weepej wrote:
Chris The Sheep wrote:
Three times now I've seen cars drive straight over the crossing despite people waiting to cross - because all their attention is on the blasted camera.
Hmm, are you sure its the camera?
Cars going over zebras with people waiting is a rather common occurance; I think many have it in their mind its an optional thing to stop for the peds.
I think from a recent trip to the lights with our younger kids over their half term break that most cyclists in Blackpoo! think it "optional thing" to
1. stop for any red light - especially the pelican/puffins
2. stop at the zebra crossing.
Have it film as the foreign relative on visit was taking photos of the illuminations at the time.

The cars were the ones which stopped.
Christhe Sheep wrote:
Regarding the zebra crossing - the real problem isn't just the speed camera, it's the closely-packed sequence of camera, junction, crossing. As an experienced driver / rider, my sixth sense kicks in, tells me there's too much going on, and I slow down - often to well below 30.
An inexperienced driver will instead concentrate on staying at 30 through the camera - note AT 30, not BELOW 30 - and only having negotiated that will he/she then begin considering the junction and crossing - by which time it's too late.
I think you sum up the situation pretty darned well here

They would do far better re-engineering at this particular junction. By moving the crossing a few yards further along would reduce the danger at this spot. Even making this into a pelican crossing would perhaps be for the better. The scam at this point does very little to reduce the danger in any case as folk will check speedos first as they do

There are 4 scams along this road though and I suspect that they do brisk business late at night (not necessarily getting the cash in some cases per their local paper) or off season.

Chris wrote:
The approach in Blackpool is to drag the whole town's average speeds down. The slowest roads now are the very ones where many times of the day it's safe to go a bit quicker - so drivers crawl along a wide open road at 25 then carry on at the same speed or more down narrow twisty ones where 20 would be a better bet.
On much of the promenade the road feels like it's safe to go quicker but actually isn't - indeed it acts as a barrier between the town and the beach which is {snip}

intimidating.
They always go for the roads which can earn a few bob - did so even when panda police on partrol,

But we are not teaching towards driving up better standards all the same. Seems that the only message getting across is that "if you drive at a low speed - it doesn't matter if you hit them as this won't kill them!"

It should always be about COAST as choice of safe speed to near enough compliance slips neatly into place if folk are actually observing and anticipating and planning their drives properly
