Monoblock pavement extensions?
Discussion
Recently in my area the local council has started putting a monoblock section across junctions, kind of joining the pavement on either side. This makes the pavement almost look as if it continues across the junction. This is mostly in residential areas.
Now apart from having grave concerns that this erodes the boundary between pavement and road for children, does this change the legal use of the road?
Does anyone know the actual purpose of these extensions?
And in the light of this report http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3976145.stm is this a justifiable use of this money?
Now apart from having grave concerns that this erodes the boundary between pavement and road for children, does this change the legal use of the road?
Does anyone know the actual purpose of these extensions?
And in the light of this report http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3976145.stm is this a justifiable use of this money?
Loads of those round here.
I
hate them. I can only guess they're there to provide an earier place to cross for wheelchairs etc, but what's wrong with simply dropping the kerb down to tarmac level?
The reason I hate them is that people just walk out on them without looking at the road! Its as if they think they're zebra crossings, even though they're not marked as such. So now drivers have to take more extra care than usual when they know they're around. But what if you're unfamiliar with the area and don't know they're there? You can hardly see them as they blend in so well with the road surface and (as mentioned previously) aren't otherwise marked! One more thing to take drivers' concentration away from where it needs to be - especially when approaching a junciton!
Bizarre way to spend out money.
>> Edited by pdV6 on Friday 5th November 12:03
I
hate them. I can only guess they're there to provide an earier place to cross for wheelchairs etc, but what's wrong with simply dropping the kerb down to tarmac level? The reason I hate them is that people just walk out on them without looking at the road! Its as if they think they're zebra crossings, even though they're not marked as such. So now drivers have to take more extra care than usual when they know they're around. But what if you're unfamiliar with the area and don't know they're there? You can hardly see them as they blend in so well with the road surface and (as mentioned previously) aren't otherwise marked! One more thing to take drivers' concentration away from where it needs to be - especially when approaching a junciton!
Bizarre way to spend out money.
>> Edited by pdV6 on Friday 5th November 12:03
AIUI pedestrians crossing the junction have right of way, so it's actually OK for them to walk out and expect drivers to stop. But since the vast majority of drivers don't seem to know this I don't think it's the sort of behaviour that ought to be encouraged.
In Bedford there are a couple of these where a pavement and cycle track crosses a junction, with right of way given to the pavement/cycle track and give way lines and triangles painted on the road. Do cars stop and give way at the give way lines? Do they arse.
I also don't think it's a good idea to put what is effectively a speed hump across a junction. Turning into or out of a junction is a manoeuvre which exposes you to danger as you cross the path of traffic, so things which hinder the carrying out of that manoeuvre are not a good idea.
In Bedford there are a couple of these where a pavement and cycle track crosses a junction, with right of way given to the pavement/cycle track and give way lines and triangles painted on the road. Do cars stop and give way at the give way lines? Do they arse.
I also don't think it's a good idea to put what is effectively a speed hump across a junction. Turning into or out of a junction is a manoeuvre which exposes you to danger as you cross the path of traffic, so things which hinder the carrying out of that manoeuvre are not a good idea.
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