Motorway matrix signs minutes to next motorway
Discussion
TvrJohn said:
8mins to jct 6 M62
Why have they started displaying this information ?
http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/pressrelease.aspx?pressreleaseid=151081Why have they started displaying this information ?
Apparently people like the idea. If you drive a TVR I'd take a few minutes off though.
Jeez, I feel like the HA Press Officer today.......

Dino D said:
Over here in greece we have that too but most people treat is a target time to be beaten!!!
The lack of cameras (and traffic officers of any variety) mean it's no problem at all.
I regularly drive up the M6 at silly o'clock in the morning and there is always a sign telling you it is 13 mins between jct ?? - ?? how i love making it in less.. The lack of cameras (and traffic officers of any variety) mean it's no problem at all.
In Scotland the signs are used for a bit of sensible road safety advice like:
"Be a courteous driver" "Don't use your phone whilst driving" "Check your level of fuel before setting off" "Take a break Tiredness Kills" etc. etc.
It makes a change for some well meaning advice and gives the impression that the police/road safety community really do care for the motorists.
"Be a courteous driver" "Don't use your phone whilst driving" "Check your level of fuel before setting off" "Take a break Tiredness Kills" etc. etc.
It makes a change for some well meaning advice and gives the impression that the police/road safety community really do care for the motorists.
Edited by XMG5 on Friday 31st August 14:45
Just back (well a couple of weeks ago) from Turkey. There, traffic lights have a countdown to next change, eg if on green counts down to next change to red. Couldn't make my mind up if it's a good idea or not. Is it a safety measure ("I know there's only 3 secs to next red, so I'll slow down"
, or a challenge - the countdown to next green means you can be ready to go, in gear, handbrake off....GO!
Needless to say, being in Turkey the challenge scenario took precedence!
, or a challenge - the countdown to next green means you can be ready to go, in gear, handbrake off....GO!Needless to say, being in Turkey the challenge scenario took precedence!
selwonk said:
Cute idea, but how about "Stay in the left lane when not overtaking". There's a gantry sign I'd like to see...
Your wish is the HA's command:"Keep left unless overtaking".
http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/pressrelease.aspx?...
It's an old press release, but they still use the message on the VMS.
esselte said:
blueyes said:
XMG5 said:
In Scotland the signs are used for a bit of sensible road safety advice like:
"Check your level of fuel before setting off"
Ummm..... can anybody else see the problem with this message?"Check your level of fuel before setting off"



Vaux said:
esselte said:
blueyes said:
XMG5 said:
In Scotland the signs are used for a bit of sensible road safety advice like:
"Check your level of fuel before setting off"
Ummm..... can anybody else see the problem with this message?"Check your level of fuel before setting off"




blueyes said:
or maybe... "if you're too stupid to keep a car filled with petrol, should you really be driving?" 
Have you been keeping up with the other motorway sign thread? There's a fair few people out there who can't seem to cope.
"In the first six months of 2007 the Highways Agency dealt with 4,678 recorded incidents nationally where people had run out of fuel on the motorway."
Bloody stupid giving a 'time' to the next whatever. They do this on the continent a lot, for mundane stuff like 'Supermarket in 2 minutes'. At what speed? t
ts!
It may be legal to do 70, but you could cruise at 55 too, or do the ton. So how long will it take then?
I really hate stuff like this, because it is the absolute definition of stupidity. Cars all travel at very different speeds, and legitimately so. The signs are meaningless.
ts!It may be legal to do 70, but you could cruise at 55 too, or do the ton. So how long will it take then?
I really hate stuff like this, because it is the absolute definition of stupidity. Cars all travel at very different speeds, and legitimately so. The signs are meaningless.
motco said:
On more than one occasion I've seen x minutes to junction y and it has been based on an average speed of about 65mph. That's fine and dandy except that a hundred yards along the road a fifty limits starts for roadwords for several miles. 
From the HA:
"The system works by using current information captured from automatic number plate recognition cameras and comparing it against historical traffic data on that particular stretch of motorway. The travel time is automatically recalculated every five minutes and if an incident, such as a collision, causes delays on the motorway above a pre-determined threshold, the sign will automatically switch from showing the travel time message to displaying the estimated delay time."
So it's not based on some "average speed", but actual speeds. Isn't that how Trafficmaster works?
Vaux said:
motco said:
On more than one occasion I've seen x minutes to junction y and it has been based on an average speed of about 65mph. That's fine and dandy except that a hundred yards along the road a fifty limits starts for roadwords for several miles. 
From the HA:
"The system works by using current information captured from automatic number plate recognition cameras and comparing it against historical traffic data on that particular stretch of motorway. The travel time is automatically recalculated every five minutes and if an incident, such as a collision, causes delays on the motorway above a pre-determined threshold, the sign will automatically switch from showing the travel time message to displaying the estimated delay time."
So it's not based on some "average speed", but actual speeds. Isn't that how Trafficmaster works?
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