Safe Speed Forums

On my route to work there is a staggard crossroads at Braxted on my way to/from the A12.

1 marks the spot.

Some time last week, at perhaps 5 - 10 seconds each side of the crossroads, on the approaching (ie left) carriageway of the main drag, they have installed three circa 1" high 6' apart rumble strips. I presume this is to alert dunderheads of the crossroads.

I have no idea of the legality of these, but find them totally obtrusive to the journey and, where safe to do so, I slalom around them.

Edited to correct previously erroneous link construction (thanks Ernest).

If someone is asleep at the wheel then I guess those things would stop them ploughing through the crossroads.

Since it's in the vicinity of the A12 I can understand the need

Rogers Link!
There you go Roger - just quote and preview your post to see the code!

I also dislike those strips - and if people are asleep then it's probably too late.

It would make more sense to employ anti skid surfacing.

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

Yeah - but, whilst it isn't a good idea to plough through if there's anything approaching the crossroads from the minor roads or already waiting at the line in case they pull out, these strips are on the NSL major road.

Isn't this symptomatic of the malaise infecting road safety policy - ignore the major factors and concentrate on the minor ones.

Oh, rumble strips indeed. I detest the things. My preference is for smooth peaceful travelling, not being shaken up by those monstrosities. I do notice them and find them irritating, but what effect do they have on drivers generally? I suspect they are an irritant generally, even at a subconscious level, and this is surely a bad effect, even though they are intended to draw drivers' attention to a hazard situation.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Are they legal, does anyone know? I've never encountered such rat-tat-tat devices on a trunk road before.

I will have to look this one up. As far as I know to date.. these are being trialled in various areas, I think Mad Doc's sister Jazz reported these on the Southport run around some S bends where the signs told her these were a trial .. but this was at least 5 years ago. I have mailed her as she does shop in Southport a lot in the summer as she likes the drive there and finds the town pleasant and relaxing after a "hectic week's teaching".

The Mad Cats say there are rumble strips along the A6 around Carnforth area ... every 100 yards or so as a coutdown from NSL to a 30 mph stretch through the built up area. They say they do not find these a problem to them.. as they consist of three narrow strips every 100 yards as a marker. However, Wildy thinks they are a



to use her own style of talking on the return journey. They do cross the entire carriageway whilst Wildy agrees that they might be a useful marker to the dopey approaching the Carnforth area from the NSL.. she finds them irritating on the way out... and does say that the lolly is well placed and that only



I think the "jury is still out" on whether to make these part of normal road markings.. but I think I need to check up properly.

I would say on certain blackspots .. perhaps. However, if they shake a driver badly ... they shake a biker and a cyclist just as much . .. Speaking from experience of one of these strips once on a bicycle .. I was rather glad I decided on a gel saddle

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Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

Maybe if there was a route through which would allow an alert driver to avoid them but would shake up any numpty not paying attention, then they might have some worth - but I find them uncomfortable.

Where the A66 nears a junction (A595 I think) just outside Cockermouth, they have an anti-skid coating, which is far more effective at alerting drivers to the possible hazard, is nowhere near as annoying, and safer to boot.

If they installed them on some of the roads around Windermere, I doubt people would notice - there are that many potholes going unrepaired - especially on the A592 Newby Bridge road.
What's the best type of hard wearing yellow paint?

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Time to take responsibility for our actions.. and don't be afraid of speaking out!

As I said earlier, I find rumble strips a damned nuisance, but I can see more justification for the use of a high grip surface in critical areas. Even so, they're now getting used in many places where they're not really needed - which is a bit of a waste. Also I notice that some patches of high grip soon seem to break up and detach themselves from the road surface, so we just end up with additional rough patches - of which we have more than enough already!!

I drove from Boness to Newby Bridge a couple of weeks ago and that road - which I used to enjoy - is now in a poor state with the surface breaking up.

Best wishes all,
Dave.

Perfectly legal as long as no vertical face is greater than 6mm. SO they can be built up to (I think) a max of 12mm in two 'steps' - At least this is what our standard detail for them is.

If you're describing the A570 (Ormskirk to S'port) at Scarisbrick Hall (school) 40mph, I am guilty of installing them, IIRC 13 No. red thermoplastic with grit bars 3mm thick at slightly reducing intervals, each side of the bends, this was not my design I just installed it as requested by the Highways Agency.

I was responsible for managing the whole renewal from Red Lion Bridge to the Morriss Dancers pub, (terrible a pub at each end of the job but not allowed to drink),. It was paved with SMA so maybe that had something to do with it, or perhaps the school entrance on the inside of the bend with poor sightlines.We caused some tailbacks doing that job, but I didn't wear the road out.


Am I guilty of a heinous crime?

fatboytim

Well we're both in the dock for this one I think

the best rumble strips are the painted ones that are less intrusive the faster you go over them- conclusive proof, as if any were needed, that those charged with implimenting road 'safety' measures have no driving experience (or perhaps ability) at all...

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Fear is a weapon of mass distraction

Welcome to Dorset.
I often feel like screaming at the end of that. That should be a NSL road but they lowered it to a 50 for no apparent reason. Then there was a 'speeding problem' and they got the cameras out. Strange, that. Main road into Dorset from Hampshire right there.

I don't know of anyone who thinks they are nice. Well except one girl who... Ehm suggested that they feel nicer if you go faster. But I daren't imagine what she might mean by that.

I have been known to drive around these ones right here. And if going in the other direction (east) and overtaking a car at the first opportunity after the bend, you go over the last of the three! That's disconcerting. That's a NSL road.

I tend to try and go as fast as possible over such lumps as I've heard it's the best way to reduce the vibration? Although maybe that changes with the dynamics of the vehicle. I feel loathed to go slowly though as I feel the need to rebel against such annoying things. If I don't slow down I prove that they don't work.

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Andrew.

My there's a lot of them!


The hedge at the bend does look a bit battered,

Local two way road next to DC, at night I could see a local road user carrying on parallel to the DC into the hedge.

fatboytim

Piece of string says that's around 400 metres. That's about 13 seconds at 70mph. If my maths is right. So at a guess that would normally be 15-20 seconds of bumps. Probably a bit longer as people are decelerating.


I'll have to have a look next time I'm there. From memory there are black & white > > > arrows on the bend, probably a "bend" sign and most importantly the single carriageway road has street lights, whereas the dual carriageway does not.

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Andrew.