Wednesday 9th February 2005

RU 2 Close?

Strathclyde Police target tailgaters

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Police in Scotland have launched a campaign to stop drivers tailgating. Strathclyde Police launched their "RU 2 Close" campaign yesterday.

Already the RAC Foundation have pitched in with a survey on the subject. According to them loads of motorists are ‘an accident waiting to happen’ due to their tailgating habits.

A tailgating survey was conducted at 15 sites across the UK, for a period of two hours. The total sample of vehicles was approximately 15,000. Data collected from the M8 site showed that 27 per cent of drivers were driving too close, whilst it was higher still in other parts of the UK.

So, the solution? More driver training and education or more road markings? The RAC want more of those chevrons on the road that show safe distances.

Experiments show that on a stretch of road preceding chevrons, tailgating was at around 60 per cent. Right in the middle of the chevron patch, it appeared to drop off 'significantly'. While it did pick up again after the chevron patch, not to the extent that it was at beforehand - suggesting chevrons could have a role to play in changing driver behaviour.

At present there are only a small number of sites on UK motorways with chevrons, and although acknowledging that the ‘novelty factor’ may make people keep their distance at chevron locations, the Foundation is calling for a review as to whether any more appropriate sites for chevrons can be identified.

A previous TRL study has shown accident reduction of 56 per cent at chevrons sites, compared to the same stretch of road before the chevrons were installed.

[travelsveryrapid]

Common sense at last.

Steve.

[lanciachris]

Yep. those chevrons are actually useful.

[jumjum]

They cause braking waves on the M6 birmingham to Manchester, the M6 just at the blackpool turn off and also sometimes on the M62 from Leeds. Thesewaves usually result in stopped traffic causing a jam.

I've seen a few accidents caused by this as inattentive people have failed to brake in time for the stopped traffic, in theory not bad idea just doesn't seem to work in practice.

These jams also slow up journey times

[WLAcopilote]

The French Autoroutes have the divider between the hard shoulder and the inside lane demarcated by long dashed lines. Every so often (perhaps every 10km or after an intersection) they have a sign "1 Trait = Danger; 2 Trait = Securite" basically one stripe between you and the car in front is dangerous, two is safe...perhaps instead of chevrons (extra paint) we could have longer lane dividing lines on Motorways and dual carriageways. Unfortunately I doubt the majority of drivers will take much notice since it would be more subtle than chevrons - if they ignore box junctions....
Matt

[atom290]

What you need is an extendable spike that sticks out of the back of the car!

The faster you go the longer the spike should be!

[Rob_the_Sparky]

Nice to see this at last from the police but wonder when they are going to do more than survey?

Also do the RAC ever have anything positive to say about motorists????

Chevrons - OK but if they really worked then people driving the road in question would be tail gating at all because they would have learnt the distance to leave! Therefore don't see that they are doing much good...

[ross]

good news, how about also stopping people who drive at 40 mph on 'A' roads (usually whether the limit is 60 or 30) with a huge long line of frustrated people trying to get on past to get on with their lives...

"driving without due care and attention..." would seem to do the trick...

[gary_tholl]

I've driven on a road with these chevrons (the 401 around Toronto), first time I'd ever seen them. I must admit they did make me drop back to the 'proper' distance (not that I was inches off bumpers before, but had to add a bit more to get 2 chevrons). However, I also found myself paying more attention to the chevrons right in front of me, than the cars in the lanes beside me. It was almost a game, as well as being something new/different. I can't imagine this affect staying if I were to use that road every day. Also, as mentioned, not long after they weren't there, people were back to trying to read my speedo through the back window.

What about the affect that amount of paint could have to bikers on a rainy day? Doesn't the paint get noticeably slicker than the pavement?

Gary

[Davel]

Two points:

1) You leave the gap required and then someone pulls in to it, so you back off more. People approaching traffic in their lanes will often pull into your lane, as you are just about to overtake them and the other cars in front of them.

2) This issue should also be linked with the middle and outer lane numpties, who simply drive along oblivious to what's going on around them in these lanes, at whatever speed they choose.

Otherwise, anything that reduces accidents is worth considering (apart from cameras in non-essential areas)

[beanbag]

ABOUT BLOODY TIME!!!!!

[havoc]

Those on the M1 in Northants seem to work, IMHO.

Whether there are other knock-on effects such as reduced alerness or surface changes for bikers, I don't know...but I think they're a good idea.

As for the RAC...they've come up with some sense, but as has been said, they're still bashing the driver???

Go figure!

[Dougie.]

I drive the M8 every day. Can't say I've noticed anything different since the overhead gantries were displaying R U 2 CLOSE this week. Have they identified tailgaters as being txtspk numpties? I think there's a connection there with some people. Don't know if it will make any difference to the section of highly aggressive drivers though.

The reason a lot of people end up travelling too close is if they leave a gap to the car in front it's usually filled by someone flying up the left hand lane(s), who proceeds to weave in and out of the traffic so by the time they get to the M74 cut off they will be ten seconds ahead of all the losers who wait in turn. Vans, reps and sheds are by far the worst.

[cen]

Where I have seen these markings as been good however, I have no idea what the stats are on what they achieve.

The post heading reminds me of a registration plate seen on a TVR Tuscan UR 02 SLW I though it cool

[v15ben]

They seem to work for most drivers on the M62, but having been to Germany many times on the autobahns, they could probably fit 2 cars between each pair of chevrons rather than keeping 2 apart!!

[cdp]

gary_tholl said:

However, I also found myself paying more attention to the chevrons right in front of me, than the cars in the lanes beside me. Gary

More paint. Less attention.

gary_tholl said:

What about the affect that amount of paint could have to bikers on a rainy day? Doesn't the paint get noticeably slicker than the pavement? Gary

More paint. More skids.

What is this obsession with telling people what to do instead of getting them to think?

[rowland]

I can't work out how the distance between the chevrons changes with average speed of traffic, the ones near Northampton on the M1 are great if everyone is doing about 70mph but on a Sunday afternoon when the average speed is 07mph they seem a bit far apart!!

[jesprit]

I think the problem is that as a nation (Britain) we are always in a hurry - I know I am. I am currently in Orlando and the driving style is completely different and I put it down to 3 things:

1. people have a more relaxed attitude to driving
2. majority drive automatics (see point 1)
3. you can pass on either side of traffic

Yesterday I found myself driving in convoy at 90mph on an interstate with a limit of 70mph!

What I'm trying to say is that the British driving style is the problem. I think the Germans are similar in style to the Americans - hold back until the guy in front pulls over and then punch it rather than agressively trying to nudge past all the time and getting aggitated. It works here and I like the American way of 'cruising' around Of course the sunshine helps too.

[flooritforever]

No no no no no!

Not more damn chevrons!! Bloody useless things. Have got them on a stretch of the M5 near me. They caused chaos when the were put in, cos everyone suddenly slowed down to try and create the gap they set. Cue inpromptue traffic jam for no discernable reason. This happened every day for about a month whenever the traffic got a bit heavier.

Seems to have calmed down now. Everyone has started ignoring them, making them a complete failure anyway.

[havoc]

jesprit said:

What I'm trying to say is that the British driving style is the problem. I think the Germans are similar in style to the Americans - hold back until the guy in front pulls over and then punch it rather than agressively trying to nudge past all the time and getting aggitated. It works here and I like the American way of 'cruising' around Of course the sunshine helps too.

You know, I think the man might just have it! As drivers, we're a nation of impatient aggressive ****s surrounded by incompetent unobservant ****s - can anyone see a problem here?!?