Has anyone any idea what the sets of flashing lights are for on the M74. they seem to be next to emergency phones, and only for about a 10 miles stretch near Abington.
Dominic
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Dom, what colour are the lights? Are they on overhead gantry, hard shoulder or their own poles?
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If they are amber lights and they are flashing it means the speed limit is 30 mph. The place your talking about on the M74 is the only place I have seen them and when I went past them they were flashing.
I have to shamefully admit that when I saw them flashing I did not know what they meant until I caught up with the local plod who were in the middle of a rolling road block. Although must say wasn't flying down the road at 80 +, I was taking it easy as I knew it must mean something!
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In addition to the above, it's not in the Highway Code, I think I saw the sign you refer to in the ' Know Your Traffic Signs' book, which I seem to have mislaid for the moment, rather annoyingly. :-(
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Hi,
they are on the hard shoulder, mounted one above the other. there is no signs they just are on this sction. I thought it might be a visibility thing for the emergency phones, this is s pretty bleak place, esp. in winter.
Dom
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Yep, that's the ones I saw.
It was about 5 years ago when I saw them actually flashing, I hope my memory hasn't been playing tricks on me!
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I know this sectin of road, above the services at Annadale Water I Think.
I was told by a local, that they were to guide stricken motorists to the emergency phones in bad weather.
I used to drive the road every week and I recall that they were almost always flashing.
Cheers
Marcus
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Two amber lights mounted one above the other and flashing alternately? Old fashioned motorway hazard "wig wags". They pre dated the dot matrix jobbies in the central res that tell you useful messages; like "fog" when your inching your way through pea soup.
Why the Sottish Exec has not found the money to replace them is another question.
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Further to my earlier replies, does the sign look like the one in the left of the link below
www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2002/023113gq.gif
If it does please refer to section 45 in this link
www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2002/20023113.htm#45
This is from 'The Traffic Signs Regulations & General Directions 2002 and is subject to Crown Copyright.
Hope it clears this one up now I'm off to get a life!!
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Understood the warning of an unspecified hazard, never appreciated the advisory 30. You learn something new everyday!!
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I'm just glad I found the information to confirm my memory, I was starting to think I was going mad.
They do seem to be a relic of the past. I must admit I felt rather sheepish that, as a Driving Insructor I didn't fully understand the meaning of them when I saw them. Still it was only the Mrs in the car and not a pupil so I got away with it :-)
I shall be looking out for them on my way to Fort William in May. Are these the only signs left of this type left in th U.K.?
My god. I'm turning into a sign spotter!!!
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I currently have the pleasure (?) of driving the M74 end-to-end around 3-5 times a week.
Those damn flashers are ALWAYS on. The cops up there can't be bothered to switch them off it seems.
As for the Scottish Executive not having the money to change them - that's the standard item on Scottish Motorways - they don't have the matrix type.
googd news though, they've approved the £500 million 5 mile extension of the M74 to Kingston Bridge, so you in a few years we will be able to choose which queue to join when driving through Glasgow!
Incidentally - if you're going through Glasgow, don't use the M8. Go straight up the M74 to the end, then A74 past Celtic and through Glasgow Green/Gorbals, rejoining the M8 at the "other" end of Kingston Bridge. Piece of cake and a LOT quicker.
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Longdriver, thats a bit of a general statement!
I live near M74 and only on very rare occasions would I take the route that you say. 20 hours of the day I would go via the M8.
(Although I do see the appreciation of driving past Celtic Park!)
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(Although I do see the appreciation of driving past Celtic Park!)
i would go the same way as longdriver and i also can appreciate driving past celtic park, right past without stopping all the way to ibrox...cheers...keo.
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