Stuck

[Vagophile]

As someone who was towed out of a ditch by a French farmer in his tractor (many years ago, when a borrowed Holdsworth Villa got into difficulties) perhaps I should get my coat now?

It would appear that in this situation, "got into difficulties" involved passing the sign shown in #23 and intentionally proceeding. Such attitudes deserve derision.

 

[OGII]

A coincidence that the Evergreen container ship of Suez fame has recently docked in the UK? One of the senior crew nipped up to Scotland on holiday to escape the shame of grounding both ends of his ship?

 

[Cali Phillip]

Maybe there just needs to be better signage.

Already signs, all be it covered in stickers at rhe bottom last time i past, so maybe.
A TRO so these daft folk can be fines if they ignore the signs . Needs a deterrent, i favour physical barriers, cannot be “ignored, we Know better” and need no enforcement resources. Sorry, yes, like hight barriers.
Just look at speeding, signs dont work, average speed cameras work !

 

[Cali Phillip]

Already signs, all be it covered in stickers at rhe bottom last time i past, so maybe.
A TRO so these daft folk can be fines if they ignore the signs . Needs a deterrent, i favour physical barriers, cannot be “ignored, we Know better” and need no enforcement resources. Sorry, yes, like hight barriers.
Just look at speeding, signs dont work, average speed cameras work !

Always prefer not to do fines etc bit some people.

 

[SusiBus]

I've only recently joined the forum, so I'm taken aback to discover so many contributors are such prescient, if not infallible beings. Clearly, the concept "there, but for the grace of god" is redundant in these circles, and sympathy would only be wasted on lesser beings. As someone who was towed out of a ditch by a French farmer in his tractor (many years ago, when a borrowed Holdsworth Villa got into difficulties) perhaps I should get my coat now? For my own part, however ill advised those in the pictured 'van were, I hope they got away with it!

Get your coat, and be careful not to get stuck in a ditch on your way out.

 

[GrannyJen]

I've only recently joined the forum, so I'm taken aback to discover so many contributors are such prescient, if not infallible beings. Clearly, the concept "there, but for the grace of god" is redundant in these circles, and sympathy would only be wasted on lesser beings. As someone who was towed out of a ditch by a French farmer in his tractor (many years ago, when a borrowed Holdsworth Villa got into difficulties) perhaps I should get my coat now? For my own part, however ill advised those in the pictured 'van were, I hope they got away with it!

Firstly, welcome to the forum, and it really is a great forum. If you ever need help or advice you will discover that

However, yes, just as with any community, the sharp wit, sometimes deprecating wit, often irreverent, sometimes deliberately provocative, all raise their head.

We are less of a forum and more of a community, and really, having travelled that road so many times I am surprised anyone could possibly ignore the signs.

Possibly, someone who's first language is not English, possibly "Applecross" dialled into his satNav that have never heard of Bealach Na Bar so takes the short cut, but .....really, when you make that left turn to travel over that pass it shouts at you "Narrow and difficult".

Welcome again ...

 

[TheDoc]

Looks like he’s wild camping for the night…

 

[Yorkieboi]

Also called 'the pass of cattle'. Happened to me one year doing the 500 on my bike. A van-lifer in front of me stopped on the hairpin to take a photo.

 

[Mehdime]

It would appear that in this situation, "got into difficulties" involved passing the sign shown in #23 and intentionally proceeding. Such attitudes deserve derision.

In fairness to this poor driver, if this is the only sign, I can understand why some ignore it. It’s a big wall of text - with the most relevant part well hidden (I actually had to read the whole sign several times before I spotted the small “hairpin bends” which is really the key bit of info here). It’s also really vague - it doesn’t say that you can’t go - just that it’s not advised (if you’re not a very confident driver). It talks about “large” vehicles without clarifying what large is.

In addition, there’s not just one sign but two signs together which reduces further the chance that the driver will be able to parse all the info.

Icing on the cake: the sign colors are misleading and the reverse of what they should be. Drivers will naturally focus on the red sign first, which doesn’t hint at any issues with camper vans. The blue wall-of-text sign will be looked at second but chances are you’ve driven past it already by then. Since blue is the color of things you’re allowed to do or FYI messages, it’s not normally an issue if you can’t quite grasp what it says so I suspect many won’t worry too much about it.

 

[GrannyJen]

In fairness to this poor driver, if this is the only sign, I can understand why some ignore it. It’s a big wall of text - with the most relevant part well hidden (I actually had to read the whole sign several times before I spotted the small “hairpin bends” which is really the key bit of info here). It’s also really vague - it doesn’t say that you can’t go - just that it’s not advised (if you’re not a very confident driver). It talks about “large” vehicles without clarifying what large is.

In addition, there’s not just one sign but two signs together which reduces further the chance that the driver will be able to parse all the info.

Icing on the cake: the sign colors are misleading and the reverse of what they should be. Drivers will naturally focus on the red sign first, which doesn’t hint at any issues with camper vans. The blue wall-of-text sign will be looked at second but chances are you’ve driven past it already by then. Since blue is the color of things you’re allowed to do or FYI messages, it’s not normally an issue if you can’t quite grasp what it says so I suspect many won’t worry too much about it.

Yes, totally sympathetic to that view, until you take the left turn and see, with mark one eyeball, what's in front of you. At that point all common sense must fly out of the window when you look ahead, narrow road, steep climb, clearly not a "normal" passage, and then take something that long up there.

The very nature of the terrain would make you want to opt for caution, it just screams at you and if you so want to go to Lock Torridon and Applecorss then the alternative is clearly signposted.

This is the terrain, just before the left turn, you are in something very big, would you detour over something that looks steep and narrow?

 

[Mehdime]

This is the terrain, just before the left turn, you are in something very big, would you detour over something that looks steep and narrow?

OMG Added to my list of places to go see when we finally get our California. The question is rhetorical given the picture I guess

 

[GrannyJen]

OMG Added to my list of places to go see when we finally get our California. The question is rhetorical given the picture I guess

Albert, my first Cali, took it in his stride. Even wanted to pose for photographs at the big car park on the top. It's made for a Cali, not for a big white

 

[WelshGas]

In fairness to this poor driver, if this is the only sign, I can understand why some ignore it. It’s a big wall of text - with the most relevant part well hidden (I actually had to read the whole sign several times before I spotted the small “hairpin bends” which is really the key bit of info here). It’s also really vague - it doesn’t say that you can’t go - just that it’s not advised (if you’re not a very confident driver). It talks about “large” vehicles without clarifying what large is.

In addition, there’s not just one sign but two signs together which reduces further the chance that the driver will be able to parse all the info.

Icing on the cake: the sign colors are misleading and the reverse of what they should be. Drivers will naturally focus on the red sign first, which doesn’t hint at any issues with camper vans. The blue wall-of-text sign will be looked at second but chances are you’ve driven past it already by then. Since blue is the color of things you’re allowed to do or FYI messages, it’s not normally an issue if you can’t quite grasp what it says so I suspect many won’t worry too much about it.

Correct, there are no problems for “ Campervans “. Problem is, it’s not a Campervan. Obviously the driver doesn’t consider his outfit is a “ Large Vehicle “ either, especially towing a car as well.

As this is not a regular occurrence the majority of drivers of large vehicles take note of the signage. So the signage is adequate for the majority but not for the d******d driving that outfit.

 

[two-saabs]

In fairness to this poor driver, if this is the only sign, I can understand why some ignore it. It’s a big wall of text - with the most relevant part well hidden (I actually had to read the whole sign several times before I spotted the small “hairpin bends” which is really the key bit of info here). It’s also really vague - it doesn’t say that you can’t go - just that it’s not advised (if you’re not a very confident driver). It talks about “large” vehicles without clarifying what large is.

In addition, there’s not just one sign but two signs together which reduces further the chance that the driver will be able to parse all the info.

Icing on the cake: the sign colors are misleading and the reverse of what they should be. Drivers will naturally focus on the red sign first, which doesn’t hint at any issues with camper vans. The blue wall-of-text sign will be looked at second but chances are you’ve driven past it already by then. Since blue is the color of things you’re allowed to do or FYI messages, it’s not normally an issue if you can’t quite grasp what it says so I suspect many won’t worry too much about it.

Totally agree on crappy sign. There are standards out there for a reason, and to a pro this hurts the eyes.

The colour coding as you say is critical, red = danger, rest is just for info.

Far too much text

Best to use non-language specific images e.g. picture of a motorhome with a big red cross through it

Good for everyone who speaks English or not and/or tempted to drive past without reading

 

[GrannyJen]

Totally agree on crappy sign. There are standards out there for a reason, and to a pro this hurts the eyes.

The colour coding as you say is critical, red = danger, rest is just for info.

Far too much text

Best to use non-language specific images e.g. picture of a motorhome with a big red cross through it

Good for everyone who speaks English or not and/or tempted to drive past without reading

That sign is at the left turn.

Shortly after making that left turn there is another sign, in plain English, "Not suitable for large vehicles", then, another half mile, another sign, "Narrow road, steep climbs, Hairpins" ....

Scotland is a wonderful country. It used to be free, use common sense, we give you the information, you process it, we do not order you to, you make your decision ...

Sadly it is almost weekly becoming less free because people do not respect the privilege of being given the freedom to make choices and instead abuse the freedom. If it does not say "DO NOT" then it is interpreted as "I SHALL" rather than "Ive been given the information, perhaps I shouldn't"

 

[two-saabs]

That sign is that the left turn.

Shortly after making that left turn there is another sign, in plain English, "Not suitable for large vehicles", then, another half mile, another sign, "Narrow road, steep climbs, Hairpins" ....

Scotland is a wonderful country. It used to be free, use common sense, we give you the information, you process it, we do not order you to, you make your decision ...

Sadly it is almost weekly becoming less free because people do not respect the privilege of being given the freedom to make choices and instead abuse the freedom. Sadly if it does not say "DO NOT" then it is interpreted as "I SHALL" rather than "Ive been given the information, perhaps I shouldn't"

I hear ya, I've never been so can't really comment on how obvious it is.

I'm just a stickler for good signs. It costs the same to make a good sign as a bad sign, and any reduction in wrong behaviour will be worth it.

 

[WelshGas]

I hear ya, I've never been so can't really comment on how obvious it is.

I'm just a stickler for good signs. It costs the same to make a good sign as a bad sign, and any reduction in wrong behaviour will be worth it.

As I've said previously, as this is not a common occurrence the majority of drivers take note. I don't think this particular one has any common sense if he thinks he can just go wherever he wants in that outfit. I hope it was an expensive lesson for him.

 

[two-saabs]

As I've said previously, as this is not a common occurrence the majority of drivers take note. I don't think this particular one has any common sense if he thinks he can just go wherever he wants in that outfit. I hope it was an expensive lesson for him.

We need a man on the inside to dish the dirt on what happened next!

 

[BerndRos]

This reminds me of Soprana in Sicily in early 2012, severe ice & snow in a mountain top village, one way in and one way out, slid down a road and luckily did not touch either side, inches to spare. Escaped without damage and found a roadside berth to sleep the night. Then onwards.

 

[Amarillo]

I've only recently joined the forum, so I'm taken aback to discover so many contributors are such prescient, if not infallible beings. Clearly, the concept "there, but for the grace of god" is redundant in these circles, and sympathy would only be wasted on lesser beings. As someone who was towed out of a ditch by a French farmer in his tractor (many years ago, when a borrowed Holdsworth Villa got into difficulties) perhaps I should get my coat now? For my own part, however ill advised those in the pictured 'van were, I hope they got away with it!

If you look you will find another thread where members lament the mistakes they have made.

 

[Joker 1299]

I've only recently joined the forum, so I'm taken aback to discover so many contributors are such prescient, if not infallible beings. Clearly, the concept "there, but for the grace of god" is redundant in these circles, and sympathy would only be wasted on lesser beings. As someone who was towed out of a ditch by a French farmer in his tractor (many years ago, when a borrowed Holdsworth Villa got into difficulties) perhaps I should get my coat now? For my own part, however ill advised those in the pictured 'van were, I hope they got away with it!

prescient? Yeah, I’m prescient enough to foresee that if I drive my school bus past a sign that says large vehicles not advised, I‘m going to get stuck

 

[carlinabz]

We need a man on the inside to dish the dirt on what happened next!

The picture shared at the start of this thread is on the BBC website with a caption that the car was detached from the camper and both vehicles got down safely. I like a happy ending and hope that those involved have learnt a lesson and can enjoy the rest of their vacation.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I hear ya, I've never been so can't really comment on how obvious it is.

I'm just a stickler for good signs. It costs the same to make a good sign as a bad sign, and any reduction in wrong behaviour will be worth it.

 

[two-saabs]

View attachment 82712

Love it

 

[two-saabs]

Love it