Jump to content

Why no cat's eyes!


Recommended Posts

[quote user="cumbria2008"]Have you ever tried to get one out with a blunt kitchen knife?  It's a lot harder than one might suppose but well worth the effort.... They are little glass balls, like large marbles.  They even have a sort of windscreen wiper on them.[/quote]

I have to admit, I've never tried to remove a catseye with a blunt kitchen knife, or anything else, come to that.......................[:D][:D]

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="cumbria2008"]Have you ever tried to get one out with a blunt kitchen knife?  It's a lot harder than one might suppose but well worth the effort.... They are little glass balls, like large marbles.  They even have a sort of windscreen wiper on them.[/quote]

Is this a recommended method? Is a sharp kitchen knife no use? Why on Earth?.....actually don't answer that......I don't need to know!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was driving down the road the other night when all of a sudden I felt a 'bump', 'bump'.

I stopped and walked back to find this bloke lying in the road with a blunt knife in his left hand and something shiny in his right..........................

[:)][:D]

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can adjust the beam up and down, and I'm not sure whether I had done or not, but I had full beam on most of the time because there were no other cars about most of the time.  Because it was wet, the tarmac shone the same colour as the white lines.  But also, the white lines seemed shorter and further apart than they are in England, so when I could see them, I couldn't see them far enough ahead to maintain a decent speed.  The worst problem was when approaching a slip road.  The road just seemed to open up in front of me and the arrows you get dividing main road from slip road on the motorways didn't seem very apparent on that stretch of road.  Admitedly, a lot of work is being carried out at various points on that road, but that was where I felt safest as there were traffic bollards and separators to guide me.  My daughter mentioned it to a French colleague who said - yes, that's how it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I raised this several years ago, and got shot down by other forum members, basically I was saying the road engineering in France is very poor compared to the UK.

I have found one road with cats eyes in 6 years, the road between St Jean d'Angely and Surgeres in 17 Charente Maritime.

They are a brilliant invention, and with the road death rate in France as it is, they should start installing them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="JJ"]

I raised this several years ago, and got shot down by other forum members, basically I was saying the road engineering in France is very poor compared to the UK.

[/quote]

I would not, in any way want to shoot you down JJ, but I would argue the point, have you been to the UK recently, the roads are in a terrible condition.

We live in the wilds of Vienne and some of our local roads are not good, but when you get on the main roads they are, generally in superb condition compared to the UK.

The catseyes are missing, thats true, but you just have to adjust you driving to the conditions accordingly.

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before we moved to France permanently, Mr Clair and I used to comment that we knew which country we were driving in: if the roads were bumpy, we were in the UK, if the roads were smooth, we knew we were in France...

Regarding cat's eyes, I noticed a few flashing ones on a dual carriageway near Aurillac yesterday evening.

They are situated at each end of central reservations without barriers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

[quote user="Bugbear"]
The catseyes are missing, thats true, but you just have to adjust you driving to the conditions accordingly.

[/quote]

By driving slower in the dark, you've a better chance of avoiding the wild animals that leap out at you....

 

 

[/quote]

Cats??????

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I drive about 50,000 miles a year in the UK.  and 5,000 in France. French Roads are far superior in my experience. The nearest the UK get sto a decent road is probably the M6 Toll. Which is an equivalent to the Peage. I also like the French lane discipline which is far better than the UKs and the use of direction indicators kept on until a passing manoeuvre is completed  a good idea.

Cat's eyes should never be relied upon. If your night vision is not up to it why are you driving at night? I believe that if you cannot drive safely on dipped beam really you should not be driving at night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"We live in the wilds of Vienne and some of our local roads are not good, but when you get on the main roads they are, generally in superb condition compared to the UK".  quote   Bugbear

Couldn't agree more Bugsy - I have damaged a tyre recently driving over a pothole - and in the UK NOT France.  In case some clever d*ick asks why I drive into a pot hole - well it was a choice of staying on my side of the road and the pothole, or having a head on crash.  

I have also damaged a tyre when the road in Wiltshire  was strewn with flint stones. 

 Even little (white) roads in the back end of the Vienne are in better condition than some of the 'A' roads in Wiltshire.

Tegwini

 


Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="BIG MAC"]

 I also like the French lane discipline which is far better than the UKs and the use of direction indicators kept on until a passing manoeuvre is completed  a good idea.

[/quote]

This used to be the rule in Germany too but has now changed as it was deemed to be 'Aggressive and intimidating'  which I must say, I can agree with

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="BIG MAC"]

 I also like the French lane discipline which is far better than the UKs and the use of direction indicators kept on until a passing manoeuvre is completed  a good idea.

[/quote]

I've always been grateful for a signal which means 'I'm going to turn left, or perhaps carry on in the same direction.  Or if I move back over to the right I'm just a bit late in cancelling it."  [:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lets face it when it comes to spending cash on UK roads its the last thing the governement /county councils are going to do..The road repair pots been empty for years .....but enough left to pay county councillors 20grand or more a year expenses to talk about lack of funding ....The main roads have groves in them lorry tyre width and Hampsire ! patches everywhere ....In Southampton for years the roundabouts have shown tarmac scraped off down to the concrete foundation by busses...I dont expect them to be repaired in my lifetime ..France can hold her head up when it comes to roads ..if only the UK would do such a good job .
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah but at least a concrete road is likely going to break up, the roads around me are in a terrible state caused by heavy traffic before (and perhaps after) they put out the "barrieres degel" which are not barriers at all just warning notices, vehicles have sunk up to their axles on some roads.

This phenomenon is unknown in the UK where roads are still built to the "Macadam" (Sir Thomas if I remember right) standard, however -18 degrees celcius is also unknown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...