ADUK Archive

As a relative newcomer, this place seems to go around in circles. The topics which generate lively discussion (steering, fixed input steering, IAM Masters views on steering, why the IAM is wrong in it's views on steering) seem to be held between a small number of individuals, at great length and with little new said.

OK, I'm being a bit tongue-in-cheek about steering, but how about trying to share a little more of the joy of a good drive and spend less time obsessing over what boils down to "so long as it's safe, reliable and smooth, anything goes".

As a starter for 10, how about a thread on great driving roads - places that someone can actually go out and experience no matter how superb or novice-like they are.

I'll contribute if you start the thread

zadocbrown wrote:I'll contribute if you start the thread

Way ahead of you...

true blue wrote:how about a thread on great driving roads - places that someone can actually go out and experience no matter how superb or novice-like they are.

ADUK routes

But even they tend to be such that people will relatively little experience of country roads can easily come a cropper.

By and large, if you want to find good driving roads, look for ones which many motorcyclists use.

martine wrote:That's not very tactful Gareth...can I suggest you edit this?

How would you put it while retaining the meaning?

To be less morbid, one could try googling for good biking roads. I think bikers tend to share the knowledge readily and if it's a good biking road it's probably a good car-ing road too.

Tell you what, if I can recall the exact routes in East Sussex and Kent that I was driven on by a Police Advanced driving instructor the other day, i'll happily share them with you. He chooses the routes like skiers choose pistes and always ensures there's a constant challenge, regardless of the posted limits or not, as the case may be.

The Lewes-Appledore-Dover route was very interesting, as was the burger van we stopped at (if I ever find it again). The thing is that I wasn't really looking at place names, so it could prove difficult to repeat. I'm on it!

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.92744 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Did you go through Hurstmonceux and out towards Rye?
If so it is one of my favourite driving roads; that and it's twin the A272 to Petersfield perhaps stopping at the Izaak Walton in East Meon for lunch. The pub has hardly changed in the 40 years I've known it.

Gareth wrote:

true blue wrote:how about a thread on great driving roads - places that someone can actually go out and experience no matter how superb or novice-like they are.

ADUK routes

But even they tend to be such that people will relatively little experience of country roads can easily come a cropper.

By and large, if you want to find good driving roads, look for ones which many motorcyclists use.

....but try to be there when they aren't.

sussex2 wrote:Did you go through Hurstmonceux and out towards Rye?
If so it is one of my favourite driving roads; that and it's twin the A272 to Petersfield perhaps stopping at the Izaak Walton in East Meon for lunch. The pub has hardly changed in the 40 years I've known it.

Yes we did pass the castle on our left at some point and only reduced to a lower speed when it was posted on a sign. I also enjoy the A272. If you're ever up for a drive out, please drop me a line

Part of the test route we took the other day was something like : Lewes- A22- A271 - Under road - Lower road - Church road - Flamsteed road - Halley road (past Herstmonceux castle and observatory) - then somehow to Sedlescombe - Robertsbridge - Hawkhurst - Tenterden - Brenzett - M20 Eastbound (upto around 140mph but I was too busy watching how other vehicles were dealt with to see our top speed) - Dover. I came back via a similar route but again, unless I drive it myself it's going to be difficult to recall precisely, so i've traced it as best I can by using googlemaps.

One of my favourite and fairly unchallenging routes, is to head out from Brighton towards A283 - B2139, as it's a part of the countryside I enjoy watching coming to life throughout the year. I'm also so aware of the amount of Spring roadkill that I always keep small mammals in mind while driving; the actions of pheasants I attribute to Darwinian selection, whereas Badgers are almost blind, quite slow and very hungry due to breeding and nesting.

Something I noticed about my attitude (not motivated by Police operational needs), was that I tend to slow down when passing through rural settlements because if I lived in one, I wouldn't want people noisily flying past at high speeds. One issue we found on the test drive was sat navving lorries winding through single track leafy lanes, when perhaps they should be restricted to access only or have the 'shortest route' function disabled. We still managed to overtake a few HGVs but it was quite tight in places.

Kimosabe wrote:

sussex2 wrote:Did you go through Hurstmonceux and out towards Rye?
If so it is one of my favourite driving roads; that and it's twin the A272 to Petersfield perhaps stopping at the Izaak Walton in East Meon for lunch. The pub has hardly changed in the 40 years I've known it.

Yes we did pass the castle on our left at some point and only reduced to a lower speed when it was posted on a sign. I also enjoy the A272. If you're ever up for a drive out, please drop me a line

Part of the test route we took the other day was something like : Lewes- A22- A271 - Under road - Lower road - Church road - Flamsteed road - Halley road (past Herstmonceux castle and observatory) - then somehow to Sedlescombe - Robertsbridge - Hawkhurst - Tenterden - Brenzett - M20 Eastbound (upto around 140mph but I was too busy watching how other vehicles were dealt with to see our top speed) - Dover. I came back via a similar route but again, unless I drive it myself it's going to be difficult to recall precisely, so i've traced it as best I can by using googlemaps.

One of my favourite and fairly unchallenging routes, is to head out from Brighton towards A283 - B2139, as it's a part of the countryside I enjoy watching coming to life throughout the year. I'm also so aware of the amount of Spring roadkill that I always keep small mammals in mind while driving; the actions of pheasants I attribute to Darwinian selection, whereas Badgers are almost blind, quite slow and very hungry due to breeding and nesting.

Something I noticed about my attitude (not motivated by Police operational needs), was that I tend to slow down when passing through rural settlements because if I lived in one, I wouldn't want people noisily flying past at high speeds.

Quite so and some people tend to think living in the country will be quiet; totally wrong in my opinion. The place is full of things that get up early such as animals and farmers neither the quietest of things. If a car is coming at night you'll hear it a mile away
I'm familiar with all the roads you mention and the Sussex countryside at this time of year is superb. If you see a yellow MX5 it'll probably be me especially if the top is down.