A414 London Colney roundabout, dangerous?
Discussion
Just wondering if anyone here has had any problems on this bit of road.
http://g.co/maps/v8yky
The red paint seems very slippery in the wet.
http://g.co/maps/v8yky
The red paint seems very slippery in the wet.
Have this every day on my work run, approx 6:45am and 7pm.. no problems from me in any weather although in a fwd car.. Maybe more serious for bikers rwd's i think i remember an Elise running out of talent a few years ago?
Edit: Perhaps the Noble mentioned above..
Edit: Perhaps the Noble mentioned above..
Edited by ashleyqprw12 on Monday 23 April 14:17
The surfacing shown in the link isn't High Friction Surfacing that you see on the approaches to pedestrian crossings etc. It's a conventional asphalt mix with a red/brown aggregate by the looks of it but the picture isn't quite clear enough.
If I visited site I could tell you whether it's got grip from the aggregate type but I'm not passing that way for a while.
Yes, I am an asphalt spotter, it's my job!
If I visited site I could tell you whether it's got grip from the aggregate type but I'm not passing that way for a while.
Yes, I am an asphalt spotter, it's my job!
Thanks for the replies, just wondered if any locals or people familiar with the area have had any trouble here. My dad had an accident down here recently in his Impreza. He said he was just cruising round it at 25-30mph. The road was a bit wet but not that bad. The car just slid off the road into the crash barriers without any warning. He said it felt like the wheels just wern't connected to the road, turning the steering wheel seemed to do nothing at all. Luckly everyone was ok, nobody else was involved. The police said there have been a lot of incidents almost exactly the same at this spot usualy involving a 4 wheel drive car. We have contacted Herts Highways Agency who are going to investigate the road surface soon.
Hi my wife spun there on Saturday - Mazda MX5 doing 25-30mph, cars a write off and both she and my son sustained bruised heads and ricked necks.
Since then there have been 5 similar accidents.
Herts Highways are on site scratching heads.
I believe from plod that they intend to re-surface the road.
I am looking to pursue Herts CC for damages if anybody has info about other prangs please PM me.
Pete
Since then there have been 5 similar accidents.
Herts Highways are on site scratching heads.
I believe from plod that they intend to re-surface the road.
I am looking to pursue Herts CC for damages if anybody has info about other prangs please PM me.
Pete
I know this is a bit outdated but I just thought I'd share. I spun on this roundabout with a FWD Fiat Punto. I was only going around 30mph and my car just spun 180 degrees in the middle of the roundabout. Never happened to me before except on snow! Thankfully I did not crash, but I was facing the wrong way on the roundabout as cars continued driving past me on the roundabout. Eventually when the traffic lights changed I could quickly turn around in the road and then drove off...
I thought it was my car so I took it into the garage. Tyres were perfect condition and there was nothing wrong with my car. I can only presume it's the surface of the road there.
Every time I drive across that roundabout I go about 10 - 15 mph just to be safe now!
I thought it was my car so I took it into the garage. Tyres were perfect condition and there was nothing wrong with my car. I can only presume it's the surface of the road there.
Every time I drive across that roundabout I go about 10 - 15 mph just to be safe now!
Use it regularly. Biggest issue as already pointed out is the atrocious lane discipline, especially when heading on A414 from A1 to M1.
Only other comment I would have is that when exiting the roundabout onto the A414 towards the M1 there is a bump/change in camber in Lane 2 which could catch out the unwary if going to quickly. Going over it at speed in the Tuscan makes it feel like the back end steps out, so might cause some people to over-correct and spin.
Only other comment I would have is that when exiting the roundabout onto the A414 towards the M1 there is a bump/change in camber in Lane 2 which could catch out the unwary if going to quickly. Going over it at speed in the Tuscan makes it feel like the back end steps out, so might cause some people to over-correct and spin.
UpTheIron said:
Use it regularly. Biggest issue as already pointed out is the atrocious lane discipline, especially when heading on A414 from A1 to M1.
Only other comment I would have is that when exiting the roundabout onto the A414 towards the M1 there is a bump/change in camber in Lane 2 which could catch out the unwary if going to quickly. Going over it at speed in the Tuscan makes it feel like the back end steps out, so might cause some people to over-correct and spin.
Im so glad someone else has noticed the awful lane discipline! I have no idea what it is about the roundabout that makes people do this, its so so simple with signs/diagrams, the lot. I use it everyday too and the red paint is very dangerous, I've seen quite a few people spinning on it, and lots of motorbikes have trouble on it to. Only other comment I would have is that when exiting the roundabout onto the A414 towards the M1 there is a bump/change in camber in Lane 2 which could catch out the unwary if going to quickly. Going over it at speed in the Tuscan makes it feel like the back end steps out, so might cause some people to over-correct and spin.
They tried to rectify it a year or so ago but they only replaced a tiny bit of the red painted bit.
pedro848 said:
Hi my wife spun there on Saturday - Mazda MX5 doing 25-30mph, cars a write off and both she and my son sustained bruised heads and ricked necks.
Since then there have been 5 similar accidents.
Herts Highways are on site scratching heads.
I believe from plod that they intend to re-surface the road.
I am looking to pursue Herts CC for damages if anybody has info about other prangs please PM me.
Pete
I wonder what happened to this opportunistic compo culture drongo. Since then there have been 5 similar accidents.
Herts Highways are on site scratching heads.
I believe from plod that they intend to re-surface the road.
I am looking to pursue Herts CC for damages if anybody has info about other prangs please PM me.
Pete
pedro848 said:
Hi my wife spun there on Saturday - Mazda MX5 doing 25-30mph, cars a write off and both she and my son sustained bruised heads and ricked necks.
Since then there have been 5 similar accidents.
Herts Highways are on site scratching heads.
I believe from plod that they intend to re-surface the road.
I am looking to pursue Herts CC for damages if anybody has info about other prangs please PM me.
Pete
Strange one, glad nobody too seriously hurt. It's hard to comprehend going round there fast enough to spin. I'd call 30 mph way too fast to be approaching/exiting this roundabout due to the piss poor lane discipline and the complex number of lanes. I'm usually coming from A1 & exiting A1081 London Road, so I go all the way round. Never once in any condition have I lost adhesion.Since then there have been 5 similar accidents.
Herts Highways are on site scratching heads.
I believe from plod that they intend to re-surface the road.
I am looking to pursue Herts CC for damages if anybody has info about other prangs please PM me.
Pete
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