Warning drivers about helicopters ..

[130R]

Driving past RAF Odiham today I notice they have put up red triangle warning signs by the side of the road with a picture of a helicopter in them. Now can anyone explain the point exactly of warning drivers about helicopters? I mean if you were to crash into a helicopter I would say something has gone badly wrong.

[Caulkhead]

It means 'Don't st yourself when a Chinook flies over you at 150 feet doing 185mph'.

[130R]

doogz said:

Don't really see a problem with it though, did it offend you somehow?

The problem would be wasting money littering the countryside with pointless road signs.

[Gogoplata]

It's quite an experience when you're driving along and you get buzzed by an A-10 Thunderbird!

[Silver]

[Hugo a Gogo]

non-approved sign
this is what they should have

[giw12]

I've sometimes wondered about the plane warning signs as well. Maybe they hark back to an age where a plane was so rare that drivers was slow down and gape at the amazing flying metal bird.

They don't seem very relevant these days.

[Garlick]

Caulkhead said:

It means 'Don't st yourself when a Chinook flies over you at 150 feet doing 185mph'.

This. Same when the harriers used to land over the A1 near Stamford. Blimey did they make some noise.

[Mars]

Driving from Leicester to Peterborough some years back (emergency passport required), I nearly ran off the road when a Harrier flew directly overhead - sideways - and then stopped off to my right.

I'm not sure any signpost would have prepared me for that to be honest but not everyone shares my fascination and many people might have just been distracted by the sound. A sign might help. but I strongly believe in too much information is better than none. However, I do get the point about there sometimes being so many signs that it looks bad.

[JonnyFive]

doogz said:

130R said:

doogz said:

Don't really see a problem with it though, did it offend you somehow?

The problem would be wasting money littering the countryside with pointless road signs.

Really? You're actually annoyed about them putting up a few road signs?

Agreed.

When one of those pops up from behind the trees I can imagine quite a few people being quote surprised.

[Baz Tench]

giw12 said:

I've sometimes wondered about the plane warning signs as well. Maybe they hark back to an age where a plane was so rare that drivers was slow down and gape at the amazing flying metal bird.

You mean you don't ? It's still a novelty for me (although I don't slow down). I regularly pass Birmingham and Coventry airports and I still find it quite fascinating seeing one approaching landing.

[JVaughan]

We have a lot of signage to that effect where we live. When you get an Apache come over the road at 100 feet, or a Merlin / Chinook buzzing the treeline you apreciate being told or forwarned

[130R]

doogz said:

Really? You're actually annoyed about them putting up a few road signs?

Well I wouldn't say I am "annoyed" but this is just an example of the thousands (not few) road signs we could get rid of.

Another example - they changed the speed limit on a country road near me from NSL to 30 mph. On this road anything above about 20 mph would be suicidal in most places. Now this road has 30 mph signs littered all down the side of it which have to be maintained (stopped from being obscured by overgrown hedges, etc). Utterly pointless waste of money and they look ugly too.

[giw12]

Baz Tench said:

You mean you don't ? It's still a novelty for me (although I don't slow down). I regularly pass Birmingham and Coventry airports and I still find it quite fascinating seeing one approaching landing.

Oh yeah...I love them too. And you know, I've never actually ever caught sight of their wings flapping....must be gliding by the time I spot them...

[JonnyFive]

giw12 said:

Baz Tench said:

You mean you don't ? It's still a novelty for me (although I don't slow down). I regularly pass Birmingham and Coventry airports and I still find it quite fascinating seeing one approaching landing.

Oh yeah...I love them too. And you know, I've never actually ever caught sight of their wings flapping....must be gliding by the time I spot them...

I also do this on the M25 as you can see the planes on approach and then coming right low across the runway. Its excellent in the MX5 as its 100ft above

[thetapeworm]

"Tank Crossing"

So disappointing when you get to the lights / junction and nothing happens, why not just warn me about a junction rather than one that disappoints?

[Gibby78]

I was driving a good mates TVR in Yeovil while down visiting, when a Westlands Apache popped up from behind some trees, facing head on to me, to say the seats needed a bit of a steam clean was probably an understatement so yes, signs are probably a good idea.

[Papa Hotel]

We lived near Odiham for a while, it's amazing how many people are surprised by Chinooks near an RAF Chinook base.

[schmalex]

Papa Hotel said:

We lived near Odiham for a while, it's amazing how many people are surprised by Chinooks near an RAF Chinook base.

We used to live in Up Nately. At around 5.00pm on a Friday evening, the lads would be hammering home at WOT at around 150ft elevation. It never failed to amuse me as the whole house shook like a bd!

[snowy slopes]

I always like going to the western highlands, and out towards ardnamurchan point, as they practice really low level flying up there, thats fun when a tornado screams past you, about 100 feet up doing 700+mph*

• in my estimation