Drivers and their problems

Car collides with mobility scooter rider in town high street

A person on a mobility scooter has been involved in a crash with a car in Christchurch today.

https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/news/car-collides-with-mobility-sco...

I can't read the full article - does anything stand out?

But I thought drivers were very concerned about disability issues??

Outraged Devon villagers block SWW from carrying out planned works

Outraged Devon villagers say they are taking a stand against South West Water - by parking their cars over a key stretch of road where contractors from the water corporation are planning to carry out works.

It comes during a busy weekend of events in the community hall, including a memorial service this afternoon for a much-loved member of the community, with an expected turnout of around 100 people. To prevent disruption for those wishing to pay their respects, villagers have taken it upon themselves to remove the traffic cones, and park cars over the area marked out for another hole to be dug.

Anne Moore, treasurer of the Washfield Memorial Hall, said: "We are all very angry and frustrated. Our requests to stave off this work until Monday have fallen on deaf, uncaring ears, and South West Water arrived this morning with a view to shutting the road to do the works.
 

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/outraged-devon-villagers-block...

Drivers 

Canterbury City Council to investigate after video shows parking wardens on double yellow lines in Whitstable

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/whitstable/news/traffic-wardens-issue-fine-...

https://www.advertiserandtimes.co.uk/news/motorists-urged-to-back-forest...

Fordingbridge and its problems 

sorry about the multiple posts, I'm not clever enough to montage these images. Fordingbridge, Hampshire is having some major road works done, such that the main shopping street and driver thoroughfare to the west is closed. 

https://fordingbridge.gov.uk/nf1104-high-street-fordingbridge-carriagewa...

By rights this could be a really nice riverside town on the edge of the New Forest and next to the River Avon. The range of shops has got somewhat better since the Pandemic, but it's not a place to linger on foot. It's a traffic sewer daytimes and evenings with often narrow pavements.

You pandered to them:

Council warning after attacks on Exeter bus gates

Bus gate signs in Whipton Lane, Exeter, were turned around sideways and then promptly fixed this week

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/council-warning-after-attacks-...

whatever you do for drivers, it won't be enough 

National Trust raising parking fees at White Cliffs of Dover site - but locals say they should park for free

Writing on the Dover for Dovorians Facebook page, Del Middleton said: “Then they can shove the cliffs. Why charge? It takes no maintenance, only the café.”

Andy Lawrence said: “And that's why everyone boycotts Dover. I don't blame people for not going there - better off going to Folkestone, Thanet or Deal.”

Shelley Stockbridge wrote: “So locals who keep the town running are now being charged to enjoy the nice parts of the town? You couldn't make it up, honestly.”

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dover/news/they-re-our-cliffs-it-should-be-...

Monster Truck Mayhem blamed for gridlock in Worcester

Another reviewer wrote today: "Took 3 hours to get here to find out no monster trucks on until 7.30pm due to technical fault! Don’t waste your time getting here if currently in the gridlock queue in Worcester. We’re going home back to Bristol after 45mins!!"

One wrote today: "Poorly managed with traffic and parking, toilets ran out of loo roll and hand sanitizer at 1pm and the main event of the monster trucks was one real monster truck that was broke, started late and then was only on for 10 mins before broke down again. No water stations even on a hot day like today even Download can manage that."

Organiser David Bailey said it was always billed as a monster truck show (singular) not a monster trucks show. He said a delay was caused when they had to re-gas the monster truck when a shocker burst and the vehicle got stuck in traffic. 

"They were late getting back and the show went one hour late. The show wasn't cancelled. It has been a success."

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/24405918.monster-truck-mayhem-blame...

Opinion: Making people pay to use car park is making the roads cluttered

"They're fleecing ever-more oppressed motorists."

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/parking-charges-are-cluttering-up...

Man caught on phone driving to work then rages at police in 'PC Plonker' rant

 "The officers had to use PAVA spray to incapacitate him so they could apply handcuffs. While being held in a cell he apologised for the incident and said he was going through a difficult time."

The court heard he had 13 previous offences on his record, though only one from the last 11 years. Representing himself, he said: "I would just like to say I am sorry about that day. I was on my phone. I have nothing to hide. I'm just worried about my licence due to my job. It was just one of them days.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/man-caught-phone-driving-w...

People queued for hours for balloon festival that caused traffic chaos

The festival in Carmarthen is now in full swing but some motorists waited more than four hours to enter the event at the Nantyci Showground

One driver said: "We're from Kidwelly. It normally takes half an hour to get here. We've been here for three hours."

We left Cardigan at 10am, and we're just managing to get into the show now at 4.50pm. We've been waiting five hours. I feel tired and frustrated and can't wait for a burger!"

One person who was travelling to the balloon festival has said it took them two hours to drive just three miles.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/live-m4-updates-vehicle-fi...

Why Ross-on-Wye is making car park free for four weeks

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/24413764.ross-on-wye-making-car-park-...
 
So let me get this straight, we're inducing more CO2-producing car trips because of the repair work needed after the CO2-induced thunderstorm?

https://yourherefordshire.co.uk/all/news/news-ross-on-wye-businesses-rea...

Look at Life - What Price Safety?  (1965)

recommend a look at this 15 minute film.  

It start with this hospital, saying it was put there to deal with the results of road crashes (called accidents throughout of course). They're testing seat belts, tyres, crumple zones; anti-lock brakes exist, but aren't fitted due to cost. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cI0T1oyDUnM

Holdenhurst Road works spark anger from residents

“People were shouting and swearing saying that they had been trying to get through for 20 minutes,” said Peter.

He added it took him three hours to reverse out of his own driveway because no one would let him out.

“It was impossible to get out, people couldn’t and wouldn’t let anyone through.”

He said on-road parking has become worse of a problem over the years and junctions are becoming blocked making the area more of a hazard.

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24428201.holdenhurst-road-works-s...

Fears lorries will hit residents after drivers ignore diversion for A226 Galley Hill landslide at Swanscombe

A mother fears it is only a matter of time until someone is hit by a lorry after seeing her parked car struck following an emergency road closure.

Residents in Swanscombe complain HGVs are using narrow side streets to avoid the diversion set up following a landslide which happened on the A226 Galley Hill Road last year.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/someone-is-going-to-get-run-o...

I did an arts thing 

The North Circular has been named the most polluted road in London, but for many people, it's known as home. Louis photographed the residents of the road, curious how they ended up in such an inhospitable and polluted environment. In 1952, the great London 'pea soup' Smog led to the clean air act four years later. This inspired the project to make invisible pollution visible. By hanging the photographic prints by the roadside, the image surfaces collected dangerous road dust, which were then photographed using an electron microscope to make clear the dangerous particles that are invisible to the naked eye. This particulate matter is 2.5-10 micrometres wide, so small that it slips past our bodies' defences; you can fit a thousand on the full stop at the end of this sentence. These particles penetrate deep into our respiratory and circulatory system, damaging our bodies. 

The work draws attention to the invisible and dangerous impact of our love for fossil fuel powered motor engines.

Neighbours in Highfield Road, Willesborough, frustrated by school-run parking and driving

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/ashford/news/rude-and-lazy-school-run-paren...