Is This Type of Restriction a Good Idea?
Discussion
My son plays football for Barnet FC which means regular trips to the stadium for matches and training. The best route for me is to approach The Hive from the A5 which takes me to a width restriction/bus gateway:
It's a PITA in terms of traffic bottle-necking there and from what I can make out, cars passing through the width restriction have right of way but the buses usually motor on through without hesitation. Also, the layout doesn't allow your rear wheel to clear the kerb as you pass through from this side:
Longer cars and vans always catch their N/S/R wheel when trying to navigate through; the last metre or so of it is now lowered so there must have been some issues with it.
It doesn't strike me as the most practical way of controlling traffic, especially given its position (traffic from roads left and right before the restriction) and the fact that it's quite a busy road.
It's a PITA in terms of traffic bottle-necking there and from what I can make out, cars passing through the width restriction have right of way but the buses usually motor on through without hesitation. Also, the layout doesn't allow your rear wheel to clear the kerb as you pass through from this side:
Longer cars and vans always catch their N/S/R wheel when trying to navigate through; the last metre or so of it is now lowered so there must have been some issues with it.
It doesn't strike me as the most practical way of controlling traffic, especially given its position (traffic from roads left and right before the restriction) and the fact that it's quite a busy road.
I can see what they are trying to achieve, but the execution of it looks dangerous.
If I was faced with that in the car or motorbike I would be cautious to say the least. On the peddle bike I wouldn't even bother, I would hop on the footpath till I'd cleared the hazard. I wouldn't even trust that as a safe refuge to cross the road walking.
It's a bit like the old joke of replacing driver safety aids with a spike on the steering wheel, kinda funny till you're faced with it in reality.
If I was faced with that in the car or motorbike I would be cautious to say the least. On the peddle bike I wouldn't even bother, I would hop on the footpath till I'd cleared the hazard. I wouldn't even trust that as a safe refuge to cross the road walking.
It's a bit like the old joke of replacing driver safety aids with a spike on the steering wheel, kinda funny till you're faced with it in reality.
Panamax said:
Stupid council thinking.
They don't want lorries on that road so install a width restriction and then put a camera on the bus lane. Why bother? They could just have a camera on a normal traffic flow with lorry prohibition and issue a ticket for every lorry that goes through. Muppets.
Getting through from one side is impossible without the N/S/R wheel clipping the kerb. I have a SWB van and other than risking damaging my OSF wheel as I'm trying to get the NSR past. It's impossible. There must have been an issue because part of it has been lowered, but the angles are all wrong. Anything longer than a Nissan Micra catches it every time. They don't want lorries on that road so install a width restriction and then put a camera on the bus lane. Why bother? They could just have a camera on a normal traffic flow with lorry prohibition and issue a ticket for every lorry that goes through. Muppets.
Glassman said:
Yes.
For my sins, I grew up around this area during the 80's and 90's.....including learning to drive locally. The bus lane never used to be camera protected and it's fair to say most people didn't even bother obeying the signage or giveway...as a result there was often a good few smashes there over the years, particularly on an evening.I remember it being 'too tight' even back in the day when I was only peddling a little 306, let alone a big modern car or van.
It is one of my nightmares that I am driving the campervan in an unfamiliar area and come across a restriction like that.
Our campervan width is physically 6ft 7in and it can get through many 6' 6" width restrictions because they allow a margin.
If in doubt I wait for an Amazon van to come along and then follow it.
Our campervan width is physically 6ft 7in and it can get through many 6' 6" width restrictions because they allow a margin.
If in doubt I wait for an Amazon van to come along and then follow it.
Pica-Pica said:
PaulD86 said:
I'd have thrown a weight restriction on it with "except busses". As width restriction implementation goes, that's poor.
Whatever signs or words are added (even an extra, redundant, ‘s’ in buses) the layout is crap and a recipe for disaster.I went through this exact restriction on Friday when picking Vikingette2 up from her digs in Wemb-ber-lay. 5 cars in front of me and it took about 2 mins to get through and I could see the cars rubbing their tyres/alloys on the kerb.
Me? Fortunately I was in a short wheel base Jazz and got through fine.
Me? Fortunately I was in a short wheel base Jazz and got through fine.
I went through this exact restriction on Friday when picking Vikingette2 up from her digs in Wemb-ber-lay. 5 cars in front of me and it took about 2 mins to get through and I could see the cars rubbing their tyres/alloys on the kerb.
Me? Fortunately I was in a short wheel base Jazz and got through fine.
Me? Fortunately I was in a short wheel base Jazz and got through fine.
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