Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Evo Triangle

There are many roads that get used for "testing" by car mags,TV etc..
When results get published or transmitted it encourages people to go on them.
Another route is the Cat and Fiddle one that now has average speed cameras on it due to its use for fast driving.
There are similar roads near me...A4069 Black Mountain Rd for one...used by many "testers" such as Chris Harris. Police watch the road these days with hand held speed devices. Very popular with bikes, they use the Halfway cafe in Llandovery for stops too. Nice place to meet up and chat.
On open moorland roads you really need to watch for animals as well as the road.
They are not closed roads for races etc but many assume they can race. Not a good idea!
I am happy to "get a move on" but only if the road/conditions allow.
It is nice to drive these test roads as they do allow you to enjoy the car without excessive speed.

Fast cars don't make accidents driver error does.

Absolutely right the livestock on Dartmoor injured/or killed by idiots on four wheels last year was around the 100 mark.

Thats an advantage rather than a problem. It means that you have good visibility of hazards

Easy-peasy.

Stick a 50mph limit on & plenty of cameras shaped like sheep...paint lines & chevrons everywhere and put lots of signs up.

The locals will be so thankful.

In Wales there are 3 types of sheep
Type1....looks cute and you stop to look at her. Also known as the "decoy girl"
Type2....killer sheep that jump out and kill you after stopping for the decoy sheep.
Type3....suicide sheep.....they jump out suddenly in front of vehicles

OOPS! forgot the most popular type....
Type4....recreational sheep.....also known as a leisure centre in the valleys

As a motorcycle riding instructor I used to tell my learner students that they should never take a bend or the crest of a hill faster than they can stop within the distance they can see. I hope it saved some of them a lot of grief.

It is not the livestock up there, as there is little/no cattle and the fencing is really good. The issue (if indeed it is one as this is only 1 article and a NIMBY one at that) is that it has become a cult favourite to set unofficial times. As cars get quicker but training and experience less, misappropriate use of speed is deployed, whether that be 40 or 140 depending on car, conditions, etc.

A blanket speed limit will not make a jot of difference if you are determined to exceed 60 already. So perhaps education rather than dumbing down?

It saddens me every time i see someone reach for the blanket ban/dumbed down/lazy approach such as this, as it in effect says they have given up or not tried to improve others/themselves….A far worst crime in humanity in my view.

I hear what you say Mark, but what about anyone not in the offending drivers car? Why should they have to run the risk?

There is a parallel here, in that there is a road in the States with a similar reputation, the 'Tail of the Dragon. It's both famous & infamous, with many, many incidents & lives changed, and the appeal of driving or riding the road is still very much alive for enthusiasts.

Sporting types want to hoon it, cruising types want to well, cruise it and cyclists want to climb it. HGV's want to use it too, although they are actively banned.

My point is, if people abuse roads like this by over enthusiastic use that results in near misses or crashes then local authorities have a statutory duty to clamp down on such use.

Their most cost effective solution are speed cameras and a blanket limit. High offenders fines go to central government, small limit offenders get workshops where the profits get ploughed back into more cameras until the saturation limit is reached.

With the American example, enthusiasts have organised themselves into a group that now self polices the road by highlighting the poor usage on social media platforms, and actually escorting any miscreant HGV's that slip through the net.

This is a far more positive approach to the roads use by those who use it with a purpose & not just as a shortcut.

What's needed here is someone like say, Evo magazine, to lead the crusade of self policing before it's too late and the authorities legislate.

To ignore it is to kill it.

Whilst we all agree that the risk should be minimised, (again if indeed there is a risk as other roads have a far worst accident level), it is the approach.

Getting a mag to lead a crusade is a start, but it is is fact all our responsibility as enthusiasts to both police what we do, and promote/foster learning and improvement of skills.

It alway strikes me odd that if this was family or work we would be supporting and training members and teams all the time. Families work better, teams work better etc. Yet when it comes to driving it is as if a persons skill (or lack) is beyond reproach. We fear speaking out and fear more being called out.

Driving courses should have car control included, and the test altered to examine this.
The RAC and MSA should have car control built into their T&C's so that all affiliated car clubs/societies are required to do something practical around promoting safer car control and improved driver training. This could be theory/talks organised in a pub, Auto test/car control limit days, doesn't have to be expensive or complicated.

Personally i would like to see mags produce driver improvement vids for you tube/Facebook etc as well, as access to correct info is often the strangle hold on many a good idea.