Crash barrier modifications

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Sat 7 Apr 2007 22:02
Crash barrier modifications - Steptoe
I don't often travel on motorways as the nearest one is 50 miles away, so was surprised to notice last week that a lot of crash barriers have been modified to present a 'blunt' end to oncoming traffic, marked by a rectangular plate with diagonal black and yellow markings, rather than the previous practice of tapering them into the ground.

It would seem that the idea is to skewer errant vehicles to prevent them veering back into the roadway as may have happened with the tapering, but I haven't come across any mention of this work being undertaken or the reasons for it. ( I did try a forum search with no luck )

Any thoughts?
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One mans junk is another mans treasure
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Sat 7 Apr 2007 22:29
Crash barrier modifications - Altea Ego
Not all were tapered into the ground. - Those that werent would feed themselves like spears into the passenger cell of the cars..

Also those that were tapered would launch the car left or right onto its side or roof where noone had any control of where it ended up (like onto a main railway line)
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Sat 7 Apr 2007 22:34
Crash barrier modifications - bathtub tom
I remember seeing something about this.
The 'old' practice of tapering them could cause a vehicle to flip, if it put say just the nearside into it at speed.
The blunt ends are deformable, thereby more likely to stop a vehicle that hits it, and because it's deformable, it absorbs much of the energy of impact.
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Sat 7 Apr 2007 22:45
Crash barrier modifications - martint123
Wasn't it one of 5th gears tests last year? - car hit barriers that were tapered into the ground and launched itself and went through a typical motorway sign a dozen feet up in the air??
I may have been dreaming of course, but I'm sure I saw it somewhere.
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Sat 7 Apr 2007 22:50
Crash barrier modifications - Altea Ego
Seen a car fly through the air on the A3 at the tolworth underpass. Idiot wanted to exit but didnt make it , rode up the taoered barrier and ended up 40 yards upside down under the underpass
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Sun 8 Apr 2007 11:48
Crash barrier modifications - Big John
"was surprised to notice last week that a lot of crash barriers have been modified to present a 'blunt' end to oncoming traffic, marked by a rectangular plate with diagonal black and yellow markings" - The 'blunt' end is the start of a deformable structure, much safer to hit than the ridgid taper that simply lauched most cars into a rolling flight.
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Sun 8 Apr 2007 12:51
Crash barrier modifications - bell boy
the police used these to good effect last week to get a stolen car/baddies of the motorway in a classic slow down get him off the motorway movement,they even commenteed on how they did the technique to get the driven wheels off the ground.
i too could have dreamt it though?
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