The M25 "Queue Ahead" game
Discussion
Today I had the treat of travelling the M25 from J8 heading clockwise (Reigate to Leatherhead). For a change "google maps" reported all clear - not a trace of red - but after a couple of miles the overhead gantry sign said "queue ahead" with a 40mph speed restriction. Traffic was fairly sparse and travelling reasonably quickly but at the next gantry the brake lights went on (because of the speed camera) and everything got bunched up. The following gantry the "derestricted" (circle with oblique line through it) is illuminated. I have seen this happen before on this stretch. I do not know what muppetry goes on in the control room - perhaps they were trying to pay for the Queen's birthday present? Does anyone know whether these restrictions are activated by people or just follow some computer algorithm? Perhaps this is just an "obedience" test?
Poshbury said:
M25, 3am, off to the Eurotunnel on the way to France. All of a sudden, the 40 signs are lit.
I was the only car on my side of the motorway. Needless to say, I cheated a bit between the signs, easy in an XJR.
Eventually I caught up with the problem. It was a low loader transporting a diesel locomotive, a type 47 for any train spotters out there! Crawling along in the nearside lane.
The irony was that I had jed work at Reading where I was a train driver.
In my opinion, that's a pretty poor reason for having those 40 signs litust finish.
And had you stuck to the 40mph limit you would probably never have caught up with the low-loader! That seems to be a ridiculous reason to limit the motorway for miles, especially at night. This might even be a situation where it would be helpful to put a notice on the illuminated gantry boards - just as a warning/advice. Also it seems easy to turn the limits on so presumably just as easy to turn them off so that you don't have miles of "Workforce on the road" restrictions for a short section of activity a long way ahead. The problem is that on these occasions the extent of the restrictions seems excessive and thus limits the credibility of the signage. I was the only car on my side of the motorway. Needless to say, I cheated a bit between the signs, easy in an XJR.
Eventually I caught up with the problem. It was a low loader transporting a diesel locomotive, a type 47 for any train spotters out there! Crawling along in the nearside lane.
The irony was that I had jed work at Reading where I was a train driver.
In my opinion, that's a pretty poor reason for having those 40 signs litust finish.
More muppetry last night on the M25
1. J8-J9 (again) - "Queue Ahead" 60mph. Next gantry (with speed camera) 40mph - lots of brake lights. Next gantry "all clear NSL". No queue and traffic quite light.
2. J10- J11 "incident" 60 then 50 then 60 plus inside lane "X" - this is camera alley with cameras on most of the gantries. No incident seen.
3. J15-J16 - "Queue ahead" 60. No queues. NSL after the camera.
Maybe the incident had cleared and they just hadn't switched off the signs but the restriction between J8-J9 seems just a cynical trap as it is only around the speed camera and the braking is dangerous. Is there any way to make a complaint about this?
Subsidiary note - earlier that day "pedestrians in road" had speed restriction 50 the entire length between J9- J8. No pedestrians seen. If they had been there the restriction would have been reasonable - but for the entire section? Surely not - and with all those millions of surveillance cameras someone could have been "looking out" and maybe even contacted the police of HA? Finally M3 closed at exit from M25 - there are roadworks publicised with planned closures 18-19 May ....but yesterday was the 17 May. What are these Smart Motorway men doing?
1. J8-J9 (again) - "Queue Ahead" 60mph. Next gantry (with speed camera) 40mph - lots of brake lights. Next gantry "all clear NSL". No queue and traffic quite light.
2. J10- J11 "incident" 60 then 50 then 60 plus inside lane "X" - this is camera alley with cameras on most of the gantries. No incident seen.
3. J15-J16 - "Queue ahead" 60. No queues. NSL after the camera.
Maybe the incident had cleared and they just hadn't switched off the signs but the restriction between J8-J9 seems just a cynical trap as it is only around the speed camera and the braking is dangerous. Is there any way to make a complaint about this?
Subsidiary note - earlier that day "pedestrians in road" had speed restriction 50 the entire length between J9- J8. No pedestrians seen. If they had been there the restriction would have been reasonable - but for the entire section? Surely not - and with all those millions of surveillance cameras someone could have been "looking out" and maybe even contacted the police of HA? Finally M3 closed at exit from M25 - there are roadworks publicised with planned closures 18-19 May ....but yesterday was the 17 May. What are these Smart Motorway men doing?
Thanks Gafferjim for copying your reply
"Thanks Mark, I hope that I answered a few questions for you.
A short explanation for those that think the operators set signals just to ps off drivers.
Anything with "QUEUE" in the message is set by MIDAS (Motorway Incident Detection And Signalling) an automatic system that reads the average speed and numbers of vehicles passing over sensors in the road in EACH lane."
Well it looks like the automated systems need reprogramming - because someone has obviously inserted some cynical script. The Smart Motorways are just not very clever - and it is remarkable how these bogus alerts occur around "enforcement" cameras. It can't be too difficult to have an alarm set to wake the operators up when one of these Midas alerts is triggered. They could then turn it off (or maybe the smart machinery won't let them!). I would still like to know who to complain to.
"Thanks Mark, I hope that I answered a few questions for you.
A short explanation for those that think the operators set signals just to ps off drivers.
Anything with "QUEUE" in the message is set by MIDAS (Motorway Incident Detection And Signalling) an automatic system that reads the average speed and numbers of vehicles passing over sensors in the road in EACH lane."
Well it looks like the automated systems need reprogramming - because someone has obviously inserted some cynical script. The Smart Motorways are just not very clever - and it is remarkable how these bogus alerts occur around "enforcement" cameras. It can't be too difficult to have an alarm set to wake the operators up when one of these Midas alerts is triggered. They could then turn it off (or maybe the smart machinery won't let them!). I would still like to know who to complain to.
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