Smart Motorways!

[stefanovic]

Just come back from LA yesterday and indeed I drove all the way down the I405 through LA on the way to San Diego, then went back up to LA and was driving around and through it for a few days. Absolutely terrifying to be honest, it's like Death Race 2000 as cars, bikes, scooters just appear from anywhere, undertaking, overtaking, lanes on freeways suddenly appear then disappear, one minute you are in the 2nd inside lane then 100 yards further you are in the same lane but it is now the 2nd outside lane of 8 lanes and you need to get across 6 lanes of solid traffic for the next exit.

Not unlike where the M42 meets the end of the M40 or where the M6 suddenly appears on your left when driving along the M42 north, or the Lichfield / Kingsbury turn off a liitle later and a traffic island from hell.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Not unlike where the M42 meets the end of the M40 or where the M6 suddenly appears on your left when driving along the M42 north, or the Lichfield / Kingsbury turn off a liitle later and a traffic island from hell.

Trust me, I've driven the motorways around Birmingham many times as my office is based there, and even allowing for familiarity, the junctions you mention are nowhere near as challenging as driving in LA. The level of traffic and concentration needed is on a different scale.

 

[stefanovic]

Doesn't look as bad as the M6 to me.

 

[clubchamp98]

I'm slightly surprised by that. I've been twice to Florida and used the I4 daily on both occasions. The first, during Easter, it was an absolute doddle. Last time it was August, a stupid time to go, and it was definitely a bit more tense to drive on but still better than the M6 at rush hour or many other UK motorways at certain hotspots. I liked the undertaking aspect, it was less stressful. I think the slip roads to join are way too short but other than that I was not freaked.

What was it that you didn't like about it? (incidentally, I am not a macho driver, I am used to an easy life driving up here in the NE. Driving my son into Liverpool stresses me out, it's an awful place for cars)

Last there in April.
Most is ok I just tootle along .
But in the main city just short of the Amway Centre / financial Centre it went from four lanes to two ?
There is even a junction you come off in the outside lane there.
No road signs to warn you it was chaos ,
They have been doing this stretch for about three years ,every time we go it looks no different.

We stay away from it if possible and use the toll roads.

 

[CliveW]

Doesn't look as bad as the M6 to me.

Even worse in China!!!

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Not unlike where the M42 meets the end of the M40 or where the M6 suddenly appears on your left when driving along the M42 north, or the Lichfield / Kingsbury turn off a liitle later and a traffic island from hell.

Neither of those junctions are particularly bad other than the odd occasion when there has been a shunt or a vehicle breakdown.

You sound like my wife when she sees any queue or slow moving traffic and she states that the traffic is horrendous.

It very rarely is.

 

[Dando]

Answered this already. The 2nd and 3rd images they provided clearly showed a vehicle going faster than me.



I want to know what roads to avoid. In my experience the M6 is the worst. It could get better one day but right now I don't want to go there.

How does a photo clearly show another car going faster than you?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

How does a photo clearly show another car going faster than you?

They are blurred

 

[Dando]

Dont see the problem with them, you drive along and if it tells you a new maximum speed you just drive slower than that. What does amuse me is seeing drivers on these average speed limits who belt along over the max then slow down when passing the cameras.

I see this a lot on the A2 just past Bexley- 70Mph or so until the camera then emergency stop and crawl through

 

[ColchesterFC]

How does a photo clearly show another car going faster than you?

That was my first thought as well. I assume that he means that the relative positions of the two cars in the three photos show the other car is moving faster.

None of which takes away from the fact that he was speeding and was correctly prosecuted for it.

 

[Imurg]

I see this a lot on the A2 just past Bexley- 70Mph or so until the camera then emergency stop and crawl through

And that's a cause of crashes in itself.

 

[clubchamp98]

Even worse in China!!!

I think that proves putting more lanes on motorways dosnt work for long.
Or does it.?

 

[Golfmmad]

And that's a cause of crashes in itself.

It really amazes me how motorists just dont want to slow down - even in poor conditions!
The limits are put there for good reason - congestion - safety - poor visibility - breakdowns and accidents.

Highways England and the Government put all these safety measures in place and still they get ignored by the impatience of many drivers

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I see this a lot on the A2 just past Bexley- 70Mph or so until the camera then emergency stop and crawl through

TBH, all I see every day is people in the outside lane at 48 mph even when the inside/middle lane is clear.
God I hate that average speed section, but fortunately I dont go all the way through the tunnel.

 

[stefanovic]

That was my first thought as well. I assume that he means that the relative positions of the two cars in the three photos show the other car is moving faster.

CORRECT! I will award you the Order of St Frances (of Rome), the patron saint of car drivers.

None of which takes away from the fact that he was speeding and was correctly prosecuted for it.

Now none of you are speeders. None of you have ever exceeded the speed limit either intentionally or unintentionally. You are without sin. For that I will award you all the newly created Order of Stefanovic.

 

[Foxholer]

...For that I will award you all the newly created Order of Stefanovic.

You mean this....? Which you seem to have/spout in abundance!

Perhaps they/we aren't so daft that they/we get caught, then moan about the circumstances!

Who do you blame when you make a screw-up playing Golf? To (mis)quote Jimmy Buffet...'It's your own damn fault!'!

Btw. I have little doubt the other driver was prosecuted as well - provided they also broke the law!

 

[stefanovic]

You mean this....? Which you seem to have/spout in abundance!

At getting on for 19000 posts you appear to live on this forum.
May I suggest some fresh air.

 

[Imurg]

In other news - emergency bridge repairs severely slowing traffic around Stansted..
#M11News...

It's good fun this - should have done it years ago...

 

[Foxholer]

At getting on for 19000 posts you appear to live on this forum.
May I suggest some fresh air.

I get plenty/enough of that to/from/on the golf course!
On the other hand, perhaps you should try for some in your replies! That, stupid, response was pretty similar to a/the previous one!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

In other news - emergency bridge repairs severely slowing traffic around Stansted..
#M11News...

It's good fun this - should have done it years ago...

Will it be finished in the next 4 years, I may need to use that stretch.