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#1 | ||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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I wanted to post this while it's still fresh in my mind, & I want to hear other peoples opinions & experiences.
What goes through your mind when you enter a roadworks reduced speed limit zone only to find that there is in fact nothing going on? I have more to add but I want feedback first. |
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#2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,052
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Its absurd. But its OHS, so its a sacred cow in this country.
I find it ridiculous that a footpath can be alongside an 80 zone road, but a worker behind a concrete barrier needs a 40 zone (or less). |
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#3 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,633
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Much to the frustration of most drivers behind me I don't speed through roadworks ..
I'm not so fussed about the nothing going on .. if the road is still "in construction". The one that gets me is when they put out the signs in the wrong order; i.e. the de-restriction signs placed last and removed first, so that you are driving along for an unwarranted period at the slower speed for no reason (until you come across another sign) |
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#4 | ||
Moderator
![]() Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 7,940
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It depends on the situation....
1. The reduced road works speed signs are still in place but no workers or obvious work is being carried out - The signs may still be in place because the road works are not completely finished, and it may be unsafe to still travel at the normal speed for that road. E.g. - gravel on road, slippery surfaces, debris or pot holes. In this case, I don't mind. 2. The reduced speed signs are still in place, the road surface poses no hazards as above and the workers are coming back tomorrow or soon and have been too lazy to remove them at the end of the work day and re install them the next day. - This fustrates me and most people, but I still stick to the reduced posted limits, mainly in fear of a cop car and radar sitting down the road, etc. |
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#5 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Canberra
Posts: 13,393
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It can be because of the road condition itself which would necessitate a slower speed. Certainly been a few that I've come across like that.
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#6 | ||
Cranky old bastard
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 9,393
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Lots of reasons to get frustrated when you see nothing going on or it is on a Sunday and you know that they don't work Sundays. However, there must be reasons unknown to us for leaving the signage in place and enforceable. So, doing the sums, 40k limit, and if I come from say an 80k zone and DO NOT SLOW, then I am legally 40k over the limit and frankly, I like the money in my pocket rather than some gov coffer.
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#7 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: here and there
Posts: 610
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Yep, many differing circumstances
![]() BUT, FRUSTRATING when the reduced speed sign says "changed traffic/conditions ahead" ! Like WTF, sure, you drive here ever day you would have seen the "progressive changes"......... Never in my life "driven this road before", what bloody difference does the stupid sign mean ???? Really Mr GovCo/revenue facility.............. Drive to the road and conditions ( If you need to allow for the lowest common FW, then "WHY" did you ever issue the FW a licence ???????? ) Rant over ![]() Cheers all
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#8 | ||
IWCMOGTVM Club Supporter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Northern Suburbs Melbourne
Posts: 17,799
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Doesnt bother me. They're normally not that long and it ads sfa to the journey.
The bit i dont get is roadworks on freeways the speed limt drops to 70....regardless of work going on or not going on there are people who will drive through at about 90kph.....then once its back up to 100kph...these same people still do 90kph. If they're happy doing 20 over the limit through the roadworks why dont they do it after it.
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Daniel |
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#9 | ||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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I've just about seen it all over the years & it defies belief.
Everything from workers who didn't cover the regular speed signs, so drivers get mixed info moving through a work site, to workers who have stepped out on to my lane whilst I'm travelling at 110kph...without so much as a witches hat in sight. Today was no exception. First I'll state I am both embarrassed & angered by todays events & no doubt members here will justifiably rib me for it. I will also state that I have the utmost respect for public safety & no issues with restricted speed zones when workers are on site & visible, & in my own defence I am a courteous driver who, like most of us, does good deeds regularly that will always go unmentioned. The same guy tends to get frustrated like everyone else too! So today, drove my regular route of 10+k's on the highway (110 zone), saw no roadworks on route PERIOD! On my return, same highway, opposite direction of travel, I come upon a reduce speed sign-80kph, then 50m on another sign denoting 60kph. There's also the fact there was a marked cop car in front of me. Entering the reduced speed zone another sign stated that the right lane (dual carriage way) was closed further on. So we all form a queue behind the cop....who winds up travelling through the reduced 60kph zone at a speed of 55kph. So, my mindset at this point, annoyed about roadworks, & now I'm stuck behind SGT slow! So driving on I can see the right lane is still open, so I merged right to pass the cop & as I did so we all entered a long straight, I passed the cop at about 65kph I guess, not wanting to draw too much attention to myself, I then merged left again. As this is happening, all the drivers, myself, the cop & all those behind can clearly see that the long straight road ahead is clear. No roadworks at all. Nothing. No signs, no witches hats, no work vehicles, no closed lanes....NOTHING! So it was at this point I lost the plot mentally & accelerated for about 100m then exited to an off ramp. I guess I hit 80kph as I entered the off ramp. So yes, I did the wrong thing, & yes the cop rightly followed me off the highway & pulled me over. I practically blew up in the poor guys face as I was so annoyed by the whole affair. To his credit he kept his cool & actually levelled with me. So after a brief but heated roadside debate, he kindly sent me on my way with the promise of either a fine or a summons in the post & made it clear that if the matter was to go before a magistrate, he would attest to the fact there wasn't a roadworker in sight! If there was, then you wouldn't be reading this! |
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#10 | ||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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...& who here is going to be silly enough to have mental visions of me plowing my car through a crowd of roadworkers at MACH 1 & comment accordingly? LOL
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#11 | |||
Moderator
![]() Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 7,940
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Quote:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vic...-1225909847862 |
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#12 | ||
Thailand Specials
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Centrefold Lounge
Posts: 49,103
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Its going on just out of Riddells Creek at the moment, there is a roadworks zone where the guys haven't been working at for months now but they left the signs out, so no one follows the limit anymore.
They started roadworks but because of the weather have had to abandon it at the moment. The road itself is fine but they were widening the edges. They've left the signs there. |
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#13 | |||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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Quote:
& this is one of my points. I'll freely admit that I've driven quicker than a posted limit within a roadworks zone more than once in my time, & without punishment. Obviously because there was no-one there to see it on the day...AKA "the uninhabited work site". Of course you slow down for gravel, firstly 'cause it's slippery & second 'cause I too don't want my paintwork dinged! If you deem there to be minimal risk, you revert back to driving to the conditions. |
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#14 | |||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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Quote:
For a moment I considered the idea of defending myself, but all I'd be doing is paddling upstream! The cop got me fair & square & that's the first thing I said to him. It's just super frustrating knowing that you really didn't do anything wrong, no-one was at risk, but the law is the law. My mum always says "The law is an ***"! |
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#15 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NSW
Posts: 4,325
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Quote:
Spread out over that 20kms there were about 5 small work crews. They were doing something with cables on the side of the road. I guess it was easier to have one speed limit covering the whole 5 work sites rather than each crew having their own signs. Frustrating as hell in between each section. And no I did not stick to 40 the whole time. I did about 65 in between and slowed to 40 when seeing worker. No doubt if I saw a HP I would of got fined either way. That's why I only did 65 and not 100. |
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#16 | ||
The one and only
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Carrum Downs, Victoria
Posts: 9,053
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It's quite frustrating and more often than not, not necessary.
What I hate is when there are 'workmen' there but they are not working, just wasting time (both mine and theirs) Or, when they decide to tear up and resurface a road the was fine in the first place.
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#17 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 2,252
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Of those complaining about roadwork speed limit zones, how many are professional roadway engineers, risk managers, OH&S experts or lawyers, and if those who are one I the aforementioned how many are experts in the particular site where the speed limit is imposed?
There are speed zones put in place for many reasons. They don't do it for fun often, people have thought about it, made applications and followed regulation for the protection of everyone. Relax about it, it never really adds much time to your drive. JP |
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#18 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,052
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#19 | |||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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Quote:
I personally get nervous walking down a roadside footpath. I've been witness to what can happen when vehicles mount kerbs & hit pedestrians. It sadly can happen all too easily. I've often wondered who conspired to put roads & paths together. |
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#20 | |||
bitch lasagne
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sonova Beach
Posts: 15,110
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Quote:
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#21 | |||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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Quote:
Seriously, we all understand that roadworks are costly, time consuming, necessary & logistically challenging for those involved, but that's why it's even more surprising when one is forced to reduce speed for as many kilometres of roadway as you'd care to count, & you don't see a single worker. & let's face it, who ever makes these regulations needs a good ![]() Eliminating the risk means taking cars out of the equation, but what we see are cars going 40, 60 & upto 80kph through work zones & within feet of workers. So obviously there's a level of safety applied but not a complete elimination of the risk. |
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#22 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 4,956
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We were returning home from dinner a few nights ago.
My wife was driving and we were approaching some roadworks with all the lanes on this main road reduced to a single lane each way. So we were already slowing down. I yelled at her to stop because this fella with a Stop sign paddle and an orange vest walked out in front of our car and held his sign up to stop our lane. But due to all the flashing lights ahead, the line of cars coming the other way with headlights on, he was practically invisible. Seriously I didn't see him until we were only a couple of metres away from running him down. Wife wound her window down to tell him that he is basically lost within all the lights and activity and simply can not be seen. He got mad at her, threw his sign into the back of the truck and ranted about how was wearing the correct fluro vest. Fine! Get run down then. As long as you have your vest on. Couldn't believe the attitude. |
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#23 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: ACT
Posts: 968
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Quote:
Last edited by GasoLane; 01-09-2016 at 06:44 PM. |
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#24 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,193
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I hate seeing those damn 40km signs and there is no-one around, but I'm an impatient Sydney sider, always in a hurry and always in a traffic jamb.
On another note but still about roadworks frustration, how long have those muppets been messing around on that bit of road coming into Bathurst from Lithgow? That is the longest going road project I have ever encountered 2 and a half years to build a 2 km piece of road and it looks about halfway through the job, what an absolute embarrassment. |
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#25 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Central Tablelands. NSW
Posts: 894
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Quote:
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#26 | ||
Guest
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 1,934
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...& how's this for a slap in the face...I have emailed the dept' of planning & infrastructure 3 times since the incident requesting information.
So far they have not responded. |
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#27 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,193
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Quote:
Paddle pop dude should be holding up sign but not standing in the middle of the road, if a car blows through no problem. Road work plant should not move into traffic until the first two cars have come to a complete stop. Last edited by GasoLane; 01-09-2016 at 06:44 PM. |
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#28 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 962
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Quote:
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Steve Current rides 2012 Mondeo Titanium wagon (TDCI) Moondust silver 2016 Focus Trend, 1.5ecoboost, 6sp manual. Frozen white Previous 2004 Berlina Wagon (LS1) Vespers Blue 1995 Camry 2.2, white 1971 Ford Fairmont wagon 302w, C4 Polar white 1971 TC Cortina, 2L 4sp, Ermine white |
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#29 | |||
Bathed In A Yellow Glow
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: NSW Central Coast
Posts: 2,530
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Quote:
As an old Engineer who as a youngster designed and supervised road construction I still have a clear memory of the car who sped through one site where I was working and threw up a rock about the size of a 50 cent piece and hit the Chief Engineer in the head. Luckily he was wearing his hardhat as the force of it still sat him on his *** and I could only imagine the serious injury or death it could have caused. He was about 25 metres for the carriageway. Ask anyone who works the roads what they think of having vehicles even at slow speeds moving through their work sites and you’ll hear of many many close calls and frayed nerves which don’t necessarily involve speed but more impatience. In saying that I slow down simply because I don’t want to find a gravel section that may pepper the side of my pristine paint and bodywork with rocks and stones whether the site is active or not. |
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#30 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 5,193
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Quote:
There a saying these days in the industry "eliminate the risk", divert traffic AWAY from the work front eliminates the cars and risk, temporary traffic lights eliminates the need for a person stand in front of a moving vehicle being exposed to a potential collision.....etc Unfortunately Aussie construction has a tendency to reject change and always adopts the "that's the way he have always done it" attitude. |
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