Where have all the Cats Eyes gone?

[stevenzop]

Hello! First post on here but I'm so confused by what I've seen I felt this the best place to look for answers.

Over the last couple of weeks i've noticed that slowly, road by road, all the cats eyes are being dug up! Replaced by small patches of rough looking asphalt. I've been on a bit of a road trip and noticed this all over the north of Scotland. Anyone any idea whats going on here? Anyone else noticed?

Seems a very strange decision to spend money efectivly downgrading our roads! Seems only to be on country roads, but they've all gone up here around Aberdeen! Why would they do this?

[grumpyscot]

Scrap metal value increasing perhaps?

Or is it becuase modern vehicles have better lighting so cats eyes not needed to the same degree as years ago. Most down our way soon get clogged up with dirt so are virtually useless anyway.

And they cause damage to tyres and suspension systems

[Overlag]

stevenzop said:

Hello! First post on here but I'm so confused by what I've seen I felt this the best place to look for answers.

Over the last couple of weeks i've noticed that slowly, road by road, all the cats eyes are being dug up! Replaced by small patches of rough looking asphalt. I've been on a bit of a road trip and noticed this all over the north of Scotland. Anyone any idea whats going on here? Anyone else noticed?

Seems a very strange decision to spend money efectivly downgrading our roads! Seems only to be on country roads, but they've all gone up here around Aberdeen! Why would they do this?

I think theres a few reasons. Number 1 will be cost cutting, but if that was the case why did they even bother digging them up? The other reason i think is road noise. I passed a sign near some village a few weeks ago that said something along the lines of beware cats eyes = noise. I dont know why they are downgrading roads lately. But its one of the main things a few years ago that made our roads (and motorways) better than the French, becaues at least you could see where you're going lane wise in this country. But over the last year the cats eyes are either removed, or dont work anymore


Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

[Menguin]

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

There is a section of those near Battle in East Sussex too, they are amazing! I love the way you can see the road snake away in your rearview mirror..

[anonymous-user]

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

Yeah - whatever you do... don't drive round there at 2AM with no headlights. It doesn't look at all like a video game. Honest. I should know, I put em in.

[Gazado]

Strange... some of the roads around me have been resurfaced recently and they have new cats eyes in place which are huge lumps of plastic in the middle of the road - far larger than any I have seen before!

Maybe they are being transported from up north to down here in Kent haha!

[Overlag]

Opulent said:

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

Yeah - whatever you do... don't drive round there at 2AM with no headlights. It doesn't look at all like a video game. Honest. I should know, I put em in.

i must admit i did this the other day down another A road which had them on (somewhere near A130) looked cool but scary at same time. Plus very very stupid if something, someone walked/drove out infront of me. I guess i was only doing 30mph but still... stupid.

[cheadle hulme]

Menguin said:

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

There is a section of those near Battle in East Sussex too, they are amazing! I love the way you can see the road snake away in your rearview mirror..

How does that work then? Cats eyes are retro-reflective, they reflect light back at the source. Does your car have headlights on the back??

[Stu R]

cheadle hulme said:

Menguin said:

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

There is a section of those near Battle in East Sussex too, they are amazing! I love the way you can see the road snake away in your rearview mirror..

How does that work then? Cats eyes are retro-reflective, they reflect light back at the source. Does your car have headlights on the back??

There's solar powered ones these days. http://motortorque.askaprice.com/news/auto-0711/so...

[AB]

cheadle hulme said:

Menguin said:

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

There is a section of those near Battle in East Sussex too, they are amazing! I love the way you can see the road snake away in your rearview mirror..

How does that work then? Cats eyes are retro-reflective, they reflect light back at the source. Does your car have headlights on the back??

How about you take another read, then punch yourself in the face.

[Menguin]

AB said:

cheadle hulme said:

Menguin said:

Overlag said:

Saying that theres a section on the A12 where the cats eyes are little LED lights, they are great!

There is a section of those near Battle in East Sussex too, they are amazing! I love the way you can see the road snake away in your rearview mirror..

How does that work then? Cats eyes are retro-reflective, they reflect light back at the source. Does your car have headlights on the back??

How about you take another read, then punch yourself in the face.

[piph]

This is a question that I have been asking for months!
I myself, (rather strangely to be on here,) am not even a driver, but am constantly on the road due to my job as being a tour manager. This is the only place on google that I have found that has even noticed or mentioned this 'phenomena', and makes me even more mystified and determined to try and find out. I will post if I do.
Waymarking is most definitely poorer for the removal!

[davepoth]

I work for a competitor of the "Cat's Eyes" company.

The road paint used these days is much more reflective than it used to be, meaning that the need for cat's eyes is much reduced.

[Pooky67]

davepoth said:

I work for a competitor of the "Cat's Eyes" company.

The road paint used these days is much more reflective than it used to be, meaning that the need for cat's eyes is much reduced.

Good luck with the business!

[rinso]

haven't noticed any changes locally or on trips out, but...

on a similar idea... when did they decide to reconfigure the traffic lights?? pedestrian crossings dont work the same way they used to... they change the same way as regular lights now, no flashing amber.....

[GSP]

I've noticed them going, presumed it was because after a few months they become so dirty they dont work anyway.

[zeb]

not sure its a good idea that from a road safety point of view.

a few less speed camera's and a few more cats eyes possibly?

[The fatboy]

yeah, those around the snake pass between the top and bamford has lost a bit together with the road wear and tear.