Teamedup Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 As I was taking my usual route to the supermarket today, there was a life size model of a man, painted all black with a lightening bolt painted on in red and 'j'avais 79 ans' on the verge of the road. Then then another one a bit further down the road had another age marked on it.There were huge boards a bit further down saying how many people had been killed on that bit of road in the last five years. In fact on the 8 kms from here to just after my turn off, there have been 23 deaths in the last five years. First time I've seen this here. Are they doing anything this sort of thing anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Have seen exactly the same thing on the main road from Saintes to Cognac (at least, I think that's where they are - don't go that route very regularly). The ones that are there have been on the roadside for at least 18 months to my knowledge, and, as you say, there's a sign at the beginning saying how many deaths have occurred along that stretch. However, there aren't any other "details" on the silhouettes. It does make you think, and it's quite sobering.Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Have seen exactly the same thing on the main road from Saintes to Cognac (at least, I think that's where they are - don't go that route very regularly). The ones that are there have been on the roadside for at least 18 months to my knowledge, and, as you say, there's a sign at the beginning saying how many deaths have occurred along that stretch. However, there aren't any other "details" on the silhouettes. It does make you think, and it's quite sobering.Jane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punch Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 They've been a feature along the Mayenne "RN" roads for at least the last 10 years or so. Apparently they are lent from commune to commune and are obviously to denote accident blackspots and where fatalities have occured. Similar thing to the portable speed warning digital signs at the entrance to some villages, to warn you to slow down "en aglomeration"Maybe Mayenne have lent your dept some of theirs! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaligoBay Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 They had a load of them on the main road up to Sommières about 3 years ago, but only for the summer, I think. Maybe they've moved to where you are!Has anyone heard anything about how effective they are? I suspect they don't make a whole lot of difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 You always see a sign first saying how many people have died on the next stretch of road within so many years.It's a good idea - though I said when I first saw them that they will quickly turn into shrines, just like in recent years in UK flowers are placed at the roadside where a fatal crash has happened.Near Perigueux we now have these silhouettes that have been personalised by the families of the departed, that have the name and age of the departed on and others with a photograph and or flowers.We always look for these cut outs as they are an interesting insight into where accidents happen. Each and everyone has an explanation.They are situated on the first place that offers overtaking after some distance or opposite blind junctions, negatively cambered bends or areas where vehicles may leave the road and there is a big ditch or a drop into a field or trees.Sadly the children that have visited us always ask what the signs are and after being told want to see the 'dead people' on every further excursion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 The black signs go up here for Christmas and normally the summer but this year they have tried something else. A blue sign showing the symbol of a person in a wheelchair and text underneath saying that not all accident victims die.The blue wheelchair symbols certainly got me thinking far more than the black cutout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Rather a long way for our DDE to borrow them really.I haven't seen any around here before. In the next county, (we are near the border) they have put up a speed camera and got 164 in the first day. Now the way the news about that is flying round, I'm sure that everyone will be driving circumspectly on that bit of road in the future.And it was disturbing seeing those signs. I usually try and drive to the new speed limits, but often get claxoned etc, but not today, so it must have affected more than me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mpprh Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 HiI believe it is a privately run charity who organises this.The signs are supposed to represent the actual number of deaths on a particular stretch of road.As SB says, our local ones vanished a couple of years ago.Perhaps they research, then target different roads each year.We still have the withered bunches of flowers for recent fatal accidents.Rather sobering ?Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 I remember reading an article in Charente Libre, that sensibilities had been scandalised when a farmer used one of the black cutouts to mount a sign. "Vente Pommes" kind of thing.Which shows that for some people they have outlived their effect.Stew(I'm always tempted to paint eyes on them) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 The big panneaux were from all our regional organisations, Conseil General etc etc, who knows maybe the models do the rounds, what an awful idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoddy Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 I once counted seventeen of these between Cahors and Gourdon. Frighteningly, one of them had been knocked over and smashed - you could see the skid marks.Hoddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 There is one near me that keeps getting knocked over. Every time I pass I nearly stop and put it in the back of my van, it would be much happier in one of my barns. It could even holiday in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letrangere Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 "I once counted seventeen of these between Cahors and Gourdon. Frighteningly, one of them had been knocked over and smashed - you could see the skid marks."And going the opposite way heading south on the N20, there's a similar number between Cahors and Caussade. We've seen them knocked down elsewhere. We often monitor the concentration of black men and on a road approaching Libourne (33) counted 8 in the space of a couple of kilometres. We had often wondered who was responsible for putting them up. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 We've had them here in Finistère for the last five years and more keep springing up. When you first see one,they are quite intimidating and obviously the black is symbolising death. They aren't restricted to the voie express either but on most "fast" D roads where overtaking and speeding has resulted in deaths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesLauriers Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 The ones I've seen seem to be a permanant fixture. 'Fanny', just south of Périgueux on the Bergerac road, is always on her corner!What I was curious to know was, what is the difference between a plain black cutout and one that has the red 'lightening fork' through it's head - or is that a bit macabre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creusois Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 These ominous signs are liberally sprinkled along the N145 - but what we find so amazing is that no-one (and here we speak only of Les Lunatiques) takes the slightest notice of them, overtaking lorries in the most dangerous places as if these sombre roadside figures were nothing more than spectators at a Grand Prix rather than warnings of what might be. We find their very presence quite chilling - surely no better reminder of just how dangerous some roads are in France exist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 We used to see a lot of these 'dead people' on the N10 going down to Bordeaux. The road has improved a lot recently, but 3 years ago we were told to go a different way, not on the 'road of death'. The biggest grouping I saw was 5 figures, including two 'children'. A bit further down the road there was a 'cat', which some bereaved pet owner had risked life and limb to erect there.I've seen the aftermath of two fatal accidents in just over a year, on minor roads I travel regularly. I just wish everyone would get a grip, in terms of speeding, tailgating, unsafe overtaking, and wearing seatbelts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 So you have all been living with these and we have only just got them. And some are used as some sort of target practice........ they don't work then do they. Although, they do say that someone walking on along the hard shoulder of the motorway has a very limited life expectancy. Or is these models being hit just part of that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexis Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 They have been here for three or four years now. Not seen any of the figures yet but the wheelchair ones are around. They seem to be put up around now to warn people to drive carefully at Toussant. Apparently, more people are killed then than at any other time of the year. They are taken down shortly afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 You are right Alexis, Toussaint used to be mortel. About 15 years or so ago they started a campaign called Drapeau Blanc at Toussaint to try and get the death toll down. It improved things a lot. I never did understand why Toussaint was so bad in the first place, no one ever said why.Anyone any ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 You are right Alexis, Toussaint used to be mortel. About 15 years or so ago they started a campaign called Drapeau Blanc at Toussaint to try and get the death toll down. It improved things a lot. I never did understand why Toussaint was so bad in the first place, no one ever said why.Anyone any ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tresco Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 Could be similar to Christmas in UK, although I believe the number of accidents/deaths have fallen there. Lots of people visiting friends and family, driving long distances or late in the evening to get home? (tiredness) driving when they are drunk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 I agree about the fete aspect of this, but why this one especially, after all there are lots of fetes in France throughout the year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkkent Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 [quote]I agree about the fete aspect of this, but why this one especially, after all there are lots of fetes in France throughout the year?[/quote]To the best of my knowledge, the previous fete is Assomption, in August.Could it not be - quite simply - that weather conditions are now different: fog, damp, darkness. Headlamps dazzle, IMHO, the reflective markings on French roads are useless when it is raining (where are the cat's eyes?) Add alcohol into the equation and you have a good chance of increased accidents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now