Concrete Median cause problems driving at night

JMSE

Head The Wall wrote: »

Idiot - I don't have worms and get your facts straight OP did mention trucks

As I and others have stated the height of the lights on any vehicle have nothing to to with his visibility problems. It's to do with his lights, their focusing or his eyesight. Read the posts before you go posting crap

This whole post was obviously written after you came home from the pub as it makes absolutely no sense. Doesn't say much for your intelligence

Yeah I deserved that, i didnt read half the posts and there was embibing involved, sorry.

I spent last night out on the mitchelstown to cahir stretch moving loads (in a truck) and found myself flashing every minute at folks on the far side who had full beams on, the 'fence on top of the wall idea' is a non-starter, people need to be told, no headlights when traffic is oncoming.

The SUV tag is still a bandwagon title, lets start calling cars 2x4's or how about bikes, they could be 1x2's

JMSE

JMSE wrote: »

I spent last night out on the mitchelstown to cahir stretch moving loads (in a truck) and found myself flashing every minute at folks on the far side who had full beams on, the 'fence on top of the wall idea' is a non-starter, people need to be told, no headlights when traffic is oncoming.

Easier said than done, I frequently drive the M6 overnight and it's surprising just how many times the oncoming vehicle is completely unseen, as the headlights are blocked by the concrete barrier. The effect is most noticable on some of the the flat sections between Kinnegad & Kilbeggan
I drive a standard car, quite often the only reason I see an oncoming HGV is because of the "cab-lights"

I often just leave the lights on dip and hope nothing has "fallen off the back of a lorry".

KevR

Deleted User wrote: »

Easier said than done, I frequently drive the M6 overnight and it's surprising just how many times the oncoming vehicle is completely unseen, as the headlights are blocked by the concrete barrier. The effect is most noticable on some of the the flat sections between Kinnegad & Kilbeggan
I drive a standard car, quite often the only reason I see an oncoming HGV is because of the "cab-lights"
I completely agree with all of that.

I often just leave the lights on dip and hope nothing has "fallen off the back of a lorry".
Often find myself doing the same.

..

cherrypicker555

Poster King wrote: »

Please let me know if this issue has been raised already. I did a quick search and found nothing.

Of late I've been using the N4 from Kinnegad to Mullingar. Much of this section of road has a concrete median. This is great for avoiding head on crashes alright, but it causes significant visibility problems when diving at night.

On a normal road without a central concrete barrier, when you dip your lights for an oncoming car, the dipped head lights of the oncoming car(s) will illuminate the road ahead of you.
With the new concrete medians, no light from the oncoming cars is able to cross over to light up your side of the road and hence it is pitch dark in front of where your own lights are dipped to. I have found myself either having to slow right down, or intermitently 'flash' my lights to make sure there is nothing on the road ahead of me.

If I don't dip my lights I get the oncoming cards flashing at me naturally. I drive a Land Cruiser so my headlights are higher off the ground than a regular car. SO maybe drivers of regular cars don't experience the problem to the same extent as they are able to keep their headlights up as the lower lights don't shine in the eys of the oncoming cards.

Has anyone else had this problem. I have found it to be a major problem. There are many new roads with these concrete medians so it must be a problem elsewhere.

A solution, which will be expensive, is to erect a fence or series of palettes (every 2 meters have a one meter tall and say, 40cm wide wand ) along the top of the concrete wall to stop head lamp rays crossing the median.

Red cats eyes (not used in the rep) and a solid white illuminous line at the edge of the carriageway and reflectors on the concerete central reservation would solve the problem.

The new roads are let down by poor lane markings, on both sides of the carriageway and the yellow paint line on the inside of the carriageway is not illuminous.

Geogregor

cherrypicker555 wrote: »

The new roads are let down by poor lane markings, on both sides of the carriageway and the yellow paint line on the inside of the carriageway is not illuminous.

Why is that? It is compromising safety. Why don't they use cat eyes and reflective paint? It is not massive cost comparing with cost of building motorway.
Especially in Ireland when rains a lot and visibility might be seriously compromised such solutions would be helpful.

Amtmann

I have only come across luminous paint and road studs on roads opened since 2006.