Why do people keep crashing (and dying) at this spot
Discussion
Not long ago a lad took out the beacon and lamp post and split his car in two against the tree. Then this weekend another car has crashed and killed a woman.
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013/08/05/woma...
http://goo.gl/maps/5Fr6Q
I've never even come close to getting that bit of road wrong. It's not especially tricky. So I assume you have to be going a bit quick to get it that badly wrong.
One local has suggested speed bumps
... You can't really remove the central island or people would never get across the road during the day, unless you had a pelican crossing perhaps. If they hadn't just turned them all off the council would no doubt introduce a speed camera which might get a nice pic of the smash, but I can't see it helping.
So I thought I'd ask the masses. Do we think there a practical solution to stop people throwing their cars at the scenery here?
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013/08/05/woma...
http://goo.gl/maps/5Fr6Q
I've never even come close to getting that bit of road wrong. It's not especially tricky. So I assume you have to be going a bit quick to get it that badly wrong.
One local has suggested speed bumps
... You can't really remove the central island or people would never get across the road during the day, unless you had a pelican crossing perhaps. If they hadn't just turned them all off the council would no doubt introduce a speed camera which might get a nice pic of the smash, but I can't see it helping.So I thought I'd ask the masses. Do we think there a practical solution to stop people throwing their cars at the scenery here?
Probably the pedestrian islands don't help. There's a stretch of road near me where they raised a central island to about 18" high and within weeks a mini full of kids launched off it into a tree, I think killing 5. Yes it was overloaded and probably speeding but I still maintain the island was a considerable factor in their deaths. Planners seem to be concerned about pedestrian safety but have no interest in the motorists well-being.
dudleybloke said:
i can only think that they dont see the pedestrian island till its too late.
That's why I think a pelican/puffin crossing might be the answer. When they get there going too fast to stay on the left side of the road, at least they do not get launched into the air with the next stop being trees/bollards and lamp posts.I'll put money on the council deciding what we need is more signs or paint on the road though. Even though I bet both drivers were not paying any attention to signs and road markings at all.
Looking at the road preceding the accident spot (start at the bus stop) it seems like visibility is good and the road is wide, however as you are approaching the bend with the shopping centre on the right, the hazards start to jump out.
First the shopping centre would avert your attention as you would be looking for cars/people entering and exiting the turning for the centre.
Secondly, you cant see the traffic island at this point, it is obscured by parked cars, trees and oncoming traffic
As you approach the shopping centre the bend begins to tighten
Then the traffic island comes into play as the road layout changes and the car parking spaces stop, and the cycle lane curves toward the curb.
If you were at all distracted and carrying too much speed/ poor road positioning then you may well clip the kerb of the pedestrian island sending you off into the scenery.
Potentially this should affect the motorbike more than a car but speed would come into play in the cars ricochet action.
And if a cyclist wobbled around then that could position you closer to the island than you may want to be.
Just my observations.
As others have said, the pedestrian island is a major component, however so is the shopping centre traffic and the road layout in general. If you drove this road with full attention or knowledge then I wouldn't exepct an accident to happen.
First the shopping centre would avert your attention as you would be looking for cars/people entering and exiting the turning for the centre.
Secondly, you cant see the traffic island at this point, it is obscured by parked cars, trees and oncoming traffic
As you approach the shopping centre the bend begins to tighten
Then the traffic island comes into play as the road layout changes and the car parking spaces stop, and the cycle lane curves toward the curb.
If you were at all distracted and carrying too much speed/ poor road positioning then you may well clip the kerb of the pedestrian island sending you off into the scenery.
Potentially this should affect the motorbike more than a car but speed would come into play in the cars ricochet action.
And if a cyclist wobbled around then that could position you closer to the island than you may want to be.
Just my observations.
As others have said, the pedestrian island is a major component, however so is the shopping centre traffic and the road layout in general. If you drove this road with full attention or knowledge then I wouldn't exepct an accident to happen.
i think the ped island is made harder to see by the lighting in the area.
there is a lot of lowish level lighting behind it and the light colouring of the shop, add this to reflections off a wet road surface and the light on the ped island will become lost amongst the brighter lights.
if someones driving like a t
t and doesnt know the road and attempts an overtake at the wrong point they wouldnt see it till its way too late.
there is a lot of lowish level lighting behind it and the light colouring of the shop, add this to reflections off a wet road surface and the light on the ped island will become lost amongst the brighter lights.
if someones driving like a t
t and doesnt know the road and attempts an overtake at the wrong point they wouldnt see it till its way too late.Bebee said:
I can't see why either, it's my old route to work when I lived in Sedgley in the 90's, the Black Horse was up and running just up the road back then. It could be the Gym traffic and old shopping folk pulling out on speeders?
I don't expect it to be the Gym. Both crashes happened in the dark. This weekends at 03:45 on a sunday morning. The earlier one about 23:00 I think. While the Gym is 24hours I expect it was empty, and the pound shop is closed by then.It's got to be something like the profile of the road giving them confidence to go really quite fast, and no/minimal vision of the island until it's all too late. The beacon does seem to get taken out quite a lot. So I guess it's possible it might have been missing before the Peugeot came to it, making the island even harder to see in the dark.
Either way the it seems we all think the island isn't a great solution there.jagracer said:
Looking on Google maps I would think if the central island had anything to do with it then the car would have been way on the wrong side of the road but as with lots of serious accidents what looks like may be a cause could be wildly inaccurate.
The way I get the car jammed up between the wall and the lamp post is:Plenty of speed
Realise they are going to "clip" the island and attempt to brake
Lift off over steer happens
Counter steering input by the driver (to the right)
Right rear of car hits island
Weight transferred to left of car, front tyre grips and car veers right.
Car mounts pavement and hits the wall at an angle where the front wheel "climbs" the wall, possibly front right thrown up in the air by hitting the kirb of the pavement as well. (driver still steering to right, eyes shut, praying).
It must have made a hell of a noise. Me: zzzzz
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