Prince Philip's mishap.
Following this collision on the A149, much has been said in the media about it. The A149 is a 60 mph road and a very busy one. Norfolk County Council are reportedly now going to reduce this stretch to 50 mph and instal average speed safety cameras. But is this enough in itself?
At the accident spot, where the B1439 adjoins it and the Babingley road is immediately opposite, would it not be more realistic to have a 40 mph limit for some distance either side of the junction? The CMAC site alongside the B1439 is very busy with caravans and motorhomes regularly arriving and departing. These outfits will almost invariably arrive from, and depart towards, the direction of Kings Lynn. Caravans in particular will have a relatively slow acceleration speed as they turn left out of the B1439, and into the B1439 from the right-turn lane of the A149. Also, there is a considerable flow of cars and motorhomes leaving the club site and turning right onto the A149 towards the popular North Norfolk coastal tourist spots.
The media also used the incident as a side issue to again attempt to highlight the fallibility of elderly drivers. I do not argue that there may be an occasional elderly driver who might be advised to hand in their licence, but the incidence of elderly drivers actually causing accidents is quite a small section of the total. Bad drivers spans the whole spectrum of age range, and most accidents are the result of impatience and not allowing enough time for the journey. How many innocent elderly drivers and caravan and motorhome owners who do get involved in an accident are in fact victims of this impatience?
Comments
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I've never experienced any problems either accessing or leaving the road leading to the club site at Sandringham. Yes, the A149 is a busy road but there is good visibility, weather notwithstanding, from the B road. As I understand the situation PP was supposedly blinded by low sunlight. There were probably dozens of accidents around the UK due to low sun yet we are subjected to reports of a minor collision that fortunately all parties walked away from.
I understand the speed limit was actually on the councils agenda for the following day anyway and has now been reduced to 50mph. Again no-one has said that speed was a factor in this incident.
So a case of "Nothing to see, move along please"
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No idea why my content was removed. Any answers?
Moderator Comment - Because in my view it was nothing to do with the OP. If this thread is to remain open can we please keep the discussion away from discussing the people involved in the accident as this is an on going investigation, other than wishing them all a quick recovery.
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We have used that junction on the A149 for years to access the cc club site ,well before it and c&cc site were enlarged,and as in so many areas of the country traffic levels have increased far beyond what the road was intended to carry,all the junctions on that stretch of road with it being at max national speed limit ,are now imho well beyond being capable of being accessed safely especially at peak times,and locals,have voiced their concerns for years,for a reduction in speeds and/or road islands to make it "safer to use?"
This last high profile accident has now galvernisd the LA to stop dragging their feet and as a start put into process the methods to implement a reduction in the speed limit
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We spent 3 weeks at the Sandringham site in September 2017. On a few occasions, as we were on the A149 and approaching the B1439 to turn left into that road, we saw cars travelling north quite fast and using the right-turn lane for overtaking. Coming out of the B1439 and turning right towards Hunstanton, several times I found myself with other cars waiting for a lull in the fast traffic travelling in both directions to allow me to turn right. To go in the direction of Hunstanton and the coast road to the east of it, I found turning left out of the club site then left again towards Dersingham or Brancaster, depending on which part of the coast I was heading for was a much better option.
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With the amount of LVs turning right off the A149 going to both club sites road islands would be the safest and most effective and safest method of making all the junctions safer,the same coming via the A148 into West Newton,talk to any of the locals in the "estate sponsored" social clubs on the A149 at Babingley or Wolferton village,they agree how , at times, the A149 in that area is not safe
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I'll probably cause no end of controversy with my following comment but IMHO if in car entertainment was banned then drivers would be able to concentrate on the job in hand, ie; piloting their vehicle in a safe and considerate manner and observe what is going on around them rather than being subject to loss of said driving concentration by the constant inane babble or boom, boom, boom in their ear'ole from said ice.
Got me tin 'at ready!
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Somehow managed to post my above message before I had finished it! Carrying on I meant to add...
...then perhaps there wouldn't be the need to have so many safety related signs, schemes, road markings and so on on our roads, which in themselves can be quite daunting at times, and possibly make things worse from a safety aspect.
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Some want that in Cornwall as well😕
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Yes Wn. Much as I love Wales, and I have total respect for the Welsh language, in fact I'm intrigued by it, I do find the road signs in both languages a bit difficult to read on main roads at complex interchanges.
Perhaps on trunk routes, such as the A494/A55 into North Wales it would be helpful, for the first 10 miles or so, if the main signs had the English version first. Once well into Wales one can adjust to the signage being Welsh first and English second, and rightly so.
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First place we ever used our in car Sat Nav was in Wales. By time road names had been pronounced, we had missed the turn!😂
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Same goes with reading the road signs.
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WHY has the media decided to make reference to another crash involving the prince which happened a lot of years ago!!!!!!!!Leave the poor guy alone,he is probably quite upset already.!!!!!!
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We’re very familiar with that section of road, more so because we tend to cycle a lot when away in the caravan. I’d judge access and egress to. junctions and forest paths to require particular care when cycling and in a car too. Despite which I’m not keen on rushing into reducing the speed limit, when care and competent driving will do the job, however low the sun is in the sky.
Accidents are an unfortunate fact of life, but let’s not lay their causes at the feet of any specific age group. Better by far, to ensure driver competence with appropriately timed reaction and awareness tests. “Ah but the cost” I can hear in opposition, but increasing transport time through speed limits has a cost too.
This recent accident, much reported in the press, seems to me to expose a great deal about inequalities in privilege.
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I do agree that the speed limit of the A149 should be less than 60 as it is a very dangerous road to pull on to. I'm sure that accidents are avoided during the Summer as the constant traffic slows everything down anyway !
I must admit that if a vehicle travelling at 60 mph along the A149 hit somebody coming out of a sideroad it would be high unlikely to be classed as their fault.
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