Roads closed due to snow [Archive] - SV650.org

Gazza77

07-01-10, 09:41 AM

is it a police "road closed sign"?

No. Portable road sign, similar style to a roadworks one, only printed with "Road Closed" on. Red with white border (other than covered is snow so barely legible :rolleyes:).

The road itself had been plowed, but over the moor snow had drifted, meaning in places only one side was clear enough to drive over, and there was still a covering of maybe an inch or so right across in places.

Blue Flame

07-01-10, 09:44 AM

No. Portable road sign, similar style to a roadworks one, only printed with "Road Closed" on. Red with white border (other than covered is snow so barely legible :rolleyes:).

The road itself had been plowed, but over the moor snow had drifted, meaning in places only one side was clear enough to drive over, and there was still a covering of maybe an inch or so right across in places.

Devils advocate speaking :D

How do you know for sure that it is just snow? There may be an incident or there may be extensive works being undertaken (perhaps due to snow) that you could inadvertently put workers lives at risk by driving past the sign.

dizzyblonde

07-01-10, 09:49 AM

Is it the A58 down your end thats closed then gazza?

Besides that...if a road is closed in Calderdale, its for a reason hun. Cause up your way, you are garanteed to get stuck ignoring it.

Eeyore

07-01-10, 09:49 AM

it isnt illegal unless it has been placed under a local order or as part of a cordon or scene preservation. you may commit other offences like careless driving/obstructing police etc. also police officers are allowed to take the pee when they have to rescue you after ignoring the sign.

luckily being thick isnt illegal yet.

Gazza77

07-01-10, 09:57 AM

Devils advocate speaking :D

How do you know for sure that it is just snow? There may be an incident or there may be extensive works being undertaken (perhaps due to snow) that you could inadvertently put workers lives at risk by driving past the sign.

Is it the A58 down your end thats closed then gazza?

Besides that...if a road is closed in Calderdale, its for a reason hun. Cause up your way, you are garanteed to get stuck ignoring it.

No, the A6033 between Hebden and Keighley, which has been indicated as closed since Monday. I'm starting a new job at Airedale Hospital in Feb, which will mean I need to travel this route daily, and want to know the position re getting there if necessary.

At 6pm last night it was passable, as I went along it, though I can understand why marked as closed as only one side had been ploughed in places due to drifting, so the volume of traffic would cause problems if it were "open".

None of the roads near us have been a problem to get along (given I'm using a 4*4 with M+S all terrain tyres), and if they were, I would turn back before trying to plough my way through and get stuck.

dizzyblonde

07-01-10, 10:15 AM

No, the A6033 between Hebden and Keighley, which has been indicated as closed since Monday.
None of the roads near us have been a problem to get along (given I'm using a 4*4 with M+S all terrain tyres), and if they were, I would turn back before trying to plough my way through and get stuck.

Ahh well, its likely to be pretty crappy up there. I remember a friend of mine decided to use that road one November, and couldn't turn back as it was so icy she couldn't turn the car round, so just had to slide all the way to keighley anyway!

Yeah we got Pirelli Scorpion somethings on the Freelander. Not been an issue for us whatsoever. Seen loads of Range Rovers with those silly profile tyres on squirming!

If you are going up there I would be very cautious, as the moorland roads are very trecherous for anybody even with only a wiff of snow round here.

Gazza77

07-01-10, 10:24 AM

Ahh well, its likely to be pretty crappy up there. I remember a friend of mine decided to use that road one November, and couldn't turn back as it was so icy she couldn't turn the car round, so just had to slide all the way to keighley anyway!

Yeah we got Pirelli Scorpion somethings on the Freelander. Not been an issue for us whatsoever. Seen loads of Range Rovers with those silly profile tyres on squirming!

If you are going up there I would be very cautious, as the moorland roads are very trecherous for anybody even with only a wiff of snow round here.

I have been warned that once past the old weather station that the gritting tends to stop whatever the weather, as Bradford Council don't bother with Keighley side...

I actually drove into Leeds via a drop off in Bradford yesterday. Ended up having to offer to pull a BMW X5 out of the work car park as it was stuck, but had to give up in the end as I couldn't find a suitable point to fasten the rope to and the driver had no idea where the towing eye was to fasten into the bracket hidden behind the rear bumper. :rolleyes:

Edit: Worst case scenario will be I will have to detour via Halifax and Denholme I guess.

the_lone_wolf

07-01-10, 10:48 AM

No. Portable road sign, similar style to a roadworks one, only printed with "Road Closed" on. Red with white border (other than covered is snow so barely legible :rolleyes:).

IIRC if it's like this:

http://www.freefoto.com/images/41/09/41_09_1---Road-Closed-Sign_web.jpg

It's part of the TSRGD and to pass beyond it would constitute an offence under the Road Traffic Act

punyXpress

07-01-10, 12:25 PM

And your insurers would drop you like a hot ...

Gazza77

09-01-10, 01:02 AM

IIRC if it's like this:

http://www.freefoto.com/images/41/09/41_09_1---Road-Closed-Sign_web.jpg

It's part of the TSRGD and to pass beyond it would constitute an offence under the Road Traffic Act

I managed to find something else on another site indicating the same, and that it was a fixed £30 fine for ignoring it if caught. Obviously could cause some interesting discussions with insurers in the case of a claim.

Also interestingly, the local rag today stated the road was closed on Tuesday evening but re-open by Wednesday morning. That would indicate that when I passed along it on Wednesday evening, the road was actually open and the signs hadn't been removed.

Wonder how the hell you're supposed to know what the actual situation is in such cases. :rolleyes:

Ceri JC

09-01-10, 02:10 AM

It probably, is illegal. If you do this:
http://welshpitbikes.19.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=124 (http://welshpitbikes.19.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?p=353#353)
however, it is highly unlikely the police will be able to catch you as:
A) You will be considerably faster than any ground vehicle they have.
B) Choppers are likely to be grounded in this weather for trivial stuff like going down closed roads.

timwilky

09-01-10, 11:02 AM

We used to suffer a road closed sign at my dads. only problem being it was the only road to/from his house. first year there he had to get a local farmer to tow him home. Thereafter he had a garage installed at his office and bought a landrover to go to work.

the_lone_wolf

09-01-10, 11:25 AM

I managed to find something else on another site indicating the same, and that it was a fixed £30 fine for ignoring it if caught. Obviously could cause some interesting discussions with insurers in the case of a claim.

Also interestingly, the local rag today stated the road was closed on Tuesday evening but re-open by Wednesday morning. That would indicate that when I passed along it on Wednesday evening, the road was actually open and the signs hadn't been removed.

Wonder how the hell you're supposed to know what the actual situation is in such cases. :rolleyes:

Pretty sure the Police have powers to temporarily close a road for operational reasons, they won't have time to advertise it in the papers and the fact there's a road closed sign is what tells you there's a road closure in effect...;)

09-01-10, 11:29 AM

I've been using closed roads all week, its either that or 2 to 3 hour diversions.

I class them as closed to incompetent drivers.

Cat and Fiddle closed

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs217.snc3/22467_234681644836_502519836_2933578_8231346_n.jpg

Gazza77

09-01-10, 12:27 PM

Pretty sure the Police have powers to temporarily close a road for operational reasons, they won't have time to advertise it in the papers and the fact there's a road closed sign is what tells you there's a road closure in effect...;)

You miss the point. The road had been closed due to drifting snow, but no-one had moved the signs when it was re-opened after being ploughed.

the_lone_wolf

09-01-10, 12:37 PM

You miss the point. The road had been closed due to drifting snow, but no-one had moved the signs when it was re-opened after being ploughed.

You seem to be missing my point... Perhaps there was reason to keep it closed? I dunno, I'm not attempting to figure out the logic of your LA...

I'm saying that using the road while the Road Closed sign is there can still constitute an offence under the RTA, doesn't matter if the road was clear or not, doesn't matter if the closure was advertised, doesn't matter if the closure was backed up by a traffic order issued by your LA. The fact the the road sign is there and was placed by a police officer is enough for the offence to have been committed - even if the chances of a prosecution are minimal if it was left in error...

yorkie_chris

09-01-10, 12:47 PM

If you're in a grown ups 4x4 with decent tyres on then ignore it. But make sure you've got a shovel, some grit and warm kit as you'll feel a right pillock if you get stuck.

Never mind the safety reasons there's never anyone up there anyway.

Red Herring

09-01-10, 03:55 PM

I think as has been said it depends on why the road has been closed, and by whom...
We had a grown up in a decent 4x4 decide he knew better yesterday and decide to come down onto the Motorway past our road closed signs. When he arrived at the cause of the closure which was two jack-knifed lorries we were trying to retrieve plus damage to the barrier that was in the process of being fixed he got most upset when I made him sit there for the next three hours.... If it's illegal or not is hardly the point, the issue is it was probably put there for your benefit, ignore it at your peril!

maviczap

09-01-10, 06:12 PM

Yeah we got Pirelli Scorpion somethings on the Freelander. Not been an issue for us whatsoever. Seen loads of Range Rovers with those silly profile tyres on squirming!.

Yes, one found his way onto the beach at Felixstowe after sliding down the steep seafront hill out of control. Twas covered in ice. What a ****:rolleyes:

They used to close the seafront hills because of this problem. Guess they forgot to do it :rolleyes: They did after the 4x4 lost it

Its not a long hill but it's sure steep :p

http://www.eveningstar.co.uk/content/eveningstar/blogs/edblog.aspx?PostURL=http%3A//www.eveningstar.co.uk/cs_es/cs/blogs/edblog/archive/2010/01/08/1950624.aspx

jimmy4237

09-01-10, 07:57 PM

There's one been on our road for the past week. The daft council put it there, totally ignoring the fact that people live and work up this back country road, plus there's a truck haulage contractor that's based up this road. Moronic townie HSE council officer decided that the country living people don't need to work or go anywhere, and shut the road, due to no salt or grit. Needless to say the tractor with the snow plough on it soon got rid of the offending sign.... it's now buried under a foot of snow shoved into the hedge... the nanny HSE state is getting worse...

I've had no problems on any road with the truck - a 6x4 double drive artic with diff locks goes anywhere, even through 8 inches of snow covering a closed road...its the half wit car driving morons who panic in the snow, drive at a crawl speed, or stop on hills when icy or snowy that cause the misery for everybody else.

If you feel panicky or scared when driving in the snow, then DON'T DRIVE, simples....

dizzyblonde

11-01-10, 09:52 AM

Gazza...I really wouldn't attempt the 6033 today. Its closed, and judging by how the snow is drifting up Norton Tower( which IIRC is higher than that road) it would be errrrrr very interesting!

Owenski

11-01-10, 11:07 AM

Sounds like its one of those things Gazza, if your confident you can get through then go for it. I dont think you'd get nicked for doing it and succeding but be aware that attempting it and failing will leave you both face faced and sore arsed.

Blue Flame

11-01-10, 01:24 PM

...soon got rid of the offending sign.... it's now buried under a foot of snow shoved into the hedge...

:shock:. And what about the safety of other members of the public?

yorkie_chris

11-01-10, 04:32 PM

:shock:. And what about the safety of other members of the public?

If you feel panicky or scared when driving in the snow, then DON'T DRIVE, simples....

Seems to about cover it :cool:

speedplay

11-01-10, 06:28 PM

If you feel panicky or scared when driving in the snow, then DON'T DRIVE, simples....

Cant argue with that:thumleft:

Gazza77

12-01-10, 10:53 AM

Gazza...I really wouldn't attempt the 6033 today. Its closed, and judging by how the snow is drifting up Norton Tower( which IIRC is higher than that road) it would be errrrrr very interesting!

I saw it had been closed, Heights Road by us was too. I wasn't about though, was over in North Wales at the weekend and only came back last night. Some of the drifts by us were about 4ft deep, so I wouldn't have bothered trying if I'd needed to get over to Keighley today, would have gone via Fax & Denholme.