80 year old motorist complains J13 diversion signs to J12 (M4) were unclear:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/910719/UK...Charles-Stenner

Shouldn't be driving.

I am to a degree sympathetic as I vividly remember arriving back at Luton airport in the early hours , religiously following the diversion signs only to arrive back at the airport. At this point common sense kicked in so I ignored their signs and took a logical route.
These sort of incidents only lend credence to retesting the over 50's which will reduce the traffic volumes and put public transport under more pressure.

So he came off the M4 and couldn't find the A4? Really? Wonders whether he can find his own **** with two hands, a map and a torch!

Yes, wouldn't disagree. I liked the line taken the Highways Agency saying they did this in consultation with the Local Authority. Presumably that means WBC whose very own traffic signage has been criticised and found wanting by the courts!

It is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate places these days.

Places, and in your case at least, speed limits.

I doubt you have never exceeded the speed limit either.

never had points, OR lost a licence.

I’ve never lost a licence either.

Now I may be being VERY old fashioned here but there are these old manuscripts that are surprisingly still readily available called MAPS!.
Not expensive and can be carried even in modern vehicles to supplement the obligatory satnav.

Give them a try!!!!

Not so good when there are diversions.

Au contraire my good fellow. The great advantage of a map is that one can navigate a town easily despite diversions , one way systems and new roads that have sprung up over night.
Sat navs are for people who can't read.

There are map apps which replace paper.
Either way, a SatNav with voice will enable the driver to continue to travel, as opposed to stopping to read maps.

Perhaps one can perch it on their knees when driving. Just make sure you have an up-to-date one.

Ah, so it was all the drivers fault. Given the undoubted expert advice freely offered here, one might indeed question why the Highways Agency even bothered to sign the diversion at all. The work involved in planning and execution is a significant cost; which could be avoided if only the drivers took heed of sound advice.

Driving advice, from 'Mr Speedy'

But they did sign it, and publicize it, and out of the thousands that have used the diversion, one has complained about getting lost. Not science is it.

Just follow the car in front, works for me.

Yes they are! They are ideal when there are diversions.


Correct!!


No, that would be silly and dangerous. Perhaps just pull over and check if you need to?

Good idea to make sure they are not too out of date. They are not expensive. Satnavs go out of date too!

Ahh, I remember the 70's well, whole tribes of gone feral drivers standing on roundabouts, scratching their heads, living off errant pigeons and roadkill. Trapped in a motoring limbo because satnav and 'apps' didn't exist. How did we all manage? I mean, navigating to the moon AND back? Without an iPhone? Impossible!

Well you have to keep a hand free for the tin of Stella.

No doubt you remember the robin hood roundabout when it was 3 lanes. People would go into the next county to avoid it.

If you remember school geography lessons, you don't need sat navs or maps, just use the other roads to the major towns on your route.

Not if you are not sure where you are.

The big sign saying 'Newbury' on the side of the road is often a good clue. I know you don't do signs well but for most people it's enough.

How many of us carry a compass in the car? For a couple of quid it is an invaluable tool when one finds themselves "completely" lost.
Even the most confused motorist surely knows which direction they are supposed to be travelling.

Not so useful when traveling elsewhere, or are looking for somewhere safe to stop, thus loosing one’s bearings. Map reading can be a bit of a challenge, especially with the on-set of complex roads and road junctions.

That isn’t really the issue at hand; however, my phone has a compass.

Tot homines, quot sententiae.

Many cars have a built in electronic compass these days of course.
If investing in a stand alone compass vital you get one that allows you to
correct the reading to overcome magnetic interference around the dashboard.

The nearest my old bus gets to modernity is the absence of a starting handle. I would hope that anyone who used a compass to get a rough guide as to N/S etc would be parked up and outside the vehicle and even then it doesn't assist to much if the sun is out. Like the thing they used to put on pocket knives to remove stones from horse's hooves, not much use apart from the one time in your life you come across a horse and it has something lodged in it's frog and then everyone is thankful.

We get a good few asks in the roads round where I work. There are plenty of signs, but still get bothered by folks asking the way to places. Will tell them to get a msp or use their phone in future.

10/10 on the oh so irony.

I still have my granddads pocket knife with one of those tools. He always said it was for getting boy scouts out of girl guides.

What is it then? A bucket of cold water?

Want a car that is totally reliable?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-42917101

I know the older Peugeots were good,............But not this good.