It isn’t the typically worse weather that makes driving that much more difficult, the sloppy lane discipline that UK drivers so often exhibit, the excessive contra-flow or the sheer volume of traffic that all combine to create tediously slow and congested roads – although that doesn’t help. The worst aspect is the needless delays caused by confusing or inaccurate safety signage.
As soon as we got onto the M20 we were repeatedly advised “J17 to A47 A1 closed”, which was fine if you knew where Junction 17 of the A1 is in relation to the M20. As we traversed the M25 circular car park the signs advised “A1 closed for North use M1”. Remembering that the M1 was already slow traffic due to road works stretching as far as Luton, I decided to ignore the advice and press on to Peterborough via the A1.
As we passed J16 the two outside lanes were indicated as closed ahead. The traffic was already queuing in the left lane and so I did the ‘English thing’ by joining the back of the line, chuntering to myself as other drivers continued past in the outside lanes. As the car remained at a standstill for the next 10 minutes or so and then only crept forward for another 20 minutes, I assumed that those other drivers were waiting until the cones forced them to cut over causing needless chaos and delays at the front end of the queue.
I was somewhat confused then as the traffic began to move again past Junction 17 with not so much as a single cone or a broken tail light to show what caused the delay at all. Having been warned for the last 150 miles that the road was closed it was in fact not. During the same journey, we travelled around 10 miles under a 50mph restriction due to “Debris in the Road” – a warning ignored by most drivers who hurtled past at speeds exceeding 70mph. I should have joined them as yet again, there was not so much as a broken bulb to be seen.
Now this may seem like a rant that would be more at home on an episode of ‘Grumpy Old Men’, but given that the UK is supposed to be a ‘knowledge economy’ it is a little vexing that we are not able to disseminate clear and useful information more effectively. The safety signs in France add to motorway safety rather than having the opposite effect as in the UK. The information they provide is useful and accurate. We saw signs warning “Car broken down in 5 km”, “Road works in 10 km” and “Congestion around Reims”. Amazingly, we passed a car stranded in the hard shoulder after 5 km, we passed road works after 10 km and avoided the congestion at Reims. As I have learnt to trust the information provided by French motorway signs, I obey them.
If we follow the instructions and slow down on the UK motorway, we just increase the risk of having an accident as someone that has learnt to ignore the signs just drives into the back of us. By conditioning driver to ignore information supposedly intended to improve road safety, it actually has the opposite effect. So, to the Highways Agency I offer this plea:
Think! Communicate effectively. Drivers’ minds closed.
