Why are there no cat's eyes on the continent?

frying_pan_cat · 24 Jun 2011 at 18:12

I've just got back from a trip to the continent and while travelling the 27 hour journey, most noticeably through Germany in horrendous weather I noticed that there are no cat's eyes or rumble strips on any of the roads. This made driving in the rain difficult as it was hard to make out exactly where the lanes were in the dark.

I was wondering why they have no cat's eyes or rumble strips? Is there a good reason for it?

Clarkey · 24 Jun 2011 at 18:42

cats eyes seem to be a dying breed over here too, roads around here keep on getting resurfaced and cats eyes are not being replaced.

Hades · 24 Jun 2011 at 18:54

Funny you should say that. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that cats eyes seem quite rare over here. I assume it's a combination of cost cutting as the road gets resurfaced and also car headlights getting better meaning theyaren't quite so essential.

Matthew.M · 24 Jun 2011 at 18:59

On the other hand they've just replaced the cats eyes on the M69 with brand new ones, I felt like I was driving down a runway!

shifty_uk · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:06

Perhaps I'm exaggerating but I always feel that they cause more damage than good to your tyres/suspension when going over them.

sovietspybob · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:10

They've just been ripping them all out on Anglesey, no other resurfacing work just taking the cats eyes out... no idea why.

Jokester · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:12

Somebody was killed a while back when a poorly maintained cats eye came loose and a truck threw it up through the car behind's windscreen. Councils have been using it as an excuse to remove them to save cash.

Raymond Lin · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:29

Jokester said:
Somebody was killed a while back when a poorly maintained cats eye came loose and a truck threw it up through the car behind's windscreen. Councils have been using it as an excuse to remove them to save cash.

Sigh, freak accident is freak accident. That could've been a stone or pebble. :rolleyes:

DJMK4 · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:33

Don't know but I hate it when I drive over them, feels like they are damaging my tyres

Dr Who · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:42

DJMK4 said:
Don't know but I hate it when I drive over them, feels like they are damaging my tyres

Try improving your road positioning and avoid them when changing lanes then but they really are not damaging your car.

Dr Who · 24 Jun 2011 at 19:45

Jokester said:
Somebody was killed a while back when a poorly maintained cats eye came loose and a truck threw it up through the car behind's windscreen. Councils have been using it as an excuse to remove them to save cash.

12 years ago on the M3, but compared to the lives they have no doubt saved, a freak accident is no excuse to remove them. In fog they are a life saver for sure.

6thElement · 24 Jun 2011 at 20:48

I really miss them when driving in locations without them, in bad weather they just make it so much easier to see lane edges.

andrewdodd13 · 24 Jun 2011 at 21:54

Dr Who said:
Try improving your road positioning and avoid them when changing lanes then but they really are not damaging your car.

Indeed. When we were in France going to/from Le Mans my mate who was driving was always driving on the white line between the lanes; the scary thing is he was drifting one way and all the locals - who were doing the exact same thing! - were drifting the other way, towards us.

shifty_uk · 24 Jun 2011 at 22:25

Dr Who said:
Try improving your road positioning and avoid them when changing lanes then but they really are not damaging your car.

The more I try to avoid them, the more I hit them. Usually heading onto slip roads.

Dr Who · 24 Jun 2011 at 22:31

shifty_uk said:
The more I try to avoid them, the more I hit them. Usually heading onto slip roads.

It comes with practice, don't stop trying, it is the ultimate in smooth driving satisfaction!

:cool:

flibbage0 · 24 Jun 2011 at 23:01

Jokester said:
Somebody was killed a while back when a poorly maintained cats eye came loose and a truck threw it up through the car behind's windscreen. Councils have been using it as an excuse to remove them to save cash.

Really?

That is like saying 1 person died from this type of surgery therefore we can no longer do it.

lordrobs · 24 Jun 2011 at 23:20

Are they really needed any more now that they have reflective road markings?

Jokester · 24 Jun 2011 at 23:23

flibbage0 said:
Really?

That is like saying 1 person died from this type of surgery therefore we can no longer do it.

I would imagine the council was taken to court over it, it's cheaper to not install them and just let people kill themselves, rather than risk installing them and then being negligent in not maintaining them to a safe standard.

Tomsk · 24 Jun 2011 at 23:24

lordrobs said:
Are they really needed any more now that they have reflective road markings?

Cost cutting councils don't use that either.

Clarkey · 25 Jun 2011 at 00:05

lordrobs said:
Are they really needed any more now that they have reflective road markings?

never seen that I don't think :confused: