Safe Speed Forums

A distinction needs to be drawn between hatched areas surrounding right-turn refuges (where I would broadly agree) and those that extend for long distances along roads that otherwise would simply have a single dotted line.

The intention in the latter case may well be to make drivers think before overtaking, but not to prevent it entirely - otherwise, why would the authorities often provide turn-in arrows at the end of such sections?

Also it used to say in Pass Your Advanced Driving Test:


Not sure if that's still in the current edition.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

What about the new trend for sliproad traffic lights? They don't seem to come under "police, HA traffic officers in uniform, an emergency sign or by flashing red light signals". Could/should I drive straight through because to stop would be an offence?

There have for many years been traffic lights on junctions under motorway regulations, e.g. M62 Junction 18 and Junction 20.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed

And from memory at least one roundabout on a Motorway junction( if it's still there ) ---memory suggests somewhere near Reading

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

It's easier if you try to identify the roundabouts off motorways that aren't traffic light controlled. Both exits near Reading are as are J1 - 3 on the M3 IIRC.

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Prepare to be Judged

M271/M27.
They've infested it with traffic lights too now to increase congestion at most times of the day.

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Andrew.

M4 J8/9 at Maidenhead?

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Chris

165? second point?

"Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the obedience of fools." - Sir Douglas Bader

So you need to write the rule such that if numpties follow it to the letter than everything is fine, but that skilled drivers can bend it a little and still remain safe and legal.

So with the hatching, they put it in an area where you need to think and plan carefully before using it, and tell the numpties that they SHOULD NOT use it (as opposed to MUST NOT), if you assume that these people couldn't plan a proper overtake without having an extra lane provided then it works well, the rest of us can get on as normal. Common sense applies and the people with no common sense are kept out of danger by the rule.

In the example posted by Paul at the beginning of the thread, the rule tells you that you are not allowed to stop. Common sense would say that if everyone else is stopped then you're going to have to, but the numpty who is following the rules blindly could decide that they are not allowed to stop and drive into the back of someone, then try to argue that it's the fault of the 300 cars in front for stopping when the HC says not to.

I doubt that (many) people are really that stupid, but that's not really the point, the rule has to work when faced with someone unimaginative enough that they follow it to the letter.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 122736.stm


£30 penlty notice to everyone who drives in forwards? even if they have a turning area!

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Well people who try to reverse out of driveways onto a main road during morning rush hour are a menace, but then I suspect that someone who stops on a main road to reverse onto their driveway in evening rush hour will be just as much of a menace. Clearly the solution is to ban driveways.

How about they just ignore the driveway aspect of this (I seriously doubt that rule is a law of any sort) and instead just prosecute the guy for not looking where he's reversing, it's not like a 90 year old woman just ran out behind him at the last moment is it?


Seriously though, it's not a bad piece of advice apart from the fact that some moron will still follow it even if they have a turning area.

But in context, It is advice in the highway code being interpreted in law in this case yet completely ignored 99.99%of the time.

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Speed limit sign radio interview. TV Snap Unhappy
“It has never been the rule in this country – I hope it never will be - that suspected criminal offences must automatically be the subject of prosecution” He added that there should be a prosecution: “wherever it appears that the offence or the circumstances of its commission is or are of such a character that a prosecution in respect thereof is required in the public interest”
This approach has been endorsed by Attorney General ever since 1951. CPS Code

Since they hatched out the carriageway, I find the traffic to be a heck of a lot smoother because you don't get people overtaking to try and get past a line of slower traffic and then have to come to an abrupt stop when they have to try and move back in about 2/3 mile later. It used to be worse on the east bound road because it was a lot shorter!

I find that when it is dark and wet (as is often the case at this time of year!) that hatched areas which, while normally visible enough, just disappear under reflections. Add a layer of snow to the equation and there are no visible road markings. Consequently, in adverse conditions drivers who are familiar with the road markings will be driving the road differently to those who are not currently familiar with those markings and may well be visualising an earlier incarnation of the road layout. This must surely on occasions give rise to the potential for an accident that would no doubt be blamed on someone simply speeding of just weather related. It wouldn't, of course, be the council's fault!

My view is that local authorities should not solely rely on road surface markings as these are not visible in all weather conditions.

When roads were more normal, that is without the assortment of hatched areas, cycle lanes and so on the road could be read much more easily and didn't take away one's attention to look out for obstructions.

Another daft rule in the HC (haven't checked this as I can't find my copy)...

Apparently it's illegal to park partly or wholly on the pavement.

Outside my friend's old house in Liverpool the pavement is very wide. If you park wholly on the road you reduce the road to one lane. So everyone parks with two wheels on the pavement.

Outside another friend's house in Suffolk the pavement is very wide. If you park wholly on the road you reduce the road to one lane. So everyone parks with two wheels on the pavement.

So yes, another example where following the law to the letter would result in chaos. Although it is a bit annoying when the girl next door to me parks half on the pavement outside my house, occasionally she pulls forward a bit too far making it necessary for me to turn on or off my drive with a forward and reverse shuffle rather than in one movement. Especially as there's always a space on the opposite side of the road and 3 car parks within 30 seconds walk (one at each end of the rank of houses and one opposite) providing plenty of space for residents and visitors.

This housing estate was built in 1974. There's an average of 3.5 spaces per dwelling, on- and off-street.

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Magistrates rule #1: "Never let justice get in the way of a conviction."

That's not law for the whole of the UK, only in london (and some other shitey places where they like to make lots of money from pointless offences).

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Andrew.