Polls at the side of the road (gatso vs lamp post?)

[s a m]

I have been wondering about this one for some time, it may have been posted before, but I am interested to know the answer…

I was under the impression that roadside objects (poles) had to comply with some legislation – particularly that they crumple / fold / break if a vehicle hits them. For example, lamp posts I think snap at the base, and the lit bollards snap on impact too.

Considering that speed cameras are designed to be “immoveable objects” made with thick reinforced metal etc, if you hit one, your going to come off worse. I’ve seen pictures in the paper before where cars have gone off the road and hit a Gatso, where the drivers been killed at the Sean due to the camera staying in place.

Lamp posts, telegraph poles etc are usually placed tight on the edge of the curb – where as speed cameras usually stick out and are closer to the road.

If you hit one, its going to be nasty. How come they are allowed to be made this way?
(Spelling correction)

>> Edited by s a m on Monday 17th April 19:24

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

s a m said:

lol, caught by the PH spelling police. 3 pints and a fine?

[s a m]

[Parrot of Doom]

Fifth gear did something recently, testing the suitability of new roadside pole designs against the old steel tube/concrete pillar designs.

The differences were staggering, the new designs are massively more safe than the old ones. The trouble is, to replace all the roadside furniture in the country would involve a rather 'huge' some of cash

[turbobloke]

Parrot of Doom said:

Fifth gear did something recently, testing the suitability of new roadside pole designs against the old steel tube/concrete pillar designs. The differences were staggering, the new designs are massively more safe than the old ones. The trouble is, to replace all the roadside furniture in the country would involve a rather 'huge' some of cash

There's an excess of transport tax and duty income over transport expenditure of approximately £40 billion each year, would that help?!

[Zod]

Parrot of Doom said:

Fifth gear did something recently, testing the suitability of new roadside pole designs against the old steel tube/concrete pillar designs. The differences were staggering, the new designs are massively more safe than the old ones. The trouble is, to replace all the roadside furniture in the country would involve a rather 'huge' some of cash

What, more than £42m?

[turbobloke]

Zod said:

Parrot of Doom said: Fifth gear did something recently, testing the suitability of new roadside pole designs against the old steel tube/concrete pillar designs. The differences were staggering, the new designs are massively more safe than the old ones. The trouble is, to replace all the roadside furniture in the country would involve a rather 'huge' some of cash What, more than £42m?

Shouldn't that be 'b' not 'm'? Them's greedy robin barstewards them is

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

p

[turbobloke]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

p

As in 'taking the'

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

[tvrgit]

as far as I am aware, there is no standar for road signs, lamp posts, traffic lights, guard railes etc that requires them to "snap off" in an accident. I don't think therefore that cameras have any "special exemption" as implied here.

There have been tests of new collapsible gantry sign columns, that work the way you suggest. They are pretty new and gar from standard. Personally I'm not sure whether I prefer that my cars stops against the post, or that the post collapses and that the gantry (or whatever else it was holding up) drops down and lands on my bonce.

[Hollywood Wheels]

I can testify that lamp posts are not designed to 'snap off'. I chased a motor about a year ago, which ended up going straight into a lamp post at about 40mph. The lamp post bent slightly. The car however, had to have the roof cut off to remove the occupants, who weren't exactly in rude health....

I'm personally disgusted at both the design and placing of many road signs and lighting. Many seem to be placed in the worst possible places, with no thought as to what should happen to some poor sod who happens to hit them. There has to be better designs out there, which can crumple, or safely bend on impact. Also the design. Why can many signs not protrude into the line of sight, with the actual base pole itself set way back, away from the main carriagemway, instead of having a solid lump of metal placed four feet from the carriageway on a corner? I suppose it comes down to £'s...

HW

[tvrgit]

Hollywood Wheels said:

I can testify that lamp posts are not designed to 'snap off'. I chased a motor about a year ago, which ended up going straight into a lamp post at about 40mph. The lamp post bent slightly. The car however, had to have the roof cut off to remove the occupants, who weren't exactly in rude health.... I'm personally disgusted at both the design and placing of many road signs and lighting. Many seem to be placed in the worst possible places, with no thought as to what should happen to some poor sod who happens to hit them. There has to be better designs out there, which can crumple, or safely bend on impact. Also the design. Why can many signs not protrude into the line of sight, with the actual base pole itself set way back, away from the main carriagemway, instead of having a solid lump of metal placed four feet from the carriageway on a corner? I suppose it comes down to £'s... HW

For big signs it partly comes down to wind load - you need a damn big foundation to prevent a motorway size sign from toppling when it's windy. You'd need a lot bigger foundation if the wind was also twisting it.

Not making excuses for the rest of your post though - I've seen some very strange sign locations.

[Zod]

Hollywood Wheels said:

I can testify that lamp posts are not designed to 'snap off'. I chased a motor about a year ago, which ended up going straight into a lamp post at about 40mph. The lamp post bent slightly. The car however, had to have the roof cut off to remove the occupants, who weren't exactly in rude health.... I'm personally disgusted at both the design and placing of many road signs and lighting. Many seem to be placed in the worst possible places, with no thought as to what should happen to some poor sod who happens to hit them. There has to be better designs out there, which can crumple, or safely bend on impact. Also the design. Why can many signs not protrude into the line of sight, with the actual base pole itself set way back, away from the main carriagemway, instead of having a solid lump of metal placed four feet from the carriageway on a corner? I suppose it comes down to £'s... HW

It's a disgrace, HW. I wonder how many lives per year would be saved by deformable roadside furniture. A lot I'd wager.