Drove over a central traffic island!

Norman_Castle

They should have keep left bollards on them. Are they compliant without them? Are they part of the business park?

Supersonos

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

I'm a pretty vigilant driver but early this morning (1am-ish) I accidentally drove over the side of a traffic island...

Are you talking about the traffic island on Inchinnan Road/Sanderling Road/Abbotsinch Road? The one with 'keep left' bollards as you approach, three left arrow signs on it and a massive tree in the middle?

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

...that wasn't visible in the slightest due to how dark it was

Your car has headlights. There are streetlights. It's a 30mph zone. I'm amazed you didn't see it. And I'm even more amazed you damaged your car to the point that you had to leave it. You must've been going faster than 10mph. Were you drunk? On your phone? You must have been distracted somehow to not see it.

I think you'll have to suck it up.

Norman_Castle

Supersonos wrote: »

Are you talking about the traffic island on Inchinnan Road/Sanderling Road/Abbotsinch Road? The one with 'keep left' bollards as you approach, three left arrow signs on it and a massive tree in the middle?

No.........

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

Here is a quick image to illustrate what I'm saying.

Supersonos

Norman_Castle wrote: »

No.........

Phew! The one I found was a proper roundabout!

That's different. I'd say you've got some sort of a claim there.

spadoosh

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

Yes, I'm aware how junctions work but appreciate the advice. And no, it's not an inch-perfect dipiction of the manoeuvre but not miles away.

I would suggest that things move somewhat away from personal responsibility and the letter of the law if there exists a junction in a dark and empty industrial estate with virtually no road markings and a completly unmarked concrete obstacle that follows it that will more than likely do your vehicle damage if you make contact then the onus is not only on the driver but also the people who maintain the roads. That not reasonable?

If you and the Renfrewshire council are effectively asking me to always just guess where the center of the road is at all junctions and in all conditions then why have road markings at all? Let's just do away with them and all be better drivers. Is that ultimately what you're saying?

Are you saying you guess where thigns are at night, just close your eyes and drive? Do you just guess where the unmarked side of the road is or are you observant of it? I cant imagine you just ping pong off kerbs when it goes dark, do you?

General_Applause

I think you are totally to blame.

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

Just looking for some advice. I'm a pretty vigilant driver but early this morning (1am-ish) I accidentally drove over the side of a traffic island that wasn't visible in the slightest due to how dark it was and the lack of markings

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

It's not that I saw them and my brain didn't compute - my eyes were wide open but I can assure you that the poor lighting tied in with the almost non-excitant road markings made it really tricky to spot any hazards on the road in the first place.

Turns out non illuminated things are hard to see at night. Funny that.

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

Yes, I'm aware how junctions work but appreciate the advice. And no, it's not an inch-perfect dipiction of the manoeuvre but not miles away.

I would suggest that things move somewhat away from personal responsibility and the letter of the law if there exists a junction in a dark and empty industrial estate with virtually no road markings and a completly unmarked concrete obstacle that follows it that will more than likely do your vehicle damage if you make contact then the onus is not only on the driver but also the people who maintain the roads. That not reasonable?

You keep saying 'dark' and 'poor lighting' and, yet, there are streetlights to the left, right and opposite the junction and one just a few yards into Marchburn Drive, plus your own headlights. Are you claiming that none of these streetlights were operational?

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

I do realise some might blame me for cutting the corner slightly but surely it has to be better marked than that?

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

I did slightly cut the corner whilst turning right but I couldn't make out either the road markings or the island either. I would never have done it otherwise.

'Slightly cut the corner'? That first island is set back from the junction a good 6 foot. That is not 'slightly'.

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

Pretty slow, probably about 10-15 mph

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

And i was driving fairly slow, about 10-15mph.

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

But not normally head on at, let's say, 15mph?

Stu_Wilkie wrote: »

Btw guys, my speed is a rough estimate. To be safe I'd maybe change my speed to 20mph, but definatly no more than that I would say.

Have you seen what is happening to your estimated speed as your story unfolds? Hmmm.

parking_question_chap

They really need illuminated bollards on them. Turning in your headlight beam will not pick up on that until too late. I rarely back people up once they have driven into something, but you have a case here OP.

Norman_Castle

It looks like they had bollards which were possibly damaged by hgv trailers then never replaced.

foxy-stoat

Come on...it is obvious that the driver was rushing to turn right at 1am and as it was late and no other cars there they cut the corner and didn't appreciate the road conditions.

Put it another way, if there was a person laying in the road in the same spot them islands were and the OP ran over him because he didnt have a bollard on his head, I am 100% sure he wouldn't be looking to make a claim on their house insurance for any damage to the car.

alfie1950

Should have gone to Specsavers...��