BARLICK TRAFFIC MADNESS

[Thomo]

I could ask "is Barlick such a terrible place that drivers have to traverse or exit it at such great speed" but there is an equal amount of incoming traffic exhibiting the same disregard for both law and safety. Barlick is recorded as being one of only a few towns of its size that is not served by at least one "A" category road. of the four main entry and exit routes only two are in fact roads, the other two being lanes. In the four years that I have lived in this house, the volume of traffic has trebled probably as a result of drivers using sat nav being informed that this is the quickest route from M65 to A59. I have evidence of this as recently leaving the M65 at Colne, I came up behind a tarmac wagon and remained behind it until arriving home for a brief stop before going to on to Clitheroe, at the top of Sawley Brow, there it was in front again! Not long ago as a result of much campaigning, new speed restrictions were put in place between Barnoldswick and the A59, 40 MPH in general, but reducing to 30MPH through Bracewell and upon entering Barnoldswick, this exercise has had no effect whatsoever. More recently, two sets of interactive warning signs were erected, one pair either side of the crossing between Harper St and Richmond Rd, the other at the junction of Gisburn Rd with Brogden and Greenberfield Lanes. They work fine but only in the sense that they are operational, in all other respects they are as much use as a chocolate fireguard and are totally ignored by about 90% of all traffic, to say that the average speed of passing traffic is only 45 MPH would be generous indeed. There are many regular offenders, the Skipton to Preston buses, aggregate lorries, recycling and skip wagons the drivers of which must be on piece work, massive agricultural vehicles, time is money and sod the law! UAVs which appear to impart special powers to their drivers and ordinary motorists who are perpetually late in their efforts to be somewhere else. On top of this there is the noise, the road past here has a low speed surface, coarse and designed for traction, not speed, modern tyres on this generate a noise not unlike an approaching subsonic jet aircraft, and the road has a few bumps in it, not big ones, but enough to start an unsprung trailer bouncing thus creating something akin to a manic percussion section in a bad orchestra. The "HIGHWAY CODE" has this once must read manual been torn up or abandoned altogether? Boy racers were at one time a problem in many places, yet their challenge to sanity seems to have infected many drivers. A visitor recently said this, "Its safer driving in London than here" mind you, he had just been to the Co-op car park, that area where common sense goes out of the window and hot spot of road rage! its where the car you are driving suddenly becomes invisible. The general behaviour of too many drivers using our roads is appalling but there are individual acts of stupidity as well, last week a tractor the size of a small house came by at about 50 MPH attached to the front was a bale fork, two 2" square prongs sharpened to a point and this point about three feet up from the road, imagine colliding with that, what is the stopping capability of such a vehicle from such a speed? Most of us are aware that a speed limit is only as good as the ability to enforce it, only today, a well known F1 driver has spoken out concerned about the intention to raise the general limit to 80 MPH and I agree with him, but I am more concerned with what happens outside my home, in this area there are elderly people some of them are infirm, crossing the road takes time and those who care are not always there to help, and there are children who's enthuiasm for the game they are playing sometimes overides the possibility of the danger they may be in. I have been first on scene at several major accidents, most of which ended badly and I have a great deal of respect for those who have to deal with such events as a part of their work, 55 years on and I am still haunted by the little girl who died in my arms alongside Salmesbury Aerodrome, I was told later that she was only three years old, her four siblings were also wiped out in that horrific head on crash, not something I wish to witness again. To all of you who drive in our town, or through it, show some respect, go easy on the right foot, leave your phone alone, have some regard for others, do not be selfish, its more fun saving a life than taking one.

[Chrissyp]

Totally agree. You want to try riding down Gisburn Road on a horse.

[Stanley]

Peter, as you know I've probably driven more miles with bigger vehicles than most people in Barlick and what you describe is the reason why I chucked my vehicle and driving licence into touch about five years ago. Modern traffic frightens me because at one time you could rely on other people driving reasonably. Not so today, you can be the best driver in the world but it's no defence against the driver who veers across and hits you head on or similar. If a vehicle isn't essential, ditch it! I am lucky enough to be retired and quite happy in Barlick so it was a no-brainer. No solution for most I know and I feel sorry for them. I think I saw the glory days of driving when we had good vehicles and reasonably safe roads, I enjoyed my years on the road but those days have gone. (typical Old Fart's post!)

[Thomo]

I have Chrissy, but long before the current road problems arose, there were stables at Raikes Beck off Longing And the favourite ride was:- side streets to Kelbrook Rd, grass verge to Salterforth, then back round the lane to Rainhill and home, Rocket knew that one like the back of his hoof. Stanley, there was a time when most lorry drivers were "Knights of the road" now its a macho thing with all of the attendant bravado, "big toys for big boys" on one local truck! The last time we saw a speed camera down here was the morning after that Lithuanian chap put his car in our garden, that was just over two years ago, the motors were queued up around Arthur St waiting to be ticketed. In that episode a chap came by in a massive black UAV and at speed, when the officer stepped out to stop him he simply drove around him and carried on, there was however a second officer at the end of the next street, gotcha! There is at present a covert Police operation in place, random days and times and the drivers are completely unaware of its presence, it is most watchable, two weeks ago they were "bagging" them just over the road, made my day! Anyone with even a moderate knowledge of physics will know that if you move a large rectangular object at say 40 MPH, ie, large tautliner arctic, a vortex is created behind it, if this takes place between high walls it is capable of pulling an infirm person off the pavement and into the path of the next vehicle, I have felt this effect myself and I am not infirm. Boy Racers, there doesn't seem to be as many about now, graduated from Renault Clio to John Deere and Fendt.

[Tardis]

At the West Craven Area Committee last night the police sgt for barlick said that Lancashire had done speed camera workl around the town this week.

They caught no one

[Thomo]

The operation I spoke of was covert and did not involve speed camera's in the normal mode, the traps were set out of town, I will not elaborate further as I have no wish to compromise what may be an ongoing op.

[Travis]

Thomo.
I'm up and down past your house on a regular basis in a LGV and and must say I'm a little puzzled. We may not be "Knights of the Road" anymore, but I can assure you most drivers of heavies take their job (including road safety) VERY seriuosly. Speeding past your house?, Sorry Mate but its hardly possible with the amount of parked cars about.

You live on a busy B road, you might have to live with it. One bad Lithuanian doesn't mean all drivers are bad.

Andy.

[Big Kev]

and there are children who's enthuiasm for the game they are playing sometimes overides the possibility of the danger they may be in.

Why are children playing in the road? There's a perfectly good park at the other end of Westfield Rd.

[Thomo]

Travis, if you look again you will find that I have not tarred all drivers with the same brush, and if you spoke with others who live down here you would find that its not just me. The outbound interactive sign near here becomes operative when a vehicle approaches at 30mph or above and at a distance of 100 yds, about Foster Rd. The faster the vehicles approach speed is the greater the pickup distance, a bus that triggers it at 200 yds is going much too fast. The parked cars, this part of Barlick was not built with a high motor content in mind and for some there is little alternative other than the road, if all the of traffic was well behaved this should not be a problem, were it not for modern ABS braking systems it would be noisier still. The sign warns drivers to slow down, often the only thing that makes them do this is a vehicle coming the other way. For over three years now a group of residents from this area and Bracewell have had meetings with a team from Lancashire traffic management who are aware of the problem, visual advice to drivers is now in place, sadly it is not working. Anyone who doubts the validity of what I have written here is welcome to come and see for themselves. The daily traffic peaks at certain times beginning around 5,30 am with workers going to the abattoir off the A59 near Sawley, our Lithuanian was one of these, speedo stuck at 55mph, shift changes at 6,00 am at other factories add to this peak, by 7,00 am it builds again and remains high until about 9,30 am, 3.30 pm right through to about 6,30 pm is the next big one, it is during these peaks that behaviour of many drivers is at its worst, also noticeable is the high turnout rate for the ambulances at these times!
Kev, how right you are, a park with room for all. There are a great number of kids in the Arthur St area many of whom are too young to face the perils of crossing Gisburn Rd unattended. Some youngters prefer concrete and tarmac to grass. the Fosters Arms bus stand is popular with these and this puts me in the front line when the inevitable happens, concerned for their safety and my own peace of mind I have spoken with many of them, when the park is mentioned the reasons for not going there are amazing, "its full of idiots" being a common one. then there is the language barrier or just plain insolence. Not long ago one particular group became sufficient of a problem to warrant Police involvement following a large number of complaints from residents and passing motorists, verbal and visual abuse from this lot became a part of life. All being of one family the problem went away last year when the family moved, they may now be found in the Co-op car park!
It can only be a matter of time before a major accident occurs, as yet most such events happen on Bracewell Lane, speed being the main reason, like Stanley, I no longer own a car, but I still drive, either the wifes car or a company one, my licence is 54 years old and clean, the moment I feel that I cannot go on driving it will go. Good roadsmanship is a valuable lesson, being able to forsee dangerous situations, knowing what yourself and vehicle are capable of, an ability to put yourself out of harms way without hurting anyone or anything else.
Thank you all for your comments and drive safely.

[Whyperion]

Every time I travel at 29.9mph why am I chased to within 1in by minicabs and HGVs ? ( in 30mph areas ) ?

I think round figure speed limits are wrong in many locations. In some areas limits could be increased (40 to 45mph, 30 to 35 and 20 to 25mph , likewise some downwards by 5mph ) , all dependent on road hazards - junctions , gradient , traffic and pedestrian generating areas . Doing this ( and closer enforcement beyond +5%) would create safer roads and reduce frustration where speeds do seem to be lower than needed without reason , yet clearly things like a limit of 50mph would be dangerous.

[Tardis]

The 20mph limit approaches

B&E carries the Barrowford entry into the whole of Lancashire scheme.

Barnoldswick I believe is September. Ask CC Keith Bailey for more information.

It is not, however, the limit that is the issue. It is the people who ignore the highway code, and do not believe that the car they drive could kill someone else

[Thomo]

3.45 pm and two cars travelling in opposite directions at a cumulative speed of app, 90 mph have just made contact within 20' of the interactive sign and between parked cars, this leaves behind several worried residents and two completely totalled wing mirrors, neither car even slowed down, just carried on.

[Thomo]

Two vehicles that did not trigger the signs.



Nor did this.



Or this.

[Thomo]

Well it doesn't get any better, the volume and speed of the traffic grows by the day, the interactive and no doubt expensive sign closest to us has died from overwork and the noise levels have risen. Proof that this is now the prefered route into East Lancs came two weeks ago, my Wife spent three nights house and animal sitting for her son at Waddington, For her first run to work at Colne she used the Gisburn Barrowford road and clocked the mileage, it was not an easy drive. The next day she came this way, two miles further, but even staying within the law, ten minutes quicker!! Having a conversation out front now is nigh on impossible, much the same in the house with the windows open. Missives will soon be heading for the traffic management office at Preston, they are going to have to slow this lot down. Next week the school run brigade will once again be in this mix, oh deep joy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tardis]

This was brought up at the Disabled Forum on Friday because Neil the PCSO was there

Can't say as anything is likely to happen, but you never know

[Thomo]

Some of you may recall a topic on the old site "A rude awakening" posted after a car ended up in our front garden early one morning. Yesterday evening we almost had a repeat performance when a car exiting Foster road narrowly avoided collision with a car coming down Gisburn Road. This time the car exiting Foster road was already committed and on this occasion the oncoming car went around the back of it and hit the corner of the new wall around the houses being built on the Fosters Arms site. It was still daylight and visibility was good, however for vehicles exiting Foster Road, the drivers view in respect of other vehicles coming down Gisburn road is impaired by parked cars, add to this that the oncoming car had low profile tyres and possibly lowered suspension coupled with the probability of high speed, the inevitable happened. A quick assessment outside and despite the number of mobile phones in use, I came back in to call 999 and requested Ambulance and Police attendance. What followed pushed me well beyond my patience limits, what I was asked went on and on, and I finally roared into the phone “would you like my service number as well” “yes please” and after giving it was asked “which service”?!! “ Just bloody well get someone out here asap, I am going back out to see what I can do” In the crashed car, the air bags had deployed and the driver was out. He had the most serious injuries but thankfully only to his arms, but he was in shock. His left hand and wrist were the worst damaged and needed urgent attention; I have never seen such a mess. It was 30 minutes before the 1st Police Car arrived, followed by a 2nd and later a 3rd. It was 45 minutes before the 1st ambulance attended, followed by a 2nd half an hour later. The driver was treated in the 1st one for a full hour and a half. More emergency vehicles arrived at about 10.00 pm to clean up the mess and secure an electrical connection box. All of this could have been much worse if the two cars had collided.

[Thomo]

This episode apparently was on Facebook before the emergency services were contacted. When I first went out to see what could be done there was about 20 people around the scene, each with a phone to ear, I have photographic evidence of this. Another example of common sense being overridden by the need to play.

[plaques]

This episode apparently was on Facebook before the emergency services were contacted.

You are right Thomo, The modern mobile phones are streets ahead of some of the emergency services, click to take a picture are then press a button and its on facebook. Why can't the emergency services tap into this technology. A short text along with the photo would allow the control room to make a better judgement of what is required. The phone account holder would be traceable if any misuse took place.

[PanBiker]

A few years ago I was on my way over the top road out of Barlick just leaving the built up area approaching Dalesview caravan site. I saw a car approaching at speed over the slight rise in the road. For whatever reason the car veered into the wall, bounced over and hit the bank which rolled it onto its roof. It was sliding towards me at an alarming rate and I had all on, (stood on the brakes) to stop running into it. It came to a halt, rotating on it's roof no more than 4 or 5 yards in front of me. I rammed the hazards on my car and was dialling 999 as I exited to help the guy who was hanging upside down in his belt, badly shaken and a bit bruised and battered but coherent. The car was smoking and there was petrol running out onto the road. The doors were stuck but the back window had popped out so I was helping the driver out through the back window.

The 999 operator must have asked me 10 times by then for my mobile number. I had tried to order up all three emergency services but was met with a warning that I would be prosecuted if this was a false call! The lady (I believe at Preston) kept telling me that she could not find my location on the map. Higher Lane, Barnoldswick, by the Dalesview caravan park. Did I have a postcode! certainly not. It was a bit like bashing your head against a wall.

I managed to get the guy out of the car and other drivers had stopped and were helping with traffic management at each side of the incident. The road was blocked completely so we ended up with a car at Lane Head directing traffic coming in to Barlick down Salterforth drag and others turning the traffic round coming out of Barlick.

It was 45 minutes before the first responders arrived on scene. The driver had been escorted to a local residence and given a cup of tea and had to be fetched to see the paramedics, he was shaken but OK. About the same time one of our local specials happened on the event and raised the fire tender.

Top and bottom of was, the blokes "Golden Hour" had gone should he have needed it. Fortunately that was not the case. I was stood down from my phone by the emergency dispatcher 55 minutes after I had made the initial call, no doubt when "official" reports started to filter through. She gave me a final warning of prosecution in case of false calls and asked me if I would be prepared to make a statement, I said yes of course as I was the only witness but I was never contacted.

I hope I am never in that situation.

[Bruff]

I suppose the difficulty is there are a finite number of emergency vehicles and an anything other than finite number of circumstances to which they are called.

The questioning would seem to be a way of carrying some sort of distant risk assessment to determine whether the only available ambulance attends the crash in Barlick or the suspected cardiac arrest in Earby. Exceptions to this would include those people who are known to be at risk of various ill-health events that would warrant them or someone on their behalf, saying ‘code red’ to the operator if they have to call an ambulance for an event e.g. someone at risk of a ventricular tachycardia and cardiac arrest. Here the standard is a I think 12mins for an ambulance to attend once you’ve barked ‘code red’ down the line.

I can well imagine it is extremely frustrating when someone’s hanging out of a car in front of you covered in blood to be asked question after question (I’d be getting tetchy). But I guess all the other operators are asking questions of others at the same time.

Richard Broughton

[Thomo]

The crash was opposite our home and about 20 metres away, to get to it I had to run the gauntlet of high speed traffic for personal safety reasons. Already there were two groups of people present, some including the occupants of the crashed car, and others comforting the driver of the other vehicle involved, smart phones were much in evidence. An assessment of the situation as to what was required, and the state of the injured did not take long, and I asked if anyone had called the emergency services, no one knew. I came back into the house and called 999, the requirement being Ambulance and Police. Having done this many times I know the drill, and the person I am talking to already has my phone number. The information given in response to the questions was the location and postcode, the number of walking injured, and the state of other traffic at that time. After that I knew that I could be of more use at the scene, and made this clear. My main concern was the injured driver, he was mobile but cold and in shock. Having seen his injuries it was clear that he needed urgent attention, the bulk of the damage was to his left forearm with the latter and wrist clearly broken in several places, the right wrist, hand and forearm showing signs of trauma. I asked him if he would come into the house so that we could get his body temperature up and make him more comfortable, he was grateful for the offer but refused, During all of this there was much phone activity, there had been throughout, little of it was as a result of concern. I know that when you call the Emergency services, they will know if an incident has already been called in, this was not the case. Over the years I have been given a degree of training in how to deal with such situations, the best of them was a course in the Royal Navy under the heading of "Don't let them die", what to do when first at the scene of an accident, I am not an expert by any means but have a fair idea of what is required. I have been first on scene, and the last person a casualty has had contact with on several occasions, despite my efforts and those of others. It is not something easily forgotten, indeed it never is. As a result my tolerance levels of "rubberneckers" and anyone who impedes what needs to be done are very low. I have a great deal of sympathy for the people who work in the Emergency Services, not at all for they who just want "look at this"!!

[Healer2beats]

We move to Barlick from earby 2 years ago and the traffic is mad here,we live on Greenfield lane,we can't get out of the drive most days,or have to reverse for people using the wrong lane,it make me mad.it's only a single track lane for residences,and they don't even thank you today,I feel sorry the elderly people.

[Thomo]

Welcome to my patch!