A83 Rest And Be Thankful blocked again

[J--M--B]

That lorry appears to be carrying a modular self-propelled transporter, used to place bridges etc. I wonder where it was going to/from?

I read about it on For Argyll, seems to be something to do with eagle slicers (possibly the ones they make or assemble at Machrihanish).

[Ruperts Trooper]

That lorry appears to be carrying a modular self-propelled transporter, used to place bridges etc. I wonder where it was going to/from?

I read about it on For Argyll, seems to be something to do with eagle slicers (possibly the ones they make or assemble at Machrihanish).

Not heard them called that before - but quite appropriate.

[rileyrob]

Lorry slipped off the road at 14:30, traffic scotland updated website at 15:30; help requested at 17:30; lorries dispatched at 18:00 lorries arrived 20:30; briefing; set up from 21:30; road clear 01:30.

[J--M--B]

Lorry slipped off the road at 14:30, traffic scotland updated website at 15:30; help requested at 17:30; lorries dispatched at 18:00 lorries arrived 20:30; briefing; set up from 21:30; road clear 01:30.

Is that from a public site and able to be passed on or is it private?

[wrinkly]

Press release

http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Furthe ... -1492.aspx

[Sabrista]

I have to confess I keep seeing this thread pop up to the top, but don't know the area at all.

However, the name amuses me, although it's looking like the users of this road are getting rather too much rest and are not feeling particularly thankful about it...

Serena

[Ruperts Trooper]

I have to confess I keep seeing this thread pop up to the top, but don't know the area at all.

However, the name amuses me, although it's looking like the users of this road are getting rather too much rest and are not feeling particularly thankful about it...

Serena

The military road over the Glen Croe pass was completed in 1748 and a stone seat erected with the legend "Rest And Be Thankful" - quite fitting given the challenge of getting up there in full military equipment nearly 300 years ago.

The military road became the A83 until the current route was started in 1937 - the old military road served as a motorsport hillclimb and rally stage for many decades after WW2.

It's the old military road that has been "upgraded" to act as a diversion when the A83 is blocked, which given the terrain is relatively frequently. Recently, most of the blockages seem to be the other side of the pass in Glen Kinglas.

http://www.arrocharheritage.com/HistoryOfRABT.htm

[J--M--B]

Coach gone off the road near the Rest And Be Thankful, road closed. Several pictures of it down below the road on BBC News site and Twitter.

Coach crashes off the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll

[Ruperts Trooper]

Coach gone off the road near the Rest And Be Thankful, road closed. Several pictures of it down below the road on BBC News site and Twitter.

Coach crashes off the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll

Hell's Teeth - that was lucky given the proximity of the loch but those with injuries will still be suffering.

[paully]

Should there not be a crash barrier of some kind along the edge of the road there? Maybe it wouldn't have prevented a bus rolling over but it may stop a car with a tire blowout ending up in the Loch.

[Andy33gmail]

Can you imagine how expensive it would be to put crash barriers along all the twisty, hilly, treacherous roads in Scotland?

Would also make it far more difficult for vehicles to find room to pass

[scynthius726]

Would also make it far more difficult for vehicles to find room to pass

Nonsense, the A83 is a normal S2, not an S1.

[Glen]

Should there not be a crash barrier of some kind along the edge of the road there? Maybe it wouldn't have prevented a bus rolling over but it may stop a car with a tire blowout ending up in the Loch.

But it didn't end up in the loch, though, it went down the fairly gradual slope towards it.
I think there are requirements for barriers next to drops immediately above water or drops over a certain height, but there is no need for barriers where there is a slight slope away from the road.

There must be tens of miles of road like that near bodies of water just on the trunk road network and it wouldn't realistic to barrier it all on the slight chance that a vehicle leaves the carriageway fast enough to reach the water.

[paully]

Should there not be a crash barrier of some kind along the edge of the road there? Maybe it wouldn't have prevented a bus rolling over but it may stop a car with a tire blowout ending up in the Loch.

But it didn't end up in the loch, though, it went down the fairly gradual slope towards it.
I think there are requirements for barriers next to drops immediately above water or drops over a certain height, but there is no need for barriers where there is a slight slope away from the road.

There must be tens of miles of road like that near bodies of water just on the trunk road network and it wouldn't realistic to barrier it all on the slight chance that a vehicle leaves the carriageway fast enough to reach the water.

It was close to the loch though, this loch isn't big and a few hundred yards of barrier would be a good thing. There are some other really "scary" locations with no barrier like the twisty bit of the A85 along Loch Earn.

[Andy33gmail]

Is that really that dangerous? I mean, I'd rather drive into a lake at speed than into a tree, and there are plenty of NSL roads with trees right along the side. Even motorways with unprotected trees really quite close.

If anything, the increased perception of danger should help mitigate the risk

[Fenlander]

Around the Fens there are loads of roads that run alongside deep & often wide drainage channels with enough water in them to fully submerge and cars that fall off the road, very few of them have barriers but every bridge that crosses them at right angles does!

[Haydn1971]

There are some other really "scary" locations with no barrier like the twisty bit of the A85 along Loch Earn.

I really must introduce you to the highland road trip mob - the A85 is probably one of the least scary roads I know in the highlands

[Burns]

The A85 around Loch Earn is frustrating. I dread the moment I cross the Perth & Kinross boundary into Stirling because all of a sudden, you go from a well aligned, fast road to what feels like a neglected unclassified road linking a few small villages together.

Back on topic, I'd rather see any potential funds for adding a barrier to the A83 around the bus crash site moved to resurfacing the A87 it its entirety between the A887 and Kyle of Lochalsh. The likelihood of people bursting their tyres open on the numerous craters and ravines in the road surface seems far higher than that of another bus coming off the road any time soon.

[J--M--B]

The A85 around Loch Earn is frustrating. I dread the moment I cross the Perth & Kinross boundary into Stirling because all of a sudden, you go from a well aligned, fast road to what feels like a neglected unclassified road linking a few small villages together.

Back on topic, I'd rather see any potential funds for adding a barrier to the A83 around the bus crash site moved to resurfacing the A87 it its entirety between the A887 and Kyle of Lochalsh. The likelihood of people bursting their tyres open on the numerous craters and ravines in the road surface seems far higher than that of another bus coming off the road any time soon.

That applies to most of the roads in the Highlands, I am sure there are third world countries with better roads but I suppose they have to get the money for the A9 from somewhere.

[exiled]

The A85 around Loch Earn is frustrating. I dread the moment I cross the Perth & Kinross boundary into Stirling because all of a sudden, you go from a well aligned, fast road to what feels like a neglected unclassified road linking a few small villages together.

Back on topic, I'd rather see any potential funds for adding a barrier to the A83 around the bus crash site moved to resurfacing the A87 it its entirety between the A887 and Kyle of Lochalsh. The likelihood of people bursting their tyres open on the numerous craters and ravines in the road surface seems far higher than that of another bus coming off the road any time soon.

That applies to most of the roads in the Highlands, I am sure there are third world countries with better roads but I suppose they have to get the money for the A9 from somewhere.

If I was feeling cynical I'd say something like it goes through Calvin's dad's constituency, and he controls the Scottish Government purse.