Idiotic electronic signs on motorways

PINBALL

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Who are these idiots who display silly things like 'tiredness can kill' and 'take a break' when there's nowhere to take one.

Drove up to Hereford just before the snows came last week at 3 am, mainly to miss the traffic and have a leisurely drive without rushing.
NO advance warning from Heathrow that M4 was completely closed at J12, or even any diversion signs that would have at least helped 30 or so truckers to have some idea of how to get a direction and queued up on the off slip road.

Turned out that J12 - J15 was closed that no doubt had 6 men doing the work of 2

Used up 20 extra miles getting to next junction 13, only to find that one closed off too - all because some numskull couldn't be bothered to say how many junctions were closed on the sign lit up 3-4 mile before J12.

When touring in EEC on many an occasion over the last 30 years these signs have always had useful if not informative info like temperature and time, particularly in icy weather.

If were going to spend millions on clever orange signs to better keep the motorist informed, then why do we have to put up with prats who seem to be completely out of touch with conditions and circumstances.

I particularly like the way they make you reduce your speed down to 40 or less for 6-8 miles saying 'incident in road, only to find there is no incident to be seen anywhere and no ALL CLEAR at the end of it all.

They must get through a lot of tea / sleep or play games in those so-called information centres, and are obviously the cheapest employees they can find.
 

M80

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One great issue I have is the displays left from previous, there may well have been an incident earlier but when all is moving freely again remove the speed restriction.
Now because of the lost credability so many times drivers see the warning and restriction and carry on at the same speed until they can see for themselves that there is actually a problem, so safety isn't actually improved as some might well still plough into the rear of a queue.
 

M80

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Another issue is the use of junction numbers, if you don't use the motorway often you won't know which junction is which.
Better would be
"Motorway closed in 4 mile J12 (Theale) to J15(Swindon) for 31 miles"
You might realise it's better to turn round and go home knowing that.
 
OP
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Better would be
"Motorway closed in 4 mile J12 (Theale) to J15(Swindon) for 31 miles"
You might realise it's better to turn round and go home knowing that.

Your in the wrong job M80 !

On my way back daytime along M4, HIT a contraflow road works for 7-8 miles at 50 mph with one singular 5cwt van parked at end with flashing orange beacons, but nobody to be seen doing any actual work.

Got off at next junc and weaved my way back to Gatwick using back roads potholes n all!

I really feel for anyone having to use any motorways every day to commute.
 

LostKiwi

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I like those signs in France that say "Vehicle EG 13 24 25 too fast" - Makes it fun to see if you can spot the vehicle!
 

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In my decades of driving as I listened to the radio traffic reports there was often issues on the "Thelwall Viaduct'. It took nearly 40 years of driving to learn where the Thelwall Viaduct was. Very few times did I actually go that far.

The most useful message that can be put on those signs in inclement weather would be 'lights to manual'. DRLs are no use to man nor beast for following traffic you with no reds on the rear :shock:
 

Yugguy

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Best one is the sign lit up saying "Sign not in use."
Well obviously it IS.
 

EmilysDad

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In my decades of driving as I listened to the radio traffic reports there was often issues on the "Thelwall Viaduct'. It took nearly 40 years of driving to learn where the Thelwall Viaduct was. Very few times did I actually go that far.
I know it only too well & avoid it like the plague

The most useful message that can be put on those signs in inclement weather would be 'lights to manual'. DRLs are no use to man nor beast for following traffic you with no reds on the rear :shock:
The most ridiculous addition to today's car ever. In the past I've pulled up along side people to say, 'you've no lights on mate' ..... they stare blankly at you & say .... well they are at the front. :coffee:
 

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and it surpises me that people who can't see the fog can see the sign saying it is.
 

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and it surpises me that people who can't see the fog can see the sign saying it is.
Then there are those who use fog lights all the time 'just in case'.....
 

LostKiwi

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But LK for them it is foggy,
in't 'ead.
:) Or those who drive up the motorway in mist (I hesitate to say fog as its really not that dense) at 85mph with fog lights blazing from front and rear when the road code says that fog lights should only be used when visibility is severely impaired.

Rule 226. You MUST use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced, generally when you cannot see for more than 100 metres (328 feet). You may also use front or rear fog lights but you MUST switch them off when visibility improves (see Rule 236).

Rule 236
You MUST NOT use front or rear fog lights unless visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226) as they dazzle other road users and can obscure your brake lights. You MUST switch them off when visibility improves.

(Bold emphasis is from the road code)
 

rifiki

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Best one is the sign lit up saying "Sign not in use."
Well obviously it IS.
Council like useless signes, cat eyes removed, no road mrkings, new layout, etc etc.
 

Frontstep

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I have come to the conclusion fog lights help cataracts or the fog of stupidity that clouds many peoples heads.
 

alexanderfoti

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One great issue I have is the displays left from previous, there may well have been an incident earlier but when all is moving freely again remove the speed restriction.
Now because of the lost credability so many times drivers see the warning and restriction and carry on at the same speed until they can see for themselves that there is actually a problem, so safety isn't actually improved as some might well still plough into the rear of a queue.

Having been done by a variable speed camera in this scenario previously, I now stick 100% to the variable limits. Makes for a lot of dangerous lane changes, lorries overtaking etc, especially when a stupid 30 mph temporary limit becomes enforced on a motorway.
 

Gkinghorn

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I think the Aussie signs are the best tbh ..
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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

keefysher

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Most memorable Ive seen is in Jamaica that says 'Undertakers love overtakers'.

I once had to take 3 Canadian clients to Jamaica. When I collected them to go to the airport in Canada I was in a left hand drive car on the right side of the road. Arrived in Jamaica and swapped to right hand drive on the left side of the road. Drove to site and swapped to left hand drive left side of road and the above sign was just outside the mine site in Manchester parish area. Could be it was aimed at the mostly American workers as part of their 'Safety is Job No1' campaign as it later became common place on the tourist area roads ie north coast for Negril to Mo'bay
 


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