A285 - Britains "most dangerous road"
Discussion
http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/local/petworth-to...
This road forms part of a great hoon circuit I've found. Pity if the Road Safety Foundation persuade the authorities to install draconian traffic / speed calming measures because of an irresponsible few....
This road forms part of a great hoon circuit I've found. Pity if the Road Safety Foundation persuade the authorities to install draconian traffic / speed calming measures because of an irresponsible few....
I will probably get my head bitten off but here goes.
The road is not dangerous it is the people that misuse it.
I live locally and constantly see folk who break the 30mph limit through the villages and out of Petworth. Why I dont understand as you wont get there any quicker.
They (all age groups and transport)dont take care of other road users and particularly tractors and combine harvesters.
You are no less a man by driving to the 30mph limit and by treating it as a great road to drive on.
If folk persist in driving badly and irresponsibly then the draconian measures start arriving.
I dont want my local nice roads being turned into nanny state roads but I am also fed up with folk steaming down from the smoke and getting wiped out, on a regular basis in the summer.
On the weekend you can time it with your watch when the sirens start.
As a balance I also dont agree with folk who drive at 40mph everywhere who are also as much to blame.
Sadly by annoucing it as the most dangerous road in Britain it will probably attract more rather than less folk to it.
Phew !!! and that is that there said it.
The road is not dangerous it is the people that misuse it.
I live locally and constantly see folk who break the 30mph limit through the villages and out of Petworth. Why I dont understand as you wont get there any quicker.
They (all age groups and transport)dont take care of other road users and particularly tractors and combine harvesters.
You are no less a man by driving to the 30mph limit and by treating it as a great road to drive on.
If folk persist in driving badly and irresponsibly then the draconian measures start arriving.
I dont want my local nice roads being turned into nanny state roads but I am also fed up with folk steaming down from the smoke and getting wiped out, on a regular basis in the summer.
On the weekend you can time it with your watch when the sirens start.
As a balance I also dont agree with folk who drive at 40mph everywhere who are also as much to blame.
Sadly by annoucing it as the most dangerous road in Britain it will probably attract more rather than less folk to it.
Phew !!! and that is that there said it.
I agree with much of what you say in your post. I observe the 30mph limits in towns and villages, but like to drive briskly (traffic and road conditions allowing) out of town. I live close by the road as well, and know it very well, including all the places where it is safe to overtake and where there are risks. My concern is that with reports like this, we may end up being required to crawl along at max 40 out of town due to the crazy ones. I will wait to see if there are any proposals to institute out of village / town "speed calming".
As mentioned above, travelling 30 mph in 30 zones and 40 mph in 40 zones seems to be a big issue. Plus as shown in the article picture, that long straight can be dangerous with overtaking in the 'No overtaking' zone. Get out of the villages and there are plenty of sharp bends, mud on the road from tractors and varying road camber.
But what a road. On a quiet day in good conditions, with long inviting straights and local knowledge there are not many places I would rather be enjoying the thrill of driving (or riding)! I should know as the last ever ride on my GSXR 750 before selling it was on that very route.
But what a road. On a quiet day in good conditions, with long inviting straights and local knowledge there are not many places I would rather be enjoying the thrill of driving (or riding)! I should know as the last ever ride on my GSXR 750 before selling it was on that very route.
As above the road itself is fine, its the soft part behind the steering wheel that's the problem.
Also how the calculation for the accident rate figure is done is by a AADT national figure per million vehicles, so it says if a million vehicles use this road per year there will be X amount of accidents, but the A285 only has around a 5,000 traffic count per year so is a fairly low used road, but say their is 20 serious/fatal accidents per year out of 5000 vehicles, the calculation would say if million cars were to use this road there will be 10,000 fatal/serious accidents etc, so becomes a high risk road.
Have personally done a lot of site investigations on the A285 where accidents have occurred or where grip levels are below a set intervention level and the road itself is fine. Has clear signage, more interactive signs than any other rural A road in West Sussex and good grip levels. Surface treatment has been carried out where needed, but other than that unless your sitting in the passenger seat telling the driver to slow down there isn't a lot more that can be done unfortunately.
If your driving it at speed you have to be switched on, is a great stretch of road when its quiet!
Also how the calculation for the accident rate figure is done is by a AADT national figure per million vehicles, so it says if a million vehicles use this road per year there will be X amount of accidents, but the A285 only has around a 5,000 traffic count per year so is a fairly low used road, but say their is 20 serious/fatal accidents per year out of 5000 vehicles, the calculation would say if million cars were to use this road there will be 10,000 fatal/serious accidents etc, so becomes a high risk road.
Have personally done a lot of site investigations on the A285 where accidents have occurred or where grip levels are below a set intervention level and the road itself is fine. Has clear signage, more interactive signs than any other rural A road in West Sussex and good grip levels. Surface treatment has been carried out where needed, but other than that unless your sitting in the passenger seat telling the driver to slow down there isn't a lot more that can be done unfortunately.
If your driving it at speed you have to be switched on, is a great stretch of road when its quiet!
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