Driver on A31 hit 140mph, new figures show (From Bournemouth Echo)
When news happens text pix and video to 80360. Start your message with BE then leave a space.
Driver on A31 hit 140mph, new figures show
8:13am Friday 15th March 2013 in News
A CONTROVERSIAL stretch of road, where Ringwood youngster Jade Clark recently died in a horrific collision, has been named one of the UK's fastest roads.
The A31 is fourth in the top five speeding convictions in the UK, with 137mph recorded.
Local people are leading a campaign for the speed limit to be reduced to 50mph.
Recent meetings with the Highways Agency have led to local people and Ringwood Town Council attempting to take their campaign to the Secretary of State, after the Agency said speed is not a contributory factor in the number of accidents on the road.
The figures, which reveal the fastest A roads in the UK, were obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
More follows.
Comments(72)
PokesdownMark
says...
8:36am Fri 15 Mar 13
Edna Cheese (Mrs)
says...
8:49am Fri 15 Mar 13
jobsworthwatch
says...
8:51am Fri 15 Mar 13
Unfortunately this junction is sandwiched between two inadequate sections of twisting and turning 'olde worlde' British duel carriageway with slow moving heavy vehicles on steep hills and roundabouts.
Time to extend the M27 to Bere Regis at the very least!
PokesdownMark
says...
9:03am Fri 15 Mar 13
It is not really correct to draw any conclusions about the road or the average behaviour of drivers from this. When I say it's not really correct, it's quite obviously misleading.
GAHmusic
says...
9:07am Fri 15 Mar 13
PokesdownMark wrote:Completely agree
Went looking for the full story. Found it. It's simply that the A31, somewhere along the A31, at some unspecified date in e past, there was a single conviction for a driver doing 137mph. Making the A31 forth on the list of the A roads with the fastest single speeding convictions.
It is not really correct to draw any conclusions about the road or the average behaviour of drivers from this. When I say it's not really correct, it's quite obviously misleading.
GAHmusic
says...
9:10am Fri 15 Mar 13
Alumchiner
says...
9:13am Fri 15 Mar 13
Cosmic Crusader
says...
9:22am Fri 15 Mar 13
l'anglais
says...
9:30am Fri 15 Mar 13
Go to Google earth street view to get an idea of the constant stream of traffic that joins from Ringwood and the movement needed by those on the inside lane to the outside lane.
By reducing speeds from 70-50 for that 400 yards ain't going to shorten anybodies journey time, by not doing so may shorten another persons life.
allmy life
says...
9:40am Fri 15 Mar 13
radical
says...
9:57am Fri 15 Mar 13
Whats needed is the continuation of the motorway from the M27 to Bere Regis to cut out the crap road system to the South West.
The irate commuter
says...
10:35am Fri 15 Mar 13
In all the 20 years I have driving down the A31, I have NEVER seen a speed trap in this section ..... & can count on 1 hand how many times I have seen a camera on the whole of the A31. Always West bound at the Shell garage.....never seen a camera East bound
But regular as clock work you can find a car tax camera sat in the slip road of the A338 every week....Priorities all wrong here !!
And if a idiot is driving 140mph in a 70 limit - what makes anyone thing he/she will show down if it's 50??”
Alumchiner
says...
10:39am Fri 15 Mar 13
The Liberal
says...
10:40am Fri 15 Mar 13
allmy life wrote:Well, if you don't want to get fined for doing 36mph, just do 35 (ie within the ACPO guidelines of the limit + 10% + 2mph). I'm sure 1mph won't make much difference (if any) to your journey time!
It is a fact that 80% of drivers drive at safe speed for the road and conditions, 10% to slow and 10% to fast.What needs to be done is instead of money machines fining every one for doing 36mph,they should have their driving assessed by a driving school (£30) and if they don't meet the standards they should have their licence revoked until they undergo further training to reach the required standard.Bad driving is what causes accidents and bad eye sight.
The Liberal
says...
10:42am Fri 15 Mar 13
Alumchiner wrote:I know from experience that there are many drivers going 90+mph on this stretch of road, and driving aggressively (tailgating, undertaking etc) so it's not just one person.
What a load of rubbish put out by those who wish to see the speed limit reduced. One person gets done for that speed - you might as well say that Heathrow airport runway the fastest tarmac road in the UK.......obviously totally wrong information being given out , childlike biased political statement, poor reporting by the paper.....
afcb-loyal
says...
10:51am Fri 15 Mar 13
ITS TO DO WITH THE STUPID EXIT/SLIP ROADS FROM RINGWOOD..THE FISH INN AND THE TEXACO GARAGE AND NOW FROM VERWOOD/MATCHAMS LANE ALL JOINING THE MAIN ROAD TRAFFIC.
speed camaras ===££££ not safety.
ONE PERSON DID 137MPH ONCE THE OTHER 20 MILLION DROVE NORMALLY BAD REPORTING FROM ECHO..OVER DRAMATISING.
grazzer
says...
10:54am Fri 15 Mar 13
off heading West on a weekday afternoon,you will be lucky to reach 10 miles an hour
bourne free
says...
10:59am Fri 15 Mar 13
afcb-loyal wrote:Spot On
THIS NOTHING TO DO WITH SPEED....
ITS TO DO WITH THE STUPID EXIT/SLIP ROADS FROM RINGWOOD..THE FISH INN AND THE TEXACO GARAGE AND NOW FROM VERWOOD/MATCHAMS LANE ALL JOINING THE MAIN ROAD TRAFFIC.
speed camaras ===££££ not safety.
ONE PERSON DID 137MPH ONCE THE OTHER 20 MILLION DROVE NORMALLY BAD REPORTING FROM ECHO..OVER DRAMATISING.
Another thing that hasnt been mention about the speed is if it was reduced to 50mph a person on a moped going into a westerly head wind along there will be doing around 25mph half the speed of a car and with the road layout as it is , is im afraid going to be a sitting duck ?
bourne free
says...
11:00am Fri 15 Mar 13
afcb-loyal wrote:Spot On
THIS NOTHING TO DO WITH SPEED....
ITS TO DO WITH THE STUPID EXIT/SLIP ROADS FROM RINGWOOD..THE FISH INN AND THE TEXACO GARAGE AND NOW FROM VERWOOD/MATCHAMS LANE ALL JOINING THE MAIN ROAD TRAFFIC.
speed camaras ===££££ not safety.
ONE PERSON DID 137MPH ONCE THE OTHER 20 MILLION DROVE NORMALLY BAD REPORTING FROM ECHO..OVER DRAMATISING.
Another thing that hasnt been mention about the speed is if it was reduced to 50mph a person on a moped going into a westerly head wind along there will be doing around 25mph half the speed of a car and with the road layout as it is , is im afraid going to be a sitting duck ?
retry69
says...
11:01am Fri 15 Mar 13
allmy life wrote:Not to instigate an arguement here but it is not a fact it is a statistic, which can be used to the benefit of a persons viewpoint.In a survey by the DFT it showed 49% of drivers exceeded the 70 mph speed limit etc.etc .etc. we all have access to these stats which are so varied that they are misleading, you only have to travel along the A31/M27 regularly to form your own opinion which would be more of a fact than the mountain of figures available and if the powers that be listened to those opinions and not bogged themselves down with these stats some changes to this stretch of road would have been made a long time ago.I thank you for your time.
It is a fact that 80% of drivers drive at safe speed for the road and conditions, 10% to slow and 10% to fast.What needs to be done is instead of money machines fining every one for doing 36mph,they should have their driving assessed by a driving school (£30) and if they don't meet the standards they should have their licence revoked until they undergo further training to reach the required standard.Bad driving is what causes accidents and bad eye sight.
suzigirl
says...
11:30am Fri 15 Mar 13
nosuchluck54
says...
11:44am Fri 15 Mar 13
suzigirl wrote:Well of course the Echo do have a "ask the echo" option they might be able to help but i would advise asking the Police first.
I live near to the Dorset Way. From about 11 p.m. some nights it sounds like a motor racing track. All the boy racers meet up at McDonalds (Holes Bay) and then proceed to race down the Dorset Way - why do the Police not patrol there at night?
paulthefish
says...
11:54am Fri 15 Mar 13
allmy life wrote:it is also a fact that whilst being assessed 100% of drivers would drive as though it was their first driving test. then, when back on the road under normal circumstances, those who wish to, would again revert to being a danger to themselves and others. and not really caring too much about their selfish actions!
It is a fact that 80% of drivers drive at safe speed for the road and conditions, 10% to slow and 10% to fast.What needs to be done is instead of money machines fining every one for doing 36mph,they should have their driving assessed by a driving school (£30) and if they don't meet the standards they should have their licence revoked until they undergo further training to reach the required standard.Bad driving is what causes accidents and bad eye sight.
Letcommonsenseprevail
says...
11:56am Fri 15 Mar 13
speedy231278
says...
11:56am Fri 15 Mar 13
l'anglais
says...
12:02pm Fri 15 Mar 13
A poor driver hitting a wall at 25mph won't die, a poor driver hitting a wall at 50 mph will.
MikeGB
says...
12:05pm Fri 15 Mar 13
PokesdownMark
says...
12:24pm Fri 15 Mar 13
afcb-loyal
says...
12:40pm Fri 15 Mar 13
l'anglais wrote:Well thats it then reduce speed limits everywhere and wrap us in cotton wool.
"Speed doesn't kill. Poor driving does."
A poor driver hitting a wall at 25mph won't die, a poor driver hitting a wall at 50 mph will.
Supid comment!!
Its down to having FOUR slip roads onto a main carriageway withing 200 yards of each other.
Speed Speed Speed nothing to do with it, try looking ahead and reading the road
I would say mobile phones were worse than speed.
The Liberal
says...
1:03pm Fri 15 Mar 13
afcb-loyal wrote:Surely, given the road layout that you describe, the problem is a combination of that and vehicles travelling at unsuitable speeds for it? So the three options are to 1) change the road layout; 2) reduce the speed limit; or 3) do both.
l'anglais wrote:Well thats it then reduce speed limits everywhere and wrap us in cotton wool.
"Speed doesn't kill. Poor driving does."
A poor driver hitting a wall at 25mph won't die, a poor driver hitting a wall at 50 mph will.
Supid comment!!
Its down to having FOUR slip roads onto a main carriageway withing 200 yards of each other.
Speed Speed Speed nothing to do with it, try looking ahead and reading the road
I would say mobile phones were worse than speed.
Phixer
says...
1:07pm Fri 15 Mar 13
l'anglais wrote:I'd be lucky to reach 50mph most evenings!
The road speed needs to be reduced to 50MPH between the West Bound Ringwood Exit and just after the Fish Inn/Texaco garage.
Go to Google earth street view to get an idea of the constant stream of traffic that joins from Ringwood and the movement needed by those on the inside lane to the outside lane.
By reducing speeds from 70-50 for that 400 yards ain't going to shorten anybodies journey time, by not doing so may shorten another persons life.
Phixer
says...
1:09pm Fri 15 Mar 13
radical wrote:The last thing we need is a motorway through the forest. If you don't like the A31, use the A303.
I would say that the duel carriageway between Bere Regis and Dorchester is faster, The A31 is normally at crawling speed when ever I have used it especially in the summer months.
Whats needed is the continuation of the motorway from the M27 to Bere Regis to cut out the crap road system to the South West.
Phixer
says...
1:14pm Fri 15 Mar 13
The irate commuter wrote:There was a speed camera eastbound in the layby after Shell garage several weeks ago.
SO if cars are reaching this ridicilous sepeeds, where are the police to enforce the speed limit?
In all the 20 years I have driving down the A31, I have NEVER seen a speed trap in this section ..... & can count on 1 hand how many times I have seen a camera on the whole of the A31. Always West bound at the Shell garage.....never seen a camera East bound
But regular as clock work you can find a car tax camera sat in the slip road of the A338 every week....Priorities all wrong here !!
And if a idiot is driving 140mph in a 70 limit - what makes anyone thing he/she will show down if it's 50??”
The Renegade Master
says...
2:00pm Fri 15 Mar 13
bmthlad
says...
2:09pm Fri 15 Mar 13
rayc
says...
2:15pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Phixer wrote:Who is 'we'?
radical wrote:The last thing we need is a motorway through the forest. If you don't like the A31, use the A303.
I would say that the duel carriageway between Bere Regis and Dorchester is faster, The A31 is normally at crawling speed when ever I have used it especially in the summer months.
Whats needed is the continuation of the motorway from the M27 to Bere Regis to cut out the crap road system to the South West.
bourne free
says...
2:22pm Fri 15 Mar 13
The Liberal wrote:Another thing that hasnt been mention about the speed is if it was reduced to 50mph a person on a moped going into a westerly head wind along there will be doing around 25mph half the speed of a car and with the road layout as it is , is im afraid going to be a sitting duck ?
afcb-loyal wrote:Surely, given the road layout that you describe, the problem is a combination of that and vehicles travelling at unsuitable speeds for it? So the three options are to 1) change the road layout; 2) reduce the speed limit; or 3) do both.
l'anglais wrote:Well thats it then reduce speed limits everywhere and wrap us in cotton wool.
"Speed doesn't kill. Poor driving does."
A poor driver hitting a wall at 25mph won't die, a poor driver hitting a wall at 50 mph will.
Supid comment!!
Its down to having FOUR slip roads onto a main carriageway withing 200 yards of each other.
Speed Speed Speed nothing to do with it, try looking ahead and reading the road
I would say mobile phones were worse than speed.
l'anglais
says...
4:20pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Phixer wrote:If you wish the Forest to regain some its former glory.
radical wrote:The last thing we need is a motorway through the forest. If you don't like the A31, use the A303.
I would say that the duel carriageway between Bere Regis and Dorchester is faster, The A31 is normally at crawling speed when ever I have used it especially in the summer months.
Whats needed is the continuation of the motorway from the M27 to Bere Regis to cut out the crap road system to the South West.
You could possibly compensate for the building of an extension of the M27 from Cadnam to Honition, by the demolition of all the houses in the forest, thus returning in it to its natural beauty with the exception of one road for all.
SeafaringMan
says...
5:06pm Fri 15 Mar 13
radical wrote:I love the "duel carriageway" - how very appropriate!
I would say that the duel carriageway between Bere Regis and Dorchester is faster, The A31 is normally at crawling speed when ever I have used it especially in the summer months.
Whats needed is the continuation of the motorway from the M27 to Bere Regis to cut out the crap road system to the South West.
radical
says...
5:23pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Phixer wrote:Why would I want to drive from Eastleigh to Salisbury just to avoid the A31, an extra 20 miles out of my way.
radical wrote:The last thing we need is a motorway through the forest. If you don't like the A31, use the A303.
I would say that the duel carriageway between Bere Regis and Dorchester is faster, The A31 is normally at crawling speed when ever I have used it especially in the summer months.
Whats needed is the continuation of the motorway from the M27 to Bere Regis to cut out the crap road system to the South West.
The A31 is way out of date, we need the motorway right through to Dorchester .
allmy life
says...
5:28pm Fri 15 Mar 13
pedalnottothemetal
says...
5:49pm Fri 15 Mar 13
If traffic is flowing, the extra time taken at 50mph compared to 70mph would be approximately 1minute 20 seconds.
What speed reduction campaigners don't say is if they want a reduction to apply eastbound as well as westbound. If the HA/Police aren't convinced about a westbound reduction, they have far less reason to seriously consider an eastbound reduction, apart from 'political' pressure.
If a reduction did come in it would be almost certain that 50mph was extended to meet up with the 50mph limit west of the Ashley Heath r/bout on the A31, giving drivers heading to/from Ferndown the distinctly unappealing prospect of nearly 7 miles of dual carriageway with a 50mph limit.
What campaigners also fail to acknowledge is that their proposed limit would be in force 24/7/365.
I agree with l'anglais that if there is to be a reduction it should start just before the flyover and be westbound only.
Agree with many posters that the access roads by the Fish Inn/petrol station should be sorted or eliminated.
Absolutely no to average speed cameras although a variable speed management system could work.
As Phixer suggests, the A303 provides a reasonable alternative in peak summer and weekends but only if you are heading to the area from the A34 from north of the A303 or from Basingstoke and beyond.
retry69
says...
5:51pm Fri 15 Mar 13
allmy life wrote:Where have you been allmy life? you are so right and until road users accept that and change their attitude to driving making changes in the road design will have little effect.Re-tests for over 50s is a must driving for over 30 years with no further testing is crazy,cars are re-tested so should the driver
My point is that most driver have never got any better than the day they passed their tests and most of those have got worse. They would not how ever hard they tried be able to pass a test again. People that wear glasses for driving should clearly be able to see one metre and 50 metres or more.Many can not see details up close or judge distance and width.
retry69
says...
5:57pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Frank Spencer
says...
7:35pm Fri 15 Mar 13
jonheat1
says...
8:34pm Fri 15 Mar 13
from the fish inn / Texaco station, widen the Ringwood town road to these venues and make it two way, so to acess them you have to go through Ringwood town,, will need traffic management!! but will make the A31 safer. not perfect but just a suggestion.
martin225
says...
9:07pm Fri 15 Mar 13
Bournemouth2014
says...
9:16pm Fri 15 Mar 13
miniminime
says...
9:19pm Fri 15 Mar 13
ragj195
says...
9:49pm Fri 15 Mar 13
GAHmusic
says...
10:55pm Fri 15 Mar 13
ragj195 wrote:Talking of which these comments sections have been raging recently but no sign of Pete Woodley in ages, I wonder if he is ok?
Wow, is there anything the Echo won't twist to get some comments on a story?
paul.p
says...
1:44am Sat 16 Mar 13
But, like everything in this country, the amounts of money collected doesn't go where it's supposed to unfortunately, of course if it did then we would without a doubt have the best roads in the world, less stress, more productivity and more money.
retry69
says...
6:20am Sat 16 Mar 13
GAHmusic wrote:He is truly missed but i am reliably informed that he had been a naughty boy and had to be punished but is still keeping his eye on the comments
ragj195 wrote:Talking of which these comments sections have been raging recently but no sign of Pete Woodley in ages, I wonder if he is ok?
Wow, is there anything the Echo won't twist to get some comments on a story?
BIGTONE
says...
7:50am Sat 16 Mar 13
Who recorded this...Hampshire or Dorset Police?
polblagger
says...
8:47am Sat 16 Mar 13
retry69
says...
9:23am Sat 16 Mar 13
polblagger wrote:What you say is obviously true but it seems that some motorists will not except that and would rather blame the road conditions/layouts for their inappropriate driving habits
Speed doesn't kill, poor driving does.
skydriver
says...
9:53am Sat 16 Mar 13
goatty
says...
10:37am Sat 16 Mar 13
Bournemouth2014 wrote:Totally agree. The way it reads it is saying that the driver doing 137mph was at the area where that poor girl was killed. Rubbish. More likely in the middle of the Forest or somewhere else as it is a long road the A31.
What a load of rubbish!! Had to mention the poor girl that died as well didnt they. There are many A roads in the UK and just becuase no one else has been caught doing 140mph doesnt mean it doesnt happen daily. Another pointless story. Misleading people as usual.
I travel that road 2 or 3 times a day and see the problems all the time.
Firstly is lorries racing each other and hanging over the middle of the road causing drivers to brake suddenly.
Secondly, the slip roads. They are what they are, a slip road. cars should enter the stream of traffic when its clear and safe to do so, and then accelerate to keep up with traffic. What I see daily is no waiting. Cars on the slip road just come straight out no matter whats in the main lanes. Cars have to brake sharply or swerve into outside lanes causing other cars to brake sharply. I then see others who come out onto main carriageway and drive at 20mph again causing sharp braking.
Suggestions -
Firstly ban lorries from the outside lanes
Secondly, use traffic lights on the slip roads as they do on certain motorway slip roads.
The above are both workable and not costly but will control traffic and maybe save lives.
retry69
says...
10:54am Sat 16 Mar 13
goatty wrote:Excellent post,other drivers what would you rather believe manipulated stats or first hand experience of what driving along the roads is really like,any responsible motorist would go along with the latter.
Bournemouth2014 wrote:Totally agree. The way it reads it is saying that the driver doing 137mph was at the area where that poor girl was killed. Rubbish. More likely in the middle of the Forest or somewhere else as it is a long road the A31.
What a load of rubbish!! Had to mention the poor girl that died as well didnt they. There are many A roads in the UK and just becuase no one else has been caught doing 140mph doesnt mean it doesnt happen daily. Another pointless story. Misleading people as usual.
I travel that road 2 or 3 times a day and see the problems all the time.
Firstly is lorries racing each other and hanging over the middle of the road causing drivers to brake suddenly.
Secondly, the slip roads. They are what they are, a slip road. cars should enter the stream of traffic when its clear and safe to do so, and then accelerate to keep up with traffic. What I see daily is no waiting. Cars on the slip road just come straight out no matter whats in the main lanes. Cars have to brake sharply or swerve into outside lanes causing other cars to brake sharply. I then see others who come out onto main carriageway and drive at 20mph again causing sharp braking.
Suggestions -
Firstly ban lorries from the outside lanes
Secondly, use traffic lights on the slip roads as they do on certain motorway slip roads.
The above are both workable and not costly but will control traffic and maybe save lives.
nottingham
says...
5:46pm Sat 16 Mar 13
Some parts until an upgrade is completed needs speed limits reducing to 50 particularly from Cadnam to Ringwood . Mind you at peak times you are lucky to get to 50.
As for 137 what were they driving sheer madness.
rayc
says...
7:56pm Sat 16 Mar 13
nottingham wrote:I expect the 137mph was on Puddletown bypass.
I use the A31 everyday and go from POole to Southampton the fact is the road was designed some 40 years ago and for the traffic of that era it badly needs upgrading .
Some parts until an upgrade is completed needs speed limits reducing to 50 particularly from Cadnam to Ringwood . Mind you at peak times you are lucky to get to 50.
As for 137 what were they driving sheer madness.
Talkingheadera
says...
1:48pm Sun 17 Mar 13
rayc
says...
3:01pm Sun 17 Mar 13
polblagger
says...
8:29am Mon 18 Mar 13
The core problem is too many poor and dangerous drivers on the road.
We need to tackle removing these people from our roads, not obsessing about speed.
It doesn't matter if a driver is doing 60mph, 50 mph or 30mph, if they join fast moving traffic without looking properly or at an inappropriate time you'll still have a horrific accident.
speedy231278
says...
1:57pm Mon 18 Mar 13
l'anglais wrote:A good driver not hitting a wall at 50mph will live. So the poor driving has caused the accident, not the speed. Speed is simply a secondary consideration.
"Speed doesn't kill. Poor driving does."
A poor driver hitting a wall at 25mph won't die, a poor driver hitting a wall at 50 mph will.
The idea of making everyone drive slower is dumbing down to the lowest common denominator. Everyone can be a poor driver and only be allowed to do 25mph everywhere, therefore the number of fatal accidents will be cut. Exactly the sort of stupid ideology that seems to be eradicating intelligence and common sense from our population!
polblagger
says...
3:04pm Mon 18 Mar 13
l'anglais wrote:50mph sounds like natural selection at work to me.
"Speed doesn't kill. Poor driving does."
A poor driver hitting a wall at 25mph won't die, a poor driver hitting a wall at 50 mph will.
Why should those of us who are slightly higher up the food chain have to live our lives like chimps because there are those who can't cope with the modern world.
If you can't drive without hitting a wall then don't drive!
Why should I have to live like a slow, unintelligent version of myself because someone's allowed incapable simpletons to operate machinery and we all have to drive based on the lowest common denominator.
Chris the plumber
says...
11:48am Tue 19 Mar 13
bourne free wrote:I see so its ok to kill someone who isnt going fast enough for you ??? Sitting ducks or not you have brakes and an accelerator, use them ... i myself us this road on my tractor and i can only reach 18mph but no one has come close to hitting me maybe because i am bigger and a lot heavier tham most high speed cars.
afcb-loyal wrote:Spot On
THIS NOTHING TO DO WITH SPEED....
ITS TO DO WITH THE STUPID EXIT/SLIP ROADS FROM RINGWOOD..THE FISH INN AND THE TEXACO GARAGE AND NOW FROM VERWOOD/MATCHAMS LANE ALL JOINING THE MAIN ROAD TRAFFIC.
speed camaras ===££££ not safety.
ONE PERSON DID 137MPH ONCE THE OTHER 20 MILLION DROVE NORMALLY BAD REPORTING FROM ECHO..OVER DRAMATISING.
Another thing that hasnt been mention about the speed is if it was reduced to 50mph a person on a moped going into a westerly head wind along there will be doing around 25mph half the speed of a car and with the road layout as it is , is im afraid going to be a sitting duck ?
miketheplumb
says...
12:35pm Tue 19 Mar 13
Firstly it's an identified one of event, somewhere on the A31.
On top of that, as much as death on the road is not good, the facts for this stretch of road are way more complicated than just lowering the speed. Look at the road layout, the volume of traffic, and then determine a correct response.
Everytime something happens "speed" is blamed LONG before the facts are known. Of course ever since the red flag days "speed" was accused of the death on the road.
That whole junction needs to be correctly replanned, realigned to handle volumes of traffic.
This was many years ago, part of the south coast motorway proposition, pity in some ways it failed, it might have avoided some of these accidents.
I know you will say volume of traffic wasn't to blame because of the day and time, so how do you know that "speed" in this case was the root cause?
afcb-loyal
says...
3:32pm Tue 19 Mar 13
if you are going to drive your tractor at 18mph on that road in the day time your more stupid than the person doing 137mph.
common sense or what.
exiled_taff
says...
8:55pm Tue 19 Mar 13
PokesdownMark wrote:Mark, I travel the A31 daily and I agree we need driving supervisors. This morning for example, was foggy, but why do drivers feel that they must have their fog lights on when a/. they are in a constant steam of traffic b/. visibility is reduced but one can still see 200m ahead? Then there are the idiots who drive without lights - enough said.
As I said the other day... there is an DoT inspection centre at Ashley Heath roundabout. The police could patrol in a loop between that roundabout and the one at Ringwood. They could video bad driving - failure to indicate, driving too close, driving too fast *for the conditions*, gosh maybe even driving too slowly to safely merge. Flash up a follow-me sign, escort the drivers to the DOT centre for some instant on the spot, positive driver education along with an eyesight and tyre check. You could give it a catchy name, like No Excuses. If I were a councillor this is what I'd be asking for. It is easy, already costed into an existing budget, I'd imagine, and is hard to argue wouldn't be an extremely positive step.
My major gripe though is the general inconsideration of the majority of drivers. During rush hour we all have the same objectives. To get to our destination on time and safely.
Having driven the road for 5 years I am still amazed by vehicles that sit in the over-taking lane in a solid stream of vehicles when the left lane (the non-over-taking lane) is relatively empty. Then when a vehicle needs to over-take, a vehicle in the over-taking lane will not allow it out - surely if the vehicle is starting in the left lane then commonsense will dictate that that vehicle will return to the left-lane after over-taking like every one should.
Finally the Ringwood/Verwood junctions have so many faults but we are all aware of them, and we drive accordingly. What is frustrating though is again inconsiderate driving. Firstly, vehicles travelling east leaving the 50mph zone and then accelerating to 90+ during morning rush hour as traffic filters from the Ashley Heath on-slip. In the other direction, when traffic is queueing towards Ringwood coming down Poulner Hill, cars often pull-off up the slip road and back down the other side. Do they not realise that this creates a bigger tail-back on the main carriageway? I now do not let any vehicle filter in, if they have not waited at the slip lane on either side of the junction.
miketheplumb
says...
7:40am Wed 20 Mar 13
paulthefish says...
8:33am Fri 15 Mar 13