Update 24th May 2015 – No More Fermanagh Waffle!
Read our original article below and view the pictures to see: that the service cover has been completely replaced……………….our thanks to the rider for picking up the original danger of this service cover, keeping at Transport NI and for Transport NI acting “quickly” after the danger was highlighted again and the concerned citizen for marking the road to highlight the danger.
The service cover was replaced over a period of four days being replaced at first and then reworked following a couple of days to just get the job “right”.
Although being pernickety a section of the verge was left poking onto the side of carriageway mid bend – the contractors warning signs mid-bend may have left a bit to be considered regarding managing safety – however overall we have got to give this one a big thumbs up as one resolution of the condition of our Northern Ireland Roads as faced by riders!
Fermanagh Waffle – All Fixed!
Fermanagh Waffle
Down in County Fermanagh there is a problem with waffle!
The type of waffle in this instance is not of the speaking variety or even the potato variety, but in this case it is waffle of the manhole/service cover variety.
This “waffle cover” was picked up a rider while out and about on the roads of Fermanagh and as you can see the cover, which we suspect is an old BT service cover is:
Situated just off center of the road
After a bend
Has no “inserts” just a metal grid exposed
Has holes appearing around the edgeThe original images that we where sent of the cover were via Google Street View, taken in 2011.
Our original thoughts were that surely this cover would have been picked up by Roads Service – now Transport NI – in its maintenance inspections.
At the very least the cover should have been repaired or been removed and replaced.
However photos from January this year show this not to be the case and the cover awaits silently to catch out motorcyclists and perhaps even car drivers.
In January we are told that Transport NI was informed of the condition and the dangers of this cover and acknowledged the information supplied.
O
ne would have thought that action would have been urgently undertaken to remove this dangerous cover.
However apparently urgency, inspection, repair and replace is a lot of waffle in County Fermanagh, as pictures taken a few days ago show that the cover is still in the same state as it was in 2011 and in fact has got worse with holes appearing around the edge of the cover.
Thankfully it would appear that somebody out there is concerned about the safety of motorcyclists and has kindly pointed out with a yellow arrow sprayed on the road pointing to the cover.
Now you might say if a rider encountered that “waffle cover” on the road, it is large enough to spot and with my motorcycle riding “skills” would be easy enough to ride around and miss.
However not all riders have ninja abilities and even with those abilities, this cover and the identified danger it presents could easily led a rider to fixate – Rider Fixation – and ride over the cover with disastrous results.
Target Fixation, in this scenario occurs when the object that a rider has seen and has become so focused on to avoid actually hits the object.
Our thanks to the Fermanagh “concerned citizen” for informing us and taking direct action regarding this danger!
Google Street View – Fermanagh Waffle
Report A Road Fault – Northern Ireland – Give It A Go Anyway!
Road fault online form and details of Transport NI offices – Click Here
Transport NI is the body responsible for the management, maintenance and upkeep of Northern Ireland’s public road network.
You can report problems with roads to Transport NI through the nidirect government services website.
The website includes a link to the online reporting form or you can write to the appropriate contact address listed or by telephone, email.
Fill in as many of the details as possible on the form to help Transport NI to accurately locate the problem.
Report damaged manhole covers – debris on the road – mud on road – pothole in road – traffic signal not working and more.
Contaminates on the road are a significant danger for motorcyclists especially diesel spillages, our advice is to report these to the PSNI.
Outside of Northern Ireland – England – Scotland Wales – you can find the local authority responsible for potholes and damaged roads via a postcode search on GOV.UK – Click Here
For Road Spillage in England and Wales search – Click Here
Southern Ireland – MAG Ireland recommend FixMyStreet – www.fixmystreet.ie
Northern Ireland – Road fault online form and details of Roads Service offices – Click Here
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