All hail pinkalexx and <user site="livejournal.com" user="sogot

[karohemd]

I had a fantastic night in Reading at black_light last night (photos are here).
Varied, superb music (from harsh electro to 80's cheese) and a crowd that was just as varied (trad goths actually outnumbered cybers).

So much thanks to pinkalexx for organising the night and sogoth (who, unlike Alexx, doesn't look anything like his LJ icon, except for the colour of his trousers;o)) and IrishDave for the music.

Everybody needs to come along next time, you hear?

Getting there was a bit adventurous, though. Getting to Reading wasn't a problem at all, not too much rain and no traffic. Then matching the map on the website to the actual road layout of Reading was nigh impossible. We probably drove around for half an hour until we finally found the right road.

Comments

[a1exxandra.livejournal.com]

thank-you hon :)
glad it was worth the adventure!

[claire-smith.livejournal.com]

Then matching the map on the website to the actual road layout of Reading was nigh impossible.
This is a fundamental flaw, not so much of the map, but of the design of Reading's Inner Distribution Road. Unfortunately, the Boxing Club's right off one of the most complicated bits! There are so many different lanes and roundabouts and flyovers that I have no idea how you'd show it any more clearly on a map. :(
Anyway, you haven't experienced Reading properly until you've driven round the IDR at least three times. ;)

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's what IDR stands for.
Whoever came up with that road layout deserves to be shot, quite frankly.
Another thing is that you can't go back the way you came in as most of it seems one way only.

[claire-smith.livejournal.com]

Even Terry Pratchett is well-acquainted with the IDR phenomenon:

In Reading [England] there is this thing called the IDR, short for "Inner Distribution Road", which is bureaucratese for "Big thing that cost a lot of money and relieves traffic problems, provided all your traffic wants to orbit the town centre permanently". It's a 2-3 lane dual carriageway that goes round the town centre. It has lots of roundabouts, an overhead section, a couple of spare motorway-like exits (that's British motorways -- y'know, the roundabout with the main road going under it), and a thing called the Watlington Street Gyratory, where you have to get in lane for your intended destination about three years and two corners before you get there *with no signposting*. I used to cycle along it every day to get to school, before I fell off at 35 mph. [Kids! Don't try this at home!] I know it well. I believe it is impossible to leave Reading heading west."

-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)