M3 Nightmare Continues!
Discussion
k ups.
Had my first experience of a lane closure yesterday, there was a fire engine attending to a vehicle stopped in lane 1 just past J3 south.
However, there didn't seem to be any 'lane reopen' signs, there was a 'obstruction reported' sign AFTER the actual obstruction though. I came off at J4 (where lane 1 separates from the main M3 and becomes the sliproad) so luckily you can see that lane 1 is clear as there is a long downhill straight with good visibility. What are the legalities of moving back to lane 1? You'd have to move out of lane 2 at some stage if you want to exit at J4.
However, there didn't seem to be any 'lane reopen' signs, there was a 'obstruction reported' sign AFTER the actual obstruction though. I came off at J4 (where lane 1 separates from the main M3 and becomes the sliproad) so luckily you can see that lane 1 is clear as there is a long downhill straight with good visibility. What are the legalities of moving back to lane 1? You'd have to move out of lane 2 at some stage if you want to exit at J4.
Mr Tidy said:
And 2 more just because - I actually survived the M3 misery, but based on that experience you can double the quoted times then add a bit more (and some more).
Plan alternative routes now - it will be a miserable process!
M3 Grrr I had to put up with all that disruption right next door owing to Woodlands Bridge rebuild.Plan alternative routes now - it will be a miserable process!
The agency new full well for the last 15 years that bridge was falling apart internally
Truckosaurus said:
Had my first experience of a lane closure yesterday, there was a fire engine attending to a vehicle stopped in lane 1 just past J3 south.
However, there didn't seem to be any 'lane reopen' signs, there was a 'obstruction reported' sign AFTER the actual obstruction though. I came off at J4 (where lane 1 separates from the main M3 and becomes the sliproad) so luckily you can see that lane 1 is clear as there is a long downhill straight with good visibility. What are the legalities of moving back to lane 1? You'd have to move out of lane 2 at some stage if you want to exit at J4.
I came south on the M3 twice over the weekend, once Saturday, once Sunday, BOTH times the traffic was being held going North between 3 and the M25.However, there didn't seem to be any 'lane reopen' signs, there was a 'obstruction reported' sign AFTER the actual obstruction though. I came off at J4 (where lane 1 separates from the main M3 and becomes the sliproad) so luckily you can see that lane 1 is clear as there is a long downhill straight with good visibility. What are the legalities of moving back to lane 1? You'd have to move out of lane 2 at some stage if you want to exit at J4.
Junction 9 (M3 / A34) improvements - preferred route just announced.
Nimby said:
Junction 9 (M3 / A34) improvements - preferred route just announced.
seems pretty logical to me. Big disruption at construction time though. Cruised up the M3 from J4 to J3 this afternoon, then the signs said "Obstruction" and a 60 limit.
Next sign had a 50 limit and a closed lane, next sign posted a 40 limit, but the next one showed the NSL and no closure.
Still it was quite pleasant, until I reached the inevitable M25 backing-up procedure!
WTF is that about - is there ever a time when J12 to J11 has the NSL? If not, why not? There is never an incident, just a queue! 
Next sign had a 50 limit and a closed lane, next sign posted a 40 limit, but the next one showed the NSL and no closure.
Still it was quite pleasant, until I reached the inevitable M25 backing-up procedure!
WTF is that about - is there ever a time when J12 to J11 has the NSL? If not, why not? There is never an incident, just a queue! Mr Tidy said:
Cruised up the M3 from J4 to J3 this afternoon, then the signs said "Obstruction" and a 60 limit.
Next sign had a 50 limit and a closed lane, next sign posted a 40 limit, but the next one showed the NSL and no closure.
Still it was quite pleasant, until I reached the inevitable M25 backing-up procedure! WTF is that about - is there ever a time when J12 to J11 has the NSL? If not, why not? There is never an incident, just a queue!
The Lane layout from J12 to J11 anti clockwise is terrible. Cars coming on from the M3 need to get into the second lane to avoid getting off at J11 and cars wanting to get off at J11 need to get into the left lane. Basically J11 and J12 are too close together. Next sign had a 50 limit and a closed lane, next sign posted a 40 limit, but the next one showed the NSL and no closure.
Still it was quite pleasant, until I reached the inevitable M25 backing-up procedure!
WTF is that about - is there ever a time when J12 to J11 has the NSL? If not, why not? There is never an incident, just a queue! ffc said:
The Lane layout from J12 to J11 anti clockwise is terrible. Cars coming on from the M3 need to get into the second lane to avoid getting off at J11 and cars wanting to get off at J11 need to get into the left lane. Basically J11 and J12 are too close together.
There's plenty of time to merge before you get to J11. It's people's inability to look ahead, speed-match and merge efficiently which causes that stretch to slow. In fact the problem often is that they are just too keen to get to the outermost lane when the traffic is moving just fine in lanes 1 and 2.The same reason there are so many accidents and near accidents on the M3 at the approach to the M25.
In a word - muppetry.
Well it was a bit of a mess last night!
I joined at J2 from the M25 around 8 p.m. heading South, and after a couple of gantries there was a stationary queue, 40 limit and 2 lanes closed! When I reached the scene there were blue lights everywhere and 2 fire engines parked across the closed lanes. One vehicle had managed to get over the Armco on the nearside of the carriageway and was facing in the wrong direction!
I just hope everyone involved was OK.
Next 2 gantries had a 50 limit and showed "Report of Accident" - no sh*t! I'd just driven past it!
I joined at J2 from the M25 around 8 p.m. heading South, and after a couple of gantries there was a stationary queue, 40 limit and 2 lanes closed! When I reached the scene there were blue lights everywhere and 2 fire engines parked across the closed lanes. One vehicle had managed to get over the Armco on the nearside of the carriageway and was facing in the wrong direction!
I just hope everyone involved was OK.
Next 2 gantries had a 50 limit and showed "Report of Accident" - no sh*t! I'd just driven past it!
edc said:
Going south from the M25 I think they should use the signs to tell people to move left. I join from the M25 Heathrow and pass loads of people as I drive on the left lane on the sliproad and as I travel down the M3 to 4a without ever leaving lanes 1 and 2.
It may help, but I don't think many would take any notice! When I go from J4 to J2 on the M3 heading for the M25 anti-clockwise there is plenty of signage ahead of J2, but there are always people in the wrong lane on the slip-road!
DJT said:
It's often helpful as you pass M3 J4 south to be informed about the status of M25 J10 or similar!
I had a similar one there earlier this year telling me about long delays on the M25.It would have been much more useful had they used the sign on the soutbound side of J4 to advise drivers about the accident that was still being cleared up between between Fleet Services & J5 instead, or even better advising of the accident at J6 which we all ended up crawling through a bit further on
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