Closing U-Turn gaps over the holidays

[Daffy D]

Warning mini rant

I have always maintained that those U-Turn gaps on the major roads are a hazard with accidents just waiting to happen.

It's crazy to have busses full of people trying to make these U-Turns in the path of cars in the oncoming fast lane travelling at plus 100kmh. Trucks with trailers are even worse as they have to swing in wide arc to get round leaving the trailer blocking the fast lane - unbelievable.

Having got that of my chest the point of this post is to complain about closing of the gaps over the holiday.

Made appointment at Toyota for routine service. Normally take about 30min to get there but had forgotten about the U-Turn closing so could not get to the garage as usual. Had to pass the normal U-Turn we use and were stuck in with the fast moving holiday traffic for ages passing all the other closed off U-Turns till we could turn off the highway and get back to the Toyota garage round the back roads adding an extra 30km to the journey.

Naturally by the time we eventually got to Toyota we had missed our appointment and had to wait an additional couple of hours till they could service the car.

Of course it' all my fault for not remembering that they close the U-Turns over the holidays.

[robblok]

Daffy,

Actually its great that the close those things as it saves many people from dying, in your case it sucked but at least you did not go postal.

[Daffy D]

As the U-Turns are closed over the holidays they obviously know they are dangerous, so why not close them permanently and construct alternative routes.

I'll need to study the map but from memory seems like there is no way to get to Toyota from my house without doing a U-Turn at some point.

[Wong!]

They've turned the traffic lights off in a nearby village. Super geng!

[NanLaew]

As the U-Turns are closed over the holidays they obviously know they are dangerous, so why not close them permanently and construct alternative routes.

I'll need to study the map but from memory seems like there is no way to get to Toyota from my house without doing a U-Turn at some point.

What other reason do you need to dump the Toyota and chose a car from a dealer on your side of the highway?

You know it makes sense.

[BSJ]

Just get there earlier next time.

[culicine]

You think only trucks use 5 lanes to make a U-turn? Yesterday, had to stop for a bunch of cars doing a U-turn. And yes, many were using between 2 and 5 lanes to actually turn. So rather than blocking one and at most 2 lanes of oncoming traffic, everyone had to stop, and most people don't like to stop for them, increasing the chance of an accident.

[Lancashirelad]

Agree, they are a very dangerous road design.

Close them all and build proper bridges with a slip road leaving from the slow lane.