Most Dangerous Roads in UK

[stevieb15]

here's the latest Dangerous Roads data:
Hazard warning: Which are Britain's deadliest roads? | Mail Online

Having looked at the map it would appear that a disproportionate amount of highest risk roads are along and either side of the M60/M62 between Liverpool and Hull....could it be that drivers in Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire have lower standards and skill levels than the rest of the country.

 

[@MARK]

As is often the case when these reports are published, folk are quick to try and pin the blame on a single cause.

Bad roads

Motorbikes

Bad Driving

Speed!

Of course in most accidents are down to a combination of things but here are a couple of thoughts

The very fact you are reading this means that firstly you have an active interest in cars and therefore to a point I suspect you have an active interest in your driving.

To you the concept of a bad road is nonsense.

Indeed near to me the new A16 Spalding to Eye link road has just opened. 20 miles of dead straight new road. Perfect visibility, perfect road surface perfect design.

But

In the last month since it opened, there have been a number of head on collisions and fatalities. At first glance to an experienced driver like myself I can't see how this is possible,

But then I look around me and realise that every hour of every day I see a driver that clearly has not got a clue. Drivers that will do dangerous overtakes. Drivers that think that they must drive faster than everybody. Ageing drivers that really should have given up their license a long time ago because there reaction times are too slow or simply because there eyesight is that bad. Drunk drivers. Drivers on the phone.

Unfortunately for the rest of us the roads (and speed limits on said roads) need to be designed for the lowest common denominator.

It's like the 80mph debate for motorways. For you and I this may seem like a no brainer but what about your 90 year old granny in her 1975 Allegro? Do we want her doing 80mph or worse, 40mph whilst the rest of us are doing 80mph?

Roads are used by a huge cross section of drivers. Some are skilled and experienced. Many are not. It may be a pain but it is for these that we have to design the roads, put the signs up and set the speed limits.

And my second point.

We all seem to think we are better drivers yet in any group the law of averages says that almost half of the group are of below average driving ability! Yes if I ran a poll on here asking you to say if you are above or below average (and remember that half of the respondents MUST be below) I am pretty sure that I won't see many admitting they fall into the below category.

Miles driven, number of years without an accident, number (or lack of) points on your license, being a taxi/truck driver. None of these are a measure of how good a driver you are but there are a number of schemes out there that will both grade you and train you.

Think about it.

 

[finisterre]

The Cat and Fiddle is statistically interesting because of the bikers having fun. In my Z4 I can't even exceed the average 50 speed limit on the section with all the little shrines.

Clearly dangerous isn't quite the word, it is actually involving, challenging, entertaining, which adds up to lots of accidents.

Anyway, I don't particularly want to be a good driver. A to B and a bit of fun if the roads are clear is enough.

We have the safest roads of pretty much anywhere developed. The only places with less death don't have very many cars. Pursuing better death rates is not really worth the trouble IMHO.

 

[@MARK]

Anyway, I don't particularly want to be a good driver. A to B and a bit of fun if the roads are clear is enough.

.

A very good point. I suppose a lot of drivers (and this isn't aimed at you) don't care. They get in their car, get to where they are going and get out again.

But out of interest as a Z4 owner surely you would want to get more out of what is a very capable car by improving your skills?

 

[finisterre]

cruising country lanes with the roof down in the sunshine is the joy of it.

I leave hurtling to those in a rush.

 

[Troon]

A285 Chichester to Petworth - West Sussex

I love that road and the Petworth to Billingshurst road on the other side. I remember driving both of them one quiet night in my youth in my 1983 Mk1 Fiesta running on lowered and uprated suspension, set up to drift rather than understeer.

I was having some fun on the corners - quite possible without exceeding the limit in that car, although in hindsight not too clever - when a pair of small near-square headlamps appeared in my rear view mirror, just like those fitted to my car.

I did the Petworth to Billingshurst stretch right on the limit (this is a 53PS 1117cc engine with 160k miles on it, on 155/70R13 tyres) as I wasn't going to be shown up by another Mk1, even though it could be a 1.3 SuperSport! No matter how hard I tried, though, I couldn't gain any ground.

Then we came into the streetlights:

He probably hadn't noticed I was trying...

 

[tom181]

Dangerous, but interesting!

 

[Deleted member 65149]

It identified the A537 between Macclesfield, Cheshire, and Buxton, Derbyshire, as the most dangerous road

A very old thread I know, but I drove along this magnificent stretch of road for the first time today. It was my first opportunity to really try out the handling of my new C350 saloon and I wasn't disappointed. Switching on the Dynamic Handling left me with a grin so wide I nearly split my face . Interrupting the drive with a few well chosen stops to admire the view was the best way to drive; it allowed my to concentrate on the road when driving and it stopped me from exceeding the 50mph average. So it's dangerous for idiots and fantastic for humans!

 

[martyz]

Do the same trip in the winter and it won't be a grin splitting your face.