Annoying blue signs.

[v666]

For many years, on the verge’s of our motorways, have been innocuous 2 foot high reflective posts. Spaced at 1/10 of a mile, if you broke down and needed to call a rescue service, you had to walk no more than 100 meters to give your exact position.

So what are these large, intrusive blue signs every half mile for?
They have the same info as the little posts, but are spaced every ½ mile(ish).

Did the government search the list of money available for stupid ideas, or have they found yet another way to waste our hard earned cash?

Tim

[codprawn]

It's probably some stupid EU law. Like the one that stopped us having our fire extinguishers colour coded. It used to be so easy to tell them apart - blue for powder - red for water etc etc.

The other bonkers EU reg is that we now have to use the same grade tarmac as Geece and Spain who get a little bit different weather to us. If you look you will see that areas where you need to brake like traffic lights and roundabouts etc now have a concrete high grip zone. of course before all our roads were high grip anyway - not just in a few places............

And no JK I am NOT being political!!!

[chris123]

Originally Posted by codprawn

The other bonkers EU reg is that we now have to use the same grade tarmac as Geece and Spain who get a little bit different weather to us. If you look you will see that areas where you need to brake like traffic lights and roundabouts etc now have a concrete high grip zone. of course before all our roads were high grip anyway - not just in a few places.

So its not because the tarmac (or more accurately in many cases surface dressing) we now use is cheap, and high grip tarmac is expensive then?

Certainly accident blackspots and high risk junctions around these parts are coated with high grip tarmac (not concrete).

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by chris123

So its not because the tarmac (or more accurately in many cases surface dressing) we now use is cheap, and high grip tarmac is expensive then?

Certainly accident blackspots and high risk junctions around these parts are coated with high grip tarmac (not concrete).

I don't think so - I remember reading a long time ago that we were to be FORCED to use the new EU standard based on Spain/Greece and there were complaints at the time.

I assume it's concrete they use because it makes a load roaring noise whenb you drive over it and it's a light beige colour just like concrete roads are - then again I have never got out to examine it that closely!!!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I assume it's concrete they use because it makes a load roaring noise whenb you drive over it and it's a light beige colour just like concrete roads are - then again I have never got out to examine it that closely!!!

cod don't know what hey are doing in wales but up here it certainly isn't concrete. it is either asphalt/bitumen with a fine (usually yellow/beige) aggregate mixed in or a synthetic resin with agregate. The resin is often (but not always) coloured red or beige. (however not all coloured road surfaces are anti-skid).

[Downhilldai]

Generic name for the anti-skid stuff is 'Shellgrip'.
I expect Mollers will be able to give more detail on it.

[CJL]

The blue signs are to identify the location of the interceptors or "pollution control valves" as they are rather grandly called!

Chris

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by codprawn

The other bonkers EU reg is that we now have to use the same grade tarmac as Geece and Spain who get a little bit different weather to us.

Sounds unlikely. Do you have a reference to support this?

John

[DJL]

http://www.tarmac.co.uk/PR_eurostandards_240807.aspx

Doesn't look like it changes much in terms of what will end up being used to surface our roads.

[codprawn]

I read about this a long time ago - maybe as much as 5 years or so - maybe it's a different thing again???

It seems people were correct it's a cost thing - maybe the EU standard wasn't adopted???

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/.../mfgrip126.xml

Just as worrying as the poor levels of grip is the vanishing of cats eyes - to me one of the best safety inventions ever. The new stick on ones are totally useless. The old ones were self cleaning but the new ones are so dirty they don't reflect anything - that's assuming they are still in place!!!

There have been a few accidents lately where the corner has specifically mentioned the lack of cat's eyes as being a major factor and yet nothing is being done................

[Erin]

Down to cost again codders I think. Have you seen a catseye out of the ground? Chunky great metal backing box with the rubber unit inserted and glass 'eyes' set into metal holders. Hardly as cheap as plastic self adhesive thingies with scotch reflective tape on the edges.

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by codprawn

There have been a few accidents lately where the corner has specifically mentioned the lack of cat's eyes as being a major factor and yet nothing is being done................

Sorry mate but our roads are so poor even the new European countries have equivalent road surfaces.

Time to get this thread moved on I think !

[codprawn]

Agreed!!!

[Bigmuz7]

I thought the stuff was called Zebraflex

http://www.prismo.co.uk/files/pdf/uk...aflexType1.pdf

[Downhilldai]

That Zebraflex appears to be a specific type of surfacing, whereas 'Shellgrip' is more of a generic term. Some blurb here:

http://www.highwaysmaintenance.com/Skiddata%20.html

You can tell it's too cold and windy to take the boats out by the level of activity in the 'Other Stuff' section