A34 Tragic crash
Discussion
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/11/a34-cra...
Such a horrible horrible accident.
Sadly I've heard of so many accidents on that specific stretch of the A34 with many lives lost - I pass it often and see police signs asking for witnesses of an accident which resulted in a loss of life.
When will the police and Highway authority put a much lower speed limit on this road - it is without question a accident black spot. Heck make it 40mph if need be.
I think the issue is so many side junctions with zero slip road so people simply pull out into oncoming traffic, also no hard shoulder so nowhere to swerve incase of an accident. Plus when I drive it more often than not you have idiots driving so close to your bumper when it's clear your following the flow Amor traffic and cannot go faster - nor pull in to let them past.
I hope the individual who has been arrested for dangerous driving resulting in the loss of life of 3 children and their mother while the husband and other son are in the car behind and see the horror unfold. - really gets a very long sentence and is banned from driving for life.
Such a horrible horrible accident.
Sadly I've heard of so many accidents on that specific stretch of the A34 with many lives lost - I pass it often and see police signs asking for witnesses of an accident which resulted in a loss of life.
When will the police and Highway authority put a much lower speed limit on this road - it is without question a accident black spot. Heck make it 40mph if need be.
I think the issue is so many side junctions with zero slip road so people simply pull out into oncoming traffic, also no hard shoulder so nowhere to swerve incase of an accident. Plus when I drive it more often than not you have idiots driving so close to your bumper when it's clear your following the flow Amor traffic and cannot go faster - nor pull in to let them past.
I hope the individual who has been arrested for dangerous driving resulting in the loss of life of 3 children and their mother while the husband and other son are in the car behind and see the horror unfold. - really gets a very long sentence and is banned from driving for life.
Welshbeef said:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/11/a34-cra...
Such a horrible horrible accident.
Sadly I've heard of so many accidents on that specific stretch of the A34 with many lives lost - I pass it often and see police signs asking for witnesses of an accident which resulted in a loss of life.
When will the police and Highway authority put a much lower speed limit on this road - it is without question a accident black spot. Heck make it 40mph if need be.
I think the issue is so many side junctions with zero slip road so people simply pull out into oncoming traffic, also no hard shoulder so nowhere to swerve incase of an accident. Plus when I drive it more often than not you have idiots driving so close to your bumper when it's clear your following the flow Amor traffic and cannot go faster - nor pull in to let them past.
I hope the individual who has been arrested for dangerous driving resulting in the loss of life of 3 children and their mother while the husband and other son are in the car behind and see the horror unfold. - really gets a very long sentence and is banned from driving for life.
The authorities appear to be focussing on dangerous driving, with no suggestion that the cause was 'speed' related, hence no justification to change the speed limit...Such a horrible horrible accident.
Sadly I've heard of so many accidents on that specific stretch of the A34 with many lives lost - I pass it often and see police signs asking for witnesses of an accident which resulted in a loss of life.
When will the police and Highway authority put a much lower speed limit on this road - it is without question a accident black spot. Heck make it 40mph if need be.
I think the issue is so many side junctions with zero slip road so people simply pull out into oncoming traffic, also no hard shoulder so nowhere to swerve incase of an accident. Plus when I drive it more often than not you have idiots driving so close to your bumper when it's clear your following the flow Amor traffic and cannot go faster - nor pull in to let them past.
I hope the individual who has been arrested for dangerous driving resulting in the loss of life of 3 children and their mother while the husband and other son are in the car behind and see the horror unfold. - really gets a very long sentence and is banned from driving for life.
sidicks said:
The authorities appear to be focussing on dangerous driving, with no suggestion that the cause was 'speed' related, hence no justification to change the speed limit...
I know that road very well and trust me a lower speed limit would make a difference. I know this is PH and I for one like open roads etc but no it is a terrible accident hotspot so so so many. Lower the speed limit.
Thread already on it chap. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Welshbeef said:
sidicks said:
The authorities appear to be focussing on dangerous driving, with no suggestion that the cause was 'speed' related, hence no justification to change the speed limit...
I know that road very well and trust me a lower speed limit would make a difference. I know this is PH and I for one like open roads etc but no it is a terrible accident hotspot so so so many. Lower the speed limit.
I live 500m from the A34, the problems i suspect won't be solved by speed reduction, as they are caused by:
1. Very short on and off slip roads that are intrinsically dangerous- the result is lots of lorries changing lanes and having to brake late and hard- actually cars have to brake whilst on the carriageway
2. poorly designed road layout that leaves poor vision around lots of corners- lots of exits and entrances are poorly sighted- the exit off the A4 northbound is a case in point- as is tothill
3. really poor road signs- the turnoff for my road is only signposted right on the junction
4. the fact that it joins 3 motorways together- the M3, M4 and M40. People basically drive it like an extension of a motorway, which it clearly isn't.
5. Lack of safety zones- the hard shoulders are mostly non existant, and the laybys are not frequent enough - they are also frequently not set back from the road.
The difficulty is bunching traffic caused by all the factors above.
What they need to do is turn it into a motorway, or sinificantly improve large sections.
A very tragic crash indeed.
Regarding the speed element, if drivers are ignoring a current higher limit (if), then expecting an even lower limit to be complied with in future is expecting a lot, probably too much.
As always we'll have to wait a while for the investigation outcomes to be published.
Regarding the speed element, if drivers are ignoring a current higher limit (if), then expecting an even lower limit to be complied with in future is expecting a lot, probably too much.
As always we'll have to wait a while for the investigation outcomes to be published.
turbobloke said:
A very tragic crash indeed.
Regarding the speed element, if drivers are ignoring a current higher limit (if), then expecting an even lower limit to be complied with is expecting a lot, probably too much.
As always we'll have to wait a while for the investigation outcomes to be published.
They had a trial speed limit there before about a mile up from J13 and stopped just before the southbound entry from East Illsley. Regarding the speed element, if drivers are ignoring a current higher limit (if), then expecting an even lower limit to be complied with is expecting a lot, probably too much.
As always we'll have to wait a while for the investigation outcomes to be published.
No average speed cameras.
I put my cruise control on every single day I went through it. Only a tiny % that I witnessed followed the speed limit. HGVs flying past or up your Arse in the slow lane, then people literally flying past 90+ in the fast lane.
The other day a 15 reg silver E350 CDI was driving like a nutter on it followed by a clapped out e36 328i with what sounded like a straight through exhaust. People joining the carriageway then simply swerve out into the fast lane irrespective of the fact they don't understand they need to give way plus the lethal issue of closing speed.
Police PLEASE drive up and down this road far more often - you've done it a lot now on the M3 Basingstoke to the M27 junction as that simply was if your doing 90mph any other car past you like your standing still. Those police cars and sleeping police camera vans on the handful of bridges has slowed people up a lot.
If a 50mph limit meant no more crashes there I'd take it - the hours/probably days I've been stationary on that road after yet another accident.
I'd also say the M4 J8/9 has a few similar stupid points where cars join the road at 1st gear speed and as its busy they wait so so long then have had enough and pull out...
heebeegeetee said:
Thread already on it chap. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
The problem was that the thread was posted in the "General Gassing" section which I don't normally look in much - and I never really loom there for comment for news items. I'm sure there are others on PH like me who normally look for news items in the news forum.Welshbeef said:
They had a trial speed limit there before about a mile up from J13 and stopped just before the southbound entry from East Illsley.
No average speed cameras.
I put my cruise control on every single day I went through it. Only a tiny % that I witnessed followed the speed limit. HGVs flying past or up your Arse in the slow lane, then people literally flying past 90+ in the fast lane.
The other day a 15 reg silver E350 CDI was driving like a nutter on it followed by a clapped out e36 328i with what sounded like a straight through exhaust. People joining the carriageway then simply swerve out into the fast lane irrespective of the fact they don't understand they need to give way plus the lethal issue of closing speed.
Police PLEASE drive up and down this road far more often - you've done it a lot now on the M3 Basingstoke to the M27 junction as that simply was if your doing 90mph any other car past you like your standing still. Those police cars and sleeping police camera vans on the handful of bridges has slowed people up a lot.
If a 50mph limit meant no more crashes there I'd take it - the hours/probably days I've been stationary on that road after yet another accident.
.
If it's a road layout issue, a speed limit isnt going to solve it . you'll still have accidents and people shrugging their shoulders saying we put in a speed limit what else can we do?No average speed cameras.
I put my cruise control on every single day I went through it. Only a tiny % that I witnessed followed the speed limit. HGVs flying past or up your Arse in the slow lane, then people literally flying past 90+ in the fast lane.
The other day a 15 reg silver E350 CDI was driving like a nutter on it followed by a clapped out e36 328i with what sounded like a straight through exhaust. People joining the carriageway then simply swerve out into the fast lane irrespective of the fact they don't understand they need to give way plus the lethal issue of closing speed.
Police PLEASE drive up and down this road far more often - you've done it a lot now on the M3 Basingstoke to the M27 junction as that simply was if your doing 90mph any other car past you like your standing still. Those police cars and sleeping police camera vans on the handful of bridges has slowed people up a lot.
If a 50mph limit meant no more crashes there I'd take it - the hours/probably days I've been stationary on that road after yet another accident.
.
It's the what else that they need to do first
Fix the layout
Lack of awareness
Lack of observation
Lack of anticipation
Drivers on smartphones
Following too close so no room to react safely
Drivers who won't accelerate up sliproads or give way
Truckers who pull out on cars aggressively
Is the problem
Nothing wrong with the road itself if you drive accordingly. Eg pay attention to the signage that tells you there are slow lorries ahead, look farther ahead than the car in front, pay attention to the on slip signs & be proactive.
Yes I use the A34 lots.
Lack of observation
Lack of anticipation
Drivers on smartphones
Following too close so no room to react safely
Drivers who won't accelerate up sliproads or give way
Truckers who pull out on cars aggressively
Is the problem
Nothing wrong with the road itself if you drive accordingly. Eg pay attention to the signage that tells you there are slow lorries ahead, look farther ahead than the car in front, pay attention to the on slip signs & be proactive.
Yes I use the A34 lots.
cptsideways said:
Lack of awareness
Lack of observation
Lack of anticipation
Drivers on smartphones
Following too close so no room to react safely
Drivers who won't accelerate up sliproads or give way
Truckers who pull out on cars aggressively
Is the problem
Nothing wrong with the road itself if you drive accordingly. Eg pay attention to the signage that tells you there are slow lorries ahead, look farther ahead than the car in front, pay attention to the on slip signs & be proactive.
Yes I use the A34 lots.
Ordinarily I would agree with you, but unless you are familiar with this road you simply cannot begin to imagine just how thoroughly ill-thought-out it is. This and the A420 are two of the busiest A roads in the country and both are awful in design. They vastly improved the 420 back in the late 90s/early 00s but the A34 just got a nice big junction to speed the traffic through j13. The road requires some very significant investment, redesign and lower speed with enforcement.Lack of observation
Lack of anticipation
Drivers on smartphones
Following too close so no room to react safely
Drivers who won't accelerate up sliproads or give way
Truckers who pull out on cars aggressively
Is the problem
Nothing wrong with the road itself if you drive accordingly. Eg pay attention to the signage that tells you there are slow lorries ahead, look farther ahead than the car in front, pay attention to the on slip signs & be proactive.
Yes I use the A34 lots.
Terrible tragic crash but sadly not uncommon here.
saaby93 said:
If it's a road layout issue, a speed limit isnt going to solve it . you'll still have accidents and people shrugging their shoulders saying we put in a speed limit what else can we do?
It's the what else that they need to do first
Fix the layout
That would take years of planning agreement budget sign off etc. It's the what else that they need to do first
Fix the layout
Instead a lowering to say 60mph the entire length and then drop to say 40mph in the known bad black spots.
That will cost nothing and be imp relented with signs up by mid next week.
Welshbeef said:
saaby93 said:
If it's a road layout issue, a speed limit isnt going to solve it . you'll still have accidents and people shrugging their shoulders saying we put in a speed limit what else can we do?
It's the what else that they need to do first
Fix the layout
That would take years of planning agreement budget sign off etc. It's the what else that they need to do first
Fix the layout
Instead a lowering to say 60mph the entire length and then drop to say 40mph in the known bad black spots.
That will cost nothing and be imp relented with signs up by mid next week.
mondeoman said:
Its in the inside lane, full of trucks going uphill - they aint gonna be speeding, at all.
But they pull out and try to overtake each other over many miles - they certainly do go head to head up the hills. If trucks were banned from the L2 the entire length that could help.
I have to agree with welshbeef in this case that road is awful.
I can't help but feel upgrading it to motorway would be a good idea, from M3 to M40. The idea of preventing HGVs from travelling in L2 is great but what happens when you have the old lady doing 40 in the inside lane. It is such a frustrating road the HGVS drag races that go on for 10 miles...
RIP all those killed.
I can't help but feel upgrading it to motorway would be a good idea, from M3 to M40. The idea of preventing HGVs from travelling in L2 is great but what happens when you have the old lady doing 40 in the inside lane. It is such a frustrating road the HGVS drag races that go on for 10 miles...
RIP all those killed.
The A34 is my route to and from work to Oxford from Wiltshire, it's a terrible stretch of road and blighted IMO by HGVs. Countless times you see them pull out to overtake with utter disregard for the traffic in L2 and then proceed to spend miles overtaking other lorries at a 1mph speed differential. It's an elephant race and invariably compounded by the impatient drivers who move from L2 into L1 to undertake the queue trying to pass the HGVs, cutting in at the last second and making the queue in L2 even longer. Have had to take avoiding action many times when these HGVs decide they are going to pull out at all costs to avoid losing a bit of speed behind a slightly slower lorry. They need to limit HGVs to traveling on that road at night and dare I say, look at speed restriction on the most dangerous sections like the one where this happened yesterday. Hateful stretch of Tarmac.
Although I've used the section North of the M4 many times, I used to travel from the M3 to the M4 very regularly.
About 2 years ago I started using the A33 through Basingstoke as the A34 has always been a total nightmare if you catch it at the wrong time with just so much traffic and the continual stop-start getting stuck behind artic overtaking artic.
When it flows it's great, but I always felt more comfortable on the A33 route.
About 2 years ago I started using the A33 through Basingstoke as the A34 has always been a total nightmare if you catch it at the wrong time with just so much traffic and the continual stop-start getting stuck behind artic overtaking artic.
When it flows it's great, but I always felt more comfortable on the A33 route.
Welshbeef said:
I hope the individual who has been arrested for dangerous driving resulting in the loss of life of 3 children and their mother while the husband and other son are in the car behind and see the horror unfold. - really gets a very long sentence and is banned from driving for life.
Perhaps we should wait to see if he's actually guilty?Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff