Unique escape lane - Dover?

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Telstarbox
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Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Telstarbox »

Is this the only downhill escape lane which continues into the following junction, and onto the central island of a roundabout? It could be an interesting experience if an HGV can't stop...

https://goo.gl/maps/8uiiZQAVzMJHh5B57
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Conekicker
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Conekicker »

Telstarbox wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 16:17 Is this the only downhill escape lane which continues into the following junction, and onto the central island of a roundabout? It could be an interesting experience if an HGV can't stop...

https://goo.gl/maps/8uiiZQAVzMJHh5B57
Certainly different. Makes one wonder how many incidents there have been to justify it being built. I'd make two points though:

1) I'm not sure what the chances are of a runaway vehicle making it as far as the arrestor bed, given that it's a single lane downhill. So unless the vehicle has nothing in front of it or there's nothing coming uphill in the centre lane, it's likely to hit another vehicle before it gets to the bed. That's assuming the driver is expecting to have to steer to the right, given that the advance sign is this:
2) https://www.google.com/maps/@51.1285127 ... 312!8i6656

Although there is a bed on the nearside as well. Most odd.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Glen »

There are several escape lanes on that hill, the one in the centre of the roundabout is really if all else fails.
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c2R
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by c2R »

Glen wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 17:24 There are several escape lanes on that hill, the one in the centre of the roundabout is really if all else fails.
Presumably the one in the centre of the roundabout is for the circumstance where a driver might be suffering brake fade, that they only notice when they get to the roundabout and suddenly can't stop - otherwise, if they know in advance of that point, the escape lanes to either side would be a better bet...
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Al__S »

there's one to the left as well- is there anywhere else that has escape lane gravel beds to both sides at the same time?
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Conekicker »

I guess in the event of an accident at that junction it could have a big impact on the operation of the port. So the cost of a few arrestor beds at that junction, giving traffic 3 options for somewhere to go when it all goes pear-shaped is worth it.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by jervi »

I'm fairly certain that all escape lanes are unique in the UK.
While I presume that there is a standard for them, all the ones I've seen seem to take a completely different design in terms of where, width, length, surface, markings and whatever else.
This is likely because all our new roads are not steep enough to warrant escape lanes (although there likely are some which do), and that means that the rest of the escape lanes are just botched onto whatever steep busy road they are located on.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Glen »

The very nature of escape lanes means that they are where the road geometry is restricted by the terrain; and that terrain is going to limit where and escape lane can be located. Therefore there is never going to be an ideal location or design for an escape lane, as in ideal circumstances there wouldn't be such steep gradients requiring them in the first place.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by jervi »

Glen wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 12:51 The very nature of escape lanes means that they are where the road geometry is restricted by the terrain; and that terrain is going to limit where and escape lane can be located. Therefore there is never going to be an ideal location or design for an escape lane, as in ideal circumstances there wouldn't be such steep gradients requiring them in the first place.
In comparison to other countries, ours are very non-standard.
Just looking at some in France and they all look very similar, despite the terrain.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@46.16561 ... 384!8i8192
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@45.21775 ... 384!8i8192 (yes the google street view car is taking the escape lane)
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Conekicker »

This one has always puzzled me, stuck as it is in almost the middle of nowhere. Makes me wonder what incident occurred to prompt it's installation. Presumably in a time when highways budgets weren't so trimmed to the bone.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.19490 ... 6656?hl=en
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by jervi »

Conekicker wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 13:19 This one has always puzzled me, stuck as it is in almost the middle of nowhere. Makes me wonder what incident occurred to prompt it's installation. Presumably in a time when highways budgets weren't so trimmed to the bone.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.19490 ... 6656?hl=en
Although those markings are not legal. Double yellow lines apply to both the carriageway + verge so there is no need for the second set.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Conekicker »

jervi wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 19:30
Conekicker wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 13:19 This one has always puzzled me, stuck as it is in almost the middle of nowhere. Makes me wonder what incident occurred to prompt it's installation. Presumably in a time when highways budgets weren't so trimmed to the bone.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.19490 ... 6656?hl=en
Although those markings are not legal. Double yellow lines apply to both the carriageway + verge so there is no need for the second set.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Nathan_A_RF »

Telstarbox wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 16:17 Is this the only downhill escape lane which continues into the following junction, and onto the central island of a roundabout? It could be an interesting experience if an HGV can't stop...

https://goo.gl/maps/8uiiZQAVzMJHh5B57
Check neighbouring Folkestone for two more, both on the old route of the A20 before the bypass of Capel-le-Ferne (i.e. after the Channel Tunnel)
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by ravenbluemoon »

Conekicker wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 13:19 This one has always puzzled me, stuck as it is in almost the middle of nowhere. Makes me wonder what incident occurred to prompt it's installation. Presumably in a time when highways budgets weren't so trimmed to the bone.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.19490 ... 6656?hl=en
IIRC there was a few instances of cars towing caravans having serious brake fade issues going down Staxton Hill - It's one of the main routes down from the Wolds into Scarbados, and given there's a fair few caravan sites in the area, I guess that the chances of runaways are higher than normal. The escape lane there is to prevent any runaways from flying across the A64 at the end of the road.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

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Conekicker wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 13:19 This one has always puzzled me, stuck as it is in almost the middle of nowhere. Makes me wonder what incident occurred to prompt it's installation. Presumably in a time when highways budgets weren't so trimmed to the bone.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.19490 ... 6656?hl=en
Although it's only a B-road, it is a busy road and used a lot by caravanners and HGVs – it is Google's recommended route to Scarborough from the M18 or Humber Bridge, but the volume of traffic using it isn't just a post-Google thing, it has always been a popular route because it has always been one of the quickest ways to get to Scarborough from the south. But then you're coming down a straight but very steep hill, 1:6/17% according to the signs, with traffic lights at the bottom where the main A64 crosses it. You don't need a lot of imagination to see the reason for an escape lane there! I don't know whether there were actual incidents that led to the escape lane being installed but it certainly wouldn't surprise me either way if it was a response to something that happened or in anticipation of something that was likely to happen.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Bfivethousand »

Those signals haven't always been there either. The B1249 was my dad's preferred route to Scarborough when I was a lad and at busy holiday periods the queue to join the A64 sometimes reached up to and beyond the escape lane.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by jonnyf90 »

Nathan_A_RF wrote: Mon Nov 30, 2020 00:28 Check neighbouring Folkestone for two more, both on the old route of the A20 before the bypass of Capel-le-Ferne (i.e. after the Channel Tunnel)
If I was going fast enough to need the escape lane in your second link, I could say goodbye to my front suspension upon hitting that kerb.
I thought escape lanes were meant to be "kerb-less"?

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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by rhyds »

Al__S wrote: Fri Nov 27, 2020 20:25 there's one to the left as well- is there anywhere else that has escape lane gravel beds to both sides at the same time?
I'm assuming its either because there's two lanes leading up to the roundabout or in case an LHD truck driver panics and goes to their "natural" side of the road.
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by multiraider2 »

This one on the A390 at Lostwithiel is my "favourite". 'We haven't really got room for an escape lane so this will have to do.' 'Oh and mind the pedestrians if you can.'
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Re: Unique escape lane - Dover?

Post by Stevie D »

multiraider2 wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 14:31 This one on the A390 at Lostwithiel is my "favourite". 'We haven't really got room for an escape lane so this will have to do.' 'Oh and mind the pedestrians if you can.'
To be fair, that isn't a pavement, and the pedestrian "should" be using the lane on the other side of the barrier (accepting that there are no actual rules on where the pedestrian can and can't walk).
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