M25 20mph gantry signs "Oncoming Vehicle"

[SW18]

Has anyone seen this before and have any clue what it's about? I had this earlier this evening for about 5 miles around junctions 28-29. My first thought was that it was genuine, but then saw that the other carriageway had the same signs. Surely there can't have been "oncoming vehicles" on both sides at the same time?

Given that the gantry signs are enforceable I felt I should comply, though few others were. After a while I took to speeding up between gantries as its hard to drive on a fairly empty motorway at 20mph when other cars are passing by much faster.

All in all, it seemed very odd. There was no sign of an oncoming vehicle on my side anyway. So maybe a bizarre controller glitch? A google search doesn't shed much light, though it does appear to have been mentioned some years ago on a motoring forum.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Has anyone seen this before and have any clue what it's about? I had this earlier this evening for about 5 miles around junctions 28-29. My first thought was that it was genuine, but then saw that the other carriageway had the same signs. Surely there can't have been "oncoming vehicles" on both sides at the same time?

Given that the gantry signs are enforceable I felt I should comply, though few others were. After a while I took to speeding up between gantries as its hard to drive on a fairly empty motorway at 20mph when other cars are passing by much faster.

All in all, it seemed very odd. There was no sign of an oncoming vehicle on my side anyway. So maybe a bizarre controller glitch? A google search doesn't shed much light, though it does appear to have been mentioned some years ago on a motoring forum.

Perhaps there had been a call received reporting a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction but it hadn’t been substantiated, and so the message was displayed in both directions until verified.

 

[st13phil]

Perhaps there had been a call received reporting a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction but it hadn’t been substantiated, and so the message was displayed in both directions until verified.

That's my guess too.

As an aside, a friend of mine was unfortunate enough to witness and be amongst the first on scene when the "wrong way" fatal crash happened on the M40 in October 2018. He comforted the driver of the Mondeo as his life slipped away.

I completely understand that travelling at 20mph on a motorway is incredibly difficult - especially as other drivers invariably ignore the advice - but the risk of utter carnage if someone is driving in the wrong direction and people are travelling at "normal" speeds is immense.

Wrong-way fatal M40 crash driver 'had cancer in brain'

John Norton drove south on the M40's northbound carriageway for four miles before the fatal crash.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[MissyD]

Has anyone seen this before and have any clue what it's about? I had this earlier this evening for about 5 miles around junctions 28-29. My first thought was that it was genuine, but then saw that the other carriageway had the same signs. Surely there can't have been "oncoming vehicles" on both sides at the same time?

Given that the gantry signs are enforceable I felt I should comply, though few others were. After a while I took to speeding up between gantries as its hard to drive on a fairly empty motorway at 20mph when other cars are passing by much faster.

All in all, it seemed very odd. There was no sign of an oncoming vehicle on my side anyway. So maybe a bizarre controller glitch? A google search doesn't shed much light, though it does appear to have been mentioned some years ago on a motoring forum.

I saw this when I joined the M25 at Jnt 28 yesterday as per my quote in the interesting sign thread...

One sign I didn't want to see on the gantry when I was travelling at 70 on the motorway today was... oncoming vehicle!!

 

[E55BOF]

I had this once, years ago, on the M40. I was on a bike, so just a bit vulnerable...

Traffic was very light, and I did wonder which lane to use. I decided the best bet was to get right over next to the hard shoulder, and if necessary take my chances riding onto the grass and falling off. No vehicle appeared, though, nor any sign of anything, so I've no idea whether it was just a glitch in the system.

 

[SW18]

Ah, that does make perfect sense, a very sound theory. And in these days of XR protestors' shenanigans I'd not be surprised if there is an element of extra caution at the moment.

Perhaps there had been a call received reporting a vehicle travelling in the wrong direction but it hadn’t been substantiated, and so the message was displayed in both directions until verified.

 

[Rashman]

I illuminate one of these signs indoors every time my wife comes home from work and starts snaking up the drive in reverse as she tries to park.

Believe me, caution is very much advised..