Random Irritations

[Robster59]

Two important Teams meetings this morning cancelled. One because two people hadn't accepted them and then after the start time asked when the meeting was starting (too late, I've had to change the date). Another which has been in with a customer for weeks. I messaged the internal people last week to check they were ready for them. Got an email this morning from the manager saying he meant to contact the customer over the last couple of weeks to ask for it to be put back, but forgot.
Annoyed is not the word!

 

[Billysboots]

The new and even more inept use of the signs on overhead gantries on the M6 through Birmingham. Travelling south today past the exit for the A38, I passed six gantries in the next couple of miles which ALL displayed different speed limits - national, 40mph, national, 50mph, blank, national.

Given there were no roadworks, no lane closures, no stranded vehicles, and the traffic flow the same throughout (no slow moving abnormal loads which often trigger lower speed limits through sensors in the road surface), I can only assume, once again, that those in the regional National Highways control room had all nipped to the loo or nodded off.

For the uninitiated, the use of the gantries and variable speed limits on motorways is collectively known as Active Traffic Management. In the West Midlands region it is neither active nor is it management.

There is a reason for this rant. Given that traffic on the motorway is all travelling in the same direction, it must follow that the vast majority of collisions are caused by poor driver behaviour. If those in control of the gantry system continue to blatantly misuse it, then drivers will ignore it. And if that misuse feeds into driver behaviour in this way, then the very system which is intended to keep the motoring public safe is likely to be a contributory factor in collisions, rather than preventing them.

This is a conversation I had with National Highways more than once in my previous life, and despite repeated assurances that things would improve, they remain as bad as ever. They would actually be better off not having a system of Active Traffic Management at all.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

The new and even more inept use of the signs on overhead gantries on the M6 through Birmingham. Travelling south today past the exit for the A38, I passed six gantries in the next couple of miles which ALL displayed different speed limits - national, 40mph, national, 50mph, blank, national.

Given there were no roadworks, no lane closures, no stranded vehicles, and the traffic flow the same throughout (no slow moving abnormal loads which often trigger lower speed limits through sensors in the road surface), I can only assume, once again, that those in the regional National Highways control room had all nipped to the loo or nodded off.

For the uninitiated, the use of the gantries and variable speed limits on motorways is collectively known as Active Traffic Management. In the West Midlands region it is neither active nor is it management.

There is a reason for this rant. Given that traffic on the motorway is all travelling in the same direction, it must follow that the vast majority of collisions are caused by poor driver behaviour. If those in control of the gantry system continue to blatantly misuse it, then drivers will ignore it. And if that misuse feeds into driver behaviour in this way, then the very system which is intended to keep the motoring public safe is likely to be a contributory factor in collisions, rather than preventing them.

This is a conversation I had with National Highways more than once in my previous life, and despite repeated assurances that things would improve, they remain as bad as ever. They would actually be better off not having a system of Active Traffic Management at all.

I support your rant.
I find they remove speed/lane restrictions far too long after everyone has gone home, with the worst situation being red "X"'s. How can they complain about people ignoring them when there is nothing there and it's just been left on for far too long after the event.
Its got to a point where you now almost ignore the gantries and make your own judgement call.

 

[Robster59]

Sitting on a HAZOP review for all the afternoon.

 

[3 jabber]

I bought myself a new electric drill, the button which changes direction of rotation is directly where I normally place my thumb. I was on the third hole yesterday when I realised why it was not drilling well.

You should be focusing more on your next shot not DIY issues whilst on the course.

 

[venger]

Not being allowed to choose my choice of music for the staff Christmas party.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Not being allowed to choose my choice of music for the staff Christmas party.

A staff Christmas party should, by tradition, have garbage music that irritates everyone into drinking more and not caring.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The new and even more inept use of the signs on overhead gantries on the M6 through Birmingham. Travelling south today past the exit for the A38, I passed six gantries in the next couple of miles which ALL displayed different speed limits - national, 40mph, national, 50mph, blank, national.

Given there were no roadworks, no lane closures, no stranded vehicles, and the traffic flow the same throughout (no slow moving abnormal loads which often trigger lower speed limits through sensors in the road surface), I can only assume, once again, that those in the regional National Highways control room had all nipped to the loo or nodded off.

For the uninitiated, the use of the gantries and variable speed limits on motorways is collectively known as Active Traffic Management. In the West Midlands region it is neither active nor is it management.

There is a reason for this rant. Given that traffic on the motorway is all travelling in the same direction, it must follow that the vast majority of collisions are caused by poor driver behaviour. If those in control of the gantry system continue to blatantly misuse it, then drivers will ignore it. And if that misuse feeds into driver behaviour in this way, then the very system which is intended to keep the motoring public safe is likely to be a contributory factor in collisions, rather than preventing them.

This is a conversation I had with National Highways more than once in my previous life, and despite repeated assurances that things would improve, they remain as bad as ever. They would actually be better off not having a system of Active Traffic Management at all.

Seems to be the biggest waste of money known

 

[venger]

A staff Christmas party should, by tradition, have garbage music that irritates everyone into drinking more and not caring.

Apparently Motorheads' version of Run Rudolph Run is not appropriate, or so the organizing committee say

 

[Tashyboy]

The new and even more inept use of the signs on overhead gantries on the M6 through Birmingham. Travelling south today past the exit for the A38, I passed six gantries in the next couple of miles which ALL displayed different speed limits - national, 40mph, national, 50mph, blank, national.

Given there were no roadworks, no lane closures, no stranded vehicles, and the traffic flow the same throughout (no slow moving abnormal loads which often trigger lower speed limits through sensors in the road surface), I can only assume, once again, that those in the regional National Highways control room had all nipped to the loo or nodded off.

For the uninitiated, the use of the gantries and variable speed limits on motorways is collectively known as Active Traffic Management. In the West Midlands region it is neither active nor is it management.

There is a reason for this rant. Given that traffic on the motorway is all travelling in the same direction, it must follow that the vast majority of collisions are caused by poor driver behaviour. If those in control of the gantry system continue to blatantly misuse it, then drivers will ignore it. And if that misuse feeds into driver behaviour in this way, then the very system which is intended to keep the motoring public safe is likely to be a contributory factor in collisions, rather than preventing them.

This is a conversation I had with National Highways more than once in my previous life, and despite repeated assurances that things would improve, they remain as bad as ever. They would actually be better off not having a system of Active Traffic Management at all.

Am sure you could of slipped “ smart” motorways into your thread as well

 

[Orikoru]

Apparently Motorheads' version of Run Rudolph Run is not appropriate, or so the organizing committee say

Get them to stick this on as well:

 

[Imurg]

Seems to be the biggest waste of money known

Nah...that's currently churning up the countryside between London and Birmingham......

 

[Billysboots]

Nah...that's currently churning up the countryside between London and Birmingham......

Yep. And one or two golf courses.

 

[cliveb]

The new and even more inept use of the signs on overhead gantries on the M6 through Birmingham. Travelling south today past the exit for the A38, I passed six gantries in the next couple of miles which ALL displayed different speed limits - national, 40mph, national, 50mph, blank, national.

Given there were no roadworks, no lane closures, no stranded vehicles, and the traffic flow the same throughout (no slow moving abnormal loads which often trigger lower speed limits through sensors in the road surface), I can only assume, once again, that those in the regional National Highways control room had all nipped to the loo or nodded off.

For the uninitiated, the use of the gantries and variable speed limits on motorways is collectively known as Active Traffic Management. In the West Midlands region it is neither active nor is it management.

There is a reason for this rant. Given that traffic on the motorway is all travelling in the same direction, it must follow that the vast majority of collisions are caused by poor driver behaviour. If those in control of the gantry system continue to blatantly misuse it, then drivers will ignore it. And if that misuse feeds into driver behaviour in this way, then the very system which is intended to keep the motoring public safe is likely to be a contributory factor in collisions, rather than preventing them.

This is a conversation I had with National Highways more than once in my previous life, and despite repeated assurances that things would improve, they remain as bad as ever. They would actually be better off not having a system of Active Traffic Management at all.

It's not limited to West Midlands. Overhead gantry signs are generally wrong all over the country. (The only time they tend to be correct is on the M25, when they say "queue ahead". Which given there is always a queue ahead isn't exactly news).

We could learn from the French. The signs on autoroutes are pretty much always spot on, and they even give you genuinely useful info, such as "2km queue in 10km time".

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Nah...that's currently churning up the countryside between London and Birmingham......

Well yes that certainly going to be one of the biggest white elephants in history

 

[Golfmmad]

The new and even more inept use of the signs on overhead gantries on the M6 through Birmingham. Travelling south today past the exit for the A38, I passed six gantries in the next couple of miles which ALL displayed different speed limits - national, 40mph, national, 50mph, blank, national.

Given there were no roadworks, no lane closures, no stranded vehicles, and the traffic flow the same throughout (no slow moving abnormal loads which often trigger lower speed limits through sensors in the road surface), I can only assume, once again, that those in the regional National Highways control room had all nipped to the loo or nodded off.

For the uninitiated, the use of the gantries and variable speed limits on motorways is collectively known as Active Traffic Management. In the West Midlands region it is neither active nor is it management.

There is a reason for this rant. Given that traffic on the motorway is all travelling in the same direction, it must follow that the vast majority of collisions are caused by poor driver behaviour. If those in control of the gantry system continue to blatantly misuse it, then drivers will ignore it. And if that misuse feeds into driver behaviour in this way, then the very system which is intended to keep the motoring public safe is likely to be a contributory factor in collisions, rather than preventing them.

This is a conversation I had with National Highways more than once in my previous life, and despite repeated assurances that things would improve, they remain as bad as ever. They would actually be better off not having a system of Active Traffic Management at all.

I get what you're saying and this is a serious question.
Given what you did in your previous life, would you not be able to, with your contacts, speak to the Highways Agency and express your concerns?
After all, you're well placed to give them real life/driving experience which hopefully they should take on board.

Here's hoping.

 

[Billysboots]

I get what you're saying and this is a serious question.
Given what you did in your previous life, would you not be able to, with your contacts, speak to the Highways Agency and express your concerns?
After all, you're well placed to give them real life/driving experience which hopefully they should take on board.

Here's hoping.

I have emailed them a couple of times. The first email did get quite a detailed response, saying that they would investigate a number of identified issues and update me. I never heard any more, and a further request was ignored.

The issue for me is that, if drivers keep seeing signage which is quite clearly wrong, ultimately they will become desensitised to it. A lot of the gantries we see are quite clearly permanently set - the classic example is the one which says “Congestion - use hard shoulder” with a reduced speed limit, which remains set on some stretches of the M6 even when the road is really quiet.

When that desensitising occurs, the clear risk is that warning signs are ignored. And when correctly set signs are ignored that should be a real concern. I used to speak to National Highways staff about these very concerns during regular visits to regional control rooms as part of fatal road traffic collision enquiries, but never really seemed to make much in the way of progress. At that time, much of the messaging system was in its infancy, and was largely automated, relying on censors in the road surface.

The last exchange of emails repeated my observations. The incident which gave rise to that exchange followed me driving under a 4-lane gantry which had different speed limits set for the individual lanes - I kid you not.

I was led me to believe that my concerns, which were supported by my own background, were being taken seriously and would be subject of an investigation and review, if necessary. Seems I was wrong, as I heard no more and things are as bad as ever.

 

[RichA]

Google AI overview when you do a search. What utter !

 

[Golfmmad]

I have emailed them a couple of times. The first email did get quite a detailed response, saying that they would investigate a number of identified issues and update me. I never heard any more, and a further request was ignored.

The issue for me is that, if drivers keep seeing signage which is quite clearly wrong, ultimately they will become desensitised to it. A lot of the gantries we see are quite clearly permanently set - the classic example is the one which says “Congestion - use hard shoulder” with a reduced speed limit, which remains set on some stretches of the M6 even when the road is really quiet.

When that desensitising occurs, the clear risk is that warning signs are ignored. And when correctly set signs are ignored that should be a real concern. I used to speak to National Highways staff about these very concerns during regular visits to regional control rooms as part of fatal road traffic collision enquiries, but never really seemed to make much in the way of progress. At that time, much of the messaging system was in its infancy, and was largely automated, relying on censors in the road surface.

The last exchange of emails repeated my observations. The incident which gave rise to that exchange followed me driving under a 4-lane gantry which had different speed limits set for the individual lanes - I kid you not.

I was led me to believe that my concerns, which were supported by my own background, were being taken seriously and would be subject of an investigation and review, if necessary. Seems I was wrong, as I heard no more and things are as bad as ever.

Thanks for your detailed reply. It must be very frustrating when it seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
When I was driving for a living I used to think that the concept of Smart Motorways was a great innovation. But if the technology is not used as it should be then what a waste of money.

Is it a case of operatives not doing their job properly, shortage of staff? Somebody must be responsible, or does it require a complete shake up and heads need to roll.

 

[clubchamp98]

Thanks for your detailed reply. It must be very frustrating when it seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
When I was driving for a living I used to think that the concept of Smart Motorways was a great innovation. But if the technology is not used as it should be then what a waste of money.

Is it a case of operatives not doing their job properly, shortage of staff? Somebody must be responsible, or does it require a complete shake up and heads need to roll.

If it was done in any other country it probably would work.
But here it dosnt ! They are a death trap.
Drivers pay no attention as the signs bear no resemblance to road conditions.

The ones in Manchester are abysmal and make traffic jams worse imo.
I think it’s a bit of everything there seems to be no coordination between the cameras and staff
I would be terrified to break down on one of them.