The point I was making OG was that we should have a say in what gets done. I don't mean give us all the decision. Just some of it. I think the gouvernment would go along way if they stopped and really thought about the motorist instead of politics.....
[FONT="]Ah, but you do. It’s called local government, in the form of parish, town and district councils. The guys and gals you elect to serve in these institutions and are there to reflect your concerns. These are the very people who campaign for traffic controls because they are badgered by local residents to 'do something' about the speeding past their homes.
We, the highway authority (usually the County Council), learn about a lot of problems from these sources. However, we also get a lot of letters and phone calls from concerned residents about speeding. EVERYONE who writes or phones wants speeds reduced through their village/past their house/near their kid's school. etc. I wonder, however, how many of them slow down through other villages/houses/schools? At public meetings that I have chaired (another democratic venue where you can make your point and express your opinions) no one admits to speeding, which I take with a large pinch of salt.
So, there are various ways that you can have your say, making your comments and suggestions known to the highway/safety engineers. We don't know everything and are not always right (unlike politicians and cab drivers) so I always make a point to talking to the locals who have to live with the problems. I have changed designs (for the better) after discussing them with locals.
In order to have a say (and an effect) on highway schemes, you have to get off your backside and get involved. Go to parish meetings that are discussing the issues that concern you, rather than just bitch about them down the pub (or on here). The people who go to these meetings do have an effect, which is what democracy is all about. We do listen, despite what the general public think. Write to the County Council's highways department. Better still; get a lot of people to write.
Important note - Don't bother with petitions; they are a waste of time. People sign these not knowing what they are just to get rid of the canvasser. We take much more notice of people who are prepared to take the time to actually write to us, it shows a real concern. 20 letters carry much more weight than 2000 signatures on a petition.
Most of the highway and road safety engineers I work with are also driving enthusiasts. We know the ground clearance problems caused by safety cushions and humps (They will NOT damage your suspension if driven over at the design speed and have been installed correctly). There isn't a method of reducing the speed of the idiots that doesn't interfere with the law abiding. Vertical deflection devices (humps and cushions) slow traffic by varying but usually significant amounts. Chicanes and other horizontal deflection devices usually slow traffic but can also introduce conflict collisions that weren't there before their introduction.
It is very easy to type away at the keyboard bitching about what the things we traffic engineers do in order to try to keep you, me, your family and friends alive, but it is far harder to come up with suggestions that work better that what we currently have. Please tell me your ideas. If you come up with a world-beater I promise to give you half a credit and 10% of the royalties
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