to fix that? Or should motorists just work with what is there?
I never go to London. Can't comment.
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Likewise for cyclists in Basingstoke. It's a perfectly adequate, usable road system. It maybe not be ideal for you usage, but I'm afraid thats life.
I understand that. That's why I said I'll avoid it in future. [censored]-hole that it is.
Why the for cars caveat? I mean, surely any reasonable competant cyclist can cope with such roads? And surely cylists benefit from not having to stop for signals every hundred yards?
Nah...it's all fast (a lot of 70mph) dual carriageways, slip roads and roundabouts. I took my driving test there in preference to Newbury, which is your classic congested market town with narrow back streets. The pass rate was higher in Basingstoke!
In message <[email hidden]>, Smudger <[email hidden]> writes
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It's where I live too and it's a damn site better than the grotty city I used to live in. Basigstoke is an excellent base from which one can make many very good cycling trips. Yes there are loads of idiots in cars but that's the same anywhere. The town may be a bit sad but I'd prefer to shop here than many of the surrounding towns (except perhaps Winchester).
Lay off Basingstoke. It may be the butt of jokes but compared to many unmentionable towns and cities in the UK it's an absolute diamond of a place.
I worked there for two years and lived in it for one, but wouldn't call it a diamond. Marginally better than Bracknell, perhaps.
For my first few weeks at work I lived in Alton, and as public transport between the two only operated from 10am until 4pm and I didn't have a car, I had no option but to cycle. It was October and usually dark on my home journey.
After three weeks of this I got a flat share in Brighton Hill and cycled from there to near the town centre.
"Zog The Undeniable" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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Nathaniel Porter said:
Why the for cars caveat? I mean, surely any reasonable competant cyclist
can
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cope with such roads? And surely cylists benefit from not having to stop
for
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signals every hundred yards?
Nah...it's all fast (a lot of 70mph) dual carriageways, slip roads and roundabouts.
But surely thats better than a crowded, narrow high street?
Now as I said, I appreciate that bad drivers may cause more of a problem on fast roads - but bad driving isn't the road's fault.
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I took my driving test there in preference to Newbury, which is your classic congested market town with narrow back streets. The pass rate was higher in Basingstoke!
Which you'd expect, as the road system is designed for cars in Basingstoke, whereas Newbury's road system largely just happened. I don't see what that's got to do with cycling in Basingstoke though.
