Motoring Discussion > Overhead Motorway Signs	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: borasport	Replies: 30

Sun 22 May 11 09:46   Overhead Motorway Signs - borasport

The more I see of them, the more it becomes obvious there is no sentient being monitoring them. Approaching J10 of the M62 eastbound last night, there are 4 of these signs in the few miles to the junction. Two of them were saying that it would take 10 minutes to get to J12 of the M62 And the other two were pointing out, quite correctly, that the M62 is closed between J11 and J12. Why do they bother ? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 22 May 11 09:56   Overhead Motorway Signs - Zero

There is a problem with overhead signs. They are very useful, sometimes vital, and cost gazillions to install and maintain. Yet most of the time they sit there dumb and stupid saying nothing*. Someone somewhere has to justify these things, so they cough up stupid messages "dont drink and drive" Excuse me sunshine its ruddy late then I am already reading it on the sodding motorway. "Tired? take a break" - yeah right I fancy a kit kat. *Just leave the damn things blank if there is nothing to say, by doing so you are actually telling me something - like "nothing to display, no problems, enjoy your journey" - That alone is worth the cost. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 22 May 11 10:39   Overhead Motorway Signs - Manatee

The non-messages are just crying wolf. The consequence is we ignore them if there's anything else to look at If they were blank when there was nothing to say, we'd pay attention when they were on. They should either display something we would want to read, or nothing at all. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 22 May 11 11:12   Overhead Motorway Signs - Cliff Pope

Fog on bridge, long delays ahead either means pull off now and take the longer but more secure route, or ignore it hoping it is an out of date sign, and the other route will already be jammed with all the people who did heed the warning. So either way it is a pointless message. It just means, something may, or may not, be happening. It might just as well say Ha ha, if you get stuck in a queue it's your own fault for not taking the train. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 22 May 11 12:15   Overhead Motorway Signs - swiss tony

>> The non-messages are just crying wolf. The consequence is we ignore them if there's anything >> else to look at If they were blank when there was nothing to say, we'd >> pay attention when they were on. >> >> They should either display something we would want to read, or nothing at all. >> Hear Hear!! Have the people who run the signs, never heard the story of the boy who cried wolf? Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 22 May 11 13:24   Overhead Motorway Signs - Pat

There is one message that should be displayed on every motorway sign not needed for urgent messages. >>Keep to the left hand except when overtaking<< Pat Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sun 22 May 11 13:45   Overhead Motorway Signs - Manatee

>> >>Keep to the left hand except when overtaking<< >> >> Pat Right. But not generic wallpaper messages. About 20 years ago when ANPR was in development, I did a double take on the M1 in a 50 limit when a gantry sign lit up that said "K493 VCX 52MPH". I'd never seen my number in lights before. Some sort of auto-detect with a personalised message might get people's attention. Especially if a big fist shot out of the central reservation as knocked their cars off the road on the third offence of the day. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 00:25   Overhead Motorway Signs - Dave_

Today's been a bit breezy. Gantry signs were all blank on the M42/M6/M54 heading west this morning, whilst the car was jittering in the more severe gusts and the trees were all bent over at interesting angles. Got blown around a few mountains in Wales today, with the wind gradually easing off to almost nothing by teatime. No windspeed at all to speak of all the way home. Coming back on the motorways the matrix signs were all reading "Strong Winds - Slow Down"... sheesh. Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Mon 23 May 11 at 00:25 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 08:59   Overhead Motorway Signs - Bromptonaut

>> Got blown around a few mountains in Wales today, with the wind gradually easing off >> to almost nothing by teatime. No windspeed at all to speak of all the way >> home. >> >> Coming back on the motorways the matrix signs were all reading "Strong Winds - Slow >> Down"... sheesh. Would be interesting to track the pattern of a fall in the wind yesterday. Drove M1 from Northants to Leicester & back out around 14:00 and returning 3 hours later. Very blowy both ways with the, admittedly slab sided, Berlingo being caught by gusts several times. Still pretty bad outside right now. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 09:08   Overhead Motorway Signs - CGNorwich

UK weather warning issued by met office for today . Wind expected to gust up to 80mph in Scotland and Northern England. 70mph in Wales Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 09:16   Overhead Motorway Signs - Dave_

>> Would be interesting to track the pattern of a fall in the wind yesterday I can't find any historic info, but www.xcweather.co.uk/ gives current and forecast wind maps. I know the apparent effect of the wind on my car would have been less with it behind us coming back, but we got out at a couple of places on the way home and it was noticeably less blustery. No windspeed to speak of at home last night either, although it's fairly blowy out there again this morning. EDIT: 6 hour historic windspeeds here at the Met Office site bit.ly/b7KX8F backs up my experience of a lull overnight. Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Mon 23 May 11 at 09:19 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 16:39   Overhead Motorway Signs - zookeeper

nice weather site dave, are you a flyer too? Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 16:49   Overhead Motorway Signs - Dave_

No, but I've always been interested in meteorology as a hobby, I guess. I've got 7 different weather sites bookmarked in my browser - it fascinates me to know what weather's happening right now, how it's developed and what's likely to happen in the immediate future. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 22 May 11 21:36   Overhead Motorway Signs - henry k

>>The more I see of them, the more it becomes obvious there is no sentient being monitoring them. >> On the M25 I see examples where the words say xx minutes to J yy at the same time as displaying a mandatory speed restriction that makes it legally impossible to achieve that speed to J yy. I am all for putting cameras on the gantries to catch those stupid drivers who totally ignore signs. I was on the M25 latie in the evening. !st there was a 50 orange recommended speed sign. Next, on the gantry, a white arrow saying move left from the furthest right lane, Then two arrows, then three arrows and eventually red crosses over the two right lanes. Traffic was very light but a lot of drivers just barrelled under the arrows at well over the NSL limit and of course several totally ignored the red crosses even though by this time all normal drivers were keeping to the LH lane AND lane two was available. How many points for that sort of driving? Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 00:30   Overhead Motorway Signs - Dave_

>> there is no sentient being monitoring them I once drove up the M40 early one summer's evening, and passed (I counted them) 10 matrix signs at 1-mile intervals lit up with the message "40(mph) ACCIDENT - CAUTION" before happening across a Lane 1 closure (very clearly marked with two fully lit-up Incident Response lorries). There was no traffic delay at all, just 10 miles of drivers first slightly uncertain of, then mostly ignoring the warnings altogether. How hard can it be to combine CCTV and matrix signs to tell us "ACCIDENT 5 MILES AHEAD", "QUEUE 2 MILES AHEAD" or something similar? Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Mon 23 May 11 at 00:31 Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 06:31   Overhead Motorway Signs - WillDeBeest

ANIMALS IN ROAD was one I used to see surprisingly often near Banbury on the M40. DEBRIS IN ROAD used to appear a lot too. The difference was that there occasionally was some debris; I never saw an animal - I suppose they do move a bit faster than stuff that's fallen from a lorry. I do rather like the challenge boards. 30 miles in 26 minutes on my old route was generally beatable without trying too hard. These days it's 12 miles in 12 minutes and it's sadly accurate; when it offers 20 minutes I know I'm in for a slow journey home. It did offer 11 late one evening and it kept its promise. In other words, on a route you use regularly they make a useful guide to the traffic ahead. Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 23 May 11 09:17   Overhead Motorway Signs - R.P.

Blowing a gale here now, was due to go for a test ride on a Triumph XC800 this morning, just postponed it until Thursday...! Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 May 11 12:47   Overhead Motorway Signs - Snakey

The ones at Washington services here make me laugh. After you've stopped and inched along for the last half mile they boldy proclaim 'Queue Ahead' Gee, thanks for that. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 May 11 18:55   Overhead Motorway Signs - Skoda

FOG RISK CAUTION That one cracks me up. Missing punctuation / funny wording i guess. The "slow for 2 miles" or whatever on the approach to Glasgow in the morning tend to be roughly accurate. Easy to get right though - it's always the same slow points. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 May 11 19:44   Overhead Motorway Signs - Cockle

New one, on me at least, on the M1 today. "Check your fuel" Not quite sure exactly what they're trying to say with that but if they mean check your fuel level then surely it's a little late once you're actually on the motorway? Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 May 11 19:56   Overhead Motorway Signs - Dave_

>> "Check your fuel" That's normally displayed at the start of the school holidays. I presume there must be an increase in run-outs on the motorway as people make longer journeys than normal. Strange to see it on a Tuesday though. Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 May 11 21:08   Overhead Motorway Signs - WillDeBeest

Another one that could do with some punctuation, or is perhaps aimed at any literate tomcats behind the wheel: SPRAY SLOW DOWN Reply to this message | Report message

Tue 24 May 11 21:12   Overhead Motorway Signs - Zero

You know, I think some of you pedants would try and argue it in court. "I didn't slow down your Honour, because of the poor punctuation on the warning sign" Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 11:16   Overhead Motorway Signs - AshT

Several times I've been sat in standstill traffic on the motorway, going nowhere fast, and the overhead signs just have 50 signs up. The thought "I would if I could" always crosses my mind. Why more useful information can't be put up - expect delays of up to 1 hour for instance - is beyond me. Local radio stations always seem to have a good handle on what's going on in these cases; perhaps there's a case for allowing them to manage the signs ;) Last edited by: AshT on Wed 25 May 11 at 11:16 Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 12:39   Overhead Motorway Signs - henry k

>>Local radio stations always seem to have a good handle on what's going on in these cases; perhaps there's a case for allowing them to manage the signs ;) >> Or post the radio frequency of such stations on the gantrys Strangers to the area do not know local radio stations :-(. AA signs are put up showing the radio station for Wimbledon. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 12:50   Overhead Motorway Signs - Londoner

>> Or post the radio frequency of such stations on the gantrys >> Strangers to the area do not know local radio stations :-(. >> AA signs are put up showing the radio station for Wimbledon. >> But provided you set the car radio up correctly, it should automatically broadcast traffic reports from stations within range, then stop when they are finished so you don't have to listen to all the waffle. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 13:11   Overhead Motorway Signs - Bromptonaut

>> But provided you set the car radio up correctly, it should automatically broadcast traffic reports >> from stations within range, then stop when they are finished so you don't have to >> listen to all the waffle. Trouble is a decent radio will have large number of stations in range. If I use my TA service round Northampton I get constant interrruptions from Oxford to Cambridge and London to Birmingham. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 13:15   Overhead Motorway Signs - henry k

>> Trouble is a decent radio will have large number of stations in range. >>If I use my TA service round Northampton I get constant interrruptions from Oxford to Cambridge and London to Birmingham. >> Plus all th guff from these stations as they do not accurately control the start and end of their transmissions. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 13:19   Overhead Motorway Signs - Zero

>> But provided you set the car radio up correctly, it should automatically broadcast traffic reports >> from stations within range, then stop when they are finished so you don't have to >> listen to all the waffle. Ah yes but, it depends when they press the TA button at the TX station. Sometimes they put it on to get you a load of waffle first and then afterwards. Also as BN says, when radio stations are combining (like BBC beds hearts and bucks) thats a lot of Motorway area, usually where you dont want it. Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 14:18   Overhead Motorway Signs - Londoner

Bit mystified by these replies as I have found TA very useful for advance notifications. This is my experience of it..... - Driving along listening to music, then TA cuts in and starts talking about the roads. - I can stop listening to the report at any time by simply pressing the radio volume button once. - The music resumes from where it was before the traffic report cut in. (Also, the traffic report gets saved by the car, so I can re-listen to it if required.) Simples! Reply to this message | Report message

Wed 25 May 11 14:18   Overhead Motorway Signs - AshT

I don't mind a few seconds of waffle, but as above the TA broadcasts in this area seem to come largely from stations in south Wales - not much use when you're on the M5 heading south. Reply to this message | Report message