Speeding signs kill ?
Discussion
[unfocusedragemode] Derbyshire County Council have, in their infinite wisdom, decided to pepper the countryside with temporary (plastic sheet, held on with zip ties) 'road safety' signs. Bright yellow, and about 3'x2', they're distracting enough on the open road.
Unfortunately they've placed them on a far from safe roundabout (blind spots abound, it's very fast (and speed actually could kill in this case...) and non-locals (me, for instance) don't get enough clues as to where to go.
So clearly it's a great idea to totally blind one of the entrances to the roundabout with a bloody great sign
I've just witnessed an rta caused directly by a driver being blindsided by the sign. Fortunately the damage was minimal, although one of the drivers was very rattled. I have given my details to the drivers and taken some shots of the sign in question.[/unfocusedragemode]
Unfortunately they've placed them on a far from safe roundabout (blind spots abound, it's very fast (and speed actually could kill in this case...) and non-locals (me, for instance) don't get enough clues as to where to go.
So clearly it's a great idea to totally blind one of the entrances to the roundabout with a bloody great sign
I've just witnessed an rta caused directly by a driver being blindsided by the sign. Fortunately the damage was minimal, although one of the drivers was very rattled. I have given my details to the drivers and taken some shots of the sign in question.[/unfocusedragemode]
206xsi said:
There are similar signs warning bikers to take care on the A339 Basingstoke-Alton Road
Oh come on. Those ones don't block any sightlines or cause distraction like sparkyjohn was describing...
And they really are justified. That stretch of the A339 - wonderful though it is and a favourite road of mine - does have a terrible accident record. Particularly bikes...
Don said:
There are similar signs warning bikers to take care on the A339 Basingstoke-Alton Road
Oh come on. Those ones don't block any sightlines or cause distraction like sparkyjohn was describing...
And they really are justified. That stretch of the A339 - wonderful though it is and a favourite road of mine - does have a terrible accident record. Particularly bikes...
Think 206 was just stating a fact there Don!
But I think those signs are a damn good idea. Obviously if they're placed in such a way that they obstruct your sightline then they need to be moved, but I'd rather have a few warning signs dotted along the road than drop the limit. It's bad enough trying to get from Basingstoke to Alton with the limit at 60mph, it'd be hell if they dropped the limit, seeing as numpties seem to think that a speed limit sign means they have to drive at 20% UNDER it! You try overtaking anything in a turbo diesel!
No it wasn't me driving, I was the passenger trying to sink as low as I could into the seat to hide!! Don't think we went over 40!206xsi said:
I do agree - it's a dangerous (or fun...) piece of road and the signs are warranted.
I followed someone doing 30mph on the later stages (Basingstoke end) the other week. There are plenty of overtaking spots at the Alton end though
Yes there are. Unfortunately there's often a speed trap presence in them. Its amazing how member of the 45mph club get up to 55mph on these bits so you can't overtake 'em without breaking the speed limit.
Of course...when the road's clear...
6-8' high fencing was erected on the A287 obscuring the sightline at the approach to the roundabout/junction with the M3. This effectively forces traffic to stop at a 'give way'. Except at night, when the lights of any oncoming traffic can be seen through thin gaps between the vertical boards. This is actually MORE dangerous, because there is a good chance that a pedal-cyclist will not be seen (in time).
Of course, this is on of those roundabouts that acquired 'peak-time' traffic signals at the end of both M3 exit slips ... which quickly became full-time (even at 03:30 this morning I had to wait for the lights to turn green).
What is it with the highways numpties that they keep changing an excellent system - the roundabout - (back) into a cross-roads?
Streaky
Of course, this is on of those roundabouts that acquired 'peak-time' traffic signals at the end of both M3 exit slips ... which quickly became full-time (even at 03:30 this morning I had to wait for the lights to turn green).
What is it with the highways numpties that they keep changing an excellent system - the roundabout - (back) into a cross-roads?
Streaky
Don said:Never seen a trap at weekends!
I do agree - it's a dangerous (or fun...) piece of road and the signs are warranted.
I followed someone doing 30mph on the later stages (Basingstoke end) the other week. There are plenty of overtaking spots at the Alton end though
Yes there are. Unfortunately there's often a speed trap presence in them. Its amazing how member of the 45mph club get up to 55mph on these bits so you can't overtake 'em without breaking the speed limit.
Of course...when the road's clear...
206xsi said:
206xsi said:
I do agree - it's a dangerous (or fun...) piece of road and the signs are warranted.
I followed someone doing 30mph on the later stages (Basingstoke end) the other week. There are plenty of overtaking spots at the Alton end though
Yes there are. Unfortunately there's often a speed trap presence in them. Its amazing how member of the 45mph club get up to 55mph on these bits so you can't overtake 'em without breaking the speed limit.
Of course...when the road's clear...
Never seen a trap at weekends!
I have. On the longish straight near Herriard across from a Pub (cant remember it's name), set back from the road in a bus stop, and hidden from view.
Right in the middle of a 1/2 mile long straight!
Hmm..
centurion07 said:You can't miss the fur & feathers - there's a warning sign you've just passed it
I have. On the longish straight near Herriard across from a Pub (cant remember it's name), set back from the road in a bus stop, and hidden from view.
Right in the middle of a 1/2 mile long straight!
Hmm..
Fur & feathers?
In general they're not too objectionable and certainly better than peppering the roads with speed cameras (which they seem to have admirably avoided, I've seen 3 so far, each of which was sensibly placed and clearly marked) unfortunately, in this instance, they've been placed by a total muppet 
which rather defeats the object of the exercise 
which rather defeats the object of the exercise There is a roundabout in Basingstoke that has pannelling on the entrance at on point so you cannot see the roundabout and have to stop (A33 Reading road at the roundabout over the A339 coming from Chineham). Some of the pannelling has been removed to make this less dangerous but I don't know if was taken down by the council or vandals.
The Alton road is fantastic. It's a shame that there are an awful lot of people who don't seem to be able to drive on it. The accident rate is really high - my GF lives not far from it and regularly hears the ambulances - and often when you do go down it you find numpties who are frightened of doing more than 20mph round bends.
The Alton road is fantastic. It's a shame that there are an awful lot of people who don't seem to be able to drive on it. The accident rate is really high - my GF lives not far from it and regularly hears the ambulances - and often when you do go down it you find numpties who are frightened of doing more than 20mph round bends.
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