|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jul 17, 2014 22:55:02 GMT
Most of you will have heard about the proposed M4 relief road through Newport Gwent. Especially our Welsh members. i have an answer but I will bet my pension that it won't be implemented by any government body. Everyone seems to have forgotten that the Motorways were originally designed to direct heavy lorries away from town centres and to help speed freight. They were not put there for the private motorist to race around. Answer? Ban all cars at the busy times and let the lorries be on their way without the Sunday driver brigade clogging up their route. The cars can just as easily use the A48 and other routes without causing the structural damage supposedly caused by the heavy stuff. Practically everything we need and use has to be carried by HGVs and all these delays just add to the cost of EVERYTHING so which is more important? Not the car driver IMHO. Well that's my rant for the day over.  ps Oh! and I am a car driver. |
|
|
|
Post by Cherry on Jul 18, 2014 7:39:29 GMT
That is something that would not cross my mind sweetpea. It is worth thinking about, but now you have given me more problems to worry about. Yesterday I had a visit to the medical centre at Littleport seven miles away and had to cope with three slow moving tractors carrying irrigation hoses and other heavy farm equipment, and a few big lorries, as well as the fen road being on the wrong camber. I know this is not really about your subject, but I was on the A10 and had no choice. |
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jul 18, 2014 12:05:43 GMT
That is something that would not cross my mind sweetpea. It is worth thinking about, but now you have given me more problems to worry about. Yesterday I had a visit to the medical centre at Littleport seven miles away and had to cope with three slow moving tractors carrying irrigation hoses and other heavy farm equipment, and a few big lorries, as well as the fen road being on the wrong camber. I know this is not really about your subject, but I was on the A10 and had no choice. Like you chery I live in a mainly rural area and the roads are constantly in use by huge tractors usually with trailors. To be fair the drivers are very thoughtful and most of them pull in at the first opportunity to allow any build up of traffic to pass. One of the tribulations of living in the country I suppose. Just as an aside: this business of drivers to be fined for smoking in a car containing children thereby endangering their health. I bet no one has worked out how many children have died as a result of that compared to how many have died from being struck by a vehicle, but they won't ban cars. |
|
|
|
Post by Cherry on Jul 18, 2014 12:57:50 GMT
Good point!
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jul 18, 2014 17:15:54 GMT
I think motor vehicles of all description are just something we have to live with in this 'Modern' world. At the same time both a blessing and a curse. Here is another bit of controversy; Since moving to S. Wales I have never encountered such a lot of BAD drivers who haven't a clue about road courtesy, road rules, how to park and most of them appear to have absolutely no spatial awareness and no sense of anticipation. My apologies to those minority who can actually drive. I do feel qualified to be critical as I was a professional driver in one capacity or another for over 50 years driving in many different countries and many different conditions including Arctic, desert, Jungle , and of course many urban and rural areas. My driver training consisted of 7 weeks specialist training in various vehicles to a standard far higher than even the advanced driver training that some folks do to better their skills. My driving experience includes, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia but not USA. In my experience the only place worse than here in Pembrokeshire was Malta where the drivers there tend to sit over to one side to let god sit beside them, have religious artifacts hanging from their windscreens and assume that they will be ok driving in the care of the lord rather than cultivate proper driving skills. Possibly Steve will back me up on this as I know he has been to Malta. some maltese buses showing some of the adornments  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2014 18:20:10 GMT
I bet Carmarthenshire is worse than Pembrokeshire sweetpea  I think it's the worst area for bad drivers, in the whole world ! (I don't include myself in that  ) Tailgating at high speed on windy roads !  Nearly everyone does it. Very dangerous and irresponsible ...
By the way, I never go on a motorway. We went from here to Cardiff a few months ago, and I took the 'old' road - much quieter, and more picturesque too (in some parts !!) |
|
|
|
Post by daitheplant on Jul 18, 2014 19:15:29 GMT
Most of you will have heard about the proposed M4 relief road through Newport Gwent. Especially our Welsh members. i have an answer but I will bet my pension that it won't be implemented by any government body. Everyone seems to have forgotten that the Motorways were originally designed to direct heavy lorries away from town centres and to help speed freight. They were not put there for the private motorist to race around. Answer? Ban all cars at the busy times and let the lorries be on their way without the Sunday driver brigade clogging up their route. The cars can just as easily use the A48 and other routes without causing the structural damage supposedly caused by the heavy stuff. Practically everything we need and use has to be carried by HGVs and all these delays just add to the cost of EVERYTHING so which is more important? Not the car driver IMHO. Well that's my rant for the day over. ps Oh! and I am a car driver. I use that stretch of motorway most days, and a relief road is well needed, the most dangerous stretch of the M4 is between J26 and J28.  A better idea, rather than banning car drivers, would be to insist ALL freight goes by rail.  Also, most of the bad driving I see on that stretch of motorway is carried out by HGV drivers.  I always thought motorways were built to divert ALL traffic away from town centres. A good thread though sweetpea. |
|
|
|
Post by Cherry on Jul 18, 2014 19:24:30 GMT
SP Tractor drivers have to move into a layby to allow traffic to pass. Farmers are soon told if a tractor belonging to them does not move over and it is an offence if the queue behind them is about 15 vehicles.
|
|
|
|
Post by steve on Jul 18, 2014 19:35:32 GMT
I can confirm Sweetpeas story of Malta bus drivers I have been a number of times and it always amuses me when they cross themselves before driving over a junction, there is no right of way in the towns you just pap your hooter and drive over a junction, that lets others know its your right of way Bumpers are used as their name suggests when reversing in to a space you have gone far enough when you touch the other car I remember one roasting hot day when we caught one of the buses, there were people standing on the bus but there was a seat empty at the front, I thought we have fell lucky here so me and missus sat there quickly, then I realised the seat was over some kind of vent from the engine! the locals were smiling and obviously thinking stupid tourists! And we got off with half cooked legs having learned a lesson! |
|
|
|
Post by steve2t on Jul 18, 2014 19:37:46 GMT
I think its a brill idea sweetpea  (As long as you don't count 2 wheel transport as cars) I don't have a car! I dislike them, Audis in particular, which are usually 6 inches away from my back wheel!! and driven by aggressive nutters, who have an exemption certificate which enables them to break all driving rules and regs. |
|
|
|
Post by Cherry on Jul 18, 2014 19:38:16 GMT
I laughed all through your post steve. I thought you were going to say the empty seat was for God after reading what SP had to say. I remember your trip to Malta very well. |
|
|
|
Post by Andrew on Jul 18, 2014 20:15:22 GMT
I'm always glad to get past that little section of the motorway when I'm driving down that way, as it always seems busy, even outside of the rush hour, despite the speed limits being in force to supposedly control the traffic.
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jul 18, 2014 22:22:43 GMT
<snip>I use that stretch of motorway most days, and a relief road is well needed, the most dangerous stretch of the M4 is between J26 and J28. A better idea, rather than banning car drivers, would be to insist ALL freight goes by rail. Also, most of the bad driving I see on that stretch of motorway is carried out by HGV drivers. I always thought motorways were built to divert ALL traffic away from town centres. A good thread though sweetpea. Unfortunately the rail freight system is virtually non existant and how would you get your fresh produce from the fields in Cornwall to the big stores in the north and elsewhere? Can you get a train to deliver twenty tons of bricks to a building site anywhere? Of course not. Even when certain bulk goods are carried by rail they only get to a rail terminal and then have to be transported by road. I remember when practically every lorry leaving Wales was carrying steel from Port talbot or coal from the various pits. Also Dai not every HGV driver is necessarily a good driver. I have seen some abysmal lorry drivers but as a general observation I do believe that your average HGV driver is well trained and competent at what they do. Check out the drivers featured on that programme about Eddie Stobart for example. An HGV test takes over three hours to complete and is far more rigorous than the car test. Anyway the standards in most things these days not just driving appear to have fallen dramatically. I did consider that it was just me becoming a grumpy old man but having checked with other people it turns out I am not alone. Without appearing to be too pedantic even on this forum the standard of spelling and grammar can't all be put down to typos. I appreciate not everyone has benefitted from a good education but that is another subject |
|
|
|
Post by daitheplant on Jul 19, 2014 19:07:30 GMT
Unfortunately the rail freight system is virtually non existant and how would you get your fresh produce from the fields in Cornwall to the big stores in the north and elsewhere? Can you get a train to deliver twenty tons of bricks to a building site anywhere? Of course not. Even when certain bulk goods are carried by rail they only get to a rail terminal and then have to be transported by road. I remember when practically every lorry leaving Wales was carrying steel from Port talbot or coal from the various pits. Also Dai not every HGV driver is necessarily a good driver. I have seen some abysmal lorry drivers but as a general observation I do believe that your average HGV driver is well trained and competent at what they do. Check out the drivers featured on that programme about Eddie Stobart for example. An HGV test takes over three hours to complete and is far more rigorous than the car test. Anyway the standards in most things these days not just driving appear to have fallen dramatically. I did consider that it was just me becoming a grumpy old man but having checked with other people it turns out I am not alone. Without appearing to be too pedantic even on this forum the standard of spelling and grammar can't all be put down to typos. I appreciate not everyone has benefitted from a good education but that is another subject Most of what you say here is true sweetpea, but a bad HGV driver is a LOT worse than a bad car driver. More people have been killed between the junctions I have mentioned by HGV drivers than by car drivers. I, have several times, had to swerve on to the hard shoulder because some cretinous lorry driver has decide he wants my space. As for the grammar and spelling, you have it spot on. |
|
|
|
Post by steve2t on Jul 19, 2014 19:12:15 GMT
Sweetpea, you are not a grumpy old man!!! I totally agree with ewe!.... My dad used to call HGV drivers the "Knights of the Road" I wont tell you what he calls some of them now! |
|
I think it's the worst area for bad drivers, in the whole world !
)
Nearly everyone does it. Very dangerous and irresponsible ...
A better idea, rather than banning car drivers, would be to insist ALL freight goes by rail. 
Also, most of the bad driving I see on that stretch of motorway is carried out by HGV drivers. 
I always thought motorways were built to divert ALL traffic away from town centres. A good thread though sweetpea. 
