ADUK Archive

Where a hazard sign is shown without "For x miles" below, is there a standard distance that should be assumed?

5star wrote:Where a hazard sign is shown without "For x miles" below, is there a standard distance that should be assumed?

If you mean a warning triangle, it's usually placed, approximately, 200 yards (or 200 meters if you prefer) before the hazard.

Could be the 'series of bends' sign, with a sup plate 'for 2 miles' [Yeehah!']

Or 'slippery road'

'Deer'

For example, if I see a hazard sign "Slippery Road Surface", for how long would I expect the road to be slippery for?

For some signs it is clear, e.g. "Strong Winds" before a bridge is likely to warn of winds while on the bridge. But something like "Cattle"? How long should I be on extra alert for Cows for?

As an advanced driver, do you do anything different when in a Cattle hazard zone? My understanding is you drive for the unexpected and be prepared to stop anyway, so other than giving something to comment on, does awareness of such a hazard change your driving style at all?

Till you see the back of the matching sign in the other direction.

I was driving locally today and there was a temporary hazard sign up for 'mobile roadworks' (tractor doing ditch work) - it was before a bend, but the next two straights had no sign of the mobile works - it was only after the third bend that I found them - and in fact came around the bend to see the tractor stationary on my side of the road just after the bend... fortunately going slower, and saw their light reflecting off a van as he came around the bend towards me so no issues...

but it does raise this same question - at what point might you feel the hazard hasn't been encountered and is now over, and therefore you can ignore it - or should there be repeater signs?

the car behind me nearly went into the tractor fortunately a series landrover only goes slowly - unfortunately the brakes are not as good as mine!

Alasdair

As with all good things, warning signs can be applied in a manner that is excessive and leads to lack of trust in the signs.

A warning sign that is posted too early before the hazard comes into view at all, or overly slow speed limits (e.g. for bends or congested motorways) can make drivers lose faith in them and ignore them altogether.

As an advanced driver, do you do anything different when in a Cattle hazard zone?

Probably using sideviews and crossviews through the verge more to look for said cattle, and in night or dusk maybe flash my main beams on-off which fends most wildlife away. Perhaps move slightly further away from the edge of the road where otherwise safe.

What's "cattle" for you, is typically a "camel" (or infrequently a gazzele) to me and it's not a nice thing to hit.

5star wrote:For example, if I see a hazard sign "Slippery Road Surface", for how long would I expect the road to be slippery for?

I was once out with an associate and we drove past a slippery road surface sign. After we'd passed it I asked him how long the slippery road surface lasted, hoping for the answer 250 yards. I received the reply 24 hours! To his credit, he laughed when I told him the correct answer.

'Series of bends' and 'an S bend' is IIUC now the same sign (used to be slightly different) in UK. In Wales at least I just treat that as the default on pretty much all roads, including parts of The Motorway ,
'Cattle' usually means there is a cattle crossing nearby - spot the gates they come through and the ingrained mud on the road. There are many unsigned areas where farmers take their animals across or along roads.
'Deer' simlarly is a sign used where they herd nearby but people may not expect deer on the road; I've lived and driven in plenty of places where they abound and have seen far more where there are no signs (interesting to have one canter alongside trying to cross ahead - if you slow down you just know it will cut directly in front!).
'Slippery surface' you should be able to make out the conditions which lead to this sign being placed - usually under trees, on a slope where water crosses or in a dip where ice forms - sometimes replaced by the 'ice' sign, though that IME is more used on exposed longer stretches (not seen anything official about that, just my impression).
'Horse riders' is frequently seen without a sign of a riding stables or horses, yet around here with occasionally plenty of horses on the roads, is not something often used.
Of course these are all placed where a Highway Engineering team (or a road worker) decides to place them, potentially the conditions change (slippery roads get repaired with bettter surfaces, trees are cut down) and the sign remains. As you say, they should require little extra attention from your normal drive because any of these can occur without signage.
'Mobile roadworks' is particularly one that would get my attention. It can be left out by accident, but since the roadworks are mobile, they may have moved some way beyond the sign; so I keep expecting them until they appear (or it is very clear that they are not there - e.g. I have left that road completely).

Ancient wrote:'Series of bends' and 'an S bend' is IIUC now the same sign (used to be slightly different) in UK.

Double bend sign has no distance qualifier under it, same sign with a distance qualifier is series of bends (not double bend) for that distance.

The old series of bends sign was the double bend tilted at an angle. If it had a the distance qualifier it was series of bends for that distance, if it had no distance qualifier it was series of bend for an undisclosed distance.

Yes, although around here (Wales) the double bend sign is used a lot, both with and without distance qualifier - but the bends keep coming!

I do just about ( ) recall the 'double bend on its side' with a distance. ISTR it was slightly 'squashed' to fit in the triangle? Many of the signs then were not as standard in apearance as now - still a few around in odd places that haven't been replaced and they look quite quaint (and don't blind you with your own reflected headlights).

What gets me is the ROAD AHEAD CLOSED sign, when it's actually a b****y side road that's closed, not the road ahead.

What really gets me are the new signs that have been put up quite recently.

I am absolutely certain they install special mirrors into those signs that concentrate all of the light emitted by your headlights and aim it back into your retinas!

It's such a lovely experience to see an older sign which reflects a bit of light to let you know it's there, and no more.