The A1.
Or, more specifically, the bit of the A1 that runs through Northumberland between Morpeth and Berwick upon Tweed. It shouldn't irk me so much; it's a road, like many others, except that unlike many other major trunk roads, the bit in question is almost all single carriageway and therefore pretty much impossible to make any decent headway on. As soon as you hit north of Morpeth, the road goes from a decent-surfaced dual carriageway, to a pothole ridden stretch of arse-clenchingly bumpy single carriageway that most country B-roads would shun at a shit roads convention.

Despite the fact that much of the road at this point is still actually quite wide, most traffic travelling upon its hallowed surface at this point automatically slows down to an average speed of approximately 45 miles per hour. The usual cause of this is invariably:

- A convoy of HGV's
- A tractor, or,
- A geriatric, wobbly headed Micra driver following another geriatric, wobbly headed Micra driver, who's slowed down to 30 as they rummage in the glove box trying to find whatever the hell it is that they so desperately need that they couldn't take two minutes to look for it before they set off.

After about 15 miles, you are faced with a nice long stretch of dual carriageway again which continues to just north of Alnwick, before reverting to type and hampering any progress you might have made in the previous ten minutes or so. There is another bit of dual carriageway further on, but this only runs for about two miles and is usually where you encounter similarly pissed off HGV drivers overtaking each other, therefore the ability to actually shift on this stretch is extremely unlikely before you actually run out of road again. If you're lucky, you might be able to get a clear run on one of the long, straight stretches, but invariably you will find you're ambitions thwarted by a slow moving procession of HGVs, tractors and Micras heading south. Then, basically, you're shafted, as the road starts to wind and become narrower all the way to Berwick, replete with rises and falls and hidden dips, all vying to halt your progress to the best of their ability.

I spent six months travelling to work between Morpeth and Berwick back in the 90's, and the journey always took an hour, no matter how fast I was able to get to on the dual carriageway. So one night I decided that my journey home would be done at a steady 50 miles per hour, no matter how much it was tempting to do 70 on the dualled bits. It took me exactly the same time to get home as normal, and had the added benefit that I wasn't a pent up, seething ball of mild displeasure.

These days, I try to just take things steady when driving up and down the A1. But I still hate the fucking dull stretch of grey tarmac. I know it's irrational, it's just a sodding road. But, it's an undeniably shit one.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Mon 4 Apr 2011, 20:55, 9 replies)

I'll see
Your northern stretch of the A1 and raise you the A15 from J4 of the M180 to the Lincoln ring-road. It's about 18 miles of Roman Road and is as straight as a die except for about a mile where it arcs around RAF Scampton.
Dead straight road and you'll think you'd never get stuck behind anything with every chance to overtake. But no. It maybe straight but it's mile upon mile of blind summits and hidden dips. Not to mention myriad speed cameras.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Mon 4 Apr 2011, 21:19, closed)

Sounds a bit like the Roman Road running roughly parallel to Hadrian's Wall.
Bloody nightmare. Up, down, up, down, ARRRGH A FUCKING TRUCK ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE FUCKING ROAD!!!
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Mon 4 Apr 2011, 21:26, closed)

Oh guys, get a bike!
Two wheels on the military road=fantastic!
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Mon 4 Apr 2011, 21:32, closed)

Actually I must apologise for being a bit of a twat there.
Not giving credit where it's due.
That bit of the A1 is dire!
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Mon 4 Apr 2011, 21:34, closed)

And also
The A68 just south of the border.

But fuck yeah on the A1 - drove it every day for a year from East Lothian to Newcastle.
(MartinB9999, Mon 4 Apr 2011, 21:49, closed)

I see you your road and raise you...
The tail end of the A628 as you're approaching Stocksbridge.
( jim_bob can herd cats., Mon 4 Apr 2011, 22:01, closed)

Rubbish, the stretch between Peterborough and the Nottingham turnoff is the dullest.
Flat, featureless, straight.
Driving it on a cloudy day is like driving straight through limbo. They've even taken the roudabouts out now as well, just to make it duller.
( Amorous Badger NAKED BEA ARTHUR PHOTOS 4U, Mon 4 Apr 2011, 23:06, closed)

Yeah, but at least it's not single carriageway.

( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Mon 4 Apr 2011, 23:20, closed)

last year
I drove from Newcastle to Edinburgh. But I was in a van so I didn't care.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 5 Apr 2011, 1:03, closed)