Road designs that just don't work
Discussion
A favourite of mine, this one is the scene of a crash on a regular basis (probably weekly). Drivers filtering off left have a fun time craning their necks to see traffic they need to give way to, meanwhile, a set of traffic lights (unseen in this pic, but behind the trees on the far left) means cars are often stationary just up ahead. Fun ensues as people rear end stationary traffic having spent the past few minutes with their head over their right shoulder. Always exactly the same accident in exactly the same place.
For bonus points this is also at the end of a 40mph DC, so you get a mix of people who stop at the Give Way sign regardless, and others who blast on through if it looks clear.
It's also apparently a good 'cash for crash' spot. Dodgy driver approaching from the base of this photo takes the normal roundabout instead of the separate lane to go left, indicates left then nails it into the poor driver only expecting traffic to be coming from the roundabout entrance on the far right of this photo...
Apparently after many investigations there is nothing wrong with the road, just poor driving. They clearly have a point, but still, it clearly doesn't work as intended.
I've done suicide lanes before so won't go there again, but they can go on the list too.
For bonus points this is also at the end of a 40mph DC, so you get a mix of people who stop at the Give Way sign regardless, and others who blast on through if it looks clear.
It's also apparently a good 'cash for crash' spot. Dodgy driver approaching from the base of this photo takes the normal roundabout instead of the separate lane to go left, indicates left then nails it into the poor driver only expecting traffic to be coming from the roundabout entrance on the far right of this photo...
Apparently after many investigations there is nothing wrong with the road, just poor driving. They clearly have a point, but still, it clearly doesn't work as intended.
I've done suicide lanes before so won't go there again, but they can go on the list too.
Edited by ukaskew on Tuesday 15th November 16:00
I see this a lot. A dual carriageway slip road. You can turn left in the left lane but there is also another lane as you turn left. People often go in the right lane of the slip road but turn left (in the right lane) to go to the supermarket.
There's no road markings to say otherwise so my view is that if you are in the right lane, you turn right. Left is for left or straight back onto the road you've just come off if you realise you've come off the dual carriageway too soon. I've seen a few incidents where people in the left lane decide to go straight on back onto the road they've come off but someone in the right lane has turned left to go to the shops. One accident and a few near misses. They really should put markings on the slip road lanes to specify right is to turn right only.
Putting lights on roundabouts and then never switching them off. Felling bypass in Pelaw, Gateshead, and the A69 and A68 exits onto the A1 are perfect examples. Useful for managing traffic flow during peak times, but instead left to run all day and night. A useless waste of time.
See also, predestrian crossings and traffic lights just off roundabouts. The exit onto Millers Road from the roundabout at the top of the Fossway in Byker has traffic lights, a pedestrian crossing and a concealed exit from the rear of the Shell Garage forecourt about 12ft from the roundabout exit. It causes tailbacks over the roundabout when the crossing is used, and I've seen a few near misses with cars driving off the forecourt with a poot view to their right, as traffic travels off the elevated roundabout and flies into view.
See also, predestrian crossings and traffic lights just off roundabouts. The exit onto Millers Road from the roundabout at the top of the Fossway in Byker has traffic lights, a pedestrian crossing and a concealed exit from the rear of the Shell Garage forecourt about 12ft from the roundabout exit. It causes tailbacks over the roundabout when the crossing is used, and I've seen a few near misses with cars driving off the forecourt with a poot view to their right, as traffic travels off the elevated roundabout and flies into view.
swisstoni said:
Indeed. I don't think there's any commonality in signage either so you have about 1 second to decipher or take the shame of tootling into the lorry park 
Haha, I did a tour of a lorry park on the M1 a couple of weeks ago. Round the bend, boosh, you've past the car entranceM42 Junction 3A with the M40 heading south/west.
About 10 years ago they changed it from the traffic in the outer lane of the M42 becoming the 2nd of 4 lanes with the inside gradually merging before disappearing to become the inside lane continuing and the outside lane having to merge with the traffic from the M40. It was just a re-painting job, no physical changes.
Unfortunately google maps doesn't go back far enough to be able to show a "before" picture but google earth does.
As a result there is very little time/distance to merge and the traffic frequently snarls back up the entire way round the link road.
At the time I was commuting past there and the difference before and after from such a simple change was staggering.
Utterly idiotic change that serves no good purpose apart from to make the junction more dangerous.
About 10 years ago they changed it from the traffic in the outer lane of the M42 becoming the 2nd of 4 lanes with the inside gradually merging before disappearing to become the inside lane continuing and the outside lane having to merge with the traffic from the M40. It was just a re-painting job, no physical changes.
Unfortunately google maps doesn't go back far enough to be able to show a "before" picture but google earth does.
As a result there is very little time/distance to merge and the traffic frequently snarls back up the entire way round the link road.
At the time I was commuting past there and the difference before and after from such a simple change was staggering.
Utterly idiotic change that serves no good purpose apart from to make the junction more dangerous.
Edited by Fastdruid on Tuesday 15th November 17:14
I can think of several approaches to roundabouts taking a left filter to bypass the roundabout.. only to have to give way to traffic leaving the roundabout, at an angle that mainly just owls are able to see. The OP pic reminded me of this.
The other "major" piece of road design that doesn't work, in my opinion, is smart motorway. Many times it does work, but then look at any stretch a 4am on a Sunday and I bet you there's a 40 or 50 limit posted. Fine when you're tucked up in bed, but when you're travelling to work at 4am on a Sunday like I sometimes have to, you get stuck at 40 on a deserted motorway... why?! I have a theory that the speed detection systems that automatically trigger the gantry signs can't cope with very little levels of traffic, and instead interprets it as solid stationary traffic. Therefore a 40 sign...
My other gripe about smart motorway is the inability of most drivers to be able to use it properly when it's being "managed", but I'll save that for another thread.
The other "major" piece of road design that doesn't work, in my opinion, is smart motorway. Many times it does work, but then look at any stretch a 4am on a Sunday and I bet you there's a 40 or 50 limit posted. Fine when you're tucked up in bed, but when you're travelling to work at 4am on a Sunday like I sometimes have to, you get stuck at 40 on a deserted motorway... why?! I have a theory that the speed detection systems that automatically trigger the gantry signs can't cope with very little levels of traffic, and instead interprets it as solid stationary traffic. Therefore a 40 sign...
My other gripe about smart motorway is the inability of most drivers to be able to use it properly when it's being "managed", but I'll save that for another thread.
Muddle238 said:
I can think of several approaches to roundabouts taking a left filter to bypass the roundabout.. only to have to give way to traffic leaving the roundabout, at an angle that mainly just owls are able to see.
Like this? On approach it looks like you can filter left - until you can't.
This one in Frimley didn't last long. When they built it the blocked off lane on the left was a slip from a dual carriageway that crossed the lane where the pictures taken from to turn right on to the other carriageway of the road the camera's on.
I can't remember if there were any accidents but it caused horrendous delays and it wasn't open for very long before they put the bollards in.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Frimley,+Cambe...
I can't remember if there were any accidents but it caused horrendous delays and it wasn't open for very long before they put the bollards in.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Frimley,+Cambe...
Anything in Norwich and around the a47 in the last 5-10 years.
They seem to employ road planners who are totally incompetent or who have no idea about traffic management and planning.
They have put one way systems in that dont work, cycle lanes with trees in the middle of them the list goes on.
Traffic lights on main junctions that cause gridlock.
My favorite is a road about on the a47 from a village which causes massive delays. The planners apparently didnt know that traffic from the right had priority at a roundabout. So now the main road plays second fiddle to a side road which is heavily used now as a short cut.
They seem to employ road planners who are totally incompetent or who have no idea about traffic management and planning.
They have put one way systems in that dont work, cycle lanes with trees in the middle of them the list goes on.
Traffic lights on main junctions that cause gridlock.
My favorite is a road about on the a47 from a village which causes massive delays. The planners apparently didnt know that traffic from the right had priority at a roundabout. So now the main road plays second fiddle to a side road which is heavily used now as a short cut.
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