Debris in the road.
Discussion
So, I'm just out on a casual drive and I encounter a massive branch in the middle of the road (NSL road, twisty, but fairly open), everyone seems to just be completely ignoring it and driving round it at the last moment when they have spotted it.
What has prompted me to start this thread, is surely there should be a public responsibility to keep the roads clear, of course only when safe to do so, but it just seems wrong to me that people just ignore it and carry on their merry way.
If I see dangerous debris in the road and again, it's safe to do so, I'll stop and move it off the carriageway mainly as I wouldn't want a more vulnerable road user i.e a biker to come round the corner and bin it because the 100's of people who have diven past have just ignored it.
Am I being over cautious/taking on a responsibility that isn't mine? Or am I doing the right thing?
What has prompted me to start this thread, is surely there should be a public responsibility to keep the roads clear, of course only when safe to do so, but it just seems wrong to me that people just ignore it and carry on their merry way.
If I see dangerous debris in the road and again, it's safe to do so, I'll stop and move it off the carriageway mainly as I wouldn't want a more vulnerable road user i.e a biker to come round the corner and bin it because the 100's of people who have diven past have just ignored it.
Am I being over cautious/taking on a responsibility that isn't mine? Or am I doing the right thing?
If its not too much hassle I'll always try and clear debris on the road or paths..
When I use to cycle I saw some abosolutely deadly debris.. Pitch black down a cycle patch with my lights on, suddenly out of nowhere an absolutely massive tree trunk that had just fallen, branches leaves everything all over.. slammed on the brakes and manage to only have a very minor prang with it (didnt fall off or anything)
guy about 100 meters behind me didnt hear my shouts or arm swinging to tell him to brake.. He went flying into it and went over the handle bars.. Too much effort to attempt to move it in pitch black so continued, didnt think anything of it. About 500 meter further down the cycle path where it gets lights again under a bridge, i have to slam the brakes on again.. Some tt has ripped out all the fence pannel and purposely put the nails pointing up. after about 2 minutes into clearing all of the pannels off the path, the guy comes steams along again.. I the same shout and arm waves as last time.. this time he absolutely sts himself and brakes instantly.. He fell off again and managed to break his breaks
and then he started ranting to me about how he pays council tax and how the didnt grit the cycle paths when it snowed
its deadly!
When I use to cycle I saw some abosolutely deadly debris.. Pitch black down a cycle patch with my lights on, suddenly out of nowhere an absolutely massive tree trunk that had just fallen, branches leaves everything all over.. slammed on the brakes and manage to only have a very minor prang with it (didnt fall off or anything)
guy about 100 meters behind me didnt hear my shouts or arm swinging to tell him to brake.. He went flying into it and went over the handle bars.. Too much effort to attempt to move it in pitch black so continued, didnt think anything of it. About 500 meter further down the cycle path where it gets lights again under a bridge, i have to slam the brakes on again.. Some tt has ripped out all the fence pannel and purposely put the nails pointing up. after about 2 minutes into clearing all of the pannels off the path, the guy comes steams along again.. I the same shout and arm waves as last time.. this time he absolutely sts himself and brakes instantly.. He fell off again and managed to break his breaks
and then he started ranting to me about how he pays council tax and how the didnt grit the cycle paths when it snowed
its deadly!
I always feel the same, though typically the debris is on the motorway where removing it would be suicidal! What is the protocol in that situation? Who can you call to alert?
For example, a few months ago I was driving home and there was a, presumably very dead, swan on the right hand side of lane three - avoidable without major disruption, but one person keeping to the right would have hit it. What should be done here? Pull over and use the emergency phones on the hard-shoulder, non-emergency police number, etc?
For example, a few months ago I was driving home and there was a, presumably very dead, swan on the right hand side of lane three - avoidable without major disruption, but one person keeping to the right would have hit it. What should be done here? Pull over and use the emergency phones on the hard-shoulder, non-emergency police number, etc?
Dyl said:
I always feel the same, though typically the debris is on the motorway where removing it would be suicidal! What is the protocol in that situation? Who can you call to alert?
Thats where I draw the line, wouldn't catch me getting out on the motorway at all. As for debris on the motorway, if its a severe threat, I would call 999, but then the whole issue of phoning whilst driving comes in.
I attended a wedding a week or so ago, and because I had to leave early the next day, I played designated driver. Come 2am when the revelry was over and I was chauffeuring various people back to various houses, I drove through a section of temporary traffic light controlled roadworks. 5 mins later I come back to fetch the second lot and lo and behold, the roadworks have been re-arranged and the road is blocked (surely not by drunken revellers leaving the party ). Luckily I am using the brides father's Mitsubishi Delica so I pop the nearside up onto the pavement and negotiate the blockage, with a mind to fixing the problem after I've dropped everyone off. Return to venue, 10 minutes loading various party casualties into the van and I set off again, being mindful of the blocked road/knocked over traffic lights. I round the corner and...
There is a pack of 3 behoodied yoofs in the road.
Rebuilding the roadworks.
They're just finishing and walk off. I bip the horn as we drive past and give them a wave, and they wave back.
Top job, yoofs
There is a pack of 3 behoodied yoofs in the road.
Rebuilding the roadworks.
They're just finishing and walk off. I bip the horn as we drive past and give them a wave, and they wave back.
Top job, yoofs
Dyl said:
I always feel the same, though typically the debris is on the motorway where removing it would be suicidal! What is the protocol in that situation? Who can you call to alert?
For example, a few months ago I was driving home and there was a, presumably very dead, swan on the right hand side of lane three - avoidable without major disruption, but one person keeping to the right would have hit it. What should be done here? Pull over and use the emergency phones on the hard-shoulder, non-emergency police number, etc?
Anything in a live lane warrants a call either (preferably) from the emergency roadside telephone on the motorway, or 999 elsewhere. Imagine you are a motorcyclist coming across the debris unsighted.....For example, a few months ago I was driving home and there was a, presumably very dead, swan on the right hand side of lane three - avoidable without major disruption, but one person keeping to the right would have hit it. What should be done here? Pull over and use the emergency phones on the hard-shoulder, non-emergency police number, etc?
BTW - it is permissible to stop on the hard shoulder to make an emergency phone call.
Dyl said:
I always feel the same, though typically the debris is on the motorway where removing it would be suicidal! What is the protocol in that situation? Who can you call to alert?
For example, a few months ago I was driving home and there was a, presumably very dead, swan on the right hand side of lane three - avoidable without major disruption, but one person keeping to the right would have hit it. What should be done here? Pull over and use the emergency phones on the hard-shoulder, non-emergency police number, etc?
Call the Highways Agency Debris Reporting Hotline as soon as it's safe to report debris on Motorways. I've done this countless times. The number is: 0300 123 5000.For example, a few months ago I was driving home and there was a, presumably very dead, swan on the right hand side of lane three - avoidable without major disruption, but one person keeping to the right would have hit it. What should be done here? Pull over and use the emergency phones on the hard-shoulder, non-emergency police number, etc?
If you can read off the info from a 'mileage' sign then all the better to help them pinpoint the location.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17088.aspx
mrmr96 said:
Call the Highways Agency Debris Reporting Hotline as soon as it's safe to report debris on Motorways. I've done this countless times. The number is: 0300 123 5000.
If you can read off the info from a 'mileage' sign then all the better to help them pinpoint the location.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17088.aspx
Using the roadside phones is quicker and easier. It automatically provides a location and goes directly to the most local control centre.If you can read off the info from a 'mileage' sign then all the better to help them pinpoint the location.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17088.aspx
While it would be nice to remove such debris from the road, I personally wouldnt want to take the chance.
The last thing I want is to be messing about on a road, with traffic racing up and down. If they cant spot the debris, whats the chances of them actually spotting you?
All best to get straight onto the local police asap.
The last thing I want is to be messing about on a road, with traffic racing up and down. If they cant spot the debris, whats the chances of them actually spotting you?
All best to get straight onto the local police asap.
littleredrooster said:
Using the roadside phones is quicker and easier. It automatically provides a location and goes directly to the most local control centre.
You're probably right. Less safe though. Given the choice between using my handsfree vs. stopping to use an orange box I'm afraid I'll pick the handsfree.littleredrooster said:
mrmr96 said:
Call the Highways Agency Debris Reporting Hotline as soon as it's safe to report debris on Motorways. I've done this countless times. The number is: 0300 123 5000.
If you can read off the info from a 'mileage' sign then all the better to help them pinpoint the location.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17088.aspx
Using the roadside phones is quicker and easier. It automatically provides a location and goes directly to the most local control centre.If you can read off the info from a 'mileage' sign then all the better to help them pinpoint the location.
http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/17088.aspx
Thanks for all the answers to my question, I now know what to do next time
It upsets me sometimes... Once going into uni, I see people taking turns on both sides of the road to use one side and manouver round a bin and a biggish branch on one side of the road. It was the side which I was on... Needless to say, when I got up to it, instead of waiting for "my turn" to manouver round it, I jumped out with my mate to move the stuff...
Put my hazards on, so the driver behind knew what I was doing ect. But then someone has to ruin a good cause dont they?
A BMW 3 Series manouvers round the car behind mine, and my car, away to pull in straight after my car, before realizing that two of us were there moving this tree branch off the middle of the road. He then had to Emergency brake and was about 3ft away from where we were standing... And then had the nerve to beep us and shout abuse out his windows...
Put my hazards on, so the driver behind knew what I was doing ect. But then someone has to ruin a good cause dont they?
A BMW 3 Series manouvers round the car behind mine, and my car, away to pull in straight after my car, before realizing that two of us were there moving this tree branch off the middle of the road. He then had to Emergency brake and was about 3ft away from where we were standing... And then had the nerve to beep us and shout abuse out his windows...
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