Today I thought I would pop down to the Metrocentre to buy a pair of slippers (boot style) to keep my feet warm these cold windy nights. Thought the traffic was rather heavy on the way in but got parked with no problems. M&S did not have the kind of slipper I wanted, Hotel Chocolate charges far too much for 6  - yes, six, chocolates. At £4.95 that's 82p per sweetie, and nearby Pavers didn't have the slippers I wanted. After that I considered searching the Metrocentre for said slippers, thought of the building traffic and my dog waiting at home, and opted to go home. Got in the mini, drove to the exit lane and found a nose-to-tail line of cars, two lanes actually, waiting to exit said carpark. We didn't move for about ten minutes. I phoned home. "Are there any accidents?" I asked and explained why I was sitting in my car wasting petrol. He phoned back. "No accidents but every road around the Metrocentre is scarlet. That means its clogged."

I tried to visualise where I was. Surely there must be another route out of the car park? I knew te locality, but until I could get out of the car park, I couldn't do a thing.Checked the map on my phone. Nope. One way in, one way out and we were all at a standstill. Of course people didn't behave well.  Some drivers came back to their cars, saw what was happening and we watched as they drove to the lane closest to the exit and then expected to be let into the stream of cars at once.

  Jaws were set and drivers of waiting cars stared straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge someone trying to butt in. Picture a tiny 24 year-old-mini trying to change lanes once we were in spitting distance of the exit and all the big modern cars ignoring us. But we got there, and ducked round the silly creature ahead of me waiting for three lanes of traffic all to stop and let s/he into the far lane. 

We made it out of the Metrocentre into Dunstan but that was bogged down with escapees. Took ages to get to the over pass where I could escape up the hill and into Whickam then to Blaydon and out west. Now I safe and warm at home, recounting the story to hubby, all I can say is I think the one way in, one way out system is basically unsafe. If a bomb had gone off in the middle, no one could move. Escape would be impossible, and emergency vehicles couldn't get in. Food for thought. Anyway, I have decided I'm buying the boots online! It's early October, for goodness sake. Nowhere near Christmas!