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Post by ChrisM on Feb 28, 2019 8:17:51 GMT
Once on my way home last week, and again once on my way home earlier this week, all of a sudden on the smart motorway part of the M3 there has been a broken down stranded vehicle revealed on the left-most lane causing mayhem as people jam their brakes on and swerve out of the way at the last moment. In both cases the occupants were cowering behind the barriers half-expecting something to pile into their vehicle, having presumably been there for at least a few minutes.
There were no warning signs or messages displayed .... I though that the smart motorways were supposed to be under constant CCTV surveillance so that immediate warning could be given when something like this happens.
Then this morning as I join the motorway in the smart section, there is a "50" sign illuminated, right at the base of the sliproad. Joining the motorway, there are no signs of any issue. The first overhead gantry repeats the "50" limit, the next is all-clear with the NSL sign displayed. So, congestion and frustration caused for no reason yet there have been 2 "real" incidents within the previous 14 days where nothing was indicated.
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Post by michael on Mar 11, 2019 10:27:04 GMT
I was on a speed awareness course last Friday (I wasn't the only person there doing their second) and they mentioned that these smart motorways don't just react to traffic but also pollution. So if the air quality hits a certain threshold the speed limit is reduced to attempt to reduce the pollution output. The issue you mentioned with the inside lane next to a slip road being reduced probably makes sense as it allow traffic to join together at safer speed. They do this on autobahns, quite often the limit is restricted around junctions presumably for the safety reasons.
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Post by Alex on Mar 12, 2019 12:07:05 GMT
I was on a speed awareness course last Friday (I wasn't the only person there doing their second) and they mentioned that these smart motorways don't just react to traffic but also pollution. So if the air quality hits a certain threshold the speed limit is reduced to attempt to reduce the pollution output. The issue you mentioned with the inside lane next to a slip road being reduced probably makes sense as it allow traffic to join together at safer speed. They do this on autobahns, quite often the limit is restricted around junctions presumably for the safety reasons. I’m sure I read that the M1 around Sheffield was going to have to be set to 60 most of the time for environmental reasons so maybe it’s already happening elsewhere, especially as you pass cities or other very built up areas.
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Post by Roadsterstu on Mar 13, 2019 7:56:25 GMT
The new smart section south of Nottingham, towards Leicester, on the M1 is now active. And I am reliably informed that between junctions 23 and 24, both north- and southbound, there are cameras that remain active even when there is no reduced speed limit. Beware.
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