Fri 12 Nov 2004 14:41 Pointless Hazards - Big Bird

Coming home this lunchtime (Whoppee Friday afternoon off) along the A31 Hogs Back, the hazard board was lit up warning of fog - poor visibility. Since I could see Heathrow terminal 5 (about 30 miles?) out of the side window (note to self - must keep eyes on road) it's hard too see how it could be much better. This is an accident blackspot in the rush hour - but a lot of drivers won't pay much heed next time around - when there might really be fog. Does anyone know if fog detectors are automatic - or does it require human input to switch them on and off? Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 14:52 Pointless Hazards - Altea Ego

Ah thats because you couldnt see Canary Wharf tower! (which you can on a good day from there) Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 15:19 Pointless Hazards - GrumpyOldGit

I wonder if they're controlled by the same plonkers who run the matrix signs on the M4? Last night in 3 lanes of crawling traffic between 3 and 5 the matrix at 4B warned of an accident on the M40, but nothing about what was stopping the M4. Turned out to be lane 3 closed due to a van in the central crash barrier. The second matrix was blank, so we could have had warnings for both. This is very common there - the signs tell you what's happening on the M25 or M40, even the M1, but not the M4. Very odd. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 16:15 Pointless Hazards - smokie

These signs are intended to give advance warning of traffic problems so that you can avoid them, if you happen to be going that way. They aren't supposed to provide a visual confirmation of things you can already see...though I suppose it would help if they told you how far ahead the obstruction was Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 16:17 Pointless Hazards - Mark (RLBS)

>>These signs are intended to give advance warning of traffic problems so that you can avoid them, Presumably, at least in Big Bird's example, so far in advance that it hadn't actually happened yet. Now that's a service we could do with on the M25. Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 17:07 Pointless Hazards - Adam {P}

Well 30mph Matrix Signs are commonplace on the M58. No-one pays attention (rightly so to be honest) because it's happening 3-4 times every month but I go the entire length of the motorway and see *nothing whatsoever. * By nothing whatsoever, I of course mean no accidents - if I couldn't see anything whatsoever then that would be dangerous! -- Adam Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 17:14 Pointless Hazards - No Do$h

M5 this afternoon, just south of Brum. Matrix signs set to 50, with a clear 2 miles in front of me. I took them at their word and added 50 to the NSL and had a lovely 60 seconds..... Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 18:59 Pointless Hazards - Simon

>>These signs are intended to give advance warning of traffic problems so that you can avoid them, If only... Today whilst travelling up the M1 there were what can only be described as a load of frantic manouveres by people travelling in the third lane to avoid a large object sitting in the carriageway. It looked like a neatly folded up tarpaulin that can only of fallen from a truck due to its rather large size. Everyone that I saw managed to avoid it but the icing on the cake was that the matrix sign about half a mile further up the motorway said... 'Debris in Road, Slow'. Now wouldn't the message on the matrix sign have been more useful if it was half a mile before the debris, rather than half a mile after? Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 19:10 Pointless Hazards - king arthur

The one I like is when you come across a matrix sign that just reads "End", leaving you wondering what you've missed the beginning of... Reply | Report as offensive | Link

Fri 12 Nov 2004 21:46 Pointless Hazards - Oz

>>Coming home this lunchtime (Whoppee Friday afternoon off) >>along the A31 Hogs Back I too was on the Hogs Back this afternoon (eastwards) but later (after dark). Car with on-board pillocks joins at Tongham with lights out. I overtake with suitable audible warnings and one or two flashes to try to impart the message that they are somehow different from the rest of us. Pillocks Inc. respond with much leaning on horn, flashing of headlights (yep, they do actually work but unfortunately don't stay on), then perform an exaggerated overtaking manoeuvre and lots of verbal, and they sped on their way. I wonder whether they ever got the message. Pointless hazard if ever there was one. Oz (as was) Reply | Report as offensive | Link