"High risk" roads

[jont-]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42019024
Are the roads really the problem, or the road users?

[akirk]

and do keen drivers think - ooh that might be a fun road to drive?!
Alasdair

[exportmanuk]

Dont particularly like the C&F too may vehicles exceeding the competence of the user. Many think its a badge of honor to have traveled along it.
There are some bits that can catch out anyone not actually paying attention, especially if they are already exceeding their ability to read the road and think.

[jont-]

Dont particularly like the C&F too may vehicles exceeding the competence of the user. Many think its a badge of honor to have traveled along it.
There are some bits that can catch out anyone not actually paying attention, especially if they are already exceeding their ability to read the road and think.

It's a bit like the A4069 Black Mountain which is now splattered with a 40 limit, having become too famous as the Top Gear road. Of course I'm sure the people with talent shortages will be paying lots of attention to the speed limits and so naturally this will make a huge difference to safety

Would be refreshing to see them acknowledge instead that the limits don't actually work - and instead perhaps put some trafpol out to deal with dangerous/careless driving appropriately instead (where's the flying pig smiley).

[GTR1400MAN]

The IAM are pushing this one on Facebook and on their own site supporting £220 million being spent to make these roads safer.

IAM Website Article Link

My comment on their FB page ...

So the "Cat and Fiddle" road is at the top of the list of dangerous roads. This just shows how stats can be useless and are down to how you interpret them. Rather than it being the most dangerous road surely it should be the road where the most risk takers congregate? It's not a race track! And that's from a rider. Surely the money would be better spent actually repairing our roads to a suitable state rather than the polished surfaces and pot hole infested tarmac we have?

[crr003]

IAM has jumped on the bandwagon:
https://www.iamroadsmart.com/media-and- ... d-injuries

The only way to stop bikers crashing is to level the hill and straighten the road. Or ban bikers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_and_Fiddle_Road
Having already spent £500,000 on a number of safety measures (including reducing the speed limit, installing high-friction surfacing, barriers and signs, widening the carriageway, and using mobile speed cameras),[7] in January 2009 it was revealed that Cheshire Council, on behalf of Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership and Derbyshire Partnership for Road Safety, intended to spend a further £1.2 million on installing average-speed cameras along this road.[8] Installation of these cameras began in February 2010.[9] However, the initial operation of the cameras did not go smoothly, because along the full route of the cameras' operation there are a number of shortcuts which have the full national speed (60 mph), and decrease the overall distance of the route. These two factors, when combined, can give inaccurate readings from the speed cameras.[10] The average-speed camera scheme is a joint initiative between the Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership (including Cheshire East Council), Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership and the Department for Transport, and enables the average speed of vehicles along the 50 mph route to be measured between any two cameras. Cameras will be installed along the A537 and A54 and will be rear-facing.

[crr003]

The IAM are pushing this one on Facebook and on their own site supporting £220 million being spent to make these roads safer.

They're pushing something.

With high risk roads spread all over the UK it is more important than ever that drivers ensure they are at the top of their game on rural roads. For just £49 a ‘Driving on Country Roads’ module can equip you to avoid the largest single cause of death on the network - run-off crashes, or the largest single cause of serious injury - crashes at junctions.

The on-road modules are delivered by an IAM RoadSmart expert in your own car at a time to suit you. He/she will give you in-depth 1-2-1 coaching during your course and hopefully leave you feeling able to tackle the road ahead with confidence and enjoyment. For more information click here: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/on-road-offer

[Jonquirk]

I have only ever driven the C&F to see what it is like. It has never featured on any route as the logical way to go. I was only there because of its reputation. That said , the last time I drove it on a Sunday afternoon in July, I had the road almost to myself going west to east. With the current speed limits the skills most needed are concentration and the ability to read the limit point and act accordingly.

The BBC article doesn’t say how dangerous the road is, or how much more dangerous than the rest of the list. Whatever is d9ne to improve roads there will always be a most dangerous road somewhere unless ksi falls to zero.

[akirk]

Whatever is done to improve roads there will always be a most dangerous road somewhere unless ksi falls to zero.

i.e. - as jont- says above: only dangerous drivers, not dangerous roads!

Alasdair

[Strangely Brown]

I have only ever driven the C&F once (and back again) because I happened to be in the area and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. The first thing that you notice is that it has a 50 limit and SPECS all the way along it. The second thing that you notice is that you have got to be pushing on a bit to get anywhere near a 50 average. I came away from it feeling somewhat underwhelmed and there are much better roads elsewhere and without the cameras.