On Roads: A Hidden HistoryIn this history of roads and what they have meant to the people who have driven them, one of Britain's favourite cultural historians reveals how a relatively simple road system turned into a maze-like pattern of roundabouts, flyovers, and spaghetti junctions. Using a unique blend of travel writing, anthropology, history and social observation, he explores how Britain's roads have their roots in unexpected places, from Napoleon's role in the numbering system to the surprising origin of sat-nav. Full of quirky nuggets of history, such as the day trips organised to see the construction of the M1 and the 2.5m Mills and Boons used to build the M6 Toll Road, On Roads also celebrates innovators whose work we take for granted, such as the designers of the road sign system. On subjects ranging from speed limits to driving on the left, and the 'non-places where we stop to the unwritten laws of traffic jams, these hidden stories have never been told together, until now. |
Contents
1 | |
The motoring we used to dream about | 19 |
Hatfield and the North | 53 |
Please dont be rude on the road | 91 |
Fast cars slow lanes | 163 |
You can stuff your motorway | 197 |
The end of the road | 235 |
Notes | 260 |
Acknowledgements | 289 |
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Common terms and phrases
accidents anti-roads argued asphalt Banham became began behaviour big sheds Birmingham bridge Britain Britain’s roads British road building built called campaign caravan carriageway concrete crash cultural Daily Mirror driving early Eddie Stobart engineers England English Ernest Marples film flyovers Guardian highway human Iain Sinclair Ian Nairn J.G. Ballard journey Kinneir land landscape lane leyline lines Little Chef lives London look lorry drivers Manchester Margaret Thatcher miles Ministry of Transport modern motor motorists motorway signs Newbury Newbury Bypass Newport Pagnell opened Park petrol planned police Preston Bypass railway Reyner Banham Richard Mabey Ringway road protesters road rage road signs road system road’s roadbuilding roadkill roadside roundabout route satnav seemed service station space Spaghetti Junction speed limit Stobart stop straight street tarmac Thatcher tion today’s traffic jams traffic lights transport minister travelling Travelodge trees tunnel turn urban wrote