Distractions

I was interested to see the news the other day. Police in Dorset were 'clamping' down on things that distrait drivers. Mobile phones, eating reading etc. This is all good and will hopefully improve  the accident rate. However no one seems to be concerned at some of the other distractions. I mean especially in London the hugh increase in advertising hoardings and brightly lit signs. There is no way that a driver can avoid not seeing these and potentially being distracted even for a second.
Another is the apparent increase on the companies designing buildings to show off their products. The one that springs to mind is the Audio garage alongside the M4 at Brentford. The traffic now slows at this point as drivers slow to view the extensive collection of Audio vehicles. These cannot be seen from the ground so I wonder how planning permission got through for this one. I also notice that Smart next door are doing the same thing. I wonder if I got stopped for eating a sweet I could use it as an example? Perhaps not.

Snow

I think enough has been said about the snow and as listen the rain thundering on the 'shack' roof I am now glad to see it gone. I must say though it has been a very intersteing couple of weeks. I will try and put some photos into the gallery.

A very dangerous trick

I wrote this a last year but having seen a very near miss yesterday in the same place I feel I have to publish it.

Good trip today pretty quite on the roads especially in London arriving 25mins early!! Passenger numbers still down and Heathrow and Victoria look very bare of people.
Coming home today arrived at the A350 at 1715 , not a good time as the traffic is always heavy. For those that don't know it is a long dual carriageway that goes into one just before the roadabout. It always amazes me how drivers queue for up to a mile from the roundabout and leave lane 2 empty. I, as the highway code states

"134 You should follow the signs and road markings and get into the lane as directed. In congested road conditions do not change lanes unnecessarily. Merging in turn is recommended but only if safe and appropriate when vehicles are travelling at a very low speed, e.g. when approaching road works or a road traffic incident. It is not recommended at high speed."

trickle down lane 2 until just after the traffic lights and start looking for a spot to safely merge with the traffic. This always is met with speeding up and closing of gaps and the 'you are not getting in front of me whatever' brigade. If only they just kept going and all merged in turn there wouldn't be a queue. Tonight however they surpassed themselves. Just after the traffic lights a gent in a Honda pulled straight out in to lane 2, I assume to block me. To that gent I say. Have you suddenly become a policeman? You obviously have not read the highway code and your actions very nearly caused a major RTA as myself , and, the following traffic had to take emergency action, even at the low speed I was going. What if there had been an emergency vehicle behind me? As it was after I had pealed my hands off the horn I safely merged with the traffic. The gent contiuned to block me, and the following vehicles, by braking harshly and speed up and slowing down. What he was trying to do I am not sure, but I assume he knows.
I am sure you will have your own thoughts on this, some will say I am in the wrong some the other way round.