Rubbernecking

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Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2004
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Location
Kent
More than 3,000 screens have been bought by the Highways Agency to stop drivers in England rubbernecking when passing motorway accidents.

The partitions will be put up to deter drivers who slow down to look at crashes on the opposite carriageway and therefore slow down the traffic behind.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20851775

What do we think of this?

As someone who has regularly been forced to sit in traffic due to an accident on the other carriageway, I have to say this is a welcome move by the Highways Agency (although well overdue). So many times even a minor bump on one side of the motorway or dual carriageway can cause the whole road to come to a near standstill.
 
Will make no difference, people will slow down to look because they know there is some sort of accident or break down behind the screens
 
People who deliberately slow down to gorp are idiots. Probably the same idiots that hug the middle lane, have zero lane dicipline, and generally are utter tools.
 
While I agree with the above, people are idiots so will probably still slow to have a look, I reckon this will help. They do similar things in other countries with some success so here's hoping it's enough to at least make some difference here.

I've lost count of the amount of times I've been held up in traffic because of an accident on the other side of the motorway which has still made traffic just as bad on my side even though there's no reason for any of it. It rages me more than I can even begin to explain.
 
Big-Mac-Please said:
People will slow to look at the screens!!!
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rodenal said:
Will make no difference, people will slow down to look because they know there is some sort of accident or break down behind the screens
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Phemo said:
While I agree with the above, people are idiots so will probably still slow to have a look, I reckon this will help.
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This was something I'd also considered. I wonder if it might be better just to put screens all along the central reservation, permanently obscuring the view of the opposing carriageway, although I guess the cost would be prohibitive
 
Doubt it will make much difference, the first bunch of cars will still slow to look before any services arrive and once the initial constriction happens and starts feeding back, the damage is done.

It might clear it a bit quicker but you're always going to have the effect due to the initial cars.
 
Or lets have a campaign that would be useful for once and try to teach people how to drive on a motor way.

The top of the list would be middle lane morons, then random brakers. Stop that and you wouldn't need the flipping screens!
 
As if anyone gives anything more than a fleeting glance at an accident as they pass?! Seriously. wtf. 3000 screens?
Which 'lucky' company won the 2.3M bid?
The DfT's CLEAR - collision, lead, evaluate, act and reopen.

lol just lol just lol.
 
I don't understand how you can pass your test and never drive on a motorway, no wonder people have no ****ing clue how to drive on them.
 
s0ck said:
As if anyone gives anything more than a fleeting glance at an accident as they pass?!
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Evidently they do, as it's a serious problem, and one I encounter often.

Sit in 30MPH traffic on a dual carriageway for two miles, only to get to the accident site and find its on the other side of the road entirely.

Big-Mac-Please said:
Or lets have a campaign that would be useful for once and try to teach people how to drive on a motor way.
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That's dangerous talk!:eek:
 
I have the following views of why this is stupid:
1) People will slow down to look at the screens.
2) Wastes time as someone needs to put the screens up.
3) Wastes time and money with some muppet doing a risk assessment for putting the screens up.

If I have had my trip extended by a few hours due to a crash I at least want to see some carnage!
 
It's a great idea, only time will tell on how well it works.
I can see it reducing a fair bit, unless they are always poorly placed, if they are consistantly placed well and you can't even get a small glimpse, then over time I would expect the situation to improve as people realise and stop bothering.
 
I can see where they are coming from with this but as an RTC specialist I'm not comfortable with this idea for various operational reasons which would take ages to go into here.

As an Incident Commander I'm not keen on the idea of some Highways Agency blokes bimbling around within my inner or outer cordon trying to erect large screens and getting in the way of my crews trying to go about their business. That said, I'm in Scotland so maybe we will escape from this apparent brainwave of someones.
 
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