Author Topic: Roads in the area  (Read 358034 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #840 on: June 20, 2018, 02:35:58 pm »
Last week I was driving up the Great Orme and had got past all the obstacles in Ty Gwyn Road and crossed the tram track on to the next uphill stretch.
A car was coming down the hill but there was a car parked on my side of the road and just as I was slowing down to give way a bronze coloured Lexus overtook me and raced up the hill with the horn blaring out then cut in front of the oncoming car.
By the half way tram station he was held up by other vehicles and I was then immediately behind him.   Just taking that risk to be one car ahead of me.   Unfortunately the car I was driving had no dash cam so it would have been his word against mine so I didn't bother following him but later checked and saw that his car tax and mot were up to date

Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #841 on: June 20, 2018, 07:26:50 pm »
The UK is not the only country with idiot drivers       :o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWuK-fi-D_w


Offline TheMedz

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #842 on: June 21, 2018, 10:31:24 pm »
Last week I was driving up the Great Orme and had got past all the obstacles in Ty Gwyn Road and crossed the tram track on to the next uphill stretch.
A car was coming down the hill but there was a car parked on my side of the road and just as I was slowing down to give way a bronze coloured Lexus overtook me and raced up the hill with the horn blaring out then cut in front of the oncoming car.
By the half way tram station he was held up by other vehicles and I was then immediately behind him.   Just taking that risk to be one car ahead of me.   Unfortunately the car I was driving had no dash cam so it would have been his word against mine so I didn't bother following him but later checked and saw that his car tax and mot were up to date

We witness at least 5 or 6 examples a day of stupid driving in that section of road. Why does everyone think because someone is giving way means they are parked or that they  have to drive at speed to get up a hill. Add avoiding the occasional tram and not stopping on red light at Black Gate into the mix and it's mayhem.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #843 on: June 27, 2018, 01:04:52 pm »
There will soon be average speed cameras on the A55 at Rhuallt Hill

Motorists have been hit with more than £100,000 of fines in two week by new average speed cameras on the A55 .

Drivers clocking speeds of more than 79mph have been been recorded more than 1,000 times at the notorious stretch on Rhuallt Hill .
And one even topped 120mph when they were picked up by the average speed cameras, which came into operation on June 5.

According to data provided by North Wales Police, 1,233 motorists have been caught driving above 79mph between June 5 and June 20.
If all were given the minimum £100 speeding fine, a total of £123,000 would have been collected.

However, 19 motorists were caught speeding at more than 26mph over the limit, meaning they will face an automatic court appearance and a likely increased fine, as well as a potential ban.

Others snared at extremely high speeds included one motorist caught at 118mph and two who were clocked at 117mph.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/a55-average-speed-cameras-dish-14835337

Offline Mike

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #844 on: June 27, 2018, 04:15:26 pm »
Last week I was driving up the Great Orme and had got past all the obstacles in Ty Gwyn Road and crossed the tram track on to the next uphill stretch.
A car was coming down the hill but there was a car parked on my side of the road and just as I was slowing down to give way a bronze coloured Lexus overtook me and raced up the hill with the horn blaring out then cut in front of the oncoming car.
By the half way tram station he was held up by other vehicles and I was then immediately behind him.   Just taking that risk to be one car ahead of me.   Unfortunately the car I was driving had no dash cam so it would have been his word against mine so I didn't bother following him but later checked and saw that his car tax and mot were up to date
THere are signs on that stretch advising motorists coming down the hill to give way to vehicles coming UP the hill, so I suppose the vehicle behind was frustrated that you were giving way to the one coming down.
There are two conlflicting rules - give way because vehicle is on your side vs have right of way because of going up the hill.
I don't know which rule trumps the other and I suppose most people don't either.
I suppose it's just a case of going gently and working something out in every situation. the driver behind you didn't do that and sounds like an impatient agressive driver.
I have noticed though that the buses drive down the hill past the traffic lights where there are cars parked on their side (so both rules against) with speed and relying on their size, presence and limited reversing possibility up the hill to force those coming up to get out of their way.
At the foot of the hill there is an 'Unsuitable for buses' sign!

Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #845 on: June 27, 2018, 08:41:35 pm »
As I crossed over the tram rails I saw that same motorist give way to two vehicles about 100 yards ahead of me and that's why I hesitated.
It's easier for the driver coming down the hill to give way but as I had already seen him do it twice before I got anywhere near the car and the guy could have been there all day if all the motorists were like the male driver in the Lexus.
I would have liked to shove his car horn where the Sun don't shine but I had other things to do and in any case wouldn't lower myself to the level of that ignorant pig of a driver

Offline DVT

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #846 on: June 28, 2018, 09:17:06 pm »
Not the sort of vehicle we expected to see in Bodnant car park this afternoon !!!

The road between the A470 and the car park was melting, so this was spreading what appeared to be cement dust.

Not sure why the big news about tarmac melting - it happened a lot in the 1950's !!!

Offline mull

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #847 on: June 28, 2018, 11:24:16 pm »
Why worry.
The melting tar will fill all the pot holes.

Offline Bosun

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #848 on: July 10, 2018, 01:06:05 pm »
The past few weeks have been spent travelling both in this country and a delightful trip to Scandinavia which was fascinating on a number of levels. I was struck by the proliferation of 20mph (or kph equivalents) both streets and complete residential areas in Scandinavia. I Although 20mph areas are not so common in Wales as in England, they are becoming much more common as a case can be made to local authorities by individuals, concerned parents groups, PTA’s, and schools themselves to introduce them, along with the appropriate traffic calming measures and any parent who’s child walks or cycles to school will be happy to see them. This is happening all over the world as communities realise that speed kills; Canada, USA, Australia as well as Europe. As for whole residential areas, to give children that same degree of safety, and for anyone who lives in an area to have had to listen to the ‘boy racers’ screaming around the streets at night, they are a blessing. Whilst there have been many sensible and informed posts off the subject of speed and speed limits on this forum, and it’s enforcement for the safety of us all, sadly, the fact that ‘speed kills’ appears to have been missed by certain people in, amongst other places, North Wales.

And as for statistics, of which I have had far too much to do with, including compiling, collecting and extrapolating, they have been described as one of three types of lies, ‘lies, dammed lies and statistics’, by either Twain, Disraeli or Churchill, dependant on who you prefer, although everything is normally supposed to be a quote by Churchill. The results of statistics can easily be skewed accidentally or inadvertently, or even deliberately by asking the same questions in a different manner or in a different format, often to support a thesis or argument - as we have all seen with local authorities ‘consultants’, whose reports on local affairs always include statistics in favour of the authorities preferred result; the ‘he who pays the piper’ syndrome.

But facts are facts, that is why they are facts. If a child runs into the road and is hit by a vehicle, the cause of the accident is the child running into the road. Fact. The vehicle, if being driven within the speed limit, cannot be considered as the cause of the accident. The next fact is that the speed that the vehicle hits the child is the critical factor as to whether the child lives - or dies. Again, if a vehicle pulls out of a side road into the path of another vehicle, that is cause of the collision. The fact is that the speed at the point of impact greatly determines the amount of damage and injury, or if someone dies. This is not rocket science but a basic principle of the simplest of physics, the faster two items collide, the greater the damage caused. Whilst there are a myriad of other ancillary issues, the fact is that speed is by far the major factor that determines injury or fatality and is the only constant.

Many years ago I gave evidence at Coroners court in the case of a lady (passenger) that was killed in a vehicle driven straight out over ‘give way’ markings directly into the path of a lorry. The lorry was determined by tachograph analysis to have been travelling at 28mph prior to the impact, within the 30mph limit. Both the driver of the lorry and the driver of the car were utterly devastated, and I’m sure they are to this day. The cause of the collision was the car driver not concentrating and failing to see the junction’s ‘give way’ markings. Interestingly, and perhaps poignantly, those roads are today within a 20mph zone. I believe that if if that collision had occurred at 20mph, that lady would not have died.

Driving at lower speeds gives the driver a longer ‘time to react’, which is defined as the time between the presentation to the driver of a hazard and the subsequent response. Within the field of Mental Chronometry this period is known as ‘Reaction Time’. Much published research has been done in this field for many years, but the bottom line in respect to motoring is that the greater the time for the driver, to see, appreciate and react to the hazard, the greater possibility to avoid or mitigate the possibility of collision. You’d think this would be rather obvious, but it certainly isn’t to some drivers. Nor apparently, is the need to concentrate on the matter in hand, i.e. driving; it appears to have become ancillary to texting and telephoning.

So, speed may not be the statistical reason for the RTC, but it is by fact the highest reason for serious injury or death. The impact speed in a collision may be within the speed limit, (whether it is an excessive speed for the circumstances is another matter) however, that does not take into account the speed prior to the impact; the driver may well have been able to significantly reduce the speed of the vehicle in the ‘reaction time’ before the collision, but unable to avoid an actual collision. We’ve all seen the skid marks. (I could go into reams here about Accident Investigation at this point, but as you are probably bored already, I’ll leave that out.)

So it's pretty obvious that speed limits do have to be set, and enforced, for the safety of everyone - and as previously pointed out on this forum, speed limits are the absolute maximum speeds allowed, it does not mean that it is safe to drive at the maximum speed in all conditions.

Unfortunately, and to me it’s unbelievable, that some people really do seem to consider over 1,750 deaths and over 25,000 serious injuries every year on British roads an acceptable risk.  I consider it abhorrent, avoidable and an awful tragedy.   

Mrs B would contribute to this, but I doubt if her reaction to the idiocy of the defence of speed would be as subtle or refined as mine; as a Consultant Pathologist she did too many post-mortems on the victims of road traffic collisions. At one point, due to the deaths and serious injuries on one particular stretch of dual carriageway she and the local Coroner prevailed on the agencies to reduce the speed limit. They did reduce the speed limit, from 70mph down to 50mph. The number of deaths and serious injuries on that stretch of road instantly reduced.

To read that someone who was trained to drive 50 years ago brag that they enjoy the challenge (with 'challenge' comes risk, and that risk is to every other road user) of driving fast today is proof that sadly, the misplaced (and sometimes fatal) belief in one’s own ability is not confined to the young.  It’s ludicrous, stupid and life threatening. Speak to any ‘boy-racer’ speeding around your housing estate or the Evo Triangle and they will also tell you that they enjoy driving fast, and that they are safe drivers. I’m sure Richard Brown would have said the same before he crashed his car into a tree killing three teenage passengers and crippling a third in Menai Bridge.

And this is my last post to the TTF, as I ask that the administrators remove my registration and membership to this forum.
Being negative only makes a difficult journey more difficult. You may have been given a cactus, but you don't have to sit on it.

Offline Dave

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #849 on: July 10, 2018, 01:47:45 pm »
Sorry to see you decide you don't want to contribute or associate with the TTF anymore, I guess as you don't want to post again we will not be privy to the reason why.
A shame you have come to such a decision though as your posts have all been valued and I hope you might reconsider. All the best Dave

Offline Ian

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #850 on: July 10, 2018, 01:53:53 pm »
It's a shame that you don't see fit to debate sensibly and without resorting to veiled abuse on this issue. The use of pejorative verbs does little for your argument, but you're entitled to your views, as all all members.  If you wish to have your registration deleted, that's fine;  you can rejoin if you wish to at any time.

The entire issue of speed, however, cannot be debated sensibly within the narrow examples you choose to give. There are roads in the area which aren't safe to be driven any faster than 10mph, let alone 20, but there are roads on the continent where there are no limits whatsoever, yet the fatal crash rate on those roads is lower than on many UK roads.

On the German autobahns, for example accidents account for 1.6 deaths per billion travel-kilometres and compare very favourably with the 4.6 rate on urban streets and 6.5 rate on rural roads.  If speed were the sole determinant of fatalities on roads, then those statistics would be the other way round. As I said  before speed is not the only issue;  it's simply one of a number of factors. Perhaps a little less hubris would permit a more reasoned approach to the debate.
« Last Edit: July 10, 2018, 03:58:01 pm by Ian »
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #851 on: July 12, 2018, 03:47:33 pm »
We drove down the A470 yesterday and the Police Arrive Alive Van was parked on someone's verge at the end of the restricted area in Glan Conwy, how long it was there we don't know.     A little further down the A470 between Llanrwst and Betws Y Coed there were tyre marks on the road caused by the dangerous practice of doughnutting,

I know people who have been done by the Arrive Alive van but none  for doughnutting or for that matter driving without any road tax.  It just seems strange.

Offline Dave

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #852 on: July 12, 2018, 04:17:10 pm »
It's a 30mph limit from the moment you enter to the moment you leave BUT surely the dangerous bit isn't at the very end, or for that matter the very beginning because if it was they would extend the speed restricted area. No, this is without doubt a cunning money making plan to catch those out who have safely negotiated the dangerous bit without incident and are now anticipating the open road only a few metres ahead and have just started to speed up but are probably not driving at any great speed.
I'm all for safety, I don't think drivers should be warned about places there are cameras and I don't think the Arrive Alive van should be out in open view either. Go back to sticking someone with a hand held gun in a bus shelter and catch the idiots driving irresponsibly in built up areas.

Offline DVT

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #853 on: July 12, 2018, 08:12:44 pm »
The camera is often parked at the southern end of Glan Conwy, within yards/metres of the change to national speed limit (60 mph) - I had forgotten about it when I went that way yesterday morning but fortunately was following a tanker so was going through at marginally under 30.  My colleague was not so fortunate so is expecting to get done for doing 35 (on his dashboard) - the camera is placed so as to get you as you come round the corner so has got you just as you see it.

As there is miniscule chance of danger at that point then it must be there purely as a money-box, and no really there for safety reasons.

Offline Ian

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Re: Roads in the area
« Reply #854 on: July 12, 2018, 08:25:38 pm »
Driving along the A470 about 30 minutes ago we encountered a stream of cyclists on an evening cycle rally. Half had no lights on their bikes and the number of vehicles pulling out after seeing them at the last moment beggared belief.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.