After all the trouble the authorities went to in making it illegal to turn right out of the Tesco and Riverside Surgery entry road onto the A18 in Brigg, we have to ask whether it was worth it.
We were driving down Barnard Avenue the other day when a driver shot straight out of this side road and did a right turn - right in front of us. We had to slow down to avoid him.
Having been stopped by the Cary Lane junction traffic lights just a few yards further on, we thought about ringing 101 and telling the police, whose Brigg HQ we were about to pass. But two wrongs never make a right and we'd have been guilty of using the mobile while the car engine was ticking over. So we thought better of it and he got away scot free.
The validity of the previous no right turn arrangement out of Tesco was questioned some months ago, leading to North Lincolnshire Council going to considerable lengths to put the necessary Traffic Order in place, and to put up a new red circular warning sign.
As the months pass we can expect further reports of drivers failing to comply with it. These will come from members of the public and get passed to councillors and the police, who have better things to do than watching cars go by on the A18.
The simple answer is for all motorists to comply with this very welcome safety feature and show a little patience. It's really not much hassle to go left for a few yards to the Atherton Way roundabout and come back along the A18 towards Cary Lane. But some people just can't resist saving a couple of minutes.
There's nothing like a bit of publicity to get the message across. The authorities should be encouraged to publicise the number of drivers who have to cough up cash after being caught turning right. Once motorists see how much it could cost them, the message will sink in with the minority.
The same goes for driving into the pedestrian area without due course. You can see this restriction being abused almost daily. And it's been a problem for years.
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There are a number of both sighting and siting problems to the sign....
ReplyDeleteFor example, the sign, unlike the questionable 'ONE WAY' blue sign, it is rather inconspicuous and is 'lost' amongst the larger nearby directional road sign...and, perhaps goes unnoticed while drivers are comparatively more concerned about pedestrians crossing the road and cars entering/leaving the Riverside car-park at that point.
Perhaps, the sign one of those colourful backing plates to highlight its presence.....
Also, I don't know whether it's been rectified, but the sign has not been illuminated at night - indeed, the street lights to Tesco's car park have been faulty for some time...but whether there is a faulty electrical connection between the sign and the lights, I do not know..
Would it be possible to have some pre-warning, 'LEFT-TURN ONLY' exit signs, before the legal obligatory junction sign?
Apart from the above...unfortunately, there will be some drivers who flout the rule...once one, or two are nabbed, it can have a sobering effect on others