Tom regularly rants about there being too many signs up on roads, saying that the surfeit is dangerous because it diverts drivers from the signs that matter. A valid point, perhaps?
Photo: I think this pic, taken in the morning rush, dates from about 1994. You can certainly spot a few cars from the Communist era, including a Trabbie. Whatever, there is a nice, long traffic log-jam, even back then. So where was it taken?
Your answers, your bid for global fame, celebrity status and the possibility to buy me two beers, via the site messaging system or in an email, please.
And if this stumps your sleuthing skills, You still have the chance to answer GuesterTester87 - that's the old tank and even older, one supposes, church.
UPDATE: KT88 was tougher, or should I say, trickier than I had imagined. First in (apart from Jerry Taylor, who reckoned, quite incorrectly, that I was on my way to a pub when I took the pic - really, the smears and insults I have to endure) was Hubert “Poirot” Warsmann. This looks suspiciously like the Erzsebet hid end of Hegyalja út, coming from BAH csomopont. Interestingly, all lodgings advertised here are still in operation 30 years later despite the many upheavals since then, including last but not least Covid. Is it a testimony to the ingenuity of their owners, the defensive quality of the industry or the superior value of these roadside ads? Cheers Hubert Les Szabo, concurred about the bridge, but in triumphalist mode, claimed t'other side of the river. AT LAST - its the elizabeth bridge run up........Pest Side! But it's flat on the Pest side, Les!
Richard Lock opted for yet another location.
BAH csomőpont, looking north east. looking east.
Is that spreading your bets there, Richard?
Klemens Wersonig was short and sweet, mimicking Le Poirot.
Elizabeth Bridge, Buda side.
So too, Steve Saracco:
Above Döbrentei tér.
Stefan Szecsei waded in next.
Ah, an easy one, Kester.
Well, you're not the first to say that, Stefan – I'd be careful if I were you!
A view I've experienced a thousand times when driving from the west. The photo was taken on Budaorsi ut, shortly before it becomes the BAH csomopont. In view is the flyover that carries traffic from Budaorsi ut to Hegyalja út, heading around Gellert hegy in the direction of Erzsebet bridge. I'm pleased to report that despite the passage of considerable time, the flyover is just as bumpy as it was in the early 1990s and despite the obviously aggressive reform agenda of the Orban government, some things comfortingly remain the same.
Stefan then had a bit of road-safety philosophising to do.
I agree with Tom C that there are far too many signs adjacent to roads that serve to distract motorists from the important task of controlling their motor carriage, a duty and skill that of late a frighteningly high percentage of Hungarian road users appear unable to adequately demonstrate, in a manner that's redolent of the time when this photo was taken when a small but significant percentage of Hungarian road users were abjectly unable to safely deploy the deep reservoirs of power available from the western cars with which they replaced their erstwhile Trabbis and Ladas.
Best, Stefan
Zsolt Maroti agreed with Stefan.
Szia Kester!
This must be the famous BAH csomópont. Zs
Not sure how famous in the big, wide world, Zsolti, but we won't quibble over that. Györgyi Horváth, going for a global celebrity status for the first time, was, well, a bit presumptuous, one might say. (Young folk these days, eh?)
Dear Ester with a K, it was a pleasure to meet you last night at the reception. The quiz is easy-peasy being a born Budapestian. Selling cars is not enough to know your way around. (big smiliey here, which didn't transpose). BAH csomópont. Where do I get my beers? Steady on, Györgyi! First you've got to be right. Then your number has got to be drawn out of the EU-approved, black woolly hat, (and that's not as easy as you might think – poor Zsolt never seems to have the right number), and then, er … in gratitude for achieving this acclaimed prize .... you buy me the beers!
That is, in between interviews with CNN, BBC and other international broadcasters all desperate for interviews with the latest world star. We'll see if you win in a minute or two. For now, let us continue with the other entrants. Imre Kőrizs also tried his hand for the first time. (Welcome, Imre!) I don't drive, but maybe BAH csomópont? Hotel Novotel in the background? Mike Roddy, writing from Dublin and absent from full-time life in Bud for some years, had a punt, of a rather vague nature. On the M1 coming into Bud. David McCall, now in Oregon, has been similarly long-time absent. Hi Kester, As time goes by, my memory of various streets and intersections fades, but some seem far too familiar. Based on a few of the signs, this is clearly in Buda. I think it was taken on Budaorsi ut headed northbound into BAH csomópont. Assuming this is truly the location, perhaps you could explain what "BAH" stands for. I've wondered many times, but have never learned the answer. Finally, Steven Nelson had a crack. KT88, my only guess is that it could be Budaörsi út facing northwards toward BAH csomóközpont. I really thought this would be quite easy, but when I thought about it I realised that, indeed, one could confuse the correct location with the Buda side (sorry Les) of Erzsébet Bridge – except the flyover there is in one direction only – no facing traffic on the flyover. So yes, the answer is, the mysteriously named BAH intersection-flyover, looking roughly north, and yes, Imre, that is the Novotel in the background. David McC, I'm sure I read somewhere what BAH stands for, but I've forgotten. I wouldn't mind betting that the B stands for Budapest, but that doesn't get us very far anyway. I expect at least one of this site's very knowledgeable readers will write in to put us right. But let's get to the real deal – whose number was drawn out of the hat? After consulting the Competition Committee, the correct answer was proffered by seven respondents (sorry Michael, it's not on the M1 your answer was a kind of catch-all effort). And the lucky number, drawn by Mrs Eddy out of the EU-approved, black woolly hat, was ….. Number 2 – which equates to …. drum roll please - Stefan Szecsei! Since Mr Szecsei lives near London, I fear it will be some months before I taste any beer from this award – but don't worry, Stefan, news travels fast these days, and chances are the phone will start ringing with reporters wanting to know how your life will change with the onset of global fandom.
Györgyi Horváth sent me a street-view shot of the location, just to show me she wasn't guessing. Yes, Györgyi, you were correct - just not lucky in the draw! Try KT89! Rushing out now, as I'm late for a meeting. Congratulations to you and everyone else who took part. Have a great weekend and don't forget KesterTester 89, which is another road scene, or just off a main road.