Local resident paints house to slow traffic

12.01 | 24 November 2011 | | 2 comments

Infuriated by speeding cars passing his home and unable to persuade the county council to introduce traffic calming measure, a villager in rural Devon has taken it upon himself to attempt to slow the traffic (Telegraph).

Mr Blackhouse, a self-employed artist from Bow in Devon, grabbed a couple of buckets of paint, clambered up a ladder and painted a huge 30mph sign on the side of his house. It took him five hours to complete the task.

According to the Department for Transport the sign is technically illegal, but Devon County Council said that it does not intend to order its removal because it is on private property.

Mr Blackhouse, a father of three, says that children are at risk as there is no zebra crossing and the road is a major HGV route.

He said: “I know it might seem like a bit of a drastic measure but I’m sick and tired of motorists, lorries in particular, speeding through. This way, I thought there’s no way they can miss the sign and might just get the message.

“There is no speed camera in the village; so no incentive for people to abide by the law.”

Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “While this action is legally dubious, it shows the deep feelings the issue of speed limits and speeding drivers arouses amongst the nation’s 62 million citizens.

“Local authorities must tread a fine line between keeping the traffic flowing and dealing with the legitimate concerns of roadside residents.”

A spokesman for Devon County Council said average speeds in the village were below 30mph, but added: "However, we’re aware of concerns about the speed of traffic through the village, and have worked with Bow Parish Council to address some of the issues. Local police have also worked with the community on enforcement issues.”

Click here to read the full Telegraph report.

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    It is utterly hideous, it needs to be removed immediately. It is illegal and potentially extremely distracting.

    Devon County Council needs to ensure that when the public start to produce their own versions of Road Signs that it will not be tolerated. How long before others try all sorts of other tactics ?

    Failure to properly inform the public, about the purpose for a speed limit helps members of the public to act inappropriately.

    As a reminder, [url=http:www.safespeed.org.uk/speed.html]Speed Limits[/url] help to :
    1) firmly guide inexperienced motorists from exceeding safe limits by wild margins
    2) to provide a ready means of prosecution of those who use speed dangerously
    3) to provide a standard warning of expected hazard density

    The speed limit is not a measure of safe driving.
    http:www.safespeed.org.uk/speed.html
    http:www.safespeed.org.uk/s.p.e.e.d.html


    Safe Speed
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    While Mr Blackhouse’s actions may indeed be legally dubious, it certainly caught the media’s attention and motorists driving through the village from that direction cannot say they did not see the speed limit sign.


    Charles Dunn RoadDriver.co.uk
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