Yesterday evening I drove to Oxford to give a talk to a joint event put on by the Oxford Union and the university Conservatives. I always love answering questions at these events - far more interesting than giving a speech. I nearly didn't get there thanks to Oxford's absolutely dreadful one way system, which I am told was designed by former Tory MP Sir Timothy Raison. I shall be contacting my good friend, Oxford LibDem councillor and blogger Stephen Tall! I even ended up on a street next to a car park which suddenly ended with a no entry road on the left and a no entry road straight ahead and no entrance to the car park. The trouble was, I had four buses behind me and no place to go. Unbelievable. And before some bright spark pops up and says I should have used public transport, give me a break. Try getting to Tunbridge Wells from Oxford late at night.
It was good to meet Jonny Wright, who writes the LibDem Hug a Hoodie blog. I threw the odd 'love bomb' his way...
Great to meet you too Iain - and thanks for the love bombs! I'll blog your talk/Q&A in the morning. I spent the rest of the evening in the pub, having a very friendly chat (and the odd major political argument) with some of the other students who went. So I'll wait till I'm properly awake and properly sober before I try writing anything ...
ReplyDeleteWhatever gave you the idea that Oxford was easy to get into?
ReplyDeleteBy the next time you go to Oxford, they will have the muezzin's call to "prayer" broadcast on loudspeakers - the Bishop of Oxford says he is very comfortable with this aggression of public space - and perhaps when they're not buggering around with allah five times a day, they could broadcast traffic alerts.
ReplyDeleteSo people who end up on a street, presumably in the dark, that suddenly ends with a NO ENTRY road to the left, etc., the muzzie could fill in his time broadcasting directions. We must hope and pray, so to speak, that the directions are in English.
Meanwhile, the Bish of Oxford appears to be auditioning for Canterbury's post as Dhimmi in Chief.
Shame your only comments after the event were just about your difficulties getting there - yes, the Oxford transport system is terrible - rather than on the content of the talk and the questions asked.
ReplyDeleteIt was great to meet you though - I very much enjoyed the event.
Its always more fun to have a conversation and questions than a speech- I always find when I give academic papers that the first bit when I give the paper is nerve wracking but the second where questions are answered is actually great fun. I think its in part that speeches are so artificial- so strange and explaining feels much more natural when you have someone to focus on and answer a question to.
ReplyDeleteIf you go in the day use park and ride it's excellent. Trouble is it finishes early evening.
ReplyDeleteBtw, use your spell checker more often - aboriginees and efusive?
If I had had hair that vivid shade of ginga I would not be publishing it all over the place.
ReplyDeleteThe only known ginga with friends is Ron Weasley and he isn`t real.bull
If I had had hair that vivid shade of ginga I would not be publishing it all over the place.
ReplyDeleteThe only known ginga with friends is Ron Weasley and he isn`t real.bull
Iain did you not use your sat nav.
ReplyDeleteI find out the full address of the car park, and I never have a problem.
If you went 'on spek' without planning then you have only youself to blame and not some old Tory from years ago. 'Its always someone elses fault.' appears to be your attitude.
Save the planet - stay at home...
ReplyDeleteJohnny Norfolk, yes I did use my Sat Nav. Trouble was, it tried to make me turn into a street which cars are now allowed down.
ReplyDeleteIain
ReplyDeleteFast trains leave for Oxford every half an hour. Journey time 56 minutes...
How very interesting. And then how would you suggest I get back to Tunbridge Wells?
ReplyDelete@ Paddy Briggs
ReplyDelete"Fast trains leave for Oxford every half an hour. Journey time 56 minutes..."
Marvellous. From where, exactly? Tunbridge Wells? Fantastic!
How about the return journey, then? Is it a 24/7 service?
Next time I want to visit Oxford I'll just motor over to Tunbridge Wells.
It's never been good to drive in and out of Oxford. Lived in "Cameron Country" some twenty-five years ago and it was difficult for my parents to drive into Oxford then. We usually used the bus service from just outside the City.
ReplyDeleteTraffic inOxford is a disaster. As a frequent visitor to Oxford to deliver and collect 2 undergraduate daughters and their belongings, I am frequently sandwiched between two of the many Oxford buses that clog up the roads but carry only a handful of passengers.
ReplyDeleteI just checked on the http://www.transportdirect.info Website. From central Tunbridge Wells TN1 1EA, to OX1 3JB (Oxford Union), to arrive for 6:45pm.
ReplyDeleteReturning at 10:30pm.
The choices are:
Outward journey:
Drive by car, total time: 2 hours (leaving 4:45pm)
Public transport
Walk to station, starting at 3:22pm
Depart Tunbridge Wells station 3:36pm
Arrive London Bridge
Take Jubilee Line to Baker Street
Take Bakerloo Line to Paddington
Take train Paddington - Oxford
15 minute walk from station
Total time: 3 hours 7 minutes.
Return journey:
2 hours by car from 10:30pm, arrive home 12:30
Or:
Walk to station, catch 11:05pm train
Arive 12:22 in Paddington
Miss last tube. Catch night bus instead, arrive 1am.
Wait four and a half hours in Trafalgar Square
Catch 5:30am train from Charing Cross to Tonbridge
Catch 6:44am train from Tonbridge to Tunbridge Wells
Total journey time: 8 hours 30 minutes.
well, I hate to remind you, but it was the Tories that privatised the trains ... and the buses.
ReplyDelete