Motorway Ghouls

[pdq1]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20851775

Is this one of the best solutions ever to stop rubber-necking?

[Mick-Talbot]

Ever?

What other solutions have there been?

[pdq1]

Higher central barriers

[pdq1]

Or has been the case for the last 50 years, nothing!, Zilch.

[boxtops]

I think this looks a very good idea - particularly if there are injuries etc, it will screen off the whole situation.

[Baldric]

Looks promising, it could work.

[rockyracoon]

The trouble is, the rubbernecking would have started way before they could get the screens in situ, it only takes minutes for the M25 to become unbearable. The only foolproof way to stop it would be to have taller barriers along the central reservation, the cost of that would be prohibitive.

[sddsddean]

It won't work. People will just slow down more to try and spot what is happening through the small joint gaps in the screens!

[Buenchico]

Not everyone who slows down when passing an accident is 'rubber necking'!

I've passed a recent accident, on the opposite side of the dual carriageway, and had an injured car passenger run across the road in front of me. (He was probably concussed and didn't know what he was doing).

Similarly, there have been several occasions when cars have stopped on my side of the road, with their occupants trying to run across the road to assist those involved in an accident on the opposite side. (On one occasion one of those seeking to assist was in a vehicle marked 'Doctor').

There have also been occasions when debris from an accident on the opposite side of the carriageway has ended up in my path.

Therefore, when approaching an accident on the opposite carriageway I will always reduce speed (as advised by organisations promoting advanced motoring) to allow for any of the above possible occurrences. I AM NOT 'RUBBER-NECKING'!!!

[boxtops]

I might slow down but I deliberately DON'T look - I don't want to see it :-(

[joggerjayne]

Good point, Chris. I hadn't thought of that.

[Hopkirk]

OK until the wind blows a screen into traffic.

[ChillDoubt]

Unfortunately the nature of the beast means that there will always be a morbid curiosity in such instances, many peering in the hope of a mawkish glance.
Adversely it's likely in some cases that health professionals may want to stop and see if they can offer any help at all.
Invariably you will get the 'got it all under control thanks' scenario but on occasion additional help may be required and accepted.

[TWR]

Having seen hundreds & as a driver passed it off as one of those things, the barriers are ok! but what in high winds? they will be picked up like feathers and cause more chaos, it's a good Idea but not good, the time taken to install these barriers will take time, & that's what they are trying to help, moving the traffic & stop the rubber -neckers, also regards these who dwell on other persons misfortunes, should these motorists cause an other accident by not looking where they going, they should heavily penalised, accidents don't happen on Motorways they are caused by some irresponsible motorists that drive without due care & attention of what they are doing.

[pdq1]

Before allowing them to be used I would have thought a great deal of testing would have taken place beforehand. Our roads are like death traps with more than 10 people every day dying from accidents.

The point about strong winds maybe a problem though. I suppose they could have erected barriers within the central reservation at the scene of the accident and fixed accordingly. These could then be carried by those lorries that regularly patrol the motorways to keep the road clear?

[EDDIE51]

Good idea but as has been said , how long will it take to get them set up ? Probably at least 1/2 an hour after the event. The police / fire brigade/ ambulance are not going to set the screens up as the first thing they do , they will be trying to help victims first. Then in a serious accident the vehicles involved are likedly to be spread over all the lanes , they will need to be moved to allow room for the screens to be put up.

[pdq1]

Yes there certainly is a delay factor after the accident where gawpers slow things down on the opposite carriageway. If it were just a shunt with no injuries the mess could clear up pretty quickly. However in many cases there are injuries and its not unknown for sections of that side of the motorway to be closed for many hours. On the M25 recently one accident caused queuing for over 18 miles and that was on the opposite side. Maybe its these cases will be the ones for action.