I really don't get it

I have been driving now for over 20 years, both in private vehicles and professionally in vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and as you would imagine given the mileages covered I have seen a fair few incidents and accidents.

Yesterday, I saw the aftermath of an accident, which was a variation on a fairly common theme at the location, and I cannot for the life of me work out what it is about this location that seems to make it an accident hotspot.

Google Street View Link

If you look at the image as that page loads, you will see a traffic island in the middle of the road, on a slight left hand bend. The bend is not sharp, and is on a mild downhill slope when heading in the direction shown, and is otherwise unremarkable. However, the number of people that seem to miss the bend somehow and take the bollards and lamp standard out in the middle of the island is incredible.

Now, yesterday's one was even worse (although thankfully, it appeared that there were no injuries, by better luck than judgement), where a convertible Audi took the bollards and lamp standard on the central island, crossed the opposite side of the road, took out a lamp post and ended up in the trees and shrubbery behind it; I reckon, given the final resting place of the vehicle and taking into account its angle etc, that 12-18 inches to the left at the time of the first impact would have seen this car wallop straight into a tree (and we all know that they are a hell of a lot less forgiving than a lamp post. A closer Street View shows the island, and if you look just behind the car that is in the street view image, you will see the lamp post on the right hand verge, and if you look a little further on into the distance on the right hand verge, you will see the tree.

This road is a 30-mph road, the parking is well off to the side so the carriageway width is unimpeded, and the weather yesterday can only be described as warm, sunny, dry and generally lovely. I have travelled this road, thousands of times (literally, probably into the tens of thousands even), and I cannot for the life of me see how on earth accidents like this are happening with such regularity?

Speed will certainly be a factor in yesterday's accident (I would have thought the concrete and lamp post on the first impact would have slowed the car significantly, so for it to go on and take another lamp post out it must have been shifting), but surely even then the speed can't be that high in every case? Its a short road with traffic signal controlled junctions at either end?

 

Sometime it's people texting or on their mobiles or fiddling with their Sat Navs. Quite often you see them on their mobiles waving their arms about trying to describe something whilst the vehicle is all over the place. No phone call is that important that it has to be answered whilst your driving.

 

Good afternoon if only people were to drive the same way as if they were walking and showed the same consideration and good manner's "Oh wouldn't it be lovely"when ever they overtake Woo,I always catch them up at the next set of traffic lights

 

Good afternoon Jiffy my friend only occasional as they usually fly a little higher than me,I usually keep to about 45 feet and a steady speed of 40mph on a good night and I have recently managed to fly upside down so I can see what's above me

 

Good evening Nigel no ones perfect and that's only a minority May I be so bold as to add a proviso (excluding Supermarkets)Maybe Woos perception is different to yours and why he always shops very early mornings when the supermarket is almost empty and as we are of the same masculine gender and perhaps have less patience Enjoy your evening my friend

Patience is a virtue
Find it if you can
Seldom in a lady
Never in a man