White fences?

[Pearlfisher]

It's been puzzling me for ages why councils are putting small white fences either side of the road on entering or leaving a hamlet or small village,
I can't see what purpose they serve and seem to be a complete waste of taxpayers money!

 

[RobWalker]

no, the conservative party are a complete waste of tax payer's money :lol:

 

[Runwell-Steve]

It is just there as more of a visual reminder that you are entering a village so should slow down a bit.

My daughter works for the local highways department and studies have been done which show that these little white fences have quite a significant effect on slowing down motorists, so they are probably worthwhile.

Of course once they become really common I imagine the effect they have will diminish.

 

[Duncs]

It must be coming up to budget renewal time for them. They have to spend all their budget now so they can get the same amount next year. Last year, around me, they went round putting metal fences around lampposts so they could justify the budget for the next year

 

[Pearlfisher]

Thanks R-S , that was the only reason I could think of ,but wouldn't a traffic speed sign or a drive carefully notice be cheaper?

 

[calumscott]

It is just there as more of a visual reminder that you are entering a village so should slow down a bit.

My daughter works for the local highways department and studies have been done which show that these little white fences have quite a significant effect on slowing down motorists, so they are probably worthwhile.

:thumb:

Of course once they become really common I imagine the effect they have will diminish.

That's why they don't just use fences, keep your eyes peeled and you'll see planters and other decorative items.

 

[graysalchemy]

It must be coming up to budget renewal time for them. They have to spend all their budget now so they can get the same amount next year.

:lol: :lol:

We get new cycle lanes in spring, they could really spend the money on fixing the pot holes but that would be too easy :evil: :evil:

 

[Brewtrog]

It must be coming up to budget renewal time for them. They have to spend all their budget now so they can get the same amount next year.

:lol: :lol:

We get new cycle lanes in spring, they could really spend the money on fixing the pot holes but that would be too easy :evil: :evil:

More like too much common sense :grin:

 

[Vossy1]

they could really spend the money on fixing the pot holes but that would be too easy :evil:

Keep the potholes, stops cyclists cycling 2 abreast :lol:
On our 1 road in and out estate we had a vote about speed limits being reduced to 20mph because there are a lot of young families....it got passed due to them being in the majority.
I won't do over 25 on the road and to date I've been gestured at, sworn at, badly tail gated .....all have the same thing in common.....late for the school run....late for picking up the kids...late for getting home for the kids...once a day we might get a speeding delivery van...the other 100's of times it's the school mums and dads....

 

[calumscott]

Keep the potholes, stops cyclists cycling 2 abreast

You might live to regret that one...

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Keep the potholes, stops cyclists cycling 2 abreast :lol:

They also mean we either don't go in straight lines or swing out wide to avoid them. I'm not going to risk destabilising my bike and coming off.

 

[joe1002]

Of course once they become really common I imagine the effect they have will diminish.

That's why they don't just use fences, keep your eyes peeled and you'll see planters and other decorative items.

You should be looking at the road!!! :lol: :lol:

 

[calumscott]

Of course once they become really common I imagine the effect they have will diminish.

That's why they don't just use fences, keep your eyes peeled and you'll see planters and other decorative items.

You should be looking at the road!!! :lol: :lol:

Touché, Joe. Touché...

 

[Russ146]

More of the Highways department justifying their pointless jobs.

We get it around here to, it costs £3000 for every sign they put up, surveying, consulting blah blah blah. Couple of years ago they decided We lived on a "Red Route" and put up hundreds of signs over a 50 mile stretch saying it was a red route and warning of "Collision sites" signs every where.

The following year they took them all down again! and put up speed camera signs ( there arnt any)

The following year they took them all down again also. Its called tax payer funded incompetence and why Britain is bankrupt by the over bloated, quango ridden government.

And they have the cheek to go around begging for air ambulance when this money wasting fiasco goes on.

Britain is run by idiots

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

I'd rather have our idiots than the sociopaths currently running the US Republican party *shudder*

 

[zgoda]

I'll swap my current gov't with yours, gentlemen. It's corrupt to the bones.

 

[Vossy1]

They also mean we either don't go in straight lines or swing out wide to avoid them. I'm not going to risk destabilising my bike and coming off.

As long as you look over your shoulder when swerving that's fine with me When I was younger I used to road race....would I do it now...not a fe**ing chance...the standard of driving is a lot worse than it used to be .

 

[Pearlfisher]

I'll swap my current gov't with yours, gentlemen. It's corrupt to the bones.

OMG :shock: ,you mean ours isn't?

 

[Dave1970]

We should have minister for wasted money....they could save money by cutting stupid spending instead of just cutting spending. Services wouldn't need to be cut, air ambulances and similar could be properly funded.
Government likes to blame the public sector for inefficiency but half the time it's stupid rules (made by government) that create that inefficiency.

The flaw in this plan of course is that the Minister for Waste would have to abolish half of their fellow Ministers

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

I'll swap my current gov't with yours, gentlemen. It's corrupt to the bones.

Compared to the "criminal class" (as Mark Twain described politicians) of countries like Russia, Zimbabwe and China, Poland's is virtually sainted.

When you look at the origin of Western political tradition, it's easy to see why corruption seems so ingrained in political life: most of our governments are based on that of the Romans, a bicameral parliament with an upper house (senate) representing the patricians (aristocracy) and a lower house (plebeian council) representing plebeians (non-noble citizens). The plebeian council existed as a counterbalance to the senate, which existed purely to protect the wealth and prestige of its members and others of their class. However the council only protected the interests of free-born Roman citizens - slaves and other non-citizens, the overwhelming majority of the empire's population, had no political voice. So the plebeian council's existence both testifies to the corrupt nature of the Roman political system and, by ensuring political power remained with a comparatively small elite, entrenched that corruption.

We should have minister for wasted money....they could save money by cutting stupid spending instead of just cutting spending. Services wouldn't need to be cut, air ambulances and similar could be properly funded.
Government likes to blame the public sector for inefficiency but half the time it's stupid rules (made by government) that create that inefficiency.

The flaw in this plan of course is that the Minister for Waste would have to abolish half of their fellow Ministers

IMO, 90% of the stupid is the tendency of different government departments basing decisions on what it will cost them individually, not the government as a whole. For example, when the NHS delays treatment it may cost the Department of Health little or nothing but, if the patient is unable to work until they have been treated, it costs other departments (in particular the DWP & Treasury) around £13-14K/year in benefits and lost taxes. There are currently almost 600,000 people receiving disability-related benefits who are expected to be well enough to return to work in the future, costing around £7.5 billion in benefits and lost taxes. An easy way of reducing that number is to shorten waiting times, and put in place a maximum time between the initial referral and getting treatment.

Last Thursday I finally received confirmation that I'm to be treated for an illness which has kept me out of regular work since June 2008 - I only have to wait another six months before I'm officially on the waiting list, which I know means another three month's wait on top before treatment begins. So by the time is starts the delays will have cost around £80-85K - and that's not considering the financial and personal costs to me by being unable to work all this time! In addition, the illness is progressive and the frequent delays mean it has become increasingly complicated to manage, so treatment will take longer and cost more. It is even possible that the original treatment, which was recommended in Summer 2011, may no longer be suitable by the time it starts.