Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[TheBoy]

...means all roundabouts are getting traffic lights on them, because people are too scared to use a roundabout correctly 

The roundabout on the A43 by Tescos here is now getting traffic lights  , and we've seen what a cock-up of traffic that causes when the knob jockeys did it at Towcester on the A43.


It WILL be coming to roundabouts by you soon.  Which will cause more delays, cause more congestion, and more pollution.  And all because a) people cant drive, b) dogooders have forced start/stop systems into law based on some ill informed evidence that it reduces pollution.

[STEMO]

Calm down, Dear. It means we won't have to put up with the smell of burning rubber from folk screaming out into traffic.

[Doctor Gollum]

Well, given that people can't use traffic lights properly, I can see it sorting itself out...

Not

[Bigron]

Another excuse to deploy Greed Cameras and their subsequent revenue generation?

Ron.

[2boxerdogs]

Another example of it works well let's see how we can f**k it up & earn a few quid out of it with cameras.

[STEMO]

I didn't think traffic lights were cameras. But, I suppose, if you're a middle aged, middle England type of moany bastid, then they're close enough.

[TheBoy]

I didn't think traffic lights were cameras. But, I suppose, if you're a middle aged, middle England type of moany bastid, then they're close enough.

We do have a fair number of red light cameras down south...

[STEMO]

But you wouldn't drive through a red light, would you? Because that's likely to kill mummy and her children whilst they're innocently driving to school.

[TheBoy]

But you wouldn't drive through a red light, would you? Because that's likely to kill mummy and her children whilst they're innocently driving to school.

I am at 3am, when the lights are red, and no fikker is about.


We should not have to pander to people who cannot drive properly (or keep up with traffic, but that's another rant), traffic lights have no place on this roundabout, or virtually any other.

Honestly, I can't see why some people need to wait for rush hour to finish before pulling out.  What will be next, a set of lights at every single junction?

[STEMO]

But you wouldn't drive through a red light, would you? Because that's likely to kill mummy and her children whilst they're innocently driving to school.

I am at 3am, when the lights are red, and no fikker is about.


We should not have to pander to people who cannot drive properly (or keep up with traffic, but that's another rant), traffic lights have no place on this roundabout, or virtually any other.

Honestly, I can't see why some people need to wait for rush hour to finish before pulling out.  What will be next, a set of lights at every single junction?

You're gonna have to start facing up to the fact that our roads will just not be places for spirited driving of any sort, Jaime. From the point of view of someone who likes to drive the way that you do, things can only get worse. There are lots of knobheads behind the wheels of cars who, as you quite rightly point out, have no idea of how to keep traffic moving, and will wait for half an hour at a junction before pulling out. Plus there are lots (and many more to come) of older drivers who basically shouldn't be on the road.
But what do we do about it? You don't seriously think that the government will sanction a cull? I am very fortunate to live in a relatively unclogged part of the country, and I can, more or less, make good progress wherever I go. But even I realise that things will change for the worse, it is inevitable.
The main problem around these parts nowadays is the fact that every household has two cars, and the streets are becoming impassable during the evenings when everyone is at home.

[STEMO]

Just to add: If you think the government are trying to control you and alter your behaviour. Well of course they are, that's what governments do and, as far as driving is concerned, you are the enemy.

[Sir Tigger KC]

I didn't think traffic lights were cameras. But, I suppose, if you're a middle aged, middle England type of moany bastid, then they're close enough.

We do have a fair number of red light cameras down south...

A lot of which are speed on green cameras as well! 

[STEMO]

I didn't think traffic lights were cameras. But, I suppose, if you're a middle aged, middle England type of moany bastid, then they're close enough.

We do have a fair number of red light cameras down south...

A lot of which are speed on green cameras as well! 

Yep. The days of razzing around in your motor car are numbered. Our particular part of the world is very overcrowded.

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Cant argue with the logic tbh. I used to love nothing more than driving / riding flat out everywhere all the time, but those days are gone and they aint ever coming back.
If I was younger / wealthier I might consider moving somewhere were things were different, but I'm not.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Your local Highways Dept have probably got too much cash floating around and need to spend it before the accounting year is up. 

The latest bright idea here is to install a pedestrian crossing on our narrow high street.    There is limited parking and we will lose 4 or 5 parking spaces to accommodate the new crossing.    When queried about adding to the existing congestion, the local councillor replied that the street is usually backed up anyway so it won't make any difference.  This is true and it also means that it is an easy road to cross, but let's spend 10's of thousands of  tax-pounds anyway installing something we don't need, make it harder for people to park and send more people to out of town shopping centres! 

Rant over!   

[STEMO]

Northern gas networks have decided that every inch of Victorian gas main has to be replaced up here. Well, relined with yellow poly pipe anyway. I can hit three sets of temporary traffic lights within 100 metres. Then they abandon them overnight and they usually throw a wobbler, either two reds, two greens or none at all. 

[Varche]

This thread gotme thinking.  Our nearest town has no traffic lights. In fact from our hoiuse it is a minimum of 90 minutes driving before you encounter them. Further in other directions. What a joy.

We do have  in Granada, what I nickname the worlds worst roundabout. Too big , badly defined lanes. Six entries all dual carriageways and six exits. It is so big everyone is doing 50, no one indicates . Always see aftermath of  accidents.  Wont be long before it has traffic lights.......

[Rods2]

Outside of rush hour in small town France they sensibly make traffic lights flashing amber with the give way signs prevailing. Far too sensible for the UK.

We all hate robotic 45mph drivers. Too fast for 30mph built up areas, much too slow for national limits. In the past before my eyes were flu-jab FUBERed the answer was easy, ride my 1100cc motorbike. Get yourself a new 600/1000cc bike and the problem is solved.

Further too that, be careful as in IME big black pussies are always nothing but trouble.

[TheBoy]

The main problem around these parts nowadays is the fact that every household has two cars, and the streets are becoming impassable during the evenings when everyone is at home.

And the new estate round the corner, the 2/3 bed houses have 1 parking slot allocated, and the 4 bed, 2.

So, you'd never get a fire engine through the main roads through the estates

[TheBoy]

Your local Highways Dept have probably got too much cash floating around and need to spend it before the accounting year is up. 

Shame the knob jockeys don't send some on improving the roads. Properly.


I reported some potholes (approx. 25 in a 25m stretch) about 3 weeks ago, got notification they had been repaired about a week ago.  Just travelled down that road this morning, they've all started to dig out again, due to the usual half-arsed job.  FFS, even I could fill in a pothole so it would last longer than a week...

[Bigron]

If they were "repaired" by council workers, that explains why they are just as bad after a week.
If put out to contract, poor repairs mean another earner in a week ot two, thank you very much!
Solution? Contract, with a penalty clause insisting on free repairs for at least a year under warranty.

Ron.

[YZ250]

...means all roundabouts are getting traffic lights on them, because people are too scared to use a roundabout correctly 
.......

But this is very very dangerous, as instead of approaching the roundabout at normal speed, it means that I will accelerate really hard to beat the red light. I will then be going much too fast to negotiate the roundabout and I have more chance of crashing. Madness, total madness. 
The reality is, some dawdly old twonk in front of me just manages to get through the lights but has held me up so that I can't. 

[Keith ABS]

  With what Rods was saying about the traffic light flashing amber, that happens in less busy areas of Turkey, outside of the normal rush hour times. Works very well as its an alert to a junction

Keith ABS

[Kevin Wood]

  With what Rods was saying about the traffic light flashing amber, that happens in less busy areas of Turkey, outside of the normal rush hour times. Works very well as its an alert to a junction

Keith ABS

Sounds way too advanced a concept for the average moron on UK roads to be trusted to cope with, sadly.

[Varche]

This thread reminded me of when quite a few years back I car shared with another bloke from work. I went with him just the once. He drove at one speed which was 45 mph. So in built up areas I felt totally unsafe. Then going down the M69 to Leicester I was mentally willing him along. 

[Mister Rog]

We've got a couple of very busy roundabouts our way. The name of the game seems to be to drive around them at breakneck speed, and God 'elp anyone who attempts to get onto the roundabout and delay you by a microsecond, and no, why should I slow down and brake ? One of these roundabouts is an accident (I dislike the use of the word "accident" as they are not, they are caused by bad driving) blackspot. A lot of more timid drivers actually avoid them and will drive miles on an alternative route to get where they are going. The problem is not their timidity, it's the aggression of others.

[YZ250]

................
The name of the game seems to be to drive around them at breakneck speed, and God 'elp anyone who attempts to get onto the roundabout and delay you by a microsecond, and no, why should I slow down and brake ? ..........................

Sound advice, that method gets my backing.    

[Doctor Gollum]

People could do with actually following the lanes on roundabouts as well...

Followed a brand new transhit tourneo up Tollgate hill yesterday... 70mph dual carriage way. Eventually undertook, along with several other cars as he was doing a mere 55mph in the outside lane. When we get to the traffic lights, rather than joining the queue, he goes straight to the front of the left turn only lane, clearly expecting to pass the six cars that he had obstructed up the hill. Suffice to say, no one allowed him to change lanes and he was left the choice of braking/crashing into the central reservation of the lane he was in/losing the osf quarter in the side of my battered Omega... He braked. Hard. 

On finally joining the M23, with zero rearward visibility due to the sun's angle, he was straight into the outside lane and settled at 90mph. Opposing oppstarding tunc

Point is, no matter how people drive, there will always be someone worse. Hence the nanny in from the powers that be, even though it would be far more efficient to let these mindless tossers kill themselves in short order...

[Sir Tigger KC]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

[henryd]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

Lol,go to France or Spain,no bugger does there

[Sir Tigger KC]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

Lol,go to France or Spain,no bugger does there

Havn't they got some daft rule that those joining the roundabout have right of way?   

[STEMO]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

Well tell your goat to calm down. 

[Varche]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

Lol,go to France or Spain,no bugger does there

AND they are taught to stay in the inside lane even if leaving on the last exit. Very scary with the no indicators.

[Rods2]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

Lol,go to France or Spain,no bugger does there

Havn't they got some daft rule that those joining the roundabout have right of way?   

In the 1990's most of them were replaced with conventional roundabouts with Giveway signs. If any road on your right (or roundabout entry) in France has no road markings then you Giveway to the joining traffic. These are common in city and town suburbs and country roads. I think they were designed with a French sense of humour so each junction is a game of chicken. The aim if you are French and are on the main road is to ignore the car trying to join from the right until you can't and then braking very hard at the very last minute.

Speed limits used to be universally ignored and the Gendarmerie would generally only bother with radar speed traps on a Friday afternoon or Saturday to provide them with their weekend drinks money, but then in the very late 1990s that all changed and they are much stricter than the UK now with much bigger penalties.

[Nick W]

People who don't indicate on roundabouts really get my goat! 

Not indicating is MUCH better than doing it the wrong way round. Which is dangerously common.