For help, advice and discussion about stuff not related to aviation. Play nice: no religion, no politics and no axe grinding please.
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1787277
Bill Haddow wrote:
T6Harvard wrote:Doing 116mph on that B road?


Why not? It has some lovely long straights (used to be the A9) and in good nick.

Bill H


But you might be coming the other way :lol:
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1787284
I'm old enough to remember going over The Struie and round to Bonar Bridge, before the 'new' bridge was built! In fact, IIRC, it was still single track then.

Such a gorgeous part of the world.

My A-road journey today excelled itself. Average speed approx 2 mph :roll:
Temp FOUR WAY traffic lights in the very middle of the busy town I was heading towards. Took 30 mins to do the 4 miles. Coming home the numpty in front was doing 36-40 mph in the well marked 50mph zone. I really do want to understand why this road induces such 'steady' driving
By Bill McCarthy
#1787296
Another pain on the A9. The locations of the redundant GATSO cameras (cameras gone) between Inverness and Perth still have the white gotcha lines painted on the road surface. Those not in the know slam on the brakes, even when doing 60mph, as a natural reaction to a possible breach of the limit. This especially if they are in an overtaking manoeuvre at that point - a bit scary for those behind who are overtaking too.
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By T6Harvard
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#1787317
Charles Drayton wrote:
T6Harvard wrote: Average speed approx 2 mph...
...Took 30 mins to do the 4 miles.

Point of order: 4 miles in 30 mins is 8mph average.

You're very welcome.

:pig:


No wonder the bloke in front carrying the red flag was so out of breath!
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By Bill Haddow
#1787323
T6Harvard wrote:I'm old enough to remember going over The Struie and round to Bonar Bridge, before the 'new' bridge was built!


Pshaw! The paint's barely dry on that one. "New" bridges? I'll see your Dornoch and raise you a Ballachulish.

Bill H
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By Bill McCarthy
#1787360
I must take a detour round the Struie for old times sake - Lady Ross watering hole long gone I hear. One of the best viewpoints in Scotland at the top.
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By T6Harvard
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#1787365
Bill, don't forget to go to the Crask, as well. I have a stunning photo taken from there, just before we went in for the soup and a half of 80/

Perhaps we need a new thread? Scenic UK drives?!
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By T6Harvard
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#1942128
I had noticed this anecdotally @Miscellaneous , and as I travel this road fairly frequently it is of personal concern.

I haven't read every report to drill down but I'll speculate as follows -

Some may be foreign tourists returning - there has long been issues with driving on the wrong side.
There is definite confusion over the 50mph-for-lorries signage. I have a relative who is adamant the 50mph is for all. Thus they are driving at a suboptimal speed for the flow of traffic and causing issues.
There are a lot of lorries and not so many places one can safely overtake. Frustration, after several / lots of miles chugging along, stuck behind a lorry leads to risk-taking during the limited opportunities.
There are more lorries on the route now than 3 years ago, I think,
One can easily be in trail with 10, 15 or 20 slow moving vehicles of all sorts with no chance of popping round a couple to get back to 60mph as one would in a short 'queue'.
There are more tourists unfamiliar with the junctions joining the fast road from a virtual standstill (have you experienced folks pulling out from The House of Bruar????)
There are more tourists in campervans tootling along for the NC500.....
There are more risk takers who are on their phones (anecdotal, from having two veer across into my lane last time I was up there :shock: ).
Time pressures on drivers at work or going to work may be greater, in particular carers, lorry drivers.
Reduction in public transport may be keeping physically impaired drivers driving when they would be safer not (I have personal knowledge of one such incident on that road due to someone who shouldn't have been driving due to ill health 'but there was no other way to get to the hospital').
And some accidents last winter were due to the new road surface combined with low sun at rush hour causing people to be dazzled on the hill out of Inverness, IIRC.

Not sure traffic bunching up due av.speed cameras is a thing I've noticed. It may be but it is completely illogical driving if so!

What say you?
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By Miscellaneous
#1942222
T6Harvard wrote:What say you?

Oh dear, a reply required some thought! :shock:

T6Harvard wrote:I had noticed this anecdotally @Miscellaneous , and as I travel this road fairly frequently it is of personal concern.

Indeed, there's oft a completely innocent party. :( Take care. I travelled most of it a couple of weeks back and may well this week again. I can't say I'm conscious of any greater danger whilst driving on it than any other road. I guess, however, it'll be a bit like the aeroplane you don't see is the one that hits you.

T6Harvard wrote:I haven't read every report to drill down but I'll speculate as follows -

Nor I, I have been aware of there being regular fatalities, but didn't realise the number was so high.

T6Harvard wrote:Some may be foreign tourists returning - there has long been issues with driving on the wrong side.

There always has been though. Only last month there was an Italian jailed for causing 5 deaths on the A96.
https://www.aberdeenlive.news/news/aber ... ng-7820542

T6Harvard wrote:There is definite confusion over the 50mph-for-lorries signage. I have a relative who is adamant the 50mph is for all. Thus they are driving at a suboptimal speed for the flow of traffic and causing issues.

I can't help but honestly think there is something in this. However the average speed cameras were introduced in Oct 2014. Looking at the figures it seems they haven't changed overly much. Maybe the confusion is not causing fatalities??

T6Harvard wrote:There are a lot of lorries and not so many places one can safely overtake. Frustration, after several / lots of miles chugging along, stuck behind a lorry leads to risk-taking during the limited opportunities.

Along with the introduction of the average speed cameras the speed limit for the lorries was increased to 50mph. The thinking being it would 'move things along a bit'. I think it's made it more difficult to pass.

T6Harvard wrote:There are more lorries on the route now than 3 years ago, I think,

I don't know, but then pre 2019 fatality numbers were higher.

T6Harvard wrote:One can easily be in trail with 10, 15 or 20 slow moving vehicles of all sorts with no chance of popping round a couple to get back to 60mph as one would in a short 'queue'.

This is what I meant by grouping. When the trucks were doing 40mph people would pass. Now, with them doing 50mph, fewer people pass. Many motorists have forgotten how to overtake. Moreover those same drivers have forgotten they should leave room to allow others to pass them. :evil:

T6Harvard wrote:There are more tourists unfamiliar with the junctions joining the fast road from a virtual standstill (have you experienced folks pulling out from The House of Bruar????)

I'm not so sure there can be a greater number unfamiliar, however unfamiliarity is definitely a factor. Tourists feature in a fair percentage. The House of Bruar is even more of distraction at present. It is full of Christmas spirit. :D Whilst it is undoubtedly quite impressive with 500m (or whatever) of trees lit up, I'm sure the distraction makes an accident more likely.

T6Harvard wrote:There are more tourists in campervans tootling along for the NC500.....

:evil: :evil:

T6Harvard wrote:There are more risk takers who are on their phones (anecdotal, from having two veer across into my lane last time I was up there :shock: ).

Again I'm not sure 'more' explains it.
T6Harvard wrote:Time pressures on drivers at work or going to work may be greater, in particular carers, lorry drivers.

Ah, you mean the velcro moustached (I suppose it's beards now :? ) sales reps? :lol:

T6Harvard wrote:Reduction in public transport may be keeping physically impaired drivers driving when they would be safer not (I have personal knowledge of one such incident on that road due to someone who shouldn't have been driving due to ill health 'but there was no other way to get to the hospital').

There are a few elderly drivers involved right enough, but shh, we might upset some forumites. :wink:

T6Harvard wrote:And some accidents last winter were due to the new road surface combined with low sun at rush hour causing people to be dazzled on the hill out of Inverness, IIRC.

I hadn't heard that. :thumright:

T6Harvard wrote:Not sure traffic bunching up due av.speed cameras is a thing I've noticed. It may be but it is completely illogical driving if so!

See above.

Interestingly, as I've typed I think I've concluded the most likely explanation is that all the above play their part and the huge increase maybe appears greater than reality. It probably all still fits with the distribution curve?
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1942233
An excellent point about the 50mph for lorries making it harder to overtake!

I have become more relaxed about 'being stuck behind a lorry' and if I am way back in the bunch I just remind myself that I have a 480 mile journey to complete and so long as we make it there safely, nothing else really matters.
(Unless it's getting near to closing time for TheTrawler in Golspie :lol: )

And you never know, we might be coming up to one of the elusive bits of dual carriageway when we can pass lots of vehicles, only to catch a load more on the single carriageway thereafter. *shrugs*
By Bill McCarthy
#1942239
Many drivers coming off a dual carriageway (there are a few) often still think they are on one when in two way traffic and meet oncoming vehicles head on. Drivers get cheesed off being stuck behind lorries and go for that risky overtake. Lots of flowers often seen opposite the junction coming out of Dunblane. I never visit House of Bruar because the exit from there is straight on to a high speed section. A very long wait if turning right out of it.
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