40 | JUNE 2020
Motoring
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
EIGHT NEW ROAD SIGNS
TO QUELL ROAD RAGE
A new series of road signs have been proposed to help warn drivers about common motoring issues
such as parked cars narrowing residential roads, and even smelly areas of the countryside. In a
bid to keep motorists more informed about the road conditions they may face and help to reduce
instances of frustration behind the wheel, the experts have released their design proposals.
A spokesperson for
LeaseVan.co.uk said: “Too much
information is never a bad thing,
and knowing more about the
conditions you face when behind
the wheel can help drivers keep
calm and concentrated, improving
road safety.That’s why we’ve
put forward eight suggestions for
new signs that could prove invaluable
on modern British roads.
“From common problems in
residential suburbs to typical
motorway frustrations and aids
for drivers unfamiliar with a
particular area, it wouldn’t take
much time, effort or money from
the Department for Transport to
get our useful suggestions put up
in suitable locations.”
1. Parked cars creating
single lane roads
In suburbs and residential
areas across the country, vehicles
are routinely and legally parked
on one or both sides of the road.
This leads to only a single lane
being available for traffic from
both directions, on either side
or straddling the middle of the
carriageway. Motorists unfamiliar
with an area should be warned
of this so that they can proceed
with caution and respond
appropriately if they encounter
opposing traffic.
2. Merge lanes
one by one
Few things infuriate polite drivers
on British roads more than a
rude motorist trying to nip in and
jump the queue or box them out
and block their entry when lanes
of traffic merge. For those light on
manners, a sign should be placed
before merging lanes to order motorists
to be fair. A car from each
lane ought to slot in one by one
like shuffling a deck of cards, particularly
in busy urban areas with
increasing levels of congestion.
3. Active hours for long
term roadworks
Drivers are routinely frustrated
to see a lack of activity when
stuck in delays caused by lengthy
and long-term roadworks, especially
when travelling early in the
morning or late in the evening.
Particularly where smart motorways
are being installed and
around town centres, plenty of
potentially annoyed motorists
could be calmed if more information
was available. Simply letting
road users know the working
hours of the teams, at sites of
significant highways upgrading
or problem solving, would allow
all to be more understanding.
4. Permanently narrow
lanes ahead
Whether it’s because anti-terrorist
barriers encroach onto the carriageway
or simply cash-strapped
councils trying to squeeze an extra
lane in on busy routes where
the roads that weren’t built for it;
and are often barely wide enough
for many of the larger modern
cars on the market, as well as
most vans, lorries and buses. Drivers
need to be warned so they can
take extra care and avoid clipping
or confrontations with other road
users.
‘
knowing more
about the
conditions you
face when behind
the wheel can help
drivers keep calm
and concentrated,
improving road
safety
’
5. Areas with high
numbers of pedestrians
Standing this sign before
packed high streets, near train
or bus stations, outside sports
stadiums or multi-purpose arenas,
on school run routes, and at other
busy places could aid drivers
unfamiliar with the area.
6. Pungent parts
of the country
Drivers should be given advanced
warning before driving
through an area dominated by
farmland where manure is often
spread on the fields, near a pig
farm or past a factory giving off
a strong odour. This would give
motorists chance to close their
windows and air vents to stop
the suffocating smell getting
inside their vehicle.
7. Top speed isn’t
always possible
To help stop any instances of
road rage before they start, UK
motorists could be warned ahead
of stretches of road where they
may not always be able to travel
at the speed limit, even outside
of rush hour and heavy traffic.
This could also be useful around
business parks taking lots of deliveries
from large lorries on tight
roads, in shopping areas where
lots of entrances and parking
spots are packed in, near beauty
spots with nice scenery, and on
roads where drivers often lose
their bearings or get nervous.
8. Routes used by
lots of cyclists
Not all routes popular with
commuting or recreational cyclists
enjoy the luxury of designated
lanes for bicycles on or
alongside the road.
In the interests of focusing
on road safety and reminding
motorists to be considerate of
riders, vehicle drivers should be
warned when they’re travelling
on a road on which they’re likely
to encounter lots of two-wheeled
road users.