50 plus drivers prosecuted for driving through a Red X light!!!!

[350cls]

More than 50 motorway drivers to be prosecuted after flooding closed lanes

Police say more than 50 drivers will be prosecuted after they drove in motorway lanes that had been temporarily closed.

www.watfordobserver.co.uk

Good enough for the knumbskulls!!

Nothing worse that a que jumper. Last minute lane jumper. Get back to f.u. lol

 

[MCFastybloke]

Excellent

 

[markjay]

That depends on your point of view... I would think that if a large number of drivers commit the same offense, the police and Highway Agency should check themselves to see what went wrong, e.g. if their system of signaling is clear enough, etc. At any rate, the purpose of closing the lane was safety, so if drivers still drove through it, then clearly the goal wasn't achieved.

 

[leef44]

Herd mentality. One person does it and everyone else follows.

This is like the parking on the road in Snowdonia where a whole row of cars got tickets, rightly so.

 

[W1ghty]

About time

 

[T5R+]

What a shame.

Perhaps they need to read up on the highway code.

We all know that the system is not perfect but sometimes (appreciate occassionally) the camera operators know better.

Given that matrix managed motorways have been around for over a decade, there really are no excuses. Even if you live in rural places, anyone driving on our roads who sees a sign with numbers in the middle and a red roundel has no excuse as to exactly what it means - exactly the same applies to a big "X" (even without the border).

 

[WOODYTHEWISE]

Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

 

[MikeTyson]

You have to obey the matrix signs - for all you know there could be an accident in that lane?

 

[Stratman]

Good.

 

[John]

Good.

I've seen it quite a lot over recent years and I don't even drive that often on the motorway.

Last time I remember was a huge line of cars in lane 1 approaching the QEII bridge (at normal speeds) and a lone 911 just stormed by everyone in lane 2.

 

[190]

There is another side to this.

If the operators of motorway signs had a past history of always operating them in what drivers perceived to be a rational manner then perhaps compliance would be better. As it is drivers have been conditioned to signs crying wolf far to often. Even if it's just excessive caution, the inevitable result is going to be less compliance. When driver come to believe in motorway signage, compliance will improve.

 

[Dryce]

Herd mentality. One person does it and everyone else follows.

This ..... comnbined with an ignorance about the absolute mandatory nature of the red X.

 

[Dryce]

There is another side to this.

If the operators of motorway signs had a past history of always operating them in what drivers perceived to be a rational manner then perhaps compliance would be better. As it is drivers have been conditioned to signs crying wolf far to often. Even if it's just excessive caution, the inevitable result is going to be less compliance. When driver come to believe in motorway signage, compliance will improve.

I'd say about 50% of the warnings I see on the M1 are inconsistent or even contradictory in some way.

The ones I see on the M74 seem to think a 20mph limit is entirely reasonable on an empty motorway with a well marked exit lane closure.

End of restrictions are a particular problem - very poorly handled on M1.

And it seems to have been getting worse over the last couple of years.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

There is another side to this.

If the operators of motorway signs had a past history of always operating them in what drivers perceived to be a rational manner then perhaps compliance would be better. As it is drivers have been conditioned to signs crying wolf far to often. Even if it's just excessive caution, the inevitable result is going to be less compliance. When driver come to believe in motorway signage, compliance will improve.

And yet another side is that drivers often perceive motorway signs to be erroneous because they don’t know why they are in place. In very many instances a driver will think to themselves that the reduced speed or lane restriction isn’t necessary because the motorway is flowing well, without realising that it’s flowing well BECAUSE of the temporary signage. Or it may be that limiting signs are posted well in advance whilst an obstruction Is being cleared, but by the time the motorist reaches the point where the obstruction had been it’s gone and there’s nothing to see. The sign can’t be turned off in anticipation of the obstruction being cleared, so this apparent misdirection is inevitable for a period. (The ‘obstruction‘ may include very heavy traffic.)

I hope that makes sense. Understanding something doesn’t necessarily make it easy to put into words that others can understand!

 

[219]

I'd say about 50% of the warnings I see on the M1 are inconsistent or even contradictory in some way.

The ones I see on the M74 seem to think a 20mph limit is entirely reasonable on an empty motorway with a well marked exit lane closure.

End of restrictions are a particular problem - very poorly handled on M1.

And it seems to have been getting worse over the last couple of years.

Another example of that is the ‘temporary’ 40 mph restriction on the M80 just after it leaves the M8 at the gasworks .

I’ve driven through it many times over the last several weeks , and other than the presence of the signs , with the end signs clearly visible a few hundred yards further on , there has been absolutely nothing happening there , no roadworks , no litter pickers - nothing .

Little wonder that everyone ignores it .

 

[Stratman]

Not knowing why a compulsory restriction is in place isn't a reason for ignoring it. Far too many accidents are caused by the "I know best, sod everyone else" brigade..

 

[anglaslt]

I would have thought the marked police vehicle provided a pretty strong clue that there was a reason why the lanes were closed.

 

[markjay]

A point I have made in the past, is that a speed camera that catches many speeding drivers, is clearly not doing its job.

Speed cameras - aka safety cameras - are meant to deter drivers from speeding. If drivers still speed, then the goal hasn't been achieved.

I would argue the same here - collecting fines after the event doesn't help, and isn't making the motorway safer. The Highway Agency should have a rethink, instead of simply blaming motorists for not not being deterred by the fines.

The key objective is achieving a safer motorway, not collecting more fines or finding someone to blame and point the finger at.

 

[Dryce]

Not knowing why a compulsory restriction is in place isn't a reason for ignoring it. Far too many accidents are caused by the "I know best, sod everyone else" brigade..

Public behaviour means that it doesn't take much for a perceived lack of credibility in a sign to mean it is ignoerd.

So which it is wrong for people to dsiopbey signs - I think those in control of the signage have a responsibility to to ensure they are used properly.

Right now I don't see it. So blame goes to both sides.

I find it very hard to feel safe keeping at 40mph on my speedo on a long remote section of motorway with no sign of works and with HGVs running up behind and swerving past on their speed limiters.

On both the M1 and M6 it's not uncommon for signs to inducate a limit like 40 and then successive signs to show no information - despite the faciity for them to communicate a reason.

Common sense suggests that more care in setting out signage and communication - combined with more diligent enforcement - is the best way forward. In fact more enforcement would probably require better basic signage.

 

[350cls]

Just fines is not enough of a punishment in my opinion. A good dose of penalty points would make these morons think twice.