Road Signs that are ignored
Discussion
M4cruiser said:
This one, and all of the similar ones all over the UK. Have you ever tried driving at this speed?
With acknowledgment to Google Maps.
A garden centre local to me has a signed speed limit of 9 3/4 mph. A heady 10mph would just be too dangerous. With acknowledgment to Google Maps.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.8614053,-2.7457324...
For the past year I've been making regular runs from Stockport where I live to Leicester.
There's a road between the motorway and the city that is normally 50mph (roundly ignored in itself by most).
Last winter there was a nasty fatal prang which the railings on a bridge the road goes over.
The council put those huge concrete blocks around it. They don't intrude onto the carriageway but they stuck a 'mandatory 30mph' sign for the duration.
Absolutely everyone ignores this. Myself included! The signage used is illegal and it's totally unenforceable.
There's a road between the motorway and the city that is normally 50mph (roundly ignored in itself by most).
Last winter there was a nasty fatal prang which the railings on a bridge the road goes over.
The council put those huge concrete blocks around it. They don't intrude onto the carriageway but they stuck a 'mandatory 30mph' sign for the duration.
Absolutely everyone ignores this. Myself included! The signage used is illegal and it's totally unenforceable.
Edited by zarjaz1991 on Monday 8th July 12:02
Edited by zarjaz1991 on Monday 8th July 12:02
Similar thing on the A14 between the M1 and Kettering...think it’s reduced to 50 for about 400 or 500 yards for no apparent reason....widely ignored but quite scary when you are the only one abiding by the 50 mph..and the rest of the traffic is doing at least 70. Been like that for months ...
Not exactly a road sign, but the zebra crossing outside Abbey Road studios.. there is always a load of tourists waiting to re-enact the album cover and so if you stop at the crossing you could be waiting for, ooh 24 hours or so! Anyone familiar with it just drives through, and strangely most pedestrians seem fine with that, probably because they don't want a car ruining their pic
ClaphamBoxS said:
Similar thing on the A14 between the M1 and Kettering...think it’s reduced to 50 for about 400 or 500 yards for no apparent reason....widely ignored but quite scary when you are the only one abiding by the 50 mph..and the rest of the traffic is doing at least 70. Been like that for months ...
Used to catch me out every time I drove down to my folks in Newmarket. Now I just blast through it, same as everyone around me. watchnut said:
We have the same for about 600m on the M27 slowed to a 50 MPH limit both ways, at one point it is 4 lanes wide, When i reduce to 50, i feel very vulnerable as almost everyone else ignores it, they know there are no camera's.....but there might be one day
"Keeping up with the flow of traffic" feels safer, but will cut no dice if your in court
The M27 is currently being converted into a smart motorway from jct 4 (the one you’re referring to) all the way up to jct 11."Keeping up with the flow of traffic" feels safer, but will cut no dice if your in court
They have to slow down that stretch of motorway you describe to 50mph because those 4 lanes you speak of split... one side to the M3 (70mph) and the other side to the upgrade/speed camera 50mph section (complete with workmen day and night).
If they didn’t slow down that 4-lane stretch of motorway prior to the split, then the section being upgraded would cause build up from people braking for the cameras back into the 4-lane section, potentially causing dangerous congestion.
Combining this with the A3057 bridge replacement project just before jct 3 I imagine they thought it would be sensible to slow down the whole section, rather than have drivers having to slow down/speed up multiple times over a short distance, causing congestion.
I’m not part of the BRAKE campaign by any means but the 50mph limit on the M27 is certainly required and makes complete sense.
Over over under steer said:
A21, between Tonbridge and Sevenoaks has a 50 mph temporary sign in place for about 3/4 mile. It has been there for a few years now and is generally completely ignored.
I don't pay attention to it, however it can slow traffic down as some do.
That was the first one that sprung to my mind when reading the OP, been there for years with no one ever doing anything. I don't pay attention to it, however it can slow traffic down as some do.
re: the speed limit signs for damaged barriers, are they actually legally enforceable?
By which I mean that we have the national urban limit of 30mph (streetlights) and the derestricted limits (60/70/your vehicle's max permitted speed) but other speed limits required a TRO/Speed Limit Order to be in place to be legally enforceable, as I understand it.
As most of the signs discussed here are just plonked by the side of the dual carriageway after an accident in order to attempt to mitigate a risk that is unlikely to actually be realised, do they have any legal status? Presuming that most (all?) of the roads mentioned fall under Highways England's remit, are HE exempt from the need to make TROs? Or are the signs just a 'guide'?
Do all-lane running motorways with variable speed limits have individual TROs or are all the cameras Type Approved and able to be put wherever required by HE?
By which I mean that we have the national urban limit of 30mph (streetlights) and the derestricted limits (60/70/your vehicle's max permitted speed) but other speed limits required a TRO/Speed Limit Order to be in place to be legally enforceable, as I understand it.
As most of the signs discussed here are just plonked by the side of the dual carriageway after an accident in order to attempt to mitigate a risk that is unlikely to actually be realised, do they have any legal status? Presuming that most (all?) of the roads mentioned fall under Highways England's remit, are HE exempt from the need to make TROs? Or are the signs just a 'guide'?
Do all-lane running motorways with variable speed limits have individual TROs or are all the cameras Type Approved and able to be put wherever required by HE?
There's currently some 50 limit temporary signs on the M42 around the Bromsgrove junction, if I remember correctly.
I'm not regularly on the Motorway, but was a few times over the last couple of weeks. No one seemed to be taking any notice of these signs. I did at first, but was then being overtaken by absolutely everything, so just went with the traffic flow.
I'm not regularly on the Motorway, but was a few times over the last couple of weeks. No one seemed to be taking any notice of these signs. I did at first, but was then being overtaken by absolutely everything, so just went with the traffic flow.
The 30 mph temporary limit on the (NSL DC) A35 that was described here: https://lytchettmatraverspc.org/a350-and-a35-roadw...
Everyone was doing 60 mph in the mile between the signage and the start of the cones.
Everyone was doing 60 mph in the mile between the signage and the start of the cones.
roadsmash said:
The M27 is currently being converted into a smart motorway from jct 4 (the one you’re referring to) all the way up to jct 11.
They have to slow down that stretch of motorway you describe to 50mph because those 4 lanes you speak of split... one side to the M3 (70mph) and the other side to the upgrade/speed camera 50mph section (complete with workmen day and night).
If they didn’t slow down that 4-lane stretch of motorway prior to the split, then the section being upgraded would cause build up from people braking for the cameras back into the 4-lane section, potentially causing dangerous congestion.
Combining this with the A3057 bridge replacement project just before jct 3 I imagine they thought it would be sensible to slow down the whole section, rather than have drivers having to slow down/speed up multiple times over a short distance, causing congestion.
I’m not part of the BRAKE campaign by any means but the 50mph limit on the M27 is certainly required and makes complete sense.
I think he's referring to the stretch a bit further along. Going westbound after the M3 splits off the 50 is only in effect four a further 1000 yards or so, after which just before Rownhams services it's back up to full motorway speed. Then just after Rownhams it goes back to 50 - but no cameras and nobody actually does 50 here - for about half a mile up to junction 3 where it is back up to motorway speeds again. The same limit is not there Eastbound.They have to slow down that stretch of motorway you describe to 50mph because those 4 lanes you speak of split... one side to the M3 (70mph) and the other side to the upgrade/speed camera 50mph section (complete with workmen day and night).
If they didn’t slow down that 4-lane stretch of motorway prior to the split, then the section being upgraded would cause build up from people braking for the cameras back into the 4-lane section, potentially causing dangerous congestion.
Combining this with the A3057 bridge replacement project just before jct 3 I imagine they thought it would be sensible to slow down the whole section, rather than have drivers having to slow down/speed up multiple times over a short distance, causing congestion.
I’m not part of the BRAKE campaign by any means but the 50mph limit on the M27 is certainly required and makes complete sense.
There does appear to be a small area off to the side of the road where they were storing the 'bridge moving' equipment, which is I assume why it's there, but it's nowhere near the carriageway and appears an entirely arbitrary and pointless limit imho.
Blakewater said:
A garden centre local to me has a signed speed limit of 9 3/4 mph. A heady 10mph would just be too dangerous.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.8614053,-2.7457324...
Put there by a Harry Potter fan I bethttps://www.google.com/maps/@53.8614053,-2.7457324...
kuiper said:
I think he's referring to the stretch a bit further along. Going westbound after the M3 splits off the 50 is only in effect four a further 1000 yards or so, after which just before Rownhams services it's back up to full motorway speed. Then just after Rownhams it goes back to 50 - but no cameras and nobody actually does 50 here - for about half a mile up to junction 3 where it is back up to motorway speeds again. The same limit is not there Eastbound.
There does appear to be a small area off to the side of the road where they were storing the 'bridge moving' equipment, which is I assume why it's there, but it's nowhere near the carriageway and appears an entirely arbitrary and pointless limit imho.
I think we will have to agree to disagree. There does appear to be a small area off to the side of the road where they were storing the 'bridge moving' equipment, which is I assume why it's there, but it's nowhere near the carriageway and appears an entirely arbitrary and pointless limit imho.
Having lost my BiL and good friend (who worked on the motorways) to a speeding driver in a 50mph zone I tend to be bias.
99% of the time, no matter how frustrating it may seem, the speed restrictions are in place for one reason or another.
Roadsmash/Kuiper....Kuiper is correct it is not the part of the M27 going towards the 4 lane section of junction (4) and Portsmouth but both ways from junction 3 upto Rounhams services where the bridge is being replaced.... a total waste of time as it is like you say for about 800-1000m and totally ignored....however today one car did sit behind me!
The section of M27 being turned into a "smart" motorway has camera's on it...the speed limit is generally kept to
The section of M27 being turned into a "smart" motorway has camera's on it...the speed limit is generally kept to
watchnut said:
Roadsmash/Kuiper....Kuiper is correct it is not the part of the M27 going towards the 4 lane section of junction (4) and Portsmouth but both ways from junction 3 upto Rounhams services where the bridge is being replaced.... a total waste of time as it is like you say for about 800-1000m and totally ignored....however today one car did sit behind me!
The section of M27 being turned into a "smart" motorway has camera's on it...the speed limit is generally kept to
Maybe I’m confused... could you perhaps send a snip of Google Maps to the stretch of motorway you are describing? The section of M27 being turned into a "smart" motorway has camera's on it...the speed limit is generally kept to
Drew106 said:
There's currently some 50 limit temporary signs on the M42 around the Bromsgrove junction, if I remember correctly.
I'm not regularly on the Motorway, but was a few times over the last couple of weeks. No one seemed to be taking any notice of these signs. I did at first, but was then being overtaken by absolutely everything, so just went with the traffic flow.
They're a bloody joke. They're there because they are doing roadworks on the roundabout, presumably because of (potential) queues onto the motorway but outside of rush hour (when it snarls up to <50mph anyway) there aren't any queues. Even when there are queues this is no different to many other junctions which end up queuing onto the motorway. I'm not regularly on the Motorway, but was a few times over the last couple of weeks. No one seemed to be taking any notice of these signs. I did at first, but was then being overtaken by absolutely everything, so just went with the traffic flow.
I'm torn between obeying them because lets face it, restricted sections are the easiest place to get caught speeding and ignoring them because everyone else is.
roadsmash said:
Maybe I’m confused... could you perhaps send a snip of Google Maps to the stretch of motorway you are describing?
Here you go. The bit i've marked on the right hand side is 50 all the way along in both directions, with lots of roadworks and people working and the limit is generally well adhered to.
The section on the left hand side between Rownhams and just after the M271 (or maybe slightly before, I can't remember 100%) is in the Westbound direction only. There are no barriers, no roadworks, nobody working at all and nothing going on. Quite literally no reason for them at all. It is this section which is utterly ignored - and don't get me wrong, sorry for your loss and I have utmost respect for people that work the roads - as there is no roadwork of any kind on this section it seems rather pointless.
kuiper said:
Here you go. The bit i've marked on the right hand side is 50 all the way along in both directions, with lots of roadworks and people working and the limit is generally well adhered to.
The section on the left hand side between Rownhams and just after the M271 (or maybe slightly before, I can't remember 100%) is in the Westbound direction only. There are no barriers, no roadworks, nobody working at all and nothing going on. Quite literally no reason for them at all. It is this section which is utterly ignored - and don't get me wrong, sorry for your loss and I have utmost respect for people that work the roads - as there is no roadwork of any kind on this section it seems rather pointless.
I see what you mean now.
I do maintain that there probably is a reason behind it, although I’m struggling.
Perhaps relating to vehicles on the hard shoulder working on the bridge replacement project, which isn’t complete until October and it involves demolishing the old bridge.
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