Guest 707- Registered: 1 Dec 2010
- Posts: 75
I use this road everyday and have had many a hairraising/ near death experience on this road. Especially during the winter months. Normally morons overtaking or tailgating me.
I do drive a high performance car that hates poor road conditions ( that's the cars issue). However, i believe that the road needs better lighting and new cats eyes ( Like the ones on the Deal road) and new road markings. It's a treacherous route no matter what car you drive. Don't even get me started on the visitors to Kearsney abbey on sunny days and the way they park on the valley road. I nearly knocked a kiddy over once due to the owner of the car flinging open the rear passenger door onto the oncoming traffic on a 50mph zone, to let her precious little toddler out. Good job i was only doing 25mph.
This route needs some serious reviewing and funding.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
this subject has come up many times in the past, the alkham valley road does seem to have bad accident record.
victor told a personal tale about a tragedy in the past.
Guest 707- Registered: 1 Dec 2010
- Posts: 75
Really Howard? I know it's a major topic of conversation between my clients and myself. I know many have written to the DE and DDC. Yet still nothing is done. It gets a bit of road surfacing here and there. It's just not enough.
i may have to bend Vics ear seeing as he's now on the Temple Ewell parish council.
It's a rat run with a heavy traffic load. You'd think DDC with KH would have made it a priority for improvements. It's gonna take alot more than a few new road signs and speed limit signs bunged up here and there ( in all the wrong places).
As for personal tragedies on that road. I have mourned more than 1 person that died on that road. Only 1 friend of mine died of their own negligence on that road.
I have been driving that road for many years and so far so good there are people that do speed a long it but if your one that keeps to the speed limit or even below it passing the abbey or the gardens i haven't seen the Prob. It seems to me that two many people these days are in a rush to get no were fast the joys of driving have long gone.If anyone has a Prob with the speed I drive at I have one answer when you buy my Tax and fuel then you can have a go at me, and yes better lighting or cats eyes would be a great help.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
I don't see a problem with the road, I drive it all the time without a problem....stick to the speed limits, keep a safe distance, and brake on the bends if necessary. If someone sits on my backside, I slow a bit more.....
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 666- Registered: 25 Mar 2008
- Posts: 323
It has improved since the limits were imposed, but was a roulette before then
However I avoid it at night, even now it has been resurfaced the mad hatters that tailgate you in the dark when you are negotiating the twists, bumps and turns can be unnerving at best and suicidal at the worst.
Oh Boy!, That'll be the day.........
Guest 707- Registered: 1 Dec 2010
- Posts: 75
Am i the only unlucky person who meets the moron overtaking on blind bends? I seem to be a magnet for them
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Paul you should always brake before bends and then power gently through them. If you don't believe me, try a sharp bit of braking on a wet corner. If you are carrying passengers you may have to have the upholstery professionally cleaned.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 683- Registered: 11 Feb 2009
- Posts: 1,052
When I lived in Alkham I tried to get KCC to consider addressing the issues of safety on this road. The following document
http://www.kentdowns.org.uk/PDF/RuralStreetsandLanes.pdf
- especially from page 33 - gives some imaginative responses to traffic control but these were never taken up.
There are also examples that prove the wisdom in removing barriers from streets, a topic which exercised a lot of people on here a while ago.
There is evidence for a new approach to 'shared spaces' but it seems that the courage (and money nowadays) is lacking amongst those with the ability to implement it.
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
am i the only one that seems to get stuck behind an idiot who is more dangerous doing 25 miles an hour along the WHOLE thing... and then someone gets behind me, and then we all end up fustrated.... that annoys me more, if the speed limit says 50, i am not asking you do 50 i am however expecting you to do at least 40!
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Calm down dear!
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 694- Registered: 22 Mar 2010
- Posts: 778
lol.. its ok, i can take it in the manner its expected.. jest... although.. Pete.. glass of wine would be good about now!
No matter what is done to the road, there will always be idiots who cannot abide by the rules. There have been some dreadful accidents on that road. When I was able to drive, I was not a slow driver, but there was always someone who could not wait to overtake along there. When you consider that the road is 8 miles long approximately whatever your speed it is only possible to "save" about a minute but that never seems to occur to the chance takers.
The problem is people only think of themselves , and a few think they are superman in there car and will always be okay , i walk from st rads to river most days , and the amount of near accidents i see is very sad , whatever the speed limits some drivers have no sense at all .
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
The problem with the speed limit along that road (and the A258 to Deal) is that when you impose a speed limit many drivers assume it is always ok to drive at that speed. There are places on both roads where 60mph in daylight on a dry road is perfectly safe but on a wet night 40mph would be highly dangerous.
The other day I was attempting to negotiate the Duke of York's roundabout when I nearly went up the rear of the car in front which stopped dead abruptly in the right hand lane. Stalled? Breakdown? No, he got the map out!
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Sounds about right Peter - every day from Deal to Ashford I think i see most manouvres possible !!
Been nice knowing you :)
When I worked in Deal I really and truly used to drive home at night with my heart in my mouth, because of the hair raising driving that occurs on that road. When I got out of the car my hands would be steering wheel shaped from where I had been clenched on to the wheel.
I am one of the people who have been in an accident along this road - luckily for me I had injuries but I am here to tell the tale unlike others that have suffered tragedy.
Nothing to do with my driving skills - it was the driver in the opposite direction taking a bend at speed and forced my car into the trees, he took my car out of the road - which ended up being a write off.
I don't think what speed limit you put on the road - there is always someone who thinks they are better than the law and have the attitude of "no-one tells me what to do"
The road could be made somewhat clearer with branches cut, cats eyes, road markings, lightening and crash barriers on the bends, like they have done for the Deal Road.
How I see it it is not the Road that causes accidents it is the drivers who do not follow the driving rules - Still its my believe that everyone should be retested every 5 years to keep their licence - then it would make you think they way you drive - if you want to keep your licence.
