Most dangerous road in Brighton?

[Brovion]

The clocktower for me. Pedestrians ignore the crossings (see below rant), cyclists ignore the lights, busses everywhere, blind corners. It's horrible.

Now... about those crossings.

Those new (ish) crossings with the red/green man on the side of the road from which you cross. I think they're pointless, don't do anything to improve safety and in some cases actually make crossings more dangerous.

They're easily obscured if more than 5 people are waiting to cross. The solution of having another sign 5cm above the existing one in my mind shows how flawed they are as a concept. All over the world, in every major city, the signal of where pedestrians should cross is on the other side of the road. I do not understand how these new ones are a good idea or safer.

Thoughts?

Oh I'm with you. I don't know of a single person who thinks the new style 'green man' is better than the old one, which as you pointed out was always visible to you as you made your crossing. My old neighbour (just died, bless him) had difficulty walking and he hated crossing the road as he never knew what the status of the lights was as he made his way across. It was an improvement on the old system at Fiveways (where we didn't have pedestrian lights at all), but why they couldn't have stuck with the old system God alone knows.

I know some of the more lunatic traffic schemes we've endured in Brighton over the last decade have their defenders on NSC, I wonder if they can put a positive spin on it?

 

[Badger]

The clocktower for me. Pedestrians ignore the crossings (see below rant), cyclists ignore the lights, busses everywhere, blind corners. It's horrible.

Now... about those crossings.

Those new (ish) crossings with the red/green man on the side of the road from which you cross. I think they're pointless, don't do anything to improve safety and in some cases actually make crossings more dangerous.

They're easily obscured if more than 5 people are waiting to cross. The solution of having another sign 5cm above the existing one in my mind shows how flawed they are as a concept. All over the world, in every major city, the signal of where pedestrians should cross is on the other side of the road. I do not understand how these new ones are a good idea or safer.

Thoughts?

I completely agree with you and I'm yet to find ANYONE who thinks they are better than the old style ones. It's one of those examples where some so-called "experts" tried to solve a problem which didn't exist. I read somewhere that BHCC did extensive research to establish that the new crossing are safer because people look in the direction of oncoming traffic. I think this is one of those examples of creating research in a way which achieves the result you want, failing to consider:
1. People will block the pedestrian lights.
2. People are used to looking across the road and are unlikely to change their habits, especially in a city which has quite a transient population.
The council need to admit they've made a big mistake and stop replacing perfectly functional crossings with these TERRIBLE ones.

I quite like the ones they have here in Toronto with a countdown timer.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

I completely agree with you and I'm yet to find ANYONE who thinks they are better than the old style ones. It's one of those examples where some so-called "experts" tried to solve a problem which didn't exist. I read somewhere that BHCC did extensive research to establish that the new crossing are safer because people look in the direction of oncoming traffic. I think this is one of those examples of creating research in a way which achieves the result you want, failing to consider:
1. People will block the pedestrian lights.
2. People are used to looking across the road and are unlikely to change their habits, especially in a city which has quite a transient population.
The council need to admit they've made a big mistake and stop replacing perfectly functional crossings with these TERRIBLE ones.

I quite like the ones they have here in Toronto with a countdown timer.

I think the problem with them is no more present than at the crossing by Boots at the clocktower.

- There's always a crowd of people waiting to cross, so they're obscured.
- Tourists have no idea they exist so if they don't see them at first glance, many walk out regardless
- The idea of looking in the direction of the traffic at that location is ridiculous, because people should be looking in the OTHER direction as busses come up North Street and turn the corner.

And like I say, the fact that the solution to them being obscured by a crowd is just to add another one a bit higher up totally and utterly defeats the point of the first one, doubles the expense and just shows what a terrible idea they are. I really want someone to prove to me that they're safer...

 

[Garage_Doors]

I nominate London Road particuly the motorcyle lane coming into town.

1. You are riding in the drivers natural blind spot being he or she is seated at the other side of the car.

2. In traffic jam ( the only time i would ever think about using the lane) the cars create a visual wall, you are blind to cars being allowed to cut across into your lane to turn up a slip road.

3. Drivers turning up a slip road need to cut across your lane. This can come out the blue sometimes when in a jam.

4. New riders mostly seem unaware of the hidden dangers inherent in the design and ride it with no cares in the world.

Very,very dangerous road.

As a motorcyclist i'm little confused where this motorcycle lane coming into town is?
can you eloborate.

 

[Doc Lynam]

As a motorcyclist i'm little confused where this motorcycle lane coming into town is?
can you eloborate.

The bus-taxi-motorcycle lane starting at the bottom of Carden Ave and heading down to Preston Park. London Road.

 

[Marty___Mcfly]

Solution for the clock tower crossings-

Do an Oxford Circus style crossing where all the light go red and pedestrians can then cross in the direction they want to go (e.g. diagonally). Big green man / red man signs opposite every crossing with a timer countdown to the next green man period. Plus maybe some don't cross / cross signs!

Make it easy, make it obvious, make the green man periods more regular, and give people a countdown.

Many people can't see the current signs clearly when it's busy, and the red man period is SO long people get impatient and walk out when it's red.

Would be simple to resolve but those who could aren't, and those who could push for change (councillors?) do seem to apply any pressure.

Lots of pavement works get done (e.g. around the station) but it seems like this isn't a priority.

 

[Chicken Runner61]

Got to be Dukes mound - every corner there's someone up your bum

 

[West Hoathly Seagull]

When we were at Withdean I used to park up off Carden Avenue and go for a drink at the Preston Brewery Tap after games. Walking back, the Puffin crossings took a lot of getting used to (I used to cross over by the Preston Park Hotel), and would keep looking up for the green man. It was only the sound that told me it was safe to cross. We only have Pelican crossings (and only one of them I think) in East Grinstead, and where I work in London, in the City of Westminster, it's Pelican crossings only. I think Brighton was the first, and probably only place I've come across Puffin crossings.

Talking of dangerous roads, I don't know why, but I always find the bit where North Street splits into Western Road and Dyke Road a dodgy place to cross.

 

[nickbrighton]

The bus-taxi-motorcycle lane starting at the bottom of Carden Ave and heading down to Preston Park. London Road.

i believe its a BUS lane only, unlike the rest of the country the bus lanes here are exclusive for multi passenger vehicles (mini busses etc ) I'm sure I read about a motorcyclist from London who was fined for using them

 

[Doc Lynam]

i believe its a BUS lane only, unlike the rest of the country the bus lanes here are exclusive for multi passenger vehicles (mini busses etc ) I'm sure I read about a motorcyclist from London who was fined for using them

Its not just for buses.



Don't know why or how it rotated!

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Where the Lewes Road gyratory cycle lanes merge outside Sainsbury.

 

[Gwylan]

Where the Lewes Road gyratory cycle lanes merge outside Sainsbury.

You haven't been there for some time. There are no cycle laneS - there's one cycle lane which is unbroken from Lewes Rd across the gyratory system and carries on past the bus garage.

A couple of years ago the cycle lane did stop at the lights and cyclists did have to cross over a line of traffic to carry on up Lewes Road but it's excellent now - my kids feel confident enough to use the cycle lane now

 

[Return of the Rev]

No such thing as a dangerous road just stupid people

 

[CHAPPERS]

Old boat corner and the roundabout further down to turn off to Crowhurst Road, Carden Avenue and with it's in's and out' for the A27

I now commute across every day. It's utterly bonkers and I cosign it's nomination.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I would say outside Churchill Square where there are no crossings is worse. But then I know a bloke that has been hit by a bus TWICE outside Churchill Square!

But there IS a crossing at the eastern end of Churchill Square, it's just that so many people can't be arsed to walk 50 yards to use it.

But I agree that Churchill Square, and North Street can be very very dangerous, with people seemingly constantly trying to cross the road, and dodging between the traffic. I will always remember an incident last year, when a skateboarder attached himself to the rear of a number 25 bus at the Clock Tower, and was still holding on to the back by the time we got down to the Old Steine. Utter utter madness..

 

[albion534]

Roads are only dangerous by the driver.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stoichkov]

My vote is for the eastbound A27 Junction at Falmer - traffic coming down the Coldean Hill at 80mph+ and then finding stationary traffic going off up to Falmer Village.

This also means that traffic coming onto the A27 from the Lewes Road is often having to join motorway speed traffic from a standing start.

I fear there's going to be a massive accident there one day.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Roads are only dangerous by the driver.

All your base are belong to us.

 

[Notters]

But there IS a crossing at the eastern end of Churchill Square, it's just that so many people can't be arsed to walk 50 yards to use it

It's a bloomin long diversion if you come out of the western entrance to Churchill Square and are heading to M&S/Primark/wherever!

 

[MattBackHome]

So the works at Seven Dials worked then? That used to be close your eyes and hope for the best.

I remember there being a thread full of bellyaching on here at the time it was done.

It's nowhere near as much fun as it used to be, that's for sure.