HARLOW, Essex, UK

[ecche]

Has anyone of you spent some time in Harlow, Essex? I plan on moving to the UK and was offered a job there. What's the town like? Would you enjoy living there? Any bit of information will help...

[caveman_uk]

Sorry to tell you this but it's a dump.... :(

It's a charmless 'new town' - one of several built after the second world war. Consequently it has no character and is full of 'chavs'. Check out chavscum.co.uk if you want to find out what they are...

The best thing about is that it's not Stevenage.

[Jeewhizz]

IMO, stevenage is better - only marginally...

Harlow isn't that bad - you could get away with living on the outskirts in a nicer part and driving about :)

[evoluzione]

Sorry to tell you this but it's a dump.... :(


what place isn't these days???? :)

[bousozoku]

All I remember about the place is that I had a pen friend who moved there who wanted to trade Atari ST software back in the early 1990s. :D :eek:

[caveman_uk]

Harlow isn't that bad - you could get away with living on the outskirts in a nicer part and driving about :)
Actually Sawbridgeworth down the road is quite nice apart from David Beckham lives near there ;)

[iGav]

Check out chavscum.co.uk if you want to find out what they are...

:p :p :p that's fantastic... :p :p :p

[Awimoway]

Actually Sawbridgeworth down the road is quite nice apart from David Beckham lives near there ;)

The thing is, it's a compact country. Unless your place of work is a major city like London (and even then, if you don't mind a long commute), there's no reason why you have to live and work in the same town.

[iGav]

The thing is, it's a compact country. Unless your place of work is a major city like London (and even then, if you don't mind a long commute), there's no reason why you have to live and work in the same town.

but the cost of that communte can make it unfeasible.

[Abstract]

Cost? Twenty minutes from work isn't exactly costly, even with petrol prices being high. Traffic in that part of the country is also probably not that bad, so even in rush hour, it's cool.

[iGav]

Cost? Twenty minutes from work isn't exactly costly, even with petrol prices being high. Traffic in that part of the country is also probably not that bad, so even in rush hour, it's cool.

Well if you only live 20 minutes from work, door to door, then you're likely in the same town (and it'll likely be a small town) Cost is relative though. You live twice as far away, it'll cost you roughly twice as much to get there.

Hell, it sometimes even used to take me 45 minutes to an hour just to travel the 4 or so miles from Walthamstow to Soho... but that was on the tube. heheheh

[Jeewhizz]

Hell, it sometimes even used to take me 45 minutes to an hour just to travel the 4 or so miles from Walthamstow to Soho... but that was on the tube. heheheh

Couldn't agree more :)

I used to live in stamford street SE1, about 5 mins walk from waterloo station. It would take up to half an hour on the tube sometimes to get from my door to london bridge, and so it was generally quicker (and healthier) to walk or get the bus...

Live in zone 6 now - Croydon, SE London, and i can get from my door to london bridge in 30 minutes - that's goinga bout 20 miles, and costs me £3.10 return for the overland train- cheaper than a zone 1 return on the tube.

[Blackstealth]

Live in zone 6 now - Croydon, SE London, and i can get from my door to london bridge in 30 minutes - that's goinga bout 20 miles, and costs me £3.10 return for the overland train- cheaper than a zone 1 return on the tube.

Wow, wish transport was that quick up 'ere in the North. It takes me 30 minutes to drive 3.5 miles to work on a morning, and the time I tried public transport it was an absolute joke. But if the schools are on holiday it only takes 7 minutes...

[edesignuk]

You can only live in Essex if you promise to fit exausts on to your saxo that aren't needed! :D ;) :p ...oh and a dodgy body kit /w a rear wing off a cosworth! It doesn't matter if it fits properly!

*note: humor may only work for those familiar with essex* ;)
*note2: I DO NOT (http://homepage.mac.com/edesignuk/PhotoAlbum11.html) do any of the above* :D

[CrackedButter]

One word describes Harlow to a Tee.

Roundabouts.

[Abstract]

Roundabouts? Haven't been to Wollongong (Oz), have you. The 'gong is the city of roundabouts. No stopsigns, and barely any streetlights. Its just one roundabout after another......and another.....and....

Well if you only live 20 minutes from work, door to door, then you're likely in the same town (and it'll likely be a small town) Cost is relative though. You live twice as far away, it'll cost you roughly twice as much to get there.

Hell, it sometimes even used to take me 45 minutes to an hour just to travel the 4 or so miles from Walthamstow to Soho... but that was on the tube. heheheh

Okay, I didn't know traffic got that bad in Essex. I thought it would be (relatively) quick to travel from the outskirts of town and into the city centre, but just goes to show you how much I know of the area.

Since I've never driven in London, how far is it exactly from Walthamstow to Soho. Even without delays, the train to Walthamstow took 45 minutes from Kings-X, I believe. Surely it has to be more than 4 miles (6.4 km). Taking the tube from Zone 2/3 (Archway/Highgate station) to Tottenham Ct Rd station would usually only take 20 minutes or so during peak hours (used to work at Russell Sq).

[Jeewhizz]

city of roundabouts has to be milton keynes - its in the guiness book of records i believe :O

[iGav]

city of roundabouts has to be milton keynes - its in the guiness book of records i believe :O

Bracknell was like that... all New Towns were designed around the 'roundabout' for transport infrastructure, increasing transport flow and reducing congestion.

Bracknell didn't actually have any sets of traffic lights until the very end of the 1980's/early '90's so I believe, such was the success of the roundabout system, but with increased traffic flow, this approach eventually became unsuccessful as traffic increased, and now the town boasts many sets of traffic lights.... and it's a total f-in' nightmare. :eek: :p