When we traveled to Ohio on the way to a wedding about 8 years ago the wife said we should have at least one souvinour of our trip. When I stopped the car and picked up one of the orange and white traffic control cones she made me put it back. I thought it was the perfect reminder of that trip.

I like how you think

London is a nightmare to live in, right now. Too many people in too small a city. And the, seemingly, uncontrolled influx of immigrants, is making it far worse. All the roads have a water supply system built in the Victorian era. Everyday, you hear on the radio traffic reports, of yet more burst water mains.
And, of course, they are trying desperately to 'spruce' London up. Because of the forthcoming Olympics, in 2012. My biggest complaint is when they cone off about 1/2 mile or more, of road, while they are only working on about 20 feet. Londons road are narrow, at the best of times. And temporary traffic signals on a single , alternate lane, doesn't help. Sometimes it goes on for months.

We get a lot of water main breaks here because of ancient pipes as well. You mention an influx of immigrants - we've gotten more than our share here as well. Many of the farms north and south of us hire migrant workers as well - they travel like gypsies - sorta scary.

I still want to know why English is learned in every country in the world except America. Here it is a second language with Spanish being the big push! My ancestors had to learn to read, write and speak English - why can't the immigrants?