What should motorway information signs display?

[Carbon Based]

Trundling along the M25 today, the new information boards seem to display some fairly anodyne comments.

In the absence of an important, time and location sensitive message - such as major tailbacks after the next junction, what would you like to see displayed, if anything?

Clockwise from J2, and it is "Red X means the lane is closed - don't use it."

Further round, where the roadworks have been recently removed to reveal 4 or more lanes, and no hard shoulder exists, most traffic continues to gravitate to the right most lanes. Would "keep left unless overtaking" have an effect?

[Rick101]

I think a keep left sign is a good reminder to have, as would be a keep your distance.

I'm not a fan of too much signage but I think motorways are somewhere that extra information would be helpful.

[michael769]

"This sign intentionally left blank"

[martine]

Just getting the traffic info to be timely and accurate would be a start!

It never ceases to amaze me how often I see wrong messages or out of date info on the VMS on the M4 between London and Bristol. The signs costs many £100,000s EACH to erect yet it seems they often show unreliable info.

Best example was last year travelling back from London late one evening. From just after Reading all the way to Swindon the VMS were displaying 'SLOW 50mph' (perhaps a dozen signs). At first the traffic obeyed but when it became apparent there was no reason, we all sped up again.

I later complained to the Highways Agency and they replied there had been an earlier incident but until a HATO could drive the whole route and confirm it was clear under 'Health and Safety' procedure they had to leave the messages in place. There were no HATOs due to drive the route for several hours!

Unreliable info is worse than none at all.

[waremark]

I think the signs are a terrible waste of money. Can anyone persuade me otherwise?

[Carbon Based]

Probably not - but they are there now so the money has been spent.

Yes, I've certainly seen the signs still showing out of date messages - not helpful and it reduces the trust in that information.

Re the suggestion of mind your distance, I think for best effect that would need to be on some kind of dynamic system. We already have static signs and occasional chevrons on the road to do that with limited success.

I vaguely remember some comment that the most effective traffic calming measures were the front facing active speed signs - probably expensive, and with no income generating potential. But what if a gantry sign were to display "too close" if triggered by sensors? Or would that just be distracting?

[gannet]

Some thought about when to leave them turned off - I complained once becuase they were on witha lengthy message about weather or traffic conditions being predicted for the following day! Not normally a problem expect as it was torrential rain for the entire 200mile journey, there was enough to look at and think about it without having to read those 'information' signs

[trashbat]

There's a chap on PH called Gafferjim who explained at length how the incident-specific messages get added and how the whole system works (or sometimes doesn't). I think this has a lot of it, but it's long:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topi ... mid=259361

I think they're currently useful on occasion - stuff like animals, pedestrians or debris in road - but have a lot more potential that could be used. In terms of using it to improve driving standards, the 'keep left' stuff is good but rarely used. Making it more freeform text rather than the small set of committee-approved messages would be a start.

[TR4ffic]

...if a gantry sign were to display "too close" if triggered by sensors? Or would that just be distracting?

Distracting - Yes ...Of limited use - Undoubtedly; what you and I consider too close or tailgating, Joe-Average-Driver considers a normal following distance - If they notice the sign, they won't think the sign applies to them...

As for "Keep left" on managed sections, on the M6/M42 the information signs already display "Congestion. Use Hard Shoulder" but many drivers are reluctant or flatly refuse to us it.

The vast majority of drivers either don't notice the signs or, if they do, just ignore them - as they do the majority of all signage. Possibly a symptom of too much roadside information/signage.

[Rick999]

I agree with the majority of the comments above. I don't use motorways regularly but I dare say that at least 75% of the time I do I come across incorrect information such as lane close or a speed limit change which then ends with nothing there. It reminds me of the "Cry Wolf" story, which is probably why people don't take any notice. Do we really need to be told there are queues ahead? If so god help us on rural roads without a sign saying telling us there is a tractor, horse, cycling club etc etc ahead. [rhetorical]If drivers are unable to spot a queue on an open motorway we are in big trouble... [/rhetorical]