M23 NOT so smart!

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vanman
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Location: Caterham Surrey

M23 NOT so smart!

Postby vanman » Thu Aug 06, 2020 11:11 am

Just driven down to Gatwick. All lanes open, all refuges in place. NO electronic signs in working order. Brilliant! :bash:

Triquet
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Location: Occupied North Berkshire

Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby Triquet » Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:03 pm

:gear: Gah. Glad I'm not going anywhere at the moment.

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jcochrane
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Location: Surrey-Kent borders and wherever good driving roads are.

Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby jcochrane » Thu Aug 06, 2020 4:01 pm

Best to avoid me thinks. Hate to break down with refuge places about a mile apart and no gantry signs in operation to warn traffic.

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Horse
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Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby Horse » Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:21 pm

Do you avoid dual carriageways, without technology and refuge areas, but with potential for pedestrians crossing, cyclists, farm equipment, etc.?
Last edited by Horse on Thu Aug 06, 2020 7:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Your 'standard' is how you drive alone, not how you drive during a test.

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Strangely Brown
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Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby Strangely Brown » Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:44 pm

M.23 "smart" motorway is, AFAIK, not open yet. Or it wasn't when I drove northbound on Tuesday. It is still AVG50 from J10(ish) until you get off onto the M25 or at Hooley. All lanes are open for most of it and, if the rumoured non-opening as "smart" is true then they have a *lot* of junction re-marking to do.

vanman
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Location: Caterham Surrey

Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby vanman » Thu Aug 06, 2020 6:07 pm

Horse wrote:Do you avoid dual carriageways, without technology and refuge areas?

Very good point, not sure how to answer that. :?

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jcochrane
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Location: Surrey-Kent borders and wherever good driving roads are.

Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby jcochrane » Thu Aug 06, 2020 8:22 pm

vanman wrote:
Horse wrote:Do you avoid dual carriageways, without technology and refuge areas?

Very good point, not sure how to answer that. :?

Don't know why but drivers seem a bit more attentive on non motorways. Maybe because motorways have fewer hazards it instills a sense of safety so concentration drops. The expectation seems to be that you can cruise at a speed without interruption which maybe is why I see more people being caught out when traffic suddenly slows on motorways than I do on other roads.

Gareth
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Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby Gareth » Fri Aug 07, 2020 5:58 am

Horse wrote:Do you avoid dual carriageways, without technology and refuge areas, but with potential for pedestrians crossing, cyclists, farm equipment, etc.?

Dual carriageways often have verges that can be used in case of emergency, and the distance between suitable verges are normally not all that large, unlike like the cheapskate implementation of refuges on most of the updated motorways, (the design requirements for distances between refuges appears to be ignored in most cases, apparently in favour of saving money).

Drivers know that anyone can use dual carriageways, so mostly expect a range of vehicle speeds. On motorways that isn't the case; drivers expect the slowest they're normally likely to meet are lorries pressed right up against their limiters, and anything slower catches many out.
there is only the road, nothing but the road ...

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Horse
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Re: M23 NOT so smart!

Postby Horse » Fri Aug 07, 2020 11:22 am

Lot of points, I'll try to cover them all but apologies if it seems brusque:
- if you stroll about on verges you will find they're often not good places to be. Finding a suitable place to stop would be pot luck. At least ERs *should* set distances
- any idea why drivers seem less prepared (@jc too) on smart motorways and so get caught out?
Your 'standard' is how you drive alone, not how you drive during a test.


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