Safety of wire median barriers to be investigated
Discussion
TV3 News item
There probably hasn't been any specific research into whether teflon road surfacing would reduce wear'n'tear on tyres either, but I know a dumb idea when I hear one.
TV3 said:
Safety of wire median barriers to be investigated
Thu, 26 Jun 2008 8:35p.m.
The danger wire median road barriers pose to motorcyclists is to be investigated in an international study part-funded by Transit New Zealand.
Transit is co-funding the two-year study, along with equivalent agencies in New South Wales and Western Australia.
The goal of the study by NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre at the University of Sydney is to find the safest road barrier for motorcyclists, who have less protection in accidents.
The study follows the death of a motorcyclist at Labour Weekend after crashing into a wire rope barrier on the Southern Motorway at Papakura.
"We understand motorcyclists' concerns about wire rope barriers, but for years there has been a lack of research in this area," said Transit's general manager of network operations, Roly Frost.
"Motorcyclists can be assured that we take their safety seriously and we are committed to monitoring the performance of our wire rope barriers and international developments on the topic."
The lack of research didn't stop them ignoring all the submissions opposing the wire barriers when they first went in Thu, 26 Jun 2008 8:35p.m.
The danger wire median road barriers pose to motorcyclists is to be investigated in an international study part-funded by Transit New Zealand.
Transit is co-funding the two-year study, along with equivalent agencies in New South Wales and Western Australia.
The goal of the study by NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre at the University of Sydney is to find the safest road barrier for motorcyclists, who have less protection in accidents.
The study follows the death of a motorcyclist at Labour Weekend after crashing into a wire rope barrier on the Southern Motorway at Papakura.
"We understand motorcyclists' concerns about wire rope barriers, but for years there has been a lack of research in this area," said Transit's general manager of network operations, Roly Frost.
"Motorcyclists can be assured that we take their safety seriously and we are committed to monitoring the performance of our wire rope barriers and international developments on the topic."
There probably hasn't been any specific research into whether teflon road surfacing would reduce wear'n'tear on tyres either, but I know a dumb idea when I hear one.
Esprit said:
I can't say I agree with the barriers either.... they're ok I think but they're designed to be set back from the road way or used in slow-moving traffic situations where space is tight... not down the median of a motorway
No there designed for high speed incidents where there isnt space or whatever for more solid barriers, they redirect the vehicles back onto their own carridgeway.Its just whoever thought up of them and installed them didnt realy consider motorbikes, at all.
I guess you have to consider the alternate, if there was no barrier there then straight into oncoming trafic, but then there used in place of solid barriers which isnt good.
That article isnt entirely accurate. There has been plenty of research in europe for a few years and theyre all negative towards them. Pretty much every other coutry is tearing them down or modifying them substantially.
They dont work in close situations either. Look on youtube for a video of them working. The car drives into them and snaps off all the posts at ground level...the car carrys on forwards and ends up pretty much entirely on the wrong side of the road....then the force of the wires directs the car back onto the correct side. If you happened to be travelling the other way at the wrong time youd still have a head on accident.
Plus the ongoing costs arnt substantially if any cheaper. If you put in a decent concrete or steel barrier and a car hits it you sweep the car away and carry on. If a car hits one itll destroy the barrier.
Theres a reason bikers call them cheesegraters.
They dont work in close situations either. Look on youtube for a video of them working. The car drives into them and snaps off all the posts at ground level...the car carrys on forwards and ends up pretty much entirely on the wrong side of the road....then the force of the wires directs the car back onto the correct side. If you happened to be travelling the other way at the wrong time youd still have a head on accident.
Plus the ongoing costs arnt substantially if any cheaper. If you put in a decent concrete or steel barrier and a car hits it you sweep the car away and carry on. If a car hits one itll destroy the barrier.
Theres a reason bikers call them cheesegraters.
Gassing Station | New Zealand | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff