Flashing Roadworks Lights, gone too far?

[carbore]

IS it just me, or is the amount of flashing light at roadside works getting too much. I frequently drive at night and in some places there are flashing signs, every vehicle with strobing lights, lights on cones with beacons etc etc. When you have been driving down a relatively dark road and hit that much flashing light I find it highly disorientating. I say disorientating, not distracting because its meant to get your attention, but I find that I am severely dazzled going past that much light, its similar to driving past a lorry in the wet when you just cant see anything. Worse still the bit where you are blind is the bit where the blokes are likely to be working.

Im sure that Mr H&S thinks lights at flashing is good, but I think they need to step back (literally) from what they are doing and think about how it affects the overall safety picture.

I also appreciate that it makes people slow down, but temporarily blinding motorists in the interests of safety seems counter productive.

[Lucy1978]

Most of the time the flashing lights on plant is there for the safety of the workers not the travelling public. Our policy is if the vehicle isn't moving you turn the beacon off.  Flashing lights may have the affect of "waking" drivers up, doesn't always work as I've been driving a dirty great yellow Hi-lux 4x4 with a light bar on the back along with hi-vis markings, and pulled in to traffic management on the M1 only to find the dopey driver behind me had followed me in, and that's not a rare occurance.

[Silvery Thing]

A number of years ago I attended a serious RTA where a Vauxhall ran into the rear of a water bowser that did not have flashing lights.... the driver was crushed and dead :(

I would never moan about flashing lights [-X

[Disco Matt]

I have no objection to flashing lights with good reason, however I do think something needs to be done about roadside buildings with excessively bright lighting. Example: There is a pub near me which resembles a Christmas tree at night including several very bright spotlights. These are not shaded from shining onto the road and are more or less at eye level. This completely destroys your night vision and thereby poses a danger to road safety on an already hazardous section.

Quite apart from the fact that excessive lighting both wastes electricity and stops us seeing the stars!

[Yoshi]

I think the other roadworks problem is the floodlights! 

They point them at the oncoming traffic deliberately i think.  Now them things really do blind you!!!

[carbore]

I was begining tho think I was the only one....

My concern is very much for the guys in the road as im in a big solid car and they are not!.

If you drive past a big works (not one van or something) but say 6 waggons, a few bosses in hi-lux's, a lane closed sign, strips of cones with "chaser" lights all with the latest super strobing orange lights etc, its like trying to drive through the "house of fun". Although the hi viz tape on clothing these days is very effective, the people tend to be the last thing you see due to "too much" flashing light on the wagons etc. 

I agree that turning the beacons off when stationary is a good thing (provided its not the only thing on the road, otherwise keep on flashing)

[Boddle]

 Don't have a issue with the amount of light although I do agree with use of floodlights needs looking at (blinding drivers passing has got to be H&S issue). I do how ever have the use of strobe which are like a continuous flow of camera flashes going off not clever and very dangerous. The old style rotating becons grave the eye a chance to react which does not happen with strobe and flashes which on on for some 15/1000 of a second a leaves the eyes trying to react (this causes red on photo's) and is a know cause of disorientation. Hopefully with introduction of LEDs systems we can go back in the direction of the revolving becon or a more anolouge on and off at least.

[madmatt]

Hmm its a fine line to tread this one. I've allways had jobs where I have worked roadside, many of you have seen my 130 fully loaded with its ambers there is quite an aray. Mostly we have to abide by Higways agency or principal contractors policys when on site, but if we are working our own site we usually use directictional LED's when stationary, revolving beacons and leds when moving slowly in and out of works. Oh and then there is the middle of the night call out to tree across unlit road scenario and that is light every bulb on the vehicle as you want approcahing traffic to stop usually due to tree across a road.