Prince Philip's mishap.

LeTouriste replied on 19/01/2019 12:39

Posted on 19/01/2019 12:39

Following this collision on the A149, much has been said in the media about it.  The A149 is a 60 mph road and a very busy one.  Norfolk County Council are reportedly now going to reduce this stretch to 50 mph and instal average speed safety cameras.  But is this enough in itself?

At the accident spot, where the B1439 adjoins it and the Babingley road is immediately opposite, would it not be more realistic to have a 40 mph limit for some distance either side of the junction? The CMAC site alongside the B1439 is very busy with caravans and motorhomes regularly arriving and departing.  These outfits will almost invariably arrive from, and depart towards, the direction of Kings Lynn.  Caravans in particular will have a relatively slow acceleration speed as they turn left out of the B1439, and into the B1439 from the right-turn lane of the A149.  Also, there is a considerable flow of cars and motorhomes leaving the club site and turning right onto the A149 towards the popular North Norfolk coastal tourist spots.

The media also used the incident as a side issue to again attempt to highlight the fallibility of elderly drivers.  I do not argue that there may be an occasional elderly driver who might be advised to hand in their licence, but the incidence of elderly drivers actually causing accidents is quite a small section of the total.  Bad drivers spans the whole spectrum of age range, and most accidents are the result of impatience and not allowing enough time for the journey.  How many innocent elderly drivers and caravan and motorhome owners who do get involved in an accident are in fact victims of this impatience?

baileyvanman replied on 20/01/2019 21:11

Posted on 20/01/2019 21:11

Somehow managed to post my above message before I had finished it! Carrying on I meant to add...

...then perhaps there wouldn't be the need to have so many safety related signs, schemes, road markings and so on on our roads, which in themselves can be quite daunting at times, and possibly make things worse from a safety aspect. 

 

Wherenext replied on 20/01/2019 22:02

Posted on 20/01/2019 21:11 by baileyvanman

Somehow managed to post my above message before I had finished it! Carrying on I meant to add...

...then perhaps there wouldn't be the need to have so many safety related signs, schemes, road markings and so on on our roads, which in themselves can be quite daunting at times, and possibly make things worse from a safety aspect. 

 

Posted on 20/01/2019 22:02

We get twice as many in Wales.smile

baileyvanman replied on 20/01/2019 22:30

Posted on 20/01/2019 22:02 by Wherenext

We get twice as many in Wales.smile

Posted on 20/01/2019 22:30

Yes Wn. Much as I love Wales, and I have total respect for the Welsh language, in fact I'm intrigued by it, I do find the road signs in both languages a bit difficult to read on main roads at complex interchanges.

Perhaps on trunk routes, such as the A494/A55 into North Wales it would be helpful, for the first 10 miles or so, if the main signs had the English version first. Once well into Wales one can adjust to the signage being Welsh first and English second, and rightly so.

Takethedogalong replied on 25/01/2019 14:12

Posted on 25/01/2019 14:12

First place we ever used our in car Sat Nav was in Wales. By time road names had been pronounced, we had missed the turn!๐Ÿ˜‚

dave the rave replied on 25/01/2019 19:19

Posted on 25/01/2019 19:19

WHY has the media decided to make reference to another crash involving the prince which happened a lot of years ago!!!!!!!!Leave the poor guy alone,he is probably quite upset already.!!!!!!

jennyc replied on 26/01/2019 02:33

Posted on 26/01/2019 02:33

We’re very familiar with that section of road, more so because we tend to cycle a lot when away in the caravan. I’d judge access and egress to. junctions and forest paths to require particular care when cycling and in a car too. Despite which I’m not keen on rushing into reducing the speed limit, when care and competent driving will do the job, however low the sun is in the sky.

Accidents are an unfortunate fact of life, but let’s not lay their causes at the feet of any specific age group. Better by far, to ensure driver competence with appropriately timed reaction and awareness tests. “Ah but the cost” I can hear in opposition, but increasing transport time through speed limits has a cost too.

This recent accident, much reported in the press, seems to me to expose a great deal about inequalities in privilege.

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