fatality on A27

[Seagull73]

This A27 debate has been going on for years and years. The whole point of this South Coast trunk road is that it would be quick and safe to get along the south coast of England. Whenever I have seen roadwork signs up before - the A27 is supposed to be the Honiton - Folkestone trunk road.

The problem with this is that at various points along this road, you have narrowing of lanes, accident black spots and traffic jams, which all leads to a sense of frustration for the everyday deilvery driver or businessman who is in a rush to get somewhere, and they take life-threatening chances to get somewhere that little bit quicker - often with fatal consequences.

The answer is a dual carriageway along this entire road, including from Polegate to Southerham, and around Worthing and Arundel, and until that is done, I'm afraid this will continue to happen. I drive that stretch every day from Polegate to Brighton, and even at 7.00 in the morning, the volume of heavy and slower traffic is incredible. You see so much tail-gating going on because a truck might only be doing 40-45 - you can tell that somebody is going to try to overtake at some point, and it really worries me.

 

[British Bulldog]

No I don't! Its not worth it - and where I grew up and learnt to drive it costs about £250 if you get caught doing 30kph over the speeding limit and 4 points, over 45kph you get your license taken on the roadside...

Mum's can do whatever they want re school, just selfish behaviour frankly - I walk everywhere and considering Arthurs first school is about 500 yards away I think we'll be ok walking...

You must be the only person I've heard of that never speeds Tede and fair play to you for it, Glad to see that you wont be one of those Mums blocking up the roads around your local school as well because it is so dangerous but too many people are oblivious to it.

 

[tedebear]

You must be the only person I've heard of that never speeds Tede and fair play to you for it, Glad to see that you wont be one of those Mums blocking up the roads around your local school as well because it is so dangerous but too many people are oblivious to it.

It was indoctrinated into me at an early age. In Australia we have unmarked cameras, and unmarked police cars and hefty fines. Doesn't stop everybody from speeding and Australia has its fair share of accident black spots, but on the whole its pretty good. The people here in the UK don't realize how good they have it in terms of being told when they may get caught speeding, makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever....

 

[British Bulldog]

It was indoctrinated into me at an early age. In Australia we have unmarked cameras, and unmarked police cars and hefty fines. Doesn't stop everybody from speeding and Australia has its fair share of accident black spots, but on the whole its pretty good. The people here in the UK don't realize how good they have it in terms of being told when they may get caught speeding, makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever....

I've got to admit that the 2 things that make me think about the speed i'm going on open roads are signs for speed camera's and flowers at the side of the road where some other poor sod was killed. I'm not some kind of boy racer but like most people I do find myself going a bit over the speed limit at times.

 

[andybaha]

My days of overtaking on single carriageway roads are long gone but on a piece of road like Selmeston -Middle Farm you are always in danger because whilst you may be minding your own business you run the risk of being hit by some dickhead overtaking and on the wrong side of the road.

 

[tedebear]

I've got to admit that the 2 things that make me think about the speed i'm going on open roads are signs for speed camera's and flowers at the side of the road where some other poor sod was killed. I'm not some kind of boy racer but like most people I do find myself going a bit over the speed limit at times.

So does my hubbie, he drives a fair amount and "knows" where all the cameras are - he's not a dangerous driver in the slightest, but he does go over the limit from time to time, and when he does - I do wonder what would happen if some little old dear pulled out, or someone lost control of their car, what would happen to us.... I do tell him every now and then - but I don't like being a nagging wife, or front seat driver.....

He calls me myrtle the turtle driver....I'm not slow but I don't go over the limit...

 

[British Bulldog]

Myrtle the Turtle.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The answer is a dual carriageway along this entire road, including from Polegate to Southerham

The problem is that, as long as people keep saying that, any scheme for an A27 dual carriageway finds itself stuck in a queue behind "more important" projects in the National Roads Programme.

And nothing happens.

While we are waiting ... what is needed NOW are smaller scale remedial measures to stop people killing each other at Selmeston.

Of course, once those measures are introduced, the death rate comes down and an A27 dual carriageway slips even further down the queue.

 

[newhaven seagull 85]

doing something is better than doing nothing

 

[tedebear]

Far be it for me to state the obvious about this country, but!

Many of your roads, especially in outlaying willages were initally horse and cart tracks! Hence twisty, turny, bumpy round this hill and past that stream all at the great rate of 5 mph or thereabouts...

Someone invents the motorcar, someone paves the above road, someone invents a faster motorcar, someone invents a motorbike.....now wheeeeeee look at us - we're doing 50mph on a road that was designed by a 5mph vehicle.....

A very simplistic view I'll grant you - but these roads aren't designed for speed, I can't understand why people have to speed.

Its perfectly legal to pay your £100 and go race around Goodwood motor circuit at whatever gosh darn speed you want on a tuesday, but don't do it on the road.....

 

[Buffalo Seagull]

I'm not slow but I don't go over the limit...

The problem is travelling at the speed limit makes you slow by comparison to 95% of other drivers....which, in my opinion, is the biggest problem.
The posted speed is meant to be the MAXIMUM allowed by law, not just some random recomendation. It pisses me off when I hear people complaining that they got fined when they were "only going 5-6 kmph above the limit". What the f*** do they think "the limit" means

 

[tedebear]

The problem is travelling at the speed limit makes you slow by comparison to 95% of other drivers....which, in my opinion, is the biggest problem.
The posted speed is meant to be the MAXIMUM allowed by law, not just some random recomendation. It pisses me off when I hear people complaining that they got fined when they were "only going 5-6 kmph above the limit". What the f*** do they think "the limit" means

Maybe I'm seen as slow, my last car was a 1963 Mk1 Cortina, top speed was about 60mph, down a very big hill But I don't care - I do the speed limit and so should everyone else....

 

[British Bulldog]

I can't understand why people have to speed.

I wish somebody would tell the police that, I use the A27 & A23 a lot and the amount of times I've sat behind a police car for a few miles at a steady 80mph and thats not when they are on an emergency call. If those same coppers caught me doing 80mph on a radar gun they'd book me for speeding.

 

[tedebear]

I wish somebody would tell the police that, I use the A27 & A23 a lot and the amount of times I've sat behind a police car for a few miles at a steady 80mph and thats not when they are on an emergency call. If those same coppers caught me doing 80mph on a radar gun they'd book me for speeding.

For the first time in my life I've made a formal complaint about the police driving up our street at speeds in excess of 70mph, without lights or sirens....

There are 14 families on our street, just imagine the anguish and destruction if the police hit one of our kids at that speed....

 

[British Bulldog]

For the first time in my life I've made a formal complaint about the police driving up our street at speeds in excess of 70mph, without lights or sirens....

There are 14 families on our street, just imagine the anguish and destruction if the police hit one of our kids at that speed....

As per usual though Tede you'll find the police consider themselves above the law so you'll be wasting your time, They might love to give the rest of us the holier than thou lecture when they stop us for various things but then they hide behind their uniforms when it's the other way round. It's all a case of dont do as I do, do as I say.

 

[Buffalo Seagull]

As per usual though Tede you'll find the police consider themselves above the law so you'll be wasting your time, They might love to give the rest of us the holier than thou lecture when they stop us for various things but then they hide behind their uniforms when it's the other way round. It's all a case of dont do as I do, do as I say.

Agreed. I start work at 6 in the morning. The other morning I was stopped at a red light when a cop car pulled up next to me. He stopped, looked both ways, then drove straight across the intersection. I was tempted to follow him across just to see if he would give me a ticket for running a red light.

 

[Skint Gull]

Far be it for me to state the obvious about this country, but!

Many of your roads, especially in outlaying willages were initally horse and cart tracks! Hence twisty, turny, bumpy round this hill and past that stream all at the great rate of 5 mph or thereabouts...

Someone invents the motorcar, someone paves the above road, someone invents a faster motorcar, someone invents a motorbike.....now wheeeeeee look at us - we're doing 50mph on a road that was designed by a 5mph vehicle.....

A very simplistic view I'll grant you - but these roads aren't designed for speed, I can't understand why people have to speed.

Its perfectly legal to pay your £100 and go race around Goodwood motor circuit at whatever gosh darn speed you want on a tuesday, but don't do it on the road.....

Tede that is a great post in every way except about 'can't understand why people have to speed'. The issue in this case is not people looking to speed. On this stretch of road the problems are caused by whichever vehicle at the front of a queue is doing 45 in a 60, or at busy times of day, sheer volume of traffic.

Yes people shouldn't get frustrated and try silly overtaking manouvers but one of the first things you're taught when you learn to drive is 'assume everyone else is an idiot'. Dual carraigeway on some or preferably ALL of the A27 is the only way!

 

[Bry Nylon]

2 people died in this latest crash on the A27. One was a 20 year old woman, the 2nd was a 22 year old woman, who died in hospital today, from her injuries. A 22 year old male van driver had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Dealing with stuff like this is a daily reality for the Fire Service. I'm not complaining as I love my job and find it (mostly) very rewarding, although cutting dead people out of cars seems like a tragic waste of a life - especially if they are young and minutes before were so full of potential.
And whilst no two RTAs are the same, the one thing they have in common is that when we arrive everybody involved (assuming they are still conscious) invariably wishes they could turn the clock back by just 5 minutes.

If you are in a car, please, always wear a seat belt. And if you are going to overtake, take a second to consider if it is really neceassary. If you have any doubt, just don't bother. Its not worth it, really.