Dangerous traffic calming.
Discussion
Yup, another ill thought installation of this blight on our roads has been born. It is on a minor road that links the A47 with the A17 near Terrington.
This supposed "safety" feature is one of the normal "pinch point" type (whoever thought that putting objects with an approach speed of eighty MPH in each others path was a good idea? :rolleyes:) but it isn't clearly signed as to who has priority.
Not only that, but one of the islands is invisible part of the time! If you exit the A47 at about 9:00 AM, the sun is almost in your eyes. This leads into a wooded area where the first of these evil pinch points lies. Unfortunately the design of it is such that it almost blends in to the scenery while your eyes are adjusting and you can't see it sticking out in the road.
These things are made with hard 90 degree kerbstones and stout wooden posts. Sooner or later someone will go over one of the islands and be seriously injured or killed.
Why on earth couldn't they make them ramped with deformable posts? At least that way if someone does make a mistake the only damage will be to the vehicle and not the person.
Following on from MaM's post about the dangers on Cheddar Gorge that the council ignored, I feel that I should make the appropriate people aware of the dangers and their responsibilities. I want to be sure that if there is a serious incident those that put in these ill conceived dangers are fully accountable.
Who would be responsible and how should I go about this?
[url]Where the problem is|http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=52.7183&lon=0.2811&scale=100000&icon=x[/url]
This supposed "safety" feature is one of the normal "pinch point" type (whoever thought that putting objects with an approach speed of eighty MPH in each others path was a good idea? :rolleyes:) but it isn't clearly signed as to who has priority.
Not only that, but one of the islands is invisible part of the time! If you exit the A47 at about 9:00 AM, the sun is almost in your eyes. This leads into a wooded area where the first of these evil pinch points lies. Unfortunately the design of it is such that it almost blends in to the scenery while your eyes are adjusting and you can't see it sticking out in the road.
These things are made with hard 90 degree kerbstones and stout wooden posts. Sooner or later someone will go over one of the islands and be seriously injured or killed.
Why on earth couldn't they make them ramped with deformable posts? At least that way if someone does make a mistake the only damage will be to the vehicle and not the person.
Following on from MaM's post about the dangers on Cheddar Gorge that the council ignored, I feel that I should make the appropriate people aware of the dangers and their responsibilities. I want to be sure that if there is a serious incident those that put in these ill conceived dangers are fully accountable.
Who would be responsible and how should I go about this?
[url]Where the problem is|http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=52.7183&lon=0.2811&scale=100000&icon=x[/url]
In their infinite wisdom Traffic Management do make mistakes for what appears sensible on paper is not in reality. In my short stint in Police TM I once liaised with LA and moved a Bus stop following complaints. All hell ensued and it had to be re-instated as the locals did not appreciate my reasoning. But I digress.
So what to do Rob?
Write expressing your concerns to LA. Send copy to local Police and try and arrange a site meeting with them and LA where yourself and others can express and outline your concerns. Also good tool to take on board is the local Councillor and Press. The majority of LATM's do appreciate constructive criticism but bear in mind these schemes do cost a lot of cash and having spent that amount some reluctance to spend more to revamp.
Go to it and make the world a safer place.
DVD
So what to do Rob?
Write expressing your concerns to LA. Send copy to local Police and try and arrange a site meeting with them and LA where yourself and others can express and outline your concerns. Also good tool to take on board is the local Councillor and Press. The majority of LATM's do appreciate constructive criticism but bear in mind these schemes do cost a lot of cash and having spent that amount some reluctance to spend more to revamp.
Go to it and make the world a safer place.
DVD
Agreed with DVD you MUST put it in writing to them especially highways, once it is in writing they are aware of a high risk & potentially liable, if they do nothing then they are seriously in the poo should something happen.
I did just this when I came across a similarly blind one in Cornwall (same issue it was hidden under trees) stopped to take some pics & a local informed me a biker was taken by air ambulance from the scene the week before.
I also noticed that the signage was unusally high & at night you may not see those signs say on a pushbike with naff lights.
Those who put these up should be fully liable for their stupidity
>> Edited by cptsideways on Thursday 11th August 08:15
I did just this when I came across a similarly blind one in Cornwall (same issue it was hidden under trees) stopped to take some pics & a local informed me a biker was taken by air ambulance from the scene the week before.
I also noticed that the signage was unusally high & at night you may not see those signs say on a pushbike with naff lights.
Those who put these up should be fully liable for their stupidity
>> Edited by cptsideways on Thursday 11th August 08:15
BliarOut said:
This supposed "safety" feature is one of the normal "pinch point" type (whoever thought that putting objects with an approach speed of eighty MPH in each others path was a good idea? )
I can see it now - the council get a letter saying cars could meet at a relative speed of 80MPH. Do they get rid of it? Do they b
ks, they'll just lower the speed limit and install a death camera... Cnuts!Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff