On 8 Jan 2012 at 7:28pm carman wrote:
I can't believe that 'they' have chopped down all the trees anywhere near Handcross Hill. It used to be the only slightly interesting bit on the road to london. Now its just as boring as the rest of it. Why did this happen? Can some bureaucrat just decide to do that?
On 8 Jan 2012 at 7:53pm For Fork's Sake wrote:
Tried Google? A two second Google search, which would have taken less time than postin here, explains all.
On 8 Jan 2012 at 8:21pm Vampire Buffet Slayer wrote:
I was shocked,it looks like a bomb has hit it. Pity,it was the only stretch of that road worth staying awake for 
On 8 Jan 2012 at 8:44pm Dave wrote:
They are widening and adding lanes to the A23, to bring it upto the standard of the rest of it. Sadly the woods are a casualty of the road improvements. More tarmac covering the countryside.
On 8 Jan 2012 at 11:37pm IMEYOU wrote:
Its Called Progress ! ! !
On 9 Jan 2012 at 12:20am Vampire Buffet Slayer wrote:
Well that's OK then.
On 9 Jan 2012 at 8:56am DFL wrote:
To be honest, it's about time they made that stretch a bit wider, and I'm sure they will landscape the rest once they've finished....whoever "they" are !
On 9 Jan 2012 at 9:50am some0ne else wrote:
It was / is a nasty bit of road but whenever we travelled a distance, coming down Handcross Hill always felt like you were more or less 'home'.
Never got to drive down it quite as fast as I'd wanted to either, as you need both lanes on the first two corners.
On 9 Jan 2012 at 10:21am Cliffite wrote:
Good, it's so much nicer being able to see out the other side now. That stretch of road always gave me visions of careering off uncontrolably & nightmares for some reason
On 9 Jan 2012 at 10:55am Outsider wrote:
Crikey, I didn't realise anyone on this forum actually ventured outside of Lewes.
On 9 Jan 2012 at 1:59pm DFL wrote:
...only to spread the gospel according to St. Lewes !
On 9 Jan 2012 at 4:52pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I think it looks really sad without the trees.
I've never thought of it as a dodgy bit of road, although I did hit a patch of black ice halfway down many years ago. That was hairy, but amazingly I didn't hit anything and ended up pointing in the right direction.
I think the C7 is scarier, especially when you meet a big lorry that's got half its wheels on your side of the road.
On 9 Jan 2012 at 5:12pm Deelite wrote:
Yet more tree bite the dust. So sad. They take so long to grow.
And, driving back late I used to love those bends, it was like being on a Scalextric track, top fun.
On 10 Jan 2012 at 12:08am Southover Queen wrote:
I agree, ACT and Deelite. It looks awful.
I also agree that the C7 is terrifying sometimes. Worse than lorries are the bunches of struggling cyclists obstructing boy racers at the weekends. Frighteningly they labour under a double delusion, which is that it is their right to drive as fast as their engines will allow and also that they're completely clairvoyant and no-one would dare come in the opposite direction while they overtake the bikes on blind corners.
It's a shame because it's such a beautiful road.
On 10 Jan 2012 at 5:19pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
Yes, an exciting stretch of road - now boring and dull without the trees. What a shame.
Deelite - if you after great bends, try the Uckfield to Eridge stretch of the A26. Lovely trees, hills and lots of bends and dips.
On 10 Jan 2012 at 5:55pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I love the little road that cuts off the corner at North Chailey if you're going to Haywards Heath. The bends snake one way and then the other and it always makes me wish I was on a motorbike.
Sadly, they've reduced the speed limit to 40 and rather spoilt my fun.
The added hazard on the C7 is the potholes and collapsed drain covers. There's a really bad one on the tight(ish) left hander between Southease and Piddinghoe. To avoid it, you have to go quite wide and when you meet a wide vehicle coming the other way, you have no choice but to risk your suspension. Of course, when it's wet you can't see the potholes because the road floods so badly in places.
I really think they should consider a width or weight restriction on the C7. The big lorries cause problems coming round by the Swan and up the Hollow too.
On 11 Jan 2012 at 1:33pm Old Cynic wrote:
BB- also need to mention there are a lot of deer along that stretch - one of the local hotspots for road traffic collisions with animals
take care!
On 12 Jan 2012 at 1:32pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
Thanks Old cynic - much as I like to imagine myself as a rally driver, Im really quite a cautious driver. ITs never really possible to go that fast anyway due to all the lorries, fram vehciles and sunday drivers !
I've seen deer there plenty of times - most spookily at 2 am in the morning !!