prprandall51
MB Enthusiast
Typical short-sighted Victorian thinking. Couldn't they anticipate that one day Jeremy Clarkson would drive through there at 180 in a Veyron? Allegedly.
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Typical short-sighted Victorian thinking. Couldn't they anticipate that one day Jeremy Clarkson would drive through there at 180 in a Veyron? Allegedly.
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Roger Jones
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- May 18, 2006
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"I, too, wish there was something more effective that could be done to control those (usually non-resident) drivers who treat the lanes round our village as a personal racetrack."
I agree, except that, so often, reckless speeders are found to be locals.
There is Whitwell village in Herts, which has a long and narrow main street, along which houses are almost continuous, many of them opening direct onto the narrow pavements, plus pedestrian alleyways debouching onto the road. Cars are parked along its length, mostly on one side because of the narrow road. I visit it often and genuinely feel that 30 mph is too fast -- parked cars, pedestrians, children, old people (there's a retirement home on the street), pets, etc. -- so I drive at 25 or slower. The lunatic speeds you see there defy belief. It's not just delivery vans but the whole spectrum of vehicles, including many driven by local residents who should know better. Bear in mind that 30 on the speedo is about 27 actual, so their speedos are commonly showing a great deal higher.
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On the other hand, elsewhere I was doing max 30 in a 30 zone -- actually set on cruise control -- on a wide road with excellent visibility and little traffic or parking, and saw not a hair dryer but a three-finger gesture directed at me. I slowed and turned around to ask the elderly man if he was trying to tell me something. He accused me of speeding; I said that I knew for certain I wasn't. He didn't believe me; I suggested that he should mind his own business -- all of this without getting the slightest bit agitated. He then screamed at the top of his voice "I won't, because you're scum". It may have been his dislike of the W126 or his habit of wearing a hat that comes down over his ears (plus combat-camouflage trousers), or both. Look out for him in Harpenden.
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The vigilante approach is not something to be encouraged, but in some places it is all too understandable as an attractive option. Sadly, the problem is here to stay, as effective road policing is too costly to be contemplated by our wonderful politicians with higher priorities (wars, book deals, that second or third house, . . .).
I agree, except that, so often, reckless speeders are found to be locals.
There is Whitwell village in Herts, which has a long and narrow main street, along which houses are almost continuous, many of them opening direct onto the narrow pavements, plus pedestrian alleyways debouching onto the road. Cars are parked along its length, mostly on one side because of the narrow road. I visit it often and genuinely feel that 30 mph is too fast -- parked cars, pedestrians, children, old people (there's a retirement home on the street), pets, etc. -- so I drive at 25 or slower. The lunatic speeds you see there defy belief. It's not just delivery vans but the whole spectrum of vehicles, including many driven by local residents who should know better. Bear in mind that 30 on the speedo is about 27 actual, so their speedos are commonly showing a great deal higher.
____________________________
On the other hand, elsewhere I was doing max 30 in a 30 zone -- actually set on cruise control -- on a wide road with excellent visibility and little traffic or parking, and saw not a hair dryer but a three-finger gesture directed at me. I slowed and turned around to ask the elderly man if he was trying to tell me something. He accused me of speeding; I said that I knew for certain I wasn't. He didn't believe me; I suggested that he should mind his own business -- all of this without getting the slightest bit agitated. He then screamed at the top of his voice "I won't, because you're scum". It may have been his dislike of the W126 or his habit of wearing a hat that comes down over his ears (plus combat-camouflage trousers), or both. Look out for him in Harpenden.
_________________________________________
The vigilante approach is not something to be encouraged, but in some places it is all too understandable as an attractive option. Sadly, the problem is here to stay, as effective road policing is too costly to be contemplated by our wonderful politicians with higher priorities (wars, book deals, that second or third house, . . .).
Hi Roger,
Upon reflection all that needed to be done to prevent "horses seeing the light at the end of the 'tunnel'" was to dig in a straight line with a couple of 'kinks' each end.....the Rotherhithe tunnel meanders like a snake so why build it with all those bends.
Horses plus avoiding docks:see below
"Its route includes sharp, nearly right-angled bends at the points where the tunnel goes under the river bed. These served two purposes: avoiding the local docks on each side of the river, and preventing horses from seeing daylight at the end of the tunnel too early which might make them bolt for the exit."
Also:
"The speed limit of 20 miles per hour is enforced with speed cameras but is frequently exceeded. A 2003 survey rated the Rotherhithe Tunnel the tenth most dangerous tunnel in the whole of Europe due to its poor safety features.[5] Its proximity to the river also made it vulnerable to flooding, as happened in the 1928 Thames flood.
Cheers,
Upon reflection all that needed to be done to prevent "horses seeing the light at the end of the 'tunnel'" was to dig in a straight line with a couple of 'kinks' each end.....the Rotherhithe tunnel meanders like a snake so why build it with all those bends.
Horses plus avoiding docks:see below
"Its route includes sharp, nearly right-angled bends at the points where the tunnel goes under the river bed. These served two purposes: avoiding the local docks on each side of the river, and preventing horses from seeing daylight at the end of the tunnel too early which might make them bolt for the exit."
Also:
"The speed limit of 20 miles per hour is enforced with speed cameras but is frequently exceeded. A 2003 survey rated the Rotherhithe Tunnel the tenth most dangerous tunnel in the whole of Europe due to its poor safety features.[5] Its proximity to the river also made it vulnerable to flooding, as happened in the 1928 Thames flood.
Cheers,
