Ok, so to start.. an apology.
Not that this is the most read blog in the history of Motorcycle blogs, so not many will have missed me, but…Sorry for not posting a blog for months! I’ve just been sooo busy.
All three bikes have been out as much as possible over the winter so far. The XVZ1300 Venture has been out the most. Its (believe it or not) the best to ride, out of the three, when the roads are a bit wet. It also offers the best wind and weather protection!
The VTX1300 has been out for a few runs. However, shes a moody big V-Twin, so starting her in the cold is a pain unless the battery is at 100%. The attachment of a trickle charger has helped that.
The Hayabusa has been out on 3 or 4, 6/7 mile rides, just to keep her ticking over. She will be, unfortunately, up for sale soon, the rocket-ship is wasted on me.
I’m looking out for a GL1500 Goldwing, Ill ride it and the Venture over a few months and decide which I like the best, ill only keep one in the end.
A big topic of conversation in the UK at the moment is the installation and use of ‘Smart Motorways’ on the UKs road system.
The BBC are about to (or have already, depending on when you read this) air a program on the subject, apparently it will contain damning statistics about the increase in death and near misses on these new style roads.
So here is my opinion – Smart Motorways are about the most stupid, idiotic and moronic thing EVER on UK roads.
(Some reading may wonder what on Earth I am going on about – ‘What is a Smart Motorway’?
There are two types (Sometimes on the same road) One turns the hard shoulder into a ‘live lane’ during peak traffic. The other limits speed and the speed becomes variable during peak times.)
Who in the world thought ‘Ive got it!, you know the bit at the side of the road, where cars go if they break down….lets make that a lane!’
And guess what? People are dying on them and there a thousands of ‘near misses’.
This isn’t a surprise though is it? At least if you have even a modicum of common sense it shouldn’t be. The lack of a ‘hard’ shoulder means a break down or tyre blow out, leaves you stranded. If you are stranded in a ‘live lane’, you increase your likely hood of being hit. To me, it seems like a straight-forward thing to think.
I’ve had this discussion numerous times on Social media. Including a recent one with a Gentleman who described himself as ‘Ex-Traffic police and a Road Safety consultant’ (On twitter you never know but this seemed a genuine account).
He explained to me how being on a Motorway with out a ‘Hard’ shoulder was no different to being on a dual carriageway. Its not often I am speechless, honestly, ask my fiancee, but this left me gobsmacked.
Dual Carriageways are vastly different beasts to Motorways, volume of traffic (the main reason for having ‘Smart Motorways’) for one. Yet those who a supposed to be knowledgeable, simply don’t seem to be.
I have driven (fortunately not many on a motorcycle, we like the countryside better, don’t we) many hundreds of miles on Smart Motorways. I have a golden rule on them…. I never go in what would have been the (Hard) shoulder.
They have a red ‘X’ indicating when you shouldn’t be driving in them, without fail you will see someone who is, even when they shouldn’t be.
Many have indicated their opinion that they are only dangerous, as people don’t pay attention. In a way, they are right. But people tailgate (the single stupidest thing you can do in/on a vehicle). What on Earth makes the creators of Smart Motorways think suddenly motorists attitudes would change?
Why did they not plan for the stupidity of many Motorists?
My rant about these roads doesn’t end there.
The ‘Variable speed aspect’ is less dangerous, but far more comical.
Put simply, Variable Speed Limits …. do not have the desired effect.
They are designed to improve traffic flow, when the Motorways are busy. I’m willing to bet you on a computer model, that’s exactly what they do. But the M62 (for example) is not a computer model, its real life.
Variable speed limits do the following:-
- Make people brake when they see the speed change
- This causes the person behind to brake …usually just that little bit more
- This starts the accordion effect, each car behind brakes a little more
- Miles down the road, traffic has come to a near stop and you have MORE congestion
- When you pass the incident (or congestion) causing the Variable speed limits to be in effect, you are stuck at 40/50 MPH, so the traffic can’t ‘get going’ and clear.
I have traveled many times through the unmitigated congestion disaster that is the Dartford tunnel and I am convinced if they switched the speed limit gantries off, traffic would actually flow OK.
The crux of the problem is this… Computer models and (so called) Road Safety experts will continue to preach the virtues of the often bizarre and strange road planning we have.
Smart Motorways will maybe get a few extra refuge areas or something else that will not eradicate the issues caused on these roads …. and they will keep building them… and they will keep defending them… and people will keep dying on them…. and they will keep building them… and people will keep defending them….
They don’t work, they never have. Stop trucks overtaking, harsher punishments for tailgating, re-aline roads to allow traffic on and off it an easier manner, this will assist in easing traffic congestion, Smart Motorways never have helped….. and never will.
Big V Motorcycles 