3 car prang on Barry Road

[Nero]

Three cars were involved in a collision at the junction between Barry and Goodrich Roads, on the way towards Goodrich school. There was no ambulance - at least when I went past - but one of the cars was pretty badly crunched.

[brum]

not surprised! It's a bad junction. Maybe traffic calming measures would help by slowing vehicles down as they approach along Barry Rd.

[ruffers]

So?

[DJKillaQueen]

There are always going to be accidents whatever you do. Some drivers are just negligent or just not good enough drivers. Barry Road is hardly an accident blackspot and most drivers have no problems negotiating difficult junctions.

Maybe we should do something about the poor standards of some drivers instead....such as making the driving test more difficult than it is and maybe limiting the number of times you can take it. After all, if a person takes ten attempts to pass it then they are never going to be a good driver.

[HonaloochieB]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> There are always going to be accidents whatever

> you do. Some drivers are just negligent or just

> not good enough drivers. Barry Road is hardly an

> accident blackspot and most drivers have no

> problems negotiating difficult junctions.

>

> Maybe we should do something about the poor

> standards of some drivers instead....such as

> making the driving test more difficult than it is

> and maybe limiting the number of times you can

> take it. After all, if a person takes ten attempts

> to pass it then they are never going to be a good

> driver.

But wouldn't all that practice make you a better driver than someone who passed first time?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

That's not fair DJQ - some people just go to pieces under exam conditions.

[DJKillaQueen]

That's not fair DJQ - some people just go to pieces under exam conditions.

My answer to that is tough....there's no other way to test if a driver is able enough. Most people get nervous during their driving test but it doesn't affect their ability to drive. If it does, they are not ready to be given a licence to drive.

[brum]

There are very few 'accidents'. Most collisions are due to a cause. Driving too fast approaching road junctions is a big factor. It's not good enough to just shrug and say accidents will always happen. Reduce the risk and hazards and accidents will reduce.

[DJKillaQueen]

I disagree...the vast majority of drivers don't have accidents. If someone doesn't pay attention at a junction then that's their fault. Why should the rest of us be inconvenienced by that? Main roads are main roads. Total nonsense to suggest they should be relegated to the snail pace of some residential roads because a few drivers are poor drivers.

[Nero]

The zebra should be tuned into to a pelican. Cars and bikes race down Barry and often their drivers ooze resentment at having to stop for pesky - and lawful - pedestrians.

[DJKillaQueen]

The zebras are already raised and I regularly drive and cycle down Barry Road and don't see many drivers breaking the speed limit or any evidence that any driver is resentful of pedestrians. Tell me, when was the last pedestrian mowed down on a Barry Road Zebra crossing by a speeding resentful driver exactly?

[brum]

DJKillaQueen Wrote:

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> I disagree...the vast majority of drivers don't

> have accidents. If someone doesn't pay attention

> at a junction then that's their fault. Why should

> the rest of us be inconvenienced by that? Main

> roads are main roads. Total nonsense to suggest

> they should be relegated to the snail pace of some

> residential roads because a few drivers are poor

> drivers.

Total nonsense? Interesting. Do you have any stats to back up your claim that the vast majority of drivers dont have accidents?

On a personal note, I've been involved in several accidents over the years. Only one was my fault - I took a corner too fast and scraped a bollard on my blind side. Most of the others were down to other drivers not driving to reflect the road conditions or layout. Eg,, slamming into the back of me whilst stopped at a zebra crossing by driving too fast in icy conditions. I've been hit twice by drivers pulling out from a side road into my path (I wasn't driving too fast - they just pulled out).

I think that that junction is a problem because its hard to see if the road is clear to pull out without nudging forward. If vehicles have to slow down as they approach the junction along Barry Road, it will mean that pulling out will be a lot safer.

[DJKillaQueen]

Any driver with any common sense slows down at junctions. All of the accidents you mention are the result of poor divers. Driving tests do not require a driver to demonstrate judgement in adverse conditions or to show they can control a small skid. Apperently that is advanced driving and I think that is nonsense.

How would traffic calming stop someone pulling out without looking for example? I cycle and drive and motorcycle too, and in all three the majority of road users are sensible. Having said that I was knocked off my bicycle recently by a driver that turned left whilst I was alongside her. She didn't look and speed had nothing to do with it. In 14 years of driving I've had just two accidents - both the fault of the other driver and neither of which would have been prevented by traffic calming.

The bureau of insurers shows annually that the vast majority of insured drivers do not have accidents. They publish anually.

The simplest way to improve visibility at that junction on Barry Road is to remove parking along Barry Road for 50 yards. Slowing traffic at that junction does nothing to improve visibility and indeed the zebra crossing immediately next to it slows most cars anyway.

[DaveR]

Barry Road is a residential road, not a main road - it just happens to be long and straight. A significant proportion of drivers do drive too fast down it, and do not take account of the fact that there are likely to be other vehicles trying to cross at a number of points. I would be in favour of restricting parking either side of the junctions and looking into improving visibility generally, and some measures to reduce driving speeds.

[DJKillaQueen]

Barry Road is not strictly classed as a residential road though. It is the B219. And a lot of people that do not drive have the perception the a car travelling at 30mph is speeding when it's not.

There are plenty of safe places along Barry Road for pedestrians to cross. Anyone pulling out from being parked on Barry Road should be able to judge if they have enough time to pull out - a basic driving skill.

The issue of visibility at junctions might be an issue but given the Barry Road is mainly as straight a road as you can get there should'nt be any problem apart from obstruction to view by parked cars. There aren't that many accidents on Barry Road and that is because most drivers give junctions the extra care they need.

[legalbeagle]

I have to disagree with one point above I'm afraid, I can remember quite a few accidents on Barry Road, I've witnessed the aftermath of three in the last year or so, and I recall one person being killed. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I personally find the junction between Goodrich and Barry Roads very difficult, in fact I deliberately avoid it whenever I can. Traffic calming measures might be irritating, but if they were there it would at least mean that people who do pull out at the wrong time on to Barry Road are more easily avoided because you'd be travelling slower and so could stop quicker.

I'm no expert, and I don't know what the answer is, but I do hate that junction!

[brum]

I agree completely about improving visibility for drivers approaching Barry Rd via the side roads - an excellent idea. Unfortunately I do not share DJ's view that most drivers give junctions the extra care they need. Besides, if they are so careful, why suggest that they have tougher driving tests? Surely they wouldn't need them!

[DJKillaQueen]

Hmm...what do the consensus propose? Maybe a pelican crossing would help...but only if pedestrians were waiting to cross. My own view is that visability would be best served by restricting parking on Barry Road at junctions but if there is a particular problem at Goodrich road then either a Pelican crossing or trafic lights should improve safety without damaging general traffic flow.