Sparky Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Whilst I do not want to get into discussions surrounding the tragedies that have happened on the Ballahutchin Road, the recent introduction of the Hidden Dip 60mph speed limit will have an impact upon us all. Whilst these are deemed as temporary before a slowing down 40mph zone is introduced prior to the 30 mph zones at either end of the stretch, what is more likely to happen is that this will subsequently become one long 40mph stretch of road. The DoT themselves advise that the stretch of road does not meet the criteria for double white lines and therefore is deemed safe enough for overtaking so why the speed limit, why not advisory signs indicating that there is a hidden dip as happens across? As a driver of 30 years with a clean licence, I find myself more and more at odds with the policies of the DoT, as they have the potential to make me a criminal facing fines and points on my licence through their confusing road traffic policies, signs and markings. For example we have over the last 2 years suffered a number of imposed speed limits where previously there were none and where previously when the roads and conditions allowed you could open your car or bike up (I drive both) and enjoy a short but welcome blast. If you look at the changes on the Castletown Road at Santon, I travel this daily and the hatched areas in the middle of the road do nothing but cause confusion. Rule 130 0f The Highway Code states" "130 Areas of white diagonal stripes or chevrons painted on the road. These are to separate traffic lanes or to protect traffic turning right. if the area is bordered by a broken white line, you should not enter the area unless it is necessary and you can see that it is safe to do so if the area is marked with chevrons and bordered by solid white lines you MUST NOT enter it except in an emergency" Therefore the DoT has effectively imposed a speed limit on this stretch of road which means that the traffic can only travel as fast as the slowest vehicle, which in a morning happens to be the Robinsons wagon travelling south and who never pulls over to let traffic past as the DoT states it is policing to ensure happens. Recently I have witnessed vehicle drivers using these markings as a 3rd lane and have on 2 occassions nearly witnessed a head on because of frustration caused by slow drivers. The same markings exist on the Old Castletown road and are creeping in all around the Island and therefore by default creating an all Island speed limit. These changes appear not to be thought through, are ad-hoc not supported by a strategy in the public domain and appear to be based on a desire to get through the back door what could not be achieved by the front door to have what couldn't be achieved 2 years ago i.e. an All Island Speed limit. But I could be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 I do not want to get into discussions surrounding the tragedies that have happened on the Ballahutchin Road Is that because to do so would make the rest of your (rather long) post seem rather unimportant and a little bit whiny? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 I do not want to get into discussions surrounding the tragedies that have happened on the Ballahutchin Road Is that because to do so would make the rest of your (rather long) post seem rather unimportant and a little bit whiny? No, because it is an emotional subject for those concerned. What I am concerned about is that instead of making the Islands roads safer, the DoT are in fact increasing the hazards to road users. Take Brandish as a good example of increasing the risk to other road users? Or will this be sorted by another speed limit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VikingRaider Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Take Brandish as a good example Thought everyone knew that it and Windy corner were only done to get a 130mph lap ... God help us when they think of something for the 140. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxman8180 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Take Brandish as a good example of increasing the risk to other road users?..... Am I missing something? The first bit of your post whines about not being able to go faster / overtake at will and then transforms into a whinge about opening out Brandish, thus increasing the speed at which you can travel? Make your fucking mind up. ......as they have the potential to make me a criminal..... Do you really believe that? Only you have that potential sweetie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmannin Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 The young lady who drives the robinsons truck in the morning,all the way to port erin at a piss poor speed is a nightmare to be behind.Get past anagh coar roundabout before quarter to eight and your not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Take Brandish as a good example of increasing the risk to other road users? Ironing out a bend should surely decrease risk to all road users. - it's the excessive speed that is the issue. Therefore : Or will this be sorted by another speed limit? Yes, it would certainly help. 40 seems an appropriate MAXIMUM speed to me for this corner, and the run down the road to Hillberry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spock Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Take Brandish as a good example of increasing the risk to other road users? Ironing out a bend should surely decrease risk to all road users. - it's the excessive speed that is the issue. Therefore : Or will this be sorted by another speed limit? Yes, it would certainly help. 40 seems an appropriate MAXIMUM speed to me for this corner, and the run down the road to Hillberry. you would appear to be in a class of individuals that are probably happy to ever more to continue using dial-up rather than broadband for computer conections - in fact I'm surprised you have even made it this far and don't prefer pidgeon post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 you would appear to be in a class of individuals that are probably happy to ever more to continue using dial-up rather than broadband for computer conections - in fact I'm surprised you have even made it this far and don't prefer pidgeon post. Is this a simile or a genuine change of subject? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Langweilig Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Want to moan about crappy driving on the Island? Click this http://www.baddriving.com/ There are no reports from Ellan Vannin....yet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WTF Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 i thought the speed of 60 mph was an advisement , and not a legal limit. the sign is the wrong format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grianane Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Take Brandish as a good example Thought everyone knew that it and Windy corner were only done to get a 130mph lap ... God help us when they think of something for the 140. What a dilemna, politically there isn't the balls to introduce an all island limit - even one which people might accept - yet its patently obviously that the DoT staff and the police [even though their incapable of policing it] want one. As a result they pounce on any opportunity to introduce any short stretch of further control perhaps in the hope that eventually they will all join up. As a consequence drivers are left driving much to slow in safe areas, and jockeying for position to get past each other whereever an unregulated zone exists - eventually all these areas will suffer accidents and will disappear behind 30/40/50 signs. What makes things more confusing is the staff wish also to make the TT course faster - there is no political hand up taking credit for track improvements as this would prove the allegation that they were after a 130mph lap - so it must be staff lead. So having made a corner safe - such as Brandish at which there have been no accidents since it was done - they feel the need to restrict speed In short none of them have really got any f*cking idea what they really want, and we are destined to suffer even more. What grikes me most however is that the real cause of accidents is bad driving and that happens whether there are speed limits or not and people do not get prosecuted. IMO if a car leaves the road for no mechanical reason it is driver error and should be prosecuted, if its down to mechanical failure the car should have been maintained so prosecute for that. A spell of zero tolerance, including R speeding, mobiles, careless driving would sort most of our probelms out, the rest will probably kill themselves anyway and we can only hope they don't take others out with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 The all island limit will happen - it's just a question of how high the authorities will allow the body count to get before implementing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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