The angry thread

[Newportnobby]

The matrix signs are mostly a joke. How many times have you seen them lit up with 'FOG!' or 'SURFACE SPRAY!' when there's no sign of either within a 40 mile radius.
The example Steve cites is only of use if you have good knowledge of the motorway you're travelling on.

[Skyline2uk]

The matrix signs annoy me too.

As Nobby says they are often inaccurate (I wonder if they have been left on / forgotten about after the incident has cleared / passed) and I can cite one occasion when I felt they were dangerous.

I was once driving West on the M4 when I was presented with a matrix which read "Oncomming vehicle 20mph".

Now, I was in the inside lane so started to slow immediately. However NOBODY else did. It seems so often that the info is wrong, drivers now ignore the matrix. This went on for at least 5 miles or so with repeated matrix showing the warning, and me getting nervous with my eyes on storks looking for the looney comming the wrong way.

Then the signs stopped. No explanation, nothing.

How are we supposed to react to that?!

Skyline2uk

[Bob Tidbury]

The funniest story board I've seen was on the M4 going west near the Hungerford junction ( Caution 50 people in road ) not caution 50MPH .
We didn't see anyone in the road at all.
I aggree with NPN I think that they forget to turn them off so no one takes any notice ,then they go over the brow of a hill or round a bend and for once there is an obstruction , so I slow down from 90 MPH to 70MPH just in case .
Only joking my car won't do 90 MPH even down hill with the wind behind me and the sails up full.
Bob

[dannyboy]

I am glad I live in Leitrim! The following is a lift from a website about Leitrim -"As many of us will remember, Leitrim famously got its first traffic light back in 2003. For some reason, this was extremely amusing for the rest of the nation. In reality, it was a pedestrian light and was removed not long after as it wasn't needed. Everyone is just so nice there's no need for traffic control measures!" So there are no permanent traffic lights in Leitrim  . However, what does annoy me is when 'they' put signs out warning of roadworks etc - they are still there months after the work has finished  , so all the signs tend to get ignored and then suddenly, one day, oops, there are workmen in the road!

[Snowwolflair]

Just so everyone knows the police are warning that there are sheep on the M4 at the moment.  (But the rest of the drivers are OK)

[stevewalker]

The matrix signs annoy me too.

As Nobby says they are often inaccurate (I wonder if they have been left on / forgotten about after the incident has cleared / passed) and I can cite one occasion when I felt they were dangerous.

There a whole load of them on the M60 and at one point there are three in very short succession. As I drove up to them, the first sign was blank and then changed to "Slow. Pedestrians in carriageway". As I passed under the sign, I could see to the next one, displaying the same thing and as I passed under the second I could see the third displaying "End". Total time from signs coming on to passing the end, less than a minute and there was no sign of anything wrong - no pedestrian, no broken down vehicles, nothing.

I also cross the Barton High-level bridge on the M60 most days and they have signs there, that always fail to show any hold-up between J11 and J12 (M62 Westward), until you have just passed J11 - despite the fact that they are only about 2/3 mile apart! It is almost as if they have decided that they don't want too much traffic using the local roads and would rather trap people on the motorway. It's even more annoying as I only get on at J10 to cross the Manchester Ship Canal and if the canal wasn't in the way, my journey to work would be half the distance and not need the motorway at all!

[Trainfish]

This one always makes me chuckle



Also available in motorway colours

[steve836]

On a road near our house there is a sign warning drivers of toads. The little critters only cross the road on two evenings of the year once on the first mild wet evening of late winter / very early spring as they head to a pond to mate and again a few days later after they have done so! The  sign just becomes part of the 
scenery and most people are taken by surprise.

[talisman56]

On a road near our house there is a sign warning drivers of toads. The little critters only cross the road on two evenings of the year once on the first mild wet evening of late winter / very early spring as they head to a pond to mate and again a few days later after they have done so! The  sign just becomes part of the 
scenery and most people are taken by surprise.

The ones on the lane near us are hinged in half and, except for the appropriate time(s) of the year, folded up and not visible. I believe there is a local society that is charged with monitoring the amphibians and unveiling the signs when necessary.

[jonclox]

Moved from happy section
[Well that didn't last long back to where  I was a few weeks ago
Wonder when I can get another appointment with a GP?/]

[steve836]

Moved from happy section
[Well that didn't last long back to where  I was a few weeks ago
Wonder when I can get another appointment with a GP?/]

You'll have to move to Clare, never have to wait more than 24hrs for an appointment with our GP

[Newportnobby]

Last year my GP referred me to a consultant at Chorley hospital regarding my breathlessness and this resulted in me having a triple by pass in January 2016.
Today I have been to see this consultant in Chorley and his first question to me when I walked into his consulting room was "Have you had your operation yet?" to which my reply was "You're joking, right? Are you telling me you don't know?"
I filled him in on the details and then he asked me what medications I was on. At this point I blew my stack and shouted at him "Why aren't such details on your bloody computer system? How come you know so little about my medical history considering you referred me for the operation in the first place?"

Nothing is overshadowing my happiness at getting my driving licence back but I find the lack of communications/computer systems in the medical arena to be absolutely shocking. All those years ago a great fuss was made in my medical practice about putting all my records on computer so they could be accessed by anyone who needed to know my medical history. Bah

P.S. My mum had an operation end of last year and I was with her when the doc asked her "What blood group are you?"
What hope is there for us?

[Snowwolflair]

Last year my GP referred me to a consultant at Chorley hospital regarding my breathlessness and this resulted in me having a triple by pass in January 2016.
Today I have been to see this consultant in Chorley and his first question to me when I walked into his consulting room was "Have you had your operation yet?" to which my reply was "You're joking, right? Are you telling me you don't know?"
I filled him in on the details and then he asked me what medications I was on. At this point I blew my stack and shouted at him "Why aren't such details on your bloody computer system? How come you know so little about my medical history considering you referred me for the operation in the first place?"

Nothing is overshadowing my happiness at getting my driving licence back but I find the lack of communications/computer systems in the medical arena to be absolutely shocking. All those years ago a great fuss was made in my medical practice about putting all my records on computer so they could be accessed by anyone who needed to know my medical history. Bah

P.S. My mum had an operation end of last year and I was with her when the doc asked her "What blood group are you?"
What hope is there for us?

Frustrating but if Doctors were good at administration they would have studied business at University.

I would rather have a good diagnosis than tidy paperwork (which I think you got).

[daveg]

More than understand you anger and frustration Mick.

I think the problem is with the admin back-up staff, or rather the lack of, that can cause this information gap.

On top of that it seems that if the notes are available, the medics rarely have time to read them.

Doesn't help the patient though

Dave G

[Oldman]

Communication between my consultants and gp are very good, hospital on Monday,prescribed different pills, Gp yesterday every thing there on my records including the scans. BUT I do often have to book appointment at least 14 days in advance.