Botched Roadsigns

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Bryn666
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Bryn666 »

tom66 wrote: Thu Jul 28, 2022 19:00 There's a further restriction sign a bit up the road:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5741569 ... 384!8i8192
(looking a little tatty)

as well as a larger sign indicating 16.5 tonne trucks are not permitted down a specific street.

My guess is that the 16.5 tonne restriction* was implemented to prevent rat running, but at some point a few streets were made one-way, and no one thought that there might be a conflict arising here. The fact that it's been tidied up and replaced though, that's quite amusing. Sometimes you wonder.

*I'm curious about exactly how 16.5 tonnes may have been reached. It's my understanding that would basically cap it at a bit under the typical 18 tonne two-axle limit, and of course anything over that up to 44 tonnes. But it does seem fairly arbitrary compared to 7.5 tonnes (standard licence limit) or 18 tonnes (the point at which something might be called a "proper lorry", for lack of a better term.)

There's some further amusement down the road:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.573685, ... 384!8i8192

Presumably this is a calendar of events. Something happens from midnight to 7am on Saturdays, but permit holders aren't invited because they really damp the party down. It's been like this for at least 10 years...

This goes even further:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5704653 ... 384!8i8192

No motor vehicles 8.30-9.30am 3.30-4.30pm (M-F) then 20ft down the road no trucks midnight-7am. So if you do drive a 16.5 tonne truck, watch out: you're not allowed there midnight-7am 8.30am-9.30am 3.30pm-4.30pm and then 9pm-midnight on a weekday. Unless you've got a permit SS12, then you can do the school run in your truck. God only knows how London drivers cope.

I've always hated signs like this. How on earth are you supposed to parse and understand that when you're moving a vehicle at 20 odd mph? Let alone, by the time you have read it, you're breaking the law by passing that with nowhere to go.
It dates back to the London Lorry Control Scheme, introduced in 1986 after the M25 was completed to deter HGVs rat-running across the capital. Quite why 16.5t was chosen is anyone's guess.
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the cheesecake man
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by the cheesecake man »

Bryn666 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 13:20 It dates back to the London Lorry Control Scheme, introduced in 1986 after the M25 was completed to deter HGVs rat-running across the capital. Quite why 16.5t was chosen is anyone's guess.
Cynicism makes me think the council might have had some 16 tonne lorries. How much does a dustcart or gritter weigh for example?
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by tom66 »

If it dates back as far as 1986 (I found a different reference suggesting 2005) then I believe C&U was in force then and the limit for a two-axle lorry was 17t not 18t. Still not 16.5t but maybe they were rounding down. :?

Can the council apply regulations to the road that exclude its own vehicles from the restriction - I've seen "no public service vehicles" signs before which is the opposite, but it'd be interesting if there's any road sign along the lines of "16.5t limit (excluding PSVs)".
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by MotorwayGuy »

A nice welcome to the UK.
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Conekicker
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Conekicker »

MotorwayGuy wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 16:57 A nice welcome to the UK.
That shows Johnny Foreigner the quality of signing to expect I suppose. :evil:
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Kevin Roads
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Kevin Roads »

It seems that the sign on the left has been replaced as it looks newer than its companion but why wasn't it compared to the existing sign to ensure that it matches? https://maps.app.goo.gl/g5PEwpTdC6xHkzFt6

At 400yds is a matching pair of the correct 'End Of Dual Carriageway' signs that looks to be of the same vintage as the one at 600yds.
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Nathan_A_RF »

One also using 'yds' and the other 'yards'. Is there certain situations where one is used over the other? Why can't we just use 'yds'?
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MotorwayGuy
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by MotorwayGuy »

This doesn't look right.
On the same road, I'm pretty sure this isn't authorised.
Umm, okay.
In fact, it seems Bristol like to make their own signs.
Then we have another bodge where they have just copied the previous one without checking.

Same thing here.
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Kevin Roads »

Nathan_A_RF wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 17:10 One also using 'yds' and the other 'yards'.
Good spot, Nathan, I didn't notice that. I think most signs use 'yds' but I'm sure one of the experts on here will be able to let us know what's correct.
Last edited by Kevin Roads on Mon Aug 08, 2022 16:22, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Rambo »

Saw this today in Trafford Park. Special authorisation?
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Conekicker
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Conekicker »

Dare one say a rather "unique" way to give advance warning of a low bridge.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.93169 ... 8192?hl=en

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.93108 ... 8192?hl=en

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.93136 ... 8192?hl=en

I'm not certain signing a lorry route to an industrial estate half a mile beyond such a very low bridge is the best idea either.
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Nathan_A_RF »

That's just asking for trouble
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Conekicker »

Nathan_A_RF wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 23:05 That's just asking for trouble
...and trouble was provided...

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.92316 ... 8192?hl=en
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by swissferry »

Variable Message Sign on M80 Southbound at Haggs currently says "DONT USE MOBILE PHONE WHEN DRIVING NULL".
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MotorwayGuy
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by MotorwayGuy »

Earls Road? The road is actually called Earle's Road. It's in Helvetica too and not sure why it's even on a flag sign.
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Klepsydra »

This one could equally have gone in the Manky Signs thread. It should read A5008, not B5008, and by the looks of it, it's been wrong for decades.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.0229482 ... 384!8i8192
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tom66
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by tom66 »

Klepsydra wrote: Wed Aug 10, 2022 18:31 This one could equally have gone in the Manky Signs thread. It should read A5008, not B5008, and by the looks of it, it's been wrong for decades.
https://www.google.com/maps/@53.0229482 ... 384!8i8192
Who exactly is that sign for? It's barely visible from the position of the traffic lights, but by the time you've committed to being in that lane, you're going to be stuck. And it looks like a left-turn from the give-way point would be a dubious manoeuvre.

Perhaps the junction was reconfigured at some point and this sign was completely forgotten.
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Big L »

Leaving aside some other things, there is no stop sign after this. Traffic lights, yes.
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Skermington
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Skermington »

A plethora of botches from recent travels:

Classic sin of an advanced Give Way - Hertingfordbury, Hertfordshire

I'm sure this one has been posted before. Alton Towers is too important to be seen with the likes of Gulliver's Kingdom!

This one is really nitpicky, but it's rubbed me up the wrong way for years. Is there no standardisation of arrow angles for off-slips?

Not faded!

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Conekicker
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Re: Botched Roadsigns

Post by Conekicker »

Patience is not a virtue - it's a concept invented by the dozy beggars who are unable to think quickly enough.
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