In message , at 11:20:20 on Sat, 5 Jan
2013, tim..... remarked:

I am however surprised that you find the North Circular so bad.
Although TfL's two enhancement projects have both turned out to be
complete failures and a disgraceful waste of money, I still find the
A406 a fairly good road. Living in Leyton, I am of course adjacent
to the best stretch of the road.

precisely.

Try the section through Ealing and the junction with the A1, they are
the pits

Hence the meme that the traffic news saying "avoid the North Circular"
is futile, because anyone who can possibly avoid it, already is.
--
Roland Perry