20-01-2021, 10:41 AM
My forays onto the UK motorway network in the RP have been few and every one quite memorable. The only one I did regularly was when I used the RP to go to work and I used the M1 south from Jn 35 to the next exit at Jn 34(N) - Tinsley viaduct. Fortunately it was downhill so I could rattle on a bit but even then there was the threat of an Artic close behind. I didn't use the motorway for the return journey.
The next was when I was bringing the car to France for the first time. After using back roads all the way to St Albans I dropped onto the M25 to get over the Darford Crossing. This time it was the start of the afternoon peak period so trundling along in lane one I was going as fast as everyone else, even on the long pull up & over the QE Bridge. I soon got off after the toll boths onto the back whacks again.
The next time was a few years ago, when Passe-Partout and I were on our way to Nice to tackle the Col de la Bonette. The plan was to take the old road from Nîmes towards Salon de Provence, but after passing Arles we were busy chatting and again I missed the turn off, and the dual carriageway we were on became the A54. Fortunately it was quiet but I realised my mistake when the toll booths appeared, complete with a team of "Douaniers" who were doing road checks. Needless to say we got pulled over. All they wanted to do was to look at the car and take selfies. We managed to get off at the next exit, and then managed to get lost again in Ax-en-Provence before we finally found the old Nationale.
The last time was on my way to Santiago. I missed the turn off into Pézenas at a roundabout and ended up on a short length of motorway, but managed to get off again at the next exit. I don't like running the car flat out for long periods, especially as I had a long way to go and the engine was only just run-in. It's not just the stress you put the car under trying to get it up to 60mph but the fear of some numpty in a big truck that fails to notice that you're actually only doing 45mph!
Roads like this are much better....
![[Image: 20190925-100959.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/XY8Q8kR6/20190925-100959.jpg)
The next was when I was bringing the car to France for the first time. After using back roads all the way to St Albans I dropped onto the M25 to get over the Darford Crossing. This time it was the start of the afternoon peak period so trundling along in lane one I was going as fast as everyone else, even on the long pull up & over the QE Bridge. I soon got off after the toll boths onto the back whacks again.
The next time was a few years ago, when Passe-Partout and I were on our way to Nice to tackle the Col de la Bonette. The plan was to take the old road from Nîmes towards Salon de Provence, but after passing Arles we were busy chatting and again I missed the turn off, and the dual carriageway we were on became the A54. Fortunately it was quiet but I realised my mistake when the toll booths appeared, complete with a team of "Douaniers" who were doing road checks. Needless to say we got pulled over. All they wanted to do was to look at the car and take selfies. We managed to get off at the next exit, and then managed to get lost again in Ax-en-Provence before we finally found the old Nationale.
The last time was on my way to Santiago. I missed the turn off into Pézenas at a roundabout and ended up on a short length of motorway, but managed to get off again at the next exit. I don't like running the car flat out for long periods, especially as I had a long way to go and the engine was only just run-in. It's not just the stress you put the car under trying to get it up to 60mph but the fear of some numpty in a big truck that fails to notice that you're actually only doing 45mph!
Roads like this are much better....