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 Post subject: dangerous roads
PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 18:56 
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sorry if its been started

odd how all my favourite roads are listed

no doubt another plethera of cameras, white paint and low speed limits

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 00:20 
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Just to clarify for other users, I believe this is referring to

BBC News

Not surprisingly of the 10 roads listed:

2 haven't had fatalities reduced during 2003-2005 in comparison to 00-02.

5 have actually had fatality increases

and 3 have had reductions

In total, on these 10 roads according to these stats, there is a net increase of 2 deaths during the period 2003-2005 compared to 2000-2002.

No doubt more 'safety cameras' will be called for and the such


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 13:20 
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252 dead on those 10 roads alone...66 of them on the 1079 (where I KNOW there are speed cameras) that I travel on frequently.
I'm just glad that none of those 3 extra fatalities was me or anyone I know....and IF a safety camera was likely to keep it that way I'm all for it...but on the 1079 I have witnessed people slowing down when they saw the cameras and speed up again afterwards. So Speed cameras are not working on that particular stretch of road (do they anywhere?), so how do we reduce the accident rate?
Police patrols would fare just as well...folks slowing down and then booting it again once clear...just what would it take to stop morons killing themselves or perhaps in so doing taking some innocent party with them in their 'need for speed'?


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 13:38 
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ElandGone wrote:
so how do we reduce the accident rate?


well a good start would be to do something about the actual cause of the accidents rather than just banging on about "speeding loons" to absolve yourself of any responsibility while driving.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 13:51 
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Quote:
Police patrols would fare just as well...folks slowing down and then booting it again once clear


That seems to pre-suppose that the only cause of accidents is speed. Since we know that it is such a minor contributor in accident cause, the police patrols would have a much better success, due to the fact they are able to detect things that really do cause accidents.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 14:20 
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With respect, I'm not 'banging on' about anything, just raising a point and, in my own experience, (although contrary to what this site may maintain is so) speed or the inappropriate use of it WAS determined as the cause of many of the accidents I had to clean up after in my career. Although I do concede there are many incidents on our roads that speed isn't a deciding factor in the outcome.
That is not the question... I asked...
"just what would it take to stop morons killing themselves or perhaps in so doing taking some innocent party with them in their 'need for speed'?"
...I qualify using the term 'moron' as being someone who, despite the road/weather or other conditions, is or seems to be, incapable of going at any other speed than in excess to that which would be considered "safe".


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 14:31 
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ElandGone wrote:
With respect, I'm not 'banging on' about anything, just raising a point and, in my own experience, (although contrary to what this site may maintain is so) speed or the inappropriate use of it WAS determined as the cause of many of the accidents I had to clean up after in my career. Although I do concede there are many incidents on our roads that speed isn't a deciding factor in the outcome.
That is not the question... I asked...
"just what would it take to stop morons killing themselves or perhaps in so doing taking some innocent party with them in their 'need for speed'?"
...I qualify using the term 'moron' as being someone who, despite the road/weather or other conditions, is or seems to be, incapable of going at any other speed than in excess to that which would be considered "safe".

My bold. Ummm, I don't know of anyone here that maintains that inappropriate use of speed isn't dangerous?

Simple answer to your question is education.

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 14:44 
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So A682 is the most dangerous road in Britain eh?
Strange, I've used it a fair bit and don't really see a problem. there's nothing of note to catch you out. Maybe that's the problem. There are very few places to overtake in a car and a fair few of its weekend users are off for a 'nice' day in the Dales (ie unwilling to exceed 40mph anywhere, and braking for corners when there's no need). So there's doubtless a frustration thing going on, according to the BBC report, 30% fatals are head on. I drove the road weekly in a Transit for a few months and was always being slowed up by 'tootlers', and no chance of an overtake in a van.

So what to do? The authorities will probably do a limit reduction and cameras number and see it as a job well done. Thing is what's the alternative on stretches like this with a record that seems at odds with the road. There are 1000s of miles of roads like the A682 that seem not to have the same problem. They can improve the signage but there's no getting round the lack of overtaking opportunites and the road's length (15 miles) between major jcts.

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 14:52 
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Inappropriate use of speed is extremely dangerous, and I don't recall ever reading anything on this site that says otherwise. Amongst all of the many speed cameras failings is of course it's inability to detect inappropriate speed, since it is only triggered at an abitrary speed over the limit.

The answer to the question is Education, and secondly Road Engineering. Poor road design causes more accidents than speed.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 15:08 
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Odin wrote:
The answer to the question is Education, and secondly Road Engineering. Poor road design causes more accidents than speed.


Hear! hear! (to the engineering bit) after yesterdays flooding, UK road engineers should be hung drawn and quartered...reconstituted and then sent out to re-jig the mess they made of the roads the first time! :lol:

As far as education goes...where to start?
How do you get a horse to actually drink that water you led him to?

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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 15:20 
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Quote:
As far as education goes...where to start?
How do you get a horse to actually drink that water you led him to?


Make driver re-training compulsory.

I am sure there was a thread on here once (but can't find it now). It went along the lines of:
Retraining could easily be funded by the insurance companies. Scrap no claims bonus, in order to qualify for discounts, you must take a test. To achieve the highest level of discount, you must also undertake a recognized advanced instruction course. The test must then be re-sat at discreet intervals (5 years say) to maintain discount.


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 15:45 
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ElandGone wrote:
With respect, I'm not 'banging on' about anything, just raising a point and, in my own experience, (although contrary to what this site may maintain is so) speed or the inappropriate use of it WAS determined as the cause of many of the accidents I had to clean up after in my career. Although I do concede there are many incidents on our roads that speed isn't a deciding factor in the outcome.
That is not the question... I asked...
"just what would it take to stop morons killing themselves or perhaps in so doing taking some innocent party with them in their 'need for speed'?"
...I qualify using the term 'moron' as being someone who, despite the road/weather or other conditions, is or seems to be, incapable of going at any other speed than in excess to that which would be considered "safe".


People driving recklessly, competitively or for thrill seeking are an entirely different class of problem than 'exceeding a speed limit'. We'll need real cops to catch them.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 16:05 
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Getting back to the original topic.

MCN

Quote:
Motorcyclists are to blame for the UK’s most dangerous road, according to a local councillor.

Councillor Tony Martin, in charge of the A682 in Lancashire, named today as the country’s most dangerous road, told BBC Radio Five Live: “I could certainly improve the accident record if I could ban motorcyclists from it.”

“The difficulty we face is that it’s a very, if you want, exciting road for people like motorcyclists to use because it’s got a lot of ups and downs, dips and nice turns, linear bends," said Tony Martin

A survey by the European Road Assessment Programme (Eurorap) reported that a 15-mile stretch of the popular biking route, from junction 13 of the M65 to Long Preston, had been the site of 100 deaths or serious injuries in a decade, the equivalent to five major rail crashes. Eurorap said 57% of collisions on the road involved a motorcycle. It said problems arose from the road being ‘not well marked for motorcyclists who need road markings which guide on the “where you look is where you go” principle’.

Is it our fault or is road design the more likely culprit? Have your say by adding a comment below.


I like this bloke. Maybe Paul could use him for his press releases :wink:
Quote:
spitandgrowl says

Plank

Let's break his comments into digestible quantities. Firstly he claims to be 'in charge of the A682'.... your are NOT. The local highway authority is, not an individual – PLANK 1 Secondly, he seems to think that removing motorcycles would reduce accidents. His comments suggest that all of the 57% of accidents were caused by motorcycles. I would like to know whether he has read each individual accident report to determine how the accident occurred. Eurorap states the accidents 'involved' not 'caused by' motorcycles. If motorcycles are involved then there is good chance of other road users causing the accident and motorcycle getting 'involved'. If I held such a responsible position I would check my facts before making such an uneducated statement. - PLANK 2 Thirdly he suggests that it's only motorcyclists that find the road exciting. What about car drivers? - PLANK 3 There is no mention of how the 100 deaths and serious injuries are proportioned to the 57% or more importantly the remaining 43%, so how can a statement be made against weak stats. - PLANK 4 Eurorap’s statement of …’not well marked for motorcyclists who need road markings which guide on the “where you look is where you go” principle’’… yeah, the same applies to car driver aswell. All in all the presentation of the report is biase and hold little merit. Also how id the report become publi cknowledge. Also, what has local highway authroity got to say on the matter. Plus if this PLANK is ‘in charge’ of the road, why has he neglected to address the issues for 10 years. That I believe is failing to act under the due care of duty. TONY MARTIN... YOU ARE A PLANK

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 01:09 
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ElandGone wrote:
so how do we reduce the accident rate?


BBC wrote:
A682 M65 J13 to A65 LONG PRESTON

# 24km single lane


A54 CONGLETON TO BUXTON

# 24km single lane


A683 M6 J34 TO KIRKBY LONSDALE

# 24km single lane


A62 DIGGLE TO HUDDERSFIELD

# 18km single lane


A671 BURNLEY TO A59 WHALLEY

# 10km single lane


A1079 MARKET WEIGHTON TO KINGSTON-UPON-HULL

# 32km single lane


A53 LEEK TO BUXTON

# 20km single lane


Anyone see a pattern forming here?

The others were mixed single/dual carriageway, and on those the most common collision type appears to be junctions.

Grade separated dual carriageways would seem to be the answer. Or are those lives not worth the investment?


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 07:44 
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All distances in kilometres, I see. Thought we still used miles in this country.

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