Speed signs in roadworks on motorway

Lum

StrongWork's post is correct and I wish more people would understand the difference between advisory and mandatory speed signs. Red border = legally enforcible, anything else = not enforcible.

By all means take the advisories into account. Be extra cautious for possible hazards, but half the time they seem to have just forgetten to turn the sign off in my experience. I'm well aware of the dangers of just assuming the signs are crying wolf, but so should the operators who should turn the bloody things off when it's over.

Whatever you do, don't just assume it's a camera enforced limit and jam on the anchors when you have an idiot tailgating you. Sure it'll be his fault but you'll still have an accident that was totally avoidable.

And yes the distinction is particularly important when dealing with "managed motorways" such as the M6/M42/M25.

cyclonebri1

What the heck does it matter if they are mandatory or enforceable. They are there for the workers, and your protection.


The only difference is if you kill someone you won't get done for speeding:mad:

Lum

If you can't see the workers with your own eyes and slow down to an appropriate speed before you get anywhere near them, you shouldn't be on the road in the first place.

If it's an advisory, look out for hazards ahead and if you see roadworks, slow down in good time to a sensible speed for passing road workers and speed up when you're past.

If there are no advisory signs, look out for hazards ahead and if you see roadworks, slow down in good time to a sensible speed for passing road workers and speed up when you're past.


Edit: And if it's an advisory, and there are roadworks but you can see with certainty that the roadworks have no staff on because it's 2AM and they have just left lane 1 coned off, go hog wild. No need to slow to 50 and get tailgated by truck drivers who are forbidden from entering lane 3 to overtake you.

iolanthe07

half the time they seem to have just forgetten to turn the sign off

This is particularly true of the M5 south of Bristol in my experience. It is common to find mile after mile of '50' signs for absolutely no reason. No wonder they are mostly ignored.

forgotmyname

The 40 limit signs were in the red circle and above the carriageway not the markers at the side.

As you pass the M5 junction it appeared the roadworks had ended, Large HGV to my left as i accelerated towards
70 the artic slowed then i spotted the specs camera's high up to the left.

Lum

iolanthe07 wrote: »

half the time they seem to have just forgetten to turn the sign off

This is particularly true of the M5 south of Bristol in my experience. It is common to find mile after mile of '50' signs for absolutely no reason. No wonder they are mostly ignored.

I usually travel in the evening, and it's pretty true everywhere.

They are forever leaving them up after rush hour accidents and jams.

My favourite was on the M4, 9PM in winter and the signs are lit up at daylight brightness, that is to say blindingly bright in the dark, advising "Severe delays ahead" with a nice little queueing cars triangular warning sign on their fancy new sign, a little further down the same sign and what I presume to be the same warning, only in Welsh. Again running at the blindingly bright daylight settings.

I must have encountered what? 5 or 6 other vehicles for the remainder of my trip.

Hammyman

forgotmyname wrote: »

Innapropriate/Misleading, Easy pickings/money maker.

No, altering the speed limit to control traffic flow.

Hammyman

TUS wrote: »

Dangerous as well if causing people to suddenly break again after starting to increase speed.

Sorry , I disagree. If you cannot see a large number on an an overhead motorway gantry from 1/4 of a mile away WHICH GIVES YOU PLENTY OF TIME TO SLOW DOWN you are not fit to drive.

Barneysmom

It's not that someone doesn't see or ignores the signs. But there are 2 lots of signs on the M6, the overhead gantry signs(some of which have cameras), and the roadwork signs, both saying completely different things.
So in the space of less than half a mile you might do 60 then 40 then 50 then 70 then 50 mph.

This is dangerous. Drivers are having to concentrate more on doing the hokey-kokey than watching out for Workers on the road.
I'm used to the M6 being stupid it's always been stupid.
But to people who aren't familiar with it, it's bad.

I think while all the roadworks are going on it would be safer to set the limit for the whole stretch at 50, all the way through, instead of up-downing in random spots.

Lum

One is advisory, one is legally required and enforced. It's really no different as to when they put up advisory speeds on a 70mph motorway, or a motorway with a permanent 50 limit with repeater signs.

What is dangerous with the managed motorways is the point where the sign changes to a lower limit and someone notices just as it slips out of view at the top of their windscreen, and hauls on the anchors not realising that there is a delay before the associated camera (if it exists) actually starts enforcing the new lower limit.

Bonus points if it literally changed in the last instant. Dunno what it changed to, just saw that it changed. Better just do 30 to be on the safe side.