Parking Problems when shopping on the Lane?

[SeanMacGabhann]

A few people will already know my views on this but I am curious as to how far people travel to shop on LL at the weekends?

I know some people who travel from, oooh, Barry Road might be reluctant to answer this for fear of a verbal beatin' but I'm genuinely curious...

[snorky]

I admit to driving to tescos early in he AM sometiems for hot croissants & semmels

there than that, its walk all the way

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think I know most of the walkers on here (we're the one with expensive cobbler bills) but just to re-iterate I'm not against driving at all - I love it.

It's just counter-productive sometimes. LL on a Saturday strikes me as one of those times. But others may diagree so I'm curious as to what makes the aggro of finding a space (battling with all of the other drivers) worth it on a Saturday

Obviously if you are picking up some big heavy load and that but I'm thinking of the people I see picking up a coffee, or a book from Chener. I would say walking/busing makes the whole day less stressfull and more enjoyable

which is why I'm asking the question I guess

[TillieTrotter]

Try dragging your moaning sons down to the lane and walking back with bags full of shopping. You do sometimes seem to forget that other people's lives arent arranged the same as yours Mr M.

[ed_pete]

The answer to that problem lies in the making the "old-lady" (no offence to any old-ladies) style shopping trolley fashionable again so why not start a new trend TT. Apparently Orla Kiely makes one [http://www.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,1809939,00.html].

[TillieTrotter]

Dont think I could get both of my boys squashed in one of those ed. Theyd moan all the louder.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Tillie - I suspect I'mn a hiding to nothing on this thread anyway as I will inevitably sound like I'm telling people what to do. And I'm going to try desperately to not sound that way.... but still.

All I'm tryin to do is gauge whether the stress of looking for a parking spot, complaining about other drivers etc is worth it

[TillieTrotter]

Unfortunately it sometimes just is. Like I might need to pop to the card shop, then the library etc before or after shopping. With two sons and weighed down with library books or shopping its just so much easier to take the car. Actually its nigh on impossible not to.

[spadetownboy]

certainly is worth it, i drive down from glengarry,because as TT points out trying to drag kids and shopping around is not a good combination, however(puts on tin helmet and gets into ready made trench),i do most of my shopping in sainsbos,basically i usually cant be bothered to try and find a space in the lane.

[Jah Lush]

Blimey Tillie, when I was a boy growing up in Dulwich Village my mother would walk up to the Forest Hill Sainsburys and back to do the weekly shop with my sister and I. Quite a trek that. I don't seem to remember either of us moaning about it but if we did we'd have got a good clip round the ear. Kids today eh!

[SeanMacGabhann]

now now STP - no need for trench digging - noone is giving out to anyone

(I'll save the Sainsbury's diatribe for another thread.. I ended up in there on Sun.... my own fault ;-) )

Parents are the only repliers so far - i was hoping for single lazy-arses to reply really...

[Brendan]

I drive to Sainbury's when I need to get lots of stuff because I can't carry it all on the bus.

I know that Mrs B has been guilty of driving the few blocks to the CPT just to pick her fianc? up because he had inexplicably forgotten how to walk.

[snorky]

Ban non public transport & non licenced leigitimate delivery vehicles from lordship lane for the good of everyones health and safety - I have argued this for a long time.

Oh wait, apparently this will cause the shopkeepers to face a ( likely mythological ) downturn in revenue and profits.

We cant have that can we.

I will withdraw my statement, cos we all know that everyones health and well being are second to the greed of the shopkeepers on LL - they support the community you know - unless it affects their profits of course.

[Mellors]

I walk with the pram (yes, I'm the one you hate). On the upside, we both get some fresh air, I get some exercise, and I stick all the shopping underneath the pram, so no need for carrier bags. Plus if I'm really lucky it will send him to sleep and I can undo all the good exercise by stopping for a nice coffee and cake. Parking just isnt worth the aggro.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Many of us have stuck up for prams in the past Mellors!

(people who come to the EDT comedy and don't come and say hello however... *cough* )

[char1ie]

How could you ban traffic from Lordship Lane Snorky? It would go through the narrow back streets instead, snarl up residential streets and create a massive blockage of traffic between Camberwell and Forest Hill and the south circular.

I drive to Seacow on Lordship Lane from 250 metres away - to make sure the food stays hot. Anything else I generally walk.

Charlie

[snorky]

Unless they think for once in a while and maybe walk of course

[SeanMacGabhann]

Snorky! I started this thread to solicit people's reasons. If you start having a pop at those reasons then no-one will do it so please desist I'm begging you

(you could always start and anti-car thread you know)

[snorky]

oops!

[ratty]

We walk with the Pram too! HA! It's a bugaboo to boot. Admittedly we are only walking from Abbotswood but taking the car is not an option on a Saturday. Half the time you cannot even cross the road cos it's so busy with traffic. Another reason for not driving is that a Saturday trip to LL almost always (before the bundle of joy came along) ended up in a little session in the boozer, and driving back with double vision was never really that easy! ;) Hic!

[Brendan]

Surely nobody drives in London, there is too much traffic.

[Keef]

I can't drive because I have crappy eyes, and Mrs Keef has never learnt to either. I do complain lots about public transport, particularly buses, but they do get me to where I'm going so can't moan too much (just wish I had a lisence to kill anyone who wants to share the music from their mobile, or say "Oh my days, she was bare looking at you man", "I no bruv, but she's bare ugly, * Oh my days" AAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!).

Ahem, sorry :-$

Aaaanyway, we don't have kids as yet, but as and when we do, I think Mrs Keef may be tempted to lean to drive. However, she is very environmentally minded, and says if she has to drive anything, it will be a smart car.

It annoyed me when a friend who visits us quite a lot, stopped visiting at all when his car was off the road, even though he could have jumped on a 176 door to door in 15 minutes!

* As an aside, I always remember a naughty kid in my maths class saying "Oh my days" to the teacher when he was told off, only for the teacher to roar at him "YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED BOY!!!". Classic school boy memory >:D<

[SimonM]

Smarts are great for commuting - we is a Smart household, like. But as they only seat 2 the ubiquitous supercompact is probably not the best choice for a small family...unless the non-driver gets left at home or sulking in the pub etc B)

[david_carnell]

My ?0.02:

I moved here from Surrey and had a car when I first arrived. It proved useful now and again but my far the biggest problem was the standard of driving, quite possibly the worst I have ever come across. Coupled with rising costs I ditched it.

Shopping at weekends isn't too bad. Sainsburys deliver all the heavy non-consumables such as cat litter and washing powder every so often. The Mrs_david and I will walk from the Leisure Centre (nr where we live) all the way to William Rose and can then walk back again stopping at each shop we need stuff from (Moxons, greengrocer on NCR, cheese block, deli, n e other etc) and between the two of us can manage our weeks worth of stuff in one go. Other bits and pieces are picked up ad hoc.

So, I've not missed the car and the buses are excellent to go anywhere but I have every sympathy with people like TillieTrotter and suspect that in her position I would definately use a car. Time is precious at a weekend and with much to do with children in tow, sometimes the car gets the job done.

[Mellors]

Or get on your bike? I've just started cycling to work (Farringdon) and it saves me at least half an hour over public transport, and is free as well :)