Advertising in England
...seems about as bad as here.
I intend to post my interview with Nick Cotton from Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park as soon as possible. Just need to do a bit of cutting and it will be ready.
Our rental car at Stansted was a sweet little Vauxhall, manual 6-speed.
Rental companies in England and Germany expect that you know how to drive with a stick shift. I had no trouble driving on the left and shifting with my left hand, as I’m used to it in Japan. Well, there was one thing. I’ve had no practice on a clockwise roundabout as there are no roundabouts in my city in Japan (as perhaps they frown upon giving drivers a bit more autonomy at intersections, preferring the obedience-demanding stop lights) and a few times I forgot to make that last look to the right to see if any fast cars had snuck into the outer ring of the roundabout from the entrance at 3 o’clock, forcing me to wait. No close calls, really- when it gets close from behind you just gun it if nobody’s in front of you. One guy approaching from the right did honk, however, when I jumped in and didn’t wait for him to pass. Sorry, American tourist here! I do prefer the roundabouts, as I hate to sit idling at a stop light, but you have to be on your toes. Bitterrooters, stubborn like folks elsewhere in Montana, are gonna have a tough time adjusting to the new roundabout at Bell Crossing (but after a few fender benders and requisite grousing, they’ll learn).
After the third night German-tech-dude Lukas joined us at Stansted and together we traversed the highways, motorways, and country lanes of Yorkshire and the East Midlands. I could tell he was dying to get in the driver’s seat and give the car a real test. Yes, I know we’re on fun roads in Merry England and you’re 22 and I’m an old guy driving the speed limit, but these ubiquitous signs are spooking me into compliance. Hey, the slow driving is killing me too! And guess what, youngin, I only have insurance for one driver, myself! (these things don’t phase bold Lukas).
That stupid speed-trap camera image was everywhere. I mean you couldn’t drive five minutes without seeing it. Often it was posted alone, with no speed limit indicated, so you had to remember the last speed limit sign, or just guess. It drove me nuts.
Cameras shmameras. Bring back Montana, circa 70s! Speed limit- use your better judgement and let that Mustang rip! On this the stubborn Bitterrooters and I agree.
The day before Lukas’ arrival from Germany, Andy and I took the train into London from Watford, a satellite town to the north where our hotel was. I’ve read that Watford has been ruined by immigration much like infamous Rochdale and Rotherham, but it seemed nice enough to me, at least in the town center. Shortly after leaving the hotel a friendly guy with an upper-class-sounding accent gave us directions to the station. He asked about our travel plans and I mentioned we’d be in North Yorkshire in a couple days. “Well,” he said, “I don’t want to sound biased, but in that case you have to visit England’s most beautiful city, which is my hometown of York.” I said I’d make sure we wouldn’t miss it, and asked if his accent had any Yorkshire in it. He said, “No, I’ve lost it completely since coming to London years ago.” Pity that; I love regional accents.
Speaking of regions, there were none where you could get away from the surveillance cameras. I know we have them here too, but in England, they never fail to let you know you’re being watched. These signs were as ubiquitous as the speed-trap-camera signs. I remember long ago warning some friends that London had “a million surveillance cameras and they’re gonna put them up in New York too and pretty soon everywhere will have these and they’ll be watching us all the time!!” This was in the mid or late 90s I think and I’d be met with that bored, whatever stare. Not whatever in the sense that being watched all the time didn’t matter. That was preposterous as Americans at that time still fancied themselves free. Nope, the whatever meant, “Sure Dan, whatever; you’re sounding like a conspiracy theorist again.”
I know, that’s a train station? It’s an 80s rebuild of the old station, which became a victim of the 70s/80s architectural malaise that mandated every structure had to look like the Lansing Metropolitan Utilities Building. For contrast I wanted to put up a great picture of Watford Junction Station, circa 1942, with the classy cars and architecture, people dressed smartly, and busy vendors, but Getty Images wants 350 bucks for it.
Between Watford and Hyde Park, we saw lots of advertising.
In English advertising they are keen to represent the common folk of the land, and their humble, legacy lifestyles too.
Just kidding. Most advertising seems pretty edgy and hip. You know, Cool Brittania!
Lots of diversity there- yay. That subtitle, “A Big Fancy Musical” is probably an attempt to sound Love Actually-ish. I’m sure the reviews in the Telegraph and Guardian are stellar.
More diversity ‘n fun. Can’t wait!
Actually, the guys in the next advertisement were the least unappealing to me. But then again, I live in Montana, Utah-lite when it comes to Mormons, and we’re right next to Idaho, which is Utah-medium.
Missionary style. Get it? huh huh. Clever.
I took this one because of the style and expression of the model, and didn’t pay much attention to the words:
In fact I was in a rush for the train and didn’t read the small print below. I actually read the main words as “Hey, you can get through finishing school without actually going to school!” like it was some online program and finishing school had some modern British meaning I was unaware of. I know, that’s pretty dumb, but I was concentrating on catching the right subway train, ‘nkay? I actually agree with the intended sentiment here, though. I know of kids who, during lockdown, were yanked out of their comfort zone with their friends every day and basically experienced house arrest at home, and it was traumatizing for many. The thing is, the people who made this poster probably approved of all the plandemic BS, so Fie on Them!
In any case, I think Lottie here could use a little finishing school. I always thought that Annie Lennox would look great in long hair and I feel the same for Lottie, especially if she attempts a smile.
Speaking of hair, the Wella-Balsam, Jaclyn-Smith, split-endsless, wavy hair of the Moulin Rouge main character above notwithstanding, afros are back in England!
I saw this ad below all over the place. I guess it’s good to know that bothersome marriages can be dissolved easily in England.
Dan, you have outdone yourself with this article. Exceptionally good!
Love the car, the six-speed, or any manual transmission with a clutch. Manuals are so much more fun to drive. I can go into the roundabout with my pickup on Eastside south of the river, heading toward Stevensville, at 60 mph, slow down to navigate the turn, and accelerate out of it--without touching the brake, all done by shifting down. Of course, I don't try that when other vehicles are there. Never know when one of them might do something stupid or dangerous. I would never.
As far as roundabouts go, I like them. I might have, like you, a little trouble getting used to watching for traffic coming from the right, but I would manage. BTW, since the British are so doggoned obstinate about driving on the wrong side of the road, do they say that vehicles coming from the right have "left-of-way"? Just asking.
Personally, I don't care whether a roundabout or a traffic signal reigns supreme at Bell Crossing. The biggest difference I can see and the one concern I would have is that the roundabout would be much more expensive than a traffic signal, not to mention that it would be a lot more disruptive while under construction.
Nevertheless, I reckon I can get used to it and probably won't grumble or complain too much. Anyway, look at the revenue it would bring into the valley, all the high-paying jobs, the local businesses which would prosper, the signs that proclaim it as a benefit from one of Joe Biden's (Harris? Trump?) Infrastructure Program. With all that going for it, seems to me to be a slam-dunk.
I love your caption under your phone photo, lol.