Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: feeutfo on 11 March 2012, 08:17:17
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It's happening round here too, but specifically on the a43 there's a roundabout plunged into darkness between Brackley and the M40. Iirc it's one of the few on that section that has a raised centre island by a about 4 or 5 feet, you know that type with 45 degree bank lined with chevron patterned black and white bricks.
Mrs CG reported a major accident there on her way to meet her parents Friday night. Car hit the roundabout and launched over the road way into a ditch on the other side. The following day, in the opposite direction, we noticed a fairly massive impact on the the same centre island banking on the way home. Clearly two drivers have over shot the rounda about and launched off the 45 degree vertical ramp that is the centre island of the roundabout.
The southbound approach is uphill which flattens off slightly for the last 200 yards or so, so you can only partially see it on approach. It's a tight radius so you have to scrub a lot of speed to get round, and people straight line it's two lane width as it is.
The roundabout is now lit with flashing beacons so you can see the bloody thing at night!
Now, I don't know about you guys, but the answer to this problem seems quite obvious to me. It's a simple option, with infrastructure conveniently already in place, soundly based on very practical and safety conscious reasons.... Need I go on? >:(
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Happens all time, even before they were switched off, seen cars upside down in the centre of the round about :o
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Fair enough, but how does turning the lights off help drivers? ...and then install other lighting placed on the roundabout itself, when the original lighting is still there.
Seems rather "dim" you might say? ;D
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The council are never logical about these things :(
That A43 is quite fast for a dual carriage way, so god knows what they were thinking :-\
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I know the roundabout well. Very well. First time I approached it with the street lights off, coming from M40, I had a heck of a job losing enough speed. No idea why - I know the roundabout, I know the distances, I know the max apex speed. Just without the lighting, for that specific roundabout, I really struggle to judge distance.
Nearly did it again Thursday evening.
Its a very fast road, so maybe just keep a third of them on?
I can see why there has been a spate of serious accidents there since the decision to pull the lights was taken...
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Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
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The council are never logical about these things :(
That A43 is quite fast for a dual carriage way, so god knows what they were thinking :-\
Not sure if its a Brackley Town or County council decision, but rest assured, the Mayoress' right hand lady will get an earbending over it Thursday night :-X
Similar to the earbending she got (as Mayoress herself) when they granted planning permission for housing on the (new) Leisure centre's playing fields, so there is no outdoor leisure activities, and they cant move pool to there. Dimwits...
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While your at it, worth mentioning the complete lack of decent road surface on the radstone road? >:(
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Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
Yup, and 3/2/1 countdowns.
There is just something about this roundabout thats unsighted when dark. As I said, its about 3 miles from me, I do it regularly, I know it very well, but with streetlights off, its caught me out twice. Not sure if its the fast sweepers approaching it, or exit of a busy, blind layby on the approach, but without streetlighting, weirdly, you find yourself all unsettled approaching it.
I suspect the dummies will make it a 30 limit, rather than fix the problem they created...
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While your at it, worth mentioning the complete lack of decent road surface on the radstone road? >:(
Only those living on the Swingers Estate ever use that :P. And me on my test circuit ;D
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While your at it, worth mentioning the complete lack of decent road surface on the radstone road? >:(
Only those living on the Swingers Estate ever use that :P. And me on my test circuit ;D
That explains why its so bad ;D
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Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
Guess so, then.
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Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
Guess so, then.
Reply #8 ;)
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Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
Quite probably but I don't know the roundabout so can't say. The thing is with this scenario is it is more nanny state. People have become lazy driving around in their protected cocoons (air bags, ABS, radial tyres) and don't need to think. The answer is quite simple but not desirable - Install speed humps, rumble strips, chicanes, more lights and more signs.
On the latter I recently drove along the A64 in Yorkshire for the first time in years. The reflections from all the proliferation of road signs is amazing at night. Some of the more unusual signs were:
Every single power cable that crossed the road is marked by four signs on the verge - even those higher than an adjacent bridge. They all have to be kept clear of grass each year.
One small roundabout has over 30 signs on it are very near it. Most relate to 30 speed limit which most normal drivers would not be able to do as it is very tight. The cost to the taxpayer of all these signs- £500 a time maybe!
On the dual carriageway there are signs on the central Armco (every100metres) which take some deciphering but believe it of not are Km signs from the A1 junction(I believe) since when did Britain use km on its roads.?
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Swindon council tried turning off street lighting......claiming it would save them £20k/year in leccy bills. IMO its a sad state of affairs if they are concerned about saving £20k/year..
They then turned some back on and more off.....
Now they have declared, due to public demand....they are turning them all back on again.
I wonder how much council tax that little exercise cost us :-X
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Swindon council tried turning off street lighting......claiming it would save them £20k/year in leccy bills. IMO its a sad state of affairs if they are concerned about saving £20k/year..
They then turned some back on and more off.....
Now they have declared, due to public demand....they are turning them all back on again.
I wonder how much council tax that little exercise cost us :-X
It cost you £30k according to local news....
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Swindon council tried turning off street lighting......claiming it would save them £20k/year in leccy bills. IMO its a sad state of affairs if they are concerned about saving £20k/year..
They then turned some back on and more off.....
Now they have declared, due to public demand....they are turning them all back on again.
I wonder how much council tax that little exercise cost us :-X
It cost you £30k according to local news....
Phew......thats ok then.....was beginning to worry that the council actually saved money ::) ;D
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Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
Yup, and 3/2/1 countdowns.
There is just something about this roundabout thats unsighted when dark. As I said, its about 3 miles from me, I do it regularly, I know it very well, but with streetlights off, its caught me out twice. Not sure if its the fast sweepers approaching it, or exit of a busy, blind layby on the approach, but without streetlighting, weirdly, you find yourself all unsettled approaching it.
I suspect the dummies will make it a 30 limit, rather than fix the problem they created...
Is there no sign indicating roundabout ahead?
Guess so, then.
Reply #8 ;)
Ah yes. Sorry. ;)
Only ask, as not knowing the road, sitting from an observers POV, if there is a r/about sign AND 3,2,1 countdown, it beats the hell out me how anybody can not notice it.
The only thing I would say in the defence of those who have been caught out, is it has been proven (not sure by who or when), that the more signs there are, the less are taken notice of, owing to the fact one cannot possibly ingest all the info given in such a short space of time.
BUT if a driver does not notice a roundabout sign OR 3,2,1, what exactly is the driver looking at? ???
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I know the roundabout and must admit, even during the day I've found myself at the turn in point sooner than I was expecting :-[ So I can imagine it must be dreadful with no lighting
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How about this for council "spending" - council workers causing havoc on a local 2 lane bridge at "rush hour" changing street light bulbs. If they had looked at the lights they all have a notice attached stating "this street light is switched off"
Load of dicks ???
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BUT if a driver does not notice a roundabout sign OR 3,2,1, what exactly is the driver looking at? ???
Their phone, radio, navel... ;D
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
Straight bit has no lighting, just the roundabout...
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
Straight bit has no lighting, just the roundabout...
I thought the whole issue was the fact that the roundabout was in darkness and cars are going straight across it because they can't see it..
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
Straight bit has no lighting, just the roundabout...
I thought the whole issue was the fact that the roundabout was in darkness and cars are going straight across it because they can't see it..
Sorry, up until a few weeks ago, only roundabout was lit (no streetlighting at all on straight bits).
Now, nothing is lit.
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
Straight bit has no lighting, just the roundabout...
I thought the whole issue was the fact that the roundabout was in darkness and cars are going straight across it because they can't see it..
Sorry, up until a few weeks ago, only roundabout was lit (no streetlighting at all on straight bits).
Now, nothing is lit.
And what for??.....lights on one roundabout isnt going to make hardly any difference to their leccy bill.....and if enough peeps complain, they'll most likely turn them back on again :y
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None of this crap is going to make much difference, The MOD wastes more on procurement each year than we'll ever save with these half-arsed measures.
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None of this crap is going to make much difference, The MOD wastes more on procurement each year than we'll ever save with these half-arsed measures.
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Esso,(exactly) Spot on. And they reward themselves with bonuses at our expense. BILLIONS of tax payers money
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
Straight bit has no lighting, just the roundabout...
I thought the whole issue was the fact that the roundabout was in darkness and cars are going straight across it because they can't see it..
Sorry, up until a few weeks ago, only roundabout was lit (no streetlighting at all on straight bits).
Now, nothing is lit.
And what for??.....lights on one roundabout isnt going to make hardly any difference to their leccy bill.....and if enough peeps complain, they'll most likely turn them back on again :y
Wondered, seeing as the other 2 roundabouts a mile either side are fully lit up, if the do-gooders at the village demanded it - you know the type, move to a place, then try to make it what their idea of tranquility should be, and sod everyone else...
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The lunatics are now officially in charge of the asylum. Vince Cable, do I need to say anymore. ::) ::) ::)
Ok, this country is declining at a fast rate with real incomes falling, so the majority of the population is suffering.
The Government response: Gay marriage rights. :o :o :o
Local Government response: Switch off safety street lighting to increase accidents save polar bears CO2 and money. :o :o :o
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The lunatics are now officially in charge of the asylum. Vince Cable, do I need to say anymore. ::) ::) ::)
Ok, this country is declining at a fast rate with real incomes falling, so the majority of the population is suffering.
The Government response: Gay marriage rights. :o :o :o
Local Government response: Switch off safety street lighting to increase accidents save polar bears CO2 and money. :o :o :o
Bloody hell Rods, where's the rope?
A little perspective maybe. That section of the a43 is not lit. EXCEPT all the roundabouts(iirc) which are lit well. Apart from this one, and it's the only one with a raised centre with the Chevrons built into the brick work mosaic style. These can't be seen, because.... The bloody thing is plunged into darkness apart from the yellow flashing beacons placed on top so can see it over the brow of the hill.
This flashing yellow... dust cart, gritter lorry, motorway vehicle, road works, UFO.....????Whatever the hell that is in the middle of the road, takes ALL your attention away from everything else, including roundabout and countdown signs.... CHRIST ALMIGHTY it's a roundabout!... can be heard from the nearby village from every passing car I'm sure.
Whoever came up with that idea needs a kick in the wassnames! I'm told it looked like a bomb site at the scene. Hopefully nobody was too seriously hurt.
Unless its a local power cut or fault? :(
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This flashing yellow... dust cart, gritter lorry, motorway vehicle, road works, UFO.....????Whatever the hell that is in the middle of the road, takes ALL your attention away from everything else, including roundabout and countdown signs.... CHRIST ALMIGHTY it's a roundabout!... can be heard from the nearby village from every passing car I'm sure.
Interestingly, after some research it has been discovered that the most "Attention Grabbing" colour of warning light is Amber ::)
If I remember correctly :-\
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And the rather batteries for these stupid flashing lights probably cost more than the leccy savings...
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Would it not make more sense in this case then, to turn off some of the lights on the straight bit of road and keep the roundabout lit, or is it just me?
That's worse than the whole road being lit or completely dark.
Personally, I much prefer driving on unlit motorways and dual carriageways.
But then I only do about 60,000 miles a year and have done so for nearly ten years, so what do I know?
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Having said that, in my last, there does seem to be a trend to change stuff simply for the sake of it. There by completely ignoring the sound reasons behind why we have any given situation in the first place.
Safety first and all that... Oh hang on, no sorry, that's wrong, it was actually budget first, then common sense (initially) all along.
Bell ends!
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Having said that, in my last, there does seem to be a trend to change stuff simply for the sake of it. There by completely ignoring the sound reasons behind why we have any given situation in the first place.
Safety first and all that... Oh hang on, no sorry, that's wrong, it was actually budget first, then common sense (initially) all along.
Bell ends!
I'm convinced the retards do it to justify their positions in the council. Change it, because it can be a proposal in your name. There is probably a target....
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Having said that, in my last, there does seem to be a trend to change stuff simply for the sake of it. There by completely ignoring the sound reasons behind why we have any given situation in the first place.
Safety first and all that... Oh hang on, no sorry, that's wrong, it was actually budget first, then common sense (initially) all along.
Bell ends!
I'm convinced the retards do it to justify their positions in the council. Change it, because it can be a proposal in your name. There is probably a target....
If they don't spend the money before the end of the financial year, they get next years money reduced ;)
Same with the workforce, if they ain't got a spade in there hand, they are deemed surplus and could loose them as staff cuts.
Councils would rather start any old job, stick a few lads on it so they can justifiy it for next years budget.
In other words ................ yes, jobs for the boys ;)
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Forgot to post up earlier, but these specific streetlights were turned back on about 3 weeks ago. Obviously the retards would spend hours wasting taxpayers money discussing such guff realised the error of their ways ;)
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I don't ever want to here an BS about safety first. Its money first and that's the be all... Or they would never have turned them off at all.