Highland road-signs for Lakeland, please?

[simon-b]

Can we please have some signs like these on the main roads in the Lake District?

And on the single track minor roads, we could really do with some of those signs asking drivers to use passing places to allow traffic behind to get past.

[scoob999]

Ah......If only it worked

[CharlesT]

At the risk of causing controversy I personally deplore the proliferation of road signage and would like to see some removed rather than added to, particularly in the Lake District and other beautiful places. Admit to feeling a bit nostalgic for the less cluttered roads of my now distant youth.

[NickyRannoch]

These should be posted every half mile along the Perth to Crianlarich stretch.

[johnkaysleftleg]

You still annoyed by that guy on the Kirkstone Pass Simon

[simon-b]

scoob, more people do seem to let you past in the Highlands than on the Northern English roads, suggesting that the signs do have some effect.

Charles, the reason the roads get cluttered isn't always sheer volume of traffic. Just one slow driver who doesn't let others past can cause a massive tailback; this frequently happens on the A591 between Ambleside and Windermere. I, like you, would also like to see some road-signs removed, e.g. the one on the A9 at the turn-off for Aberfeldy which says, "Tourist route to Pitlochry". This is bound to attract slowcoaches who get in the way of anyone driving from England or S. Scotland to Braes of Foss in the morning to climb Schiehallion in the afternoon. If the 'tourists' stayed on the A9, at least people could overtake them on the dual carriageways.

Nicky, I'm sure many people can think of further examples to add to yours.

Anthony, that Kirkstone Pass incident finally inspired me to start this thread, but I had been thinking about it for quite a while; that's why I took the photos in March when finishing a West Drumochter round. And I wasn't as annoyed as you and the others would have been, if I'd stuck behind that car and left you waiting half and hour longer!

[johnkaysleftleg]

Anthony, that Kirkstone Pass incident finally inspired me to start this thread, but I had been thinking about it for quite a while; that's why I took the photos in March when finishing a West Drumochter round. And I wasn't as annoyed as you and the others would have been, if I'd stuck behind that car and left you waiting half and hour longer!

A very valid point Simon, I would tend to agree about the manners of drivers being significantly better in the Highlands, I do think the quality of the roads and far more passing places contributes to this. Compare the dreadful state of Hard Knott Pass to the Bealach Na Ba for example.

[CharlesT]

Simon, I have never known a time when there were not hold-ups on the A591 Windermere to Ambleside road. It was notorious for them in my weekly forays to the Lakes in the early Sixties (yes I am that old!), likewise the Kirkstone Pass and the Langdale Valley. It's the nature of the roads and even if you get past one dawdler there's always another one ahead. Frustrating yes, but the distances are not great and time lost probably less than it seems. These are not major through routes as some of the similarly affected Scottish ones are. Only my 'umble opinion of course.

[simon-b]

Simon, I have never known a time when there were not hold-ups on the A591 Windermere to Ambleside road. It was notorious for them in my weekly forays to the Lakes in the early Sixties (yes I am that old!), likewise the Kirkstone Pass and the Langdale Valley. It's the nature of the roads and even if you get past one dawdler there's always another one ahead. Frustrating yes, but the distances are not great and time lost probably less than it seems. These are not major through routes as some of the similarly affected Scottish ones are. Only my 'umble opinion of course.

You're not wrong there Charles; on a bank holiday there were five mile queues leading into Kendal before it was bypassed. It's true it's not the end of the world if we're frustrated on our way to or from a hike. But when someone's driving some distance at 25 mph all the way, one of those unmarked cars with no siren in the tailback might just be a paramedic or MRT member trying to get to an emergency. And of course, those who agree with me and I should practice what we preach. After the hike with Anthony on the day of the Kirkstone Pass incident he mentioned, I was driving home over the same pass when a more powerful vehicle started catching me up. So I pulled over and let him go (my three female companions may be of athletic build, but having them all on board still slowed my car down when going uphill!).

[CharlesT]

Simon, I have never known a time when there were not hold-ups on the A591 Windermere to Ambleside road. It was notorious for them in my weekly forays to the Lakes in the early Sixties (yes I am that old!), likewise the Kirkstone Pass and the Langdale Valley. It's the nature of the roads and even if you get past one dawdler there's always another one ahead. Frustrating yes, but the distances are not great and time lost probably less than it seems. These are not major through routes as some of the similarly affected Scottish ones are. Only my 'umble opinion of course.

You're not wrong there Charles; on a bank holiday there were five mile queues leading into Kendal before it was bypassed. It's true it's not the end of the world if we're frustrated on our way to or from a hike. But when someone's driving some distance at 25 mph all the way, one of those unmarked cars with no siren in the tailback might just be a paramedic or MRT member trying to get to an emergency. And of course, those who agree with me and I should practice what we preach. After the hike with Anthony on the day of the Kirkstone Pass incident he mentioned, I was driving home over the same pass when a more powerful vehicle started catching me up. So I pulled over and let him go (my three female companions may be of athletic build, but having them all on board still slowed my car down when going uphill!).

Pulling over you're a gent. If only I'd had the same done for me on the A34 last Sunday evening I might have seen a bit more of the golf . Bloody 80 mph amblers .