This week’s M4 rants

Whilst on my weekly trek down the M4 last Thursday, in the middle lane minding my own business, I see a message flashing on one of these new 'Communications’ boards by the side of the motorway. Ah, what does it say I ask myself – some vital communication designed to warn me of an accident ahead, that I might get off the motorway and by so doing save myself time, effort and temper? But no, it is telling us to 'slow down – 50mph'. The next one says alarmingly, 'obstacle in the road – slow down'. Now this is alarming, so not unreasonably everyone jams on brakes and does slow down – this sounds quite serious. I mean, what obstacle in the road might it be? I strain my eyes looking ahead to the clear motorway stretching out in front of me. No, cannot see anything. By this time we are all staring to see what this 'obstacle' might be. More 'Communications’ boards, same message. Now this went on for some miles, with the motorway behaving in a perfectly innocuous manner, as if butter wouldn’t melt. Suddenly there is another sign up ahead. Is it finally going to tell us what the obstacle is, which lane in might be in? No. It says 'Check your fuel level'. Is someone having a laugh?

1 Remark

  1. Sharon, on Tue 26 Feb ’08:

    Even Richard of 'Richard and Judy' fame was commenting on these useless signs this week in their daytime programme – he was asking what moron sits there thinking up these idiotic messages. Given that it has taken over two years of road works on the M4 (and still counting!) to erect these signs, you would have thought the powers that be would have found a better use for them. Come on, Highways Agency, you can do better than that.

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