On 21 Jul 2009 at 10:41pm Spinster Of This Parish wrote:
Last weekend I had the priviledge of witnessing a live performance by Ben Elton at a charity event in Ticehurst. One of the topics he covered was road works - he observed that a hole in London (the size of Wembley Stadium) is guarded by one triangular sign, whereas in East Sussex endless cones, temporary traffic lights and chicanes are required to guard an empty wheelbarrow. The public received Mr Elton's analogy very well and his conclusion - that Ben Elton wants the head of whoever is in charge of highways nailed to the last road cone on any road works!
Good idea!
On 21 Jul 2009 at 10:50pm Geoff wrote:
Its a shame they have never had that level of warning for the death trap pedestrian crossing by the newmarket inn. Still no road markings. Still invisible.
On 21 Jul 2009 at 11:23pm Lopster wrote:
no cones and lights left in this area for Newmarket they have been in Offham road by the Paddock and Weald Close for the last 18months - same bit of road/footpath has just been dug up for the 4th time in three years - why don't the council monitor their contractors (OUR contractors?) - hve never seen anyone working on this site EVER - apart from refuelling the gennie that powers the lights
On 22 Jul 2009 at 7:22am Geoff wrote:
Ask your local LDC and ESCC Councillors. (wake them up first)
On 22 Jul 2009 at 8:26am Spongebob wrote:
Geoff. Large signs saying "beware pedestrians crossing" or something like that have gone up in the last month on both the east and west bound carriageways (can't remember the wording of the signs but they are visable).
The death of the fella there (sorry, didn't know him and can't remember his name) last year was tragic but isn't it about time we started taking responsibility for our own actions ?. It's a major dual carriageway where cars usually drive at 70mph...sometimes more. I would've thought that most people would have taken a bit of care when crossing there. If cars did have the warnings in place, what could they do to avoid an accident if someone steps into the road when you doing 70 ?
As for Lewes itself, i can't recall a time when ive seen so many roadworks. The areas around Offham road, Prince Edwards rd, Leicester rd, The Avenue and even Irelands lane is getting beyond a joke now.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 11:05am Maria wrote:
It would also help if ESC Highways would put up more signs on Cliffe High Street enforcing the fact that it is a pedestrianised area, the amount of times I have been nearly run down by twats driving straight down to Malling St...and verbally abused when pointing out that the cobbles are there for a reason (at great financial and hassle expense). I have contacted the authorities about this, this is not a random whinge.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 11:31am FA wrote:
I know they were going to make the area mentioned into a traffic free area (except for loading and access) but not sure if it's in place yet. I would have the same whinge about cyclists using that area too
On 22 Jul 2009 at 1:14pm smed wrote:
spongebob - his name was Paul Wheeler. He was crossing the road so that he could get to the cycle path which is only on one side of the road, so he had no option. The point is cars are always going down there at 70 and quite often faster - perhaps the pedestrian and cyclist should come first rather than motorists when designing roads and cycle routes.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 1:38pm Spongebob wrote:
I don't want to get into an arguement about the death of this popular man but roads, especially major routes like the A27, are PRIMARILY designed for the use of the motor vehicle...not the cyclist or pedestrian. One would expect most adults to have a little bit of road sense when it comes to crossing major roads. I just find it highly pathetic that Geoff (and quite a few other people) feels the need to put up warning signs to warn motorists that people might jump out in front of cars whilst travelling at 70mph.
It's all about that "taking personal responsibility" bit again....and then blaming everyone else when it goes wrong.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 3:41pm local one wrote:
That's a comforting thought for his widow. How about taking some personal responsibility and not making callous judgements?
On 22 Jul 2009 at 3:54pm Spongebob wrote:
Which is exactly why i said i didn't want to get in an arguement about it so thicksh1ts like you would hopefully understand that it was a generalisation....not a pop at a deceased person.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 6:08pm Ed Can Do wrote:
One could argue that signs up by the road saying "This is a really stupid place to try and cross the road" would be just as effective. Still, there are warning signs up now and it's hardly a well used crossing so let's hope nobody else gets hurt there eh?
There are a crazy amount of road works round town at present. Between all the rubbish in Lewes and half of Brighton getting dug up to replace the sewers, I doubt there's a single road worker unemployed this side of London.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 7:05pm grumpy trader wrote:
sorry spongey, but there are signs for all sorts of reasons in some odd places, but a fair warning of a crossing so that fast, non local traffic would be aware that its an unlit crossing, not sure what happened in pauls case, but spare a thought for his wife and kids, but also the driver, (unknown to me ) they have to live with it, so im not having a go, but really what harm can a sign do ?
On 22 Jul 2009 at 7:40pm Tank wrote:
I am sorry to say this and realise it's a bit late in the day now... but if you are going to go out drinking with your bike and try to cross a duel carriageway (where cars are going 70mph on a road with no houses etc. around) in the the pitch dark, you should cross where there is actually a crossing, especially if you are not wearing high vis gear! No amount of signs could have prevented that from happening.
On 22 Jul 2009 at 9:35pm grumpy trsder wrote:
just stop now before its too late !!!
On 22 Jul 2009 at 9:39pm v sign wrote:
tank you pilchard,
On 22 Jul 2009 at 10:14pm Spinster Of This Parish wrote:
ENOUGH!
On 22 Jul 2009 at 11:18pm Geoff wrote:
It seems that some of the ego's on this page think they know more than the coroner. He specifically ctated that the crossing without signs was more dangerous than no crossing at all, ESCC had already acknowledged this, and that is why signs miraculously appeared a week after the coroners comments. Unfortunately they are as good as useless because the crossing is invisible. Nobody blamed the accident on the victim.
Tank. You are an idiot It is a crossing. Unlit, hidden by overgrown shrubs, unmarked, and unsigned. So invisible that even you don't realise it is there!
On 23 Jul 2009 at 7:56pm Thats me in the Corner wrote:
A couple of points:
I believe responsibility for the A27, it's maintenance, markings and structures lies with the Highways Agency not the CC.
Secondly, there is a (cery expensive looking) bridge for cyclists / pedestrians where the South Downs Way crosses the A26 at Southease - a less hazardous road to cross perhaps. Does the crossing point in question not also merit a bridge as I believe that is where the SDW crosses the A27?
On 23 Jul 2009 at 11:34pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I wonder where Spongebob thinks the people who live in the cottages up behind the Newmarket should cross the road, when they've just got off the bus from Brighton, or Newmarket staff who use public transport?
The spot in question is a crossing, and if the council are too tight to put in a footbridge, they should put pedestrian lights there imo. You often see walkers trying to cross there, as public footpaths cross the A27 at that point.
There is a footbridge further west, where the SDW crosses. I think it's also used for access to the farm there.
On 24 Jul 2009 at 3:18am SHS wrote:
In general the right sign in the right place (e.g. sharp bend / pedestrian crossing) means most motorists at least put one foot over the brake peddle and raise their level of alertness from high (we hope) to very high. In the case of a pedestrian crossing warning I certainly look out for pedestrians who may be about to cross the road.
When ESCC / Highways start to use signs purely as decoration, on every metre of road regardless of the degree of hazard (for example, some roadworks as detailed in above posts), then it shows they have the wrong set of priorities. To a lessor extent it can mean that some motorists start to pay less attention to all road signs and/or simply become over-loaded with information they cannot take in.
So in summary, of course that crossing should have been far better signed and designed and of course it would help to protect people crossing.
On 24 Jul 2009 at 5:11am Spongebob wrote:
So yet again, all the emphasis is on the motorist to slow down. What to ? 40mph ?, 30mph ? Now the signs are up, shouldn't we be putting signs up in childspeak warning pedestrians to look and listen, wear bright clothes, don't cross till it's safe etc etc. Once again, it's all about taking responsibility for your own safety rather than passing the blame onto everyone else. No wonder this country's going down the sh1tter.
On 24 Jul 2009 at 7:35am Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
Not at all, but where people have to cross a 70mph dual carriageway, and the council/highways agency deem it unnecessary to put in apropriate arrangements for them to do so safely, how else are they to do it? If no-one else is prepared to ensure that the crossing is safe, motorists must. After all, it's cars that kill people, not the other way round.
At busy times of day, Usain Bolt would be hard pressed to cross that road safely, never mind anyone a bit slow on their feet, with kids or a pushchair, or pushing a bike.
On 24 Jul 2009 at 9:37am Spongebob wrote:
It maybe cars that kill people but cars do not generally mount the pavement or verge to do so...people walk out in front of cars because they either aren't looking or think they can get away with it. People are impatient and can't be bothered to wait, end of story.
On 24 Jul 2009 at 7:00pm grumpy trader wrote:
spongebob i agree about pedestrians with ipods and walking in the road, but the point is a sign would alert all parties, i cant see that you cant see it !! i walk and drive and try to be alert at all times, so should we all,
On 25 Jul 2009 at 6:31am Spongebob wrote:
Grumpy trader....if you approach a main road with the intent of crossing it, what are signs going to tell the pedestrian ? The pedestrian already knows there's a road there that they want to cross. As i would imagine these people are adults and not children, do you not think common sense will tell you that a dual carriage way is going to have fast cars going in either one or another direction.
Now personally, when i drive past a sign saying "pedestrians crossing", i do not slow down, and neither does anyone i know or anyone i've seen. However, if i see a pedestrian at the side of the road waiting to cross, i might reduce my speed a bit but i will be more aware. The signs have absolutely nothing to do with it.
This sort of thing...not taking responsibility for your own safety, is along the lines of people suing McDonalds because eating 10 burgers a day made them fat or suing Benson and Hedges because smoking 50 a day gave them lung cancer.
On 25 Jul 2009 at 11:29am Drive Me Crazy wrote:
Who was it who said they missed Spongebob?
How anyone can argue against clear signs warning of genuine dangers (and I'd describe knocking people down as a danger) is beyond me. When you see a sign near schools saying children crossing, do you slow down? Not necessarily. Do you try to stay alert, so you're better prepared to brake suddenly if necessary? Yes. Or at least I hope so! Sure, if a kid suddenly runs out in the road and you hit him, it would be his fault and you can probably avoid being charged with anything, but would that really make you feel any better?
On 25 Jul 2009 at 12:49pm Spongebob wrote:
Now this is a totally different scenario. you will be driving through a built up area anyway and will hopefully be more aware of your surroundings...pedestrians, parked cars, schools, emergency vehicles etc etc. If you are driving along at 70mph on a dual carriageway and you "stay alert so you're better prepared", there's no amount of signs that will stop you hitting someone at 70mph if they suddenly step out in front of you. I've seen the signs at the Newmarket but only warm that someone MIGHT be crossing. They don't tell you to slow down to mph do they ?....NO AMOUNT OF SIGNAGE IS GOING TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT IF A PEDESTRIAN WALKS OUT IN FRONT OF YOU WHEN YOU'RE DOING 70 MPH.
which brings me back to my point of people taking responsibility for their own actions rather than blaming everyone else.
On 25 Jul 2009 at 5:02pm I dont believe it! wrote:
ESCC have refused to erect a mirror on a junction in case they get sued if it gets stolen or broken. Go figure!
On 25 Jul 2009 at 5:13pm Peppa Pig wrote:
In response to Drive me crazy.....It was Squidward who wanted to no where Spongebob was,and i am now wondering where Squidward is...