Oh, puhleese!

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

So, are you going for your 'Drive by'    

What! At minus 1C and in the dark when there's a glass of good ale in my hand? Not piggin' likely! I might do it tomorrow, though.  

[neilwillis]

They're probably the Greenham Common/Brightlingsea Port/Coventry Airport protesters searching for a new cause!

[windy]

Matt,

Since you are a highways engineer perhaps you could explain the logic behind some traffic management schemes to me?

On the M1 entry / exit junction 10 they have installed permanent traffic lights which immediately created traffic at this junction. Before they were installed, cars / lorries flowed freely on / off the roundabout & there wasn't a traffic problem, even during rush hour. Further, since introducing the lights anyone wishing to join the motorway is severely bunched up in a moving queue when the lights turn green & cars are released down the slip road to join the motorway. This often results in someone at the front of the moving queue braking  in front of the following cars to give way just before they join the motorway. The resulting chaos that ensues usually results in sharp intakes of breath as big lorries swerve across 2 lanes to avoid hitting slow cars scattering everything that follows behind. I have seen so many near misses, almost every day, that I fear sometime soon I will see someone killed. This never used to happen before the lights were installed at the roundabout. Can you tell me why this has been done?

Secondly, there are many large roundabouts near me where the 2 lane width entry / exits have been narrowed. This creates chaos when a lorry joins the roundabout & does not have enough room to manoever safely. I have seen a number of people run out of road on these roundabouts having previously been used to driving them with lots of space resulting in them taking a wheel / suspension out on a kerb. The trucks are also creating a mess by flattening the kerbs. Can you tell me why this has been done?

Thirdly, the main road near where I have lived for 30 years which was very safe anyway has recently been narrowed to slow cars down. They have put islands in the centre of the road & a mini roundabout which is poorly marked. 2 seperate bunches of flowers have appeared on 2 of the islands since they were put in. Why do people put flowers on these islands?

[Keith the Teeth]

Windy

Fully agree with the J10 lights!  

Mind you, the Escort seems to be riding those traffic calming humps in Milbrook village pretty well in your avatar!

Best Wishes

Keith

[kinell]

They're there again this evening and I asked them what they do when they see a vehicle over the limit.

Kinell...A village round here has just bought their own speed camera to monitor the speed of people through the village.  Obviously there is no legal basis to prosecute you, but according to the local press, if you are caught breaking the speed limit, they will pass your details to the police, who will write you a letter.  If you are caught speeding on a further occasion, they will write you another letter.  I don't know about you, but I'm quaking.

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

They're probably the Greenham Common/Brightlingsea Port/Coventry Airport protesters searching for a new cause!

You might be right there - both of the people out there last night had strong Scottish accents and we're all of 300 miles as the caber flies from the nearest point in Caledonia.  

[david.c]

No David. Where's that? I'm quite close to the Fire Station west of the Old Town - about quarter mile along before it goes down the hill, if that's sufficient clue.

You don't mean Ledborough Lane do you? I'm flattered! Barry Gibblives along there and the estates have houses at £1M plus

Sufficient clue       and yes that was the road I meant      

Angelina Jolie lives down there as well now    

David

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Latest pic. The operator seems to have given up and gone home. bl**** soft git, it's all of 5 degrees C

[MAT1800]

Doesn't that create a major hazard for pedestrians?  

Forcing them onto the road and into on comming trafic? I suspose at least it would slow them down.

Got any pics of Angelina Jolie instead..  

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

I wonder if a clumsey pedestrian could accidently knock that tripod over while squeezing past, just as a 38 ton truck approaches  

[MAT1800]

I'll get the truck

[Matt Williams]

Windy, no Idea, any motorway stuff is the Highways Agency or a consultant working on their behalf could be a number of reasons, most likely accidents involving vulnerable road users (bikes) or high speeds I can't tell you without the accident stats but it would have cost a good 250k so I guess there was a good reason on paper!

I am in fact a signals engineer and getting signalised roundbouts to work is a real specialist area, I can think of only two people in the country capable!

Secondly, could be again down to speeds and trying to reduce the circulating speed, I expect a lot of these r'abouts are old designs when everyone attempted to stop in case something was on the r'about.  These days brakes are so good no one bothers,  screens are also used so that you can't see until you are on the roundabout again forcing drivers to slow, most of it will be to cater for the select few that really don't have a clue and should be allowed on the road.

Thirdly, again speeds I don't like this method but many do, often it is better to remove centre lines and signs and make it look narrow not actualy narrow, again it is an art many still like concrete and kerbs and physical methods but there is loads that can be done without physical buildouts.  As for the flowers do you mean tubs or bunches?  Tubs would be the local town or parish probably going for britain in bloom!

What most people don't realise is that the highway authority are pushed in to schemes by a select few of local do gooders, they are advertised, no one objects, then the scheme gets built, everyone moans, this is the same for speed limits and so on, use your powers as a taxpayer!

The last picture is in fact an obstruction of the highway run the b4st4rd thing over and claim for the damage to your car, or report to the highway authority leave it a few hours and trip over it!  Portable speed cameras are normally situated in similar sites the same applies.

[philsugrue]

The last picture is in fact an obstruction of the highway run the b4st4rd thing over and claim for the damage to your car, or report to the highway authority leave it a few hours and trip over it!  Portable speed cameras are normally situated in similar sites the same applies.

It may be an obstruction but if you run it over it will be criminal damage and you may get yourself nicked              

[Blatman]

It may be an obstruction but if you run it over it will be criminal damage and you may get yourself nicked  

The CPS and the police would have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the act was deliberate and pre-meditated, and not an accident. Difficult to do, I would have thought...

[windy]

Sorry I meant bunches of flowers, but I guess as the death rate increases with these schemes there will be a need for some tubs to be put out so that as popularity increases people can plant their flowers permanently     I think harpenden will get the "britain in bloom" award quite soon at this rate.