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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 04:45 
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'Bonkers' road safety measure
By Steve Farrell -
General news
08 October 2010 15:10


Highway chiefs have been criticised by a police accident investigator for erecting wooden screens to stop motorcyclists seeing traffic as they approach a roundabout.

The screens are in the middle of a dual carriageway to force motorcyclists to slow down more before entering the roundabout, but critics say they will also hide bikers from car drivers.

They have been installed on the A31 in Cadnam, Hampshire, after residents complained of bikers calling it the ‘Cadnam GP circuit’ on internet forums.

Gary Baldwin, an accident investigator and advanced riding instructor, said: “It’s bonkers. The earlier we can see each other, the earlier we can make adjustments to what others are doing.”

Hampshire County Council has also put up signs saying ‘Bikers Think!’ – a reversal of the traditional ‘Think Bike!’ message.

Councillor Mel Kendal said: "Residents and local businesses have reported to me that they support the moves we are taking and are glad their concerns have been raised."


:headbash:


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 09:30 
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This will make little difference to those who actually want to treat roads like a GP circuit, more so given that sporty bikes can get back up to speed at a drop of a hat.

I suppose the "residents" will be happy when bikers are taken out. Upon closer inspection, it seems the roundabout in question doesn't actually have any residents close by :roll:

As usual, a few misguided people are determined to make all road users suffer from inappropriate treatments, this a result of our road safety policy reducing the appropriate treatments (traffic patrols) effective in reining in the few bikers who give the others a bad name.

(I don't ride a motorbike).

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:17 
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This could actually be one of two roundabouts, there's one under the M27 and one with the A337 Lyndhurst road, may go and look.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:41 
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Johnnytheboy wrote:
This could actually be one of two roundabouts

It seems to be both:

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8333748 ... ___bikers/

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Now screens will be installed on the central reservation at each end of the dual carriageway

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:45 
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There are already quite a few of these things about on dual-carriageway roundabouts around the country. How reducing sightlines is supposed to improve safety beats me – it's just another example of the obsession with speed to the exclusion of all else.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:51 
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More reading:
http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/8282467.print/

There is a possibility of a conflict of interest shown within it: "constituency headquarters is only yards away"

If the screens go up, can the limit remain at 70? :roll:

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:52 
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Highway chiefs will also look at the possibility of using hatching to make the road surface more uneven and thus less attractive to reckless riders.


:o Don't they mean "less attractive to everyone"? Or "less safe for riders"?

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About 30 villagers attended the meeting to highlight the problems caused by motorcyclists hurtling between the Cadnam roundabout and Junction 1 of the M27.


So (@Steve) it's the next roundabout to the south east that they are referring to, rather than the one under the M27.


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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 13:17 
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Johnnytheboy wrote:
So (@Steve) it's the next roundabout to the south east that they are referring to, rather than the one under the M27.

The roads leading to/from the roundabout underneath the M27, from/to Cadnam, are part of the A31.

As I said earlier: I read the reports as both roundabouts being 'converted': "Now screens will be installed on the central reservation at each end of the dual carriageway "

(I wrongly stated the M27 one as being the only one affected; however, my points regarding that one are apparently still valid)

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 17:23 
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Hatching would be more dangerous, when wet road paint can be very slippy!

Seeing screens like this, and undergrowth as well, used to block the view on roundabout approaches really boils my piss. It is blatantly less safe, and horribly congesting when used on busy roads. Traffic should not have to stop before entering a roundabout if the way is clear, those lines indicate give way, not stop. Not to mention that capacity increases when joining roundabouts with some momentum, as smaller gaps in traffic become safely available for pulling out.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 18:06 
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I live near this junction and I can tell you why it is popular with the bikers. If you leave the M27 junction going south the dual carriageway curves left very nicely and feels great to accellerate through. You get to the A31 roundabout and the main road to Lyndhurst is to the right so you get to change direction fast if nothing is coming. Alternatively, you can go all the way round and back to the motorway.

I don't think it's dangerous at all and will only be made more so by the errection of obstructive barriers. There are already a lot of these in this area, for example, on the M27 J2 roundabouts. There are a few residents but it's not exactly a high density estate area.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 18:59 
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PeterE wrote:
There are already quite a few of these things about on dual-carriageway roundabouts around the country. How reducing sightlines is supposed to improve safety beats me – it's just another example of the obsession with speed to the exclusion of all else.



There was a discussion on this some time back -can't remember the original poster ,but it concerned this topic. I remember adding the Warks approach - piling mounds of earth which prevent car drivers/motorcyclists seeing to the tight, but not posing an obstruction for higher vehicles .The excuse printed in a local paper was to prevent rear end shunts .No mention of forward planning though .
Looks like that idea failed ,as the roundabout in question has been signalled and visibility restored .


Found the original post .

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3781&hilit=fence+at+roundabout

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 22:48 
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The fencing they have erected is a dangerous menace that restricts your view till the last few yards. Mind, most of the roundabouts in the area have restricted views from signs or shrubs. The idea at roundabouts use to be to have a clear view so you could judge your speed and slip into the traffic flow with the minimum of disruption, but why make things easy when you can create chaos and more traffic hold ups?

Yes there are houses around here, but set well back from the road, and I would think the noise from the motorway behind makes more noise seing it is one of these course surfaces that creates tyre roar,


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