Bellenden’s Road School Gate proposal

[Earl Aelfheah]

I don't know about that. I'm just commenting on the idea that it's not possible to read the signs / notice a school street.

That said, if you're going from ED to Highshore Road, can't you go via McDermott > Choumert Grove > Chadwick? The original post suggested that the school street would only be in operation for just over an hour in the morning?

Edited Friday at 16:03 by Earl Aelfheah

[Pugwash]

I have a feeling that one of these roads is a one way/no entry - have not tried this route for sometime.

[malumbu]

On 13/11/2025 at 15:48, CPR Dave said:

There's a school street opposite the end of my road and the council must be making a bucketload of cash from it every day, with the number of drivers I see go through there by accident.

I assume this is a joke/tongue in cheek.

Otherwise was a strange statement.  Accident?  What are they driving with their eyes shut? Checking their WhatsApps? Scrolling through Tinder??  Maybe they were distracted by aliens.  

No such thing as an accident.

[Penguin68]

1 hour ago, malumbu said:

No such thing as an accident

That's really not true, I do wish you'd stop insisting that. The desire to believe that every incident can be blamed on someone is simply childish. As is the desire to seek to blame people. Except cyclists of course, I believe is your theme. 

[march46]

40 minutes ago, Penguin68 said:

That's really not true, I do wish you'd stop insisting that. The desire to believe that every incident can be blamed on someone is simply childish. As is the desire to seek to blame people. Except cyclists of course, I believe is your theme. 

Crash not accident - why language matters  I think this is linked to what Malumbu is referring to.
 

When a driver is in charge of a heavy vehicle that could kill or seriously injure someone, using the word accident to describe them not seeing an important road sign can minimise how serious this is. What else could they not be seeing?

Edited Friday at 21:12 by march46
Clarity

[Penguin68]

But what was said was that there was no such thing as an accident, not that certain incidents could be seen to have a contributory cause which should have been forseen. If I am suddenly stung by a wasp whilst driving I may have an involuntary movement which may cause me, or someone else, significant harm. But would you then wish to attribute blame to someone, indeed presumably me. 50 years ago I was driving when I had a sudden mechanical failure of a component which was newly fitted. Which caused my car, and nearly me, to be written off. It was a mechanical failure which could not have been forseen by me or the person who fitted it. But apparently there's no such thing as as an accident in some people's books. 

[malumbu]

The term accident is a cover all for things being damaged following some sort of incident, 

From OED:  

an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.

"he had an accident at the factory"

and an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause

It's overused and more often than not there is a better term eg 'collision' rather than 'accident'.  Worse still is describing something as 'accidental' which is often used as an excuse.

Unintentional is far more appropriate.  I didn't know.  But that is no excuse.  If you are not observing your surroundings including street signs then it is clearly your fault.  And you should not be making excuses for you and others.

If you find it difficult to look out for signage then perhaps you should not be driving.

You can argue that the size of fines is disproportionate, that 'decent and careful' drivers are victimised when the real  perpetrators get away with it, that there should be more discretion (as I have in the past).  But please do not say enforcement is only there to make money.  

 

[CPR Dave]

Fine, I'll rephrase it FFS.

There's a school street opposite the end of my road and the council must be making a bucketload of cash from it every day, with the number of drivers I see go through there in a series of unrelated unfortunate incidents that happen unexpectedly and unintentionally, resulting in damage to each driver's finances.

[malumbu]

Is that aggressive or passive aggressive?

If you can't afford to pay fines for breaking rules then perhaps you shouldn't drive.  Most of us take it on the chin and try to learn from the experience.

[Sue]

4 hours ago, CPR Dave said:

Fine, I'll rephrase it FFS.

There's a school street opposite the end of my road and the council must be making a bucketload of cash from it every day, with the number of drivers I see go through there in a series of unrelated unfortunate incidents that happen unexpectedly and unintentionally, resulting in damage to each driver's finances.

There must be a great many extremely poor drivers around if you see so many of them ignoring or failing to see signs indicating a school street.

What sort of daily numbers are you talking about, and how much is a "bucket load" of cash?