Over my head

Just who are the jobsworths who operate the overhead motorway signs and how many accidents do they cause with their unnecessary messages? On recent trips up and down the M1 we were constantly informed that 'Drug driving costs lives' - as if distracting motorists needlessly doesn't, or the number of minutes to the next junction. Who needs this? The road was very busy and sure enough we soon came upon a Peugeot that had driven underneath the back of a Land Rover Discovery, causing the usual tailback chaos. Why can't these signs remain blank unless there really is some emergency to communicate. Of the Peugeot accident, there was of course no mention at all.

Asked on 7 November 2009 by

Answered by Honest John
It's the Highways Agency. But actually I find minutes to next junction extremely useful because it tells me what sort of progress I can expect to make if I stay on the motorway. 'Keep left unless overtaking' and ‘Don’t hog the centre lane’ are also very necessary as it helps get members of CLOG out of the way. 'Drug Driving Costs Lives' is part of the current COI campaign to educate kids that the cops can tell when they're on the stuff so they won't get away with it. But 'Don't Drink and Drive' first thing in the morning is both annoying and worse than useless. Who necks a flask of whiskey before they set off to work for heaven's sake? And if you're still over the limit from the night before, what can you do about it once you're already on the motorway?
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