UK today.

[expat]

Here is a comment from someone who has lived outside the UK for a few years, after a return visit. I think he puts it quite well:

Three things stood out about the UK that disheartened me:

First, the place is absolutely filthy. The vast accumulations of litter along the roadsides (the A13 east of the M25 deserves special mention), the railways and to a lesser extent in the townscapes is utterly shameful. So much seemed in need of a damned good clean, and/or in a state of disrepair. I sensed a total lack of concern about the physical environment.
.....
Secondly, the degree to which anti-crime and anti-vandalism measures are visible. I noticed CCTV cameras in schools and even they were enclosed in protective cages. New heavy-duty fences around parks. And so on. The country felt in danger of becoming like a prison environment.
.....
Thirdly is the extent to which the Government meddles and tinkers in everything they can. I don't just mean the "nanny state" stuff either, though that is certainly part of it. ...... The administration, complexity and mental effort needed to keep pace with all this crap must surely drain the country of huge amounts of proper productive effort. If the Government put even half its energies into eliminating or simplifying things rather than adding things, it would be so much better.

[threaded]

He's right about the cleanliness thing. The one that hits me most when I land in England is the smell.

[AlfredJPruffock]

He's right about the cleanliness thing. The one that hits me most when I land in England is the smell.

Perhaps that is what Blair meant about spreading Democracy... turning other countrys into similar cesspits.

[DimPrawn]

My street looks okay.

[expat]

He's right about the cleanliness thing. The one that hits me most when I land in England is the smell.

And the prison mentality. More CCTV cameras per head than any other country in the world.

[VectraMan]

Getting off a ferry last year late at night and there was about 15 miles of single lane 40 mph coned off M20 with of course no roadworks of any kind actually going on. And it really struck me that this is the first impression a lot of people have of our country, and it's one of inneficiency, poor infrastructure, and lazy workers.

I used to think all this moaning about the UK vs. everywhere else was just ignorance, but I'm rapidly changing my mind.

[BoredBloke]

"15 miles of single lane 40 mph coned off M20 with of course no roadworks of any kind actually going on"

Was there a planned strike at the French ports? They often use the M20 for 'Operation Stack' don't they?

[expat]

"15 miles of single lane 40 mph coned off M20 with of course no roadworks of any kind actually going on"

Was there a planned strike at the French ports? They often use the M20 for 'Operation Stack' don't they?

Usually heading towards the channel, though.

[NoddY]

UK urban public space has become very much like urban space in the United States (grotty and unkempt)

Some trends I have noticed:
- function always take precedence over form
- walled housing estates
- unmaintained street furniture
- little consideration for pedestrians (pavements that abruptly stop)
- primacy of the motor car (although this is a long term trend, it's dominance of the landscape continues no matter what politicians say - storing up problems for the future)
- dilapidated road signage and, perversely, in some places, superflouous road signage.
- the 'Docklands effect' (1) vast swathes of new build lego houses BUT NOT A SOUL ANYWHERE! (2) poorly designed fenestration; low ratio of windows to brickwork

and finally

- nobody gives a sh!t about these things except me.

[Mordac]

>primacy of the motor car

Out of necessity, it's not safe to travel on public transport.