Cats Eyes

raler

Isn't it about time these were installed on the Bray-Greystones road ? Visibility at night is appalling

loyatemu

roadtrans@wicklowcoco.ie

raler

Hi,

Thanks for the email address. I've just mailed the council to request that they install cats eyes along this route.

If you feel the same, please do so too

Alun

raler wrote: »

If you feel the same, please do so too

I'm interested to know why you feel this road in particular should warrant having them over any other R road in the county? It's not particularly bendy, or narrow, and visibility isn't any worse than anywhere else IMO.

In any case, on some roads where they have installed them, like the Kilmac - Roundwood road, they never maintain them anyway, so after only a couple of years they're now next to useless.

raler

The reason I mention this road in particular is two-fold: I use this road myself frequently enough, and secondly, it looks like a lot of other people do too. I have no doubt other roads have the same issue.

In this day and age I find it very surprising that a road like this does not have cats eyes. Whether they maintain them or not is a separate issue I think.

loyatemu

they're not big into cats eyes in Ireland for some reason - they should be on every unlit R road and properly maintained too. Driving in the UK at night is so much easier.

Alun

loyatemu wrote: »

they're not big into cats eyes in Ireland for some reason - they should be on every R road and properly maintained too. Driving in the UK at night is so much easier.

They're common on A roads in the UK, but certainly not on B roads, the equivalent of our R roads.

raler

I have to confess, I'm from the UK, albeit long since departed. I would disagree Alun, the equivalent UK roads do not to my mind have the same level of lighting.

Either way it isn't about who has what, but what in this day and age should be there on darkly lit and well used roads.

endacl

raler wrote: »

The reason I mention this road in particular is two-fold: I use this road myself frequently enough, and secondly, it looks like a lot of other people do too. I have no doubt other roads have the same issue.

In this day and age I find it very surprising that a road like this does not have cats eyes. Whether they maintain them or not is a separate issue I think.

So the two reasons you give as to why this road in particular should have cats eyes installed are:

1. You use the road
2. Other people use the road

I'm afraid you'll have to join the queue. There's this road near where I live that takes priority. Why, you may ask? Two reasons:

1. I use the road
2. Other people use the road.

raler

That's fine, I'll gladly join the queue. Good luck with your own road.

Alun

raler wrote: »

I have to confess, I'm from the UK, albeit long since departed.

So am I!

Look, I don't deny cat's eyes are useful, and in some instances very useful, but mostly on winding roads with poor visibility, which the road over Windgates is not by any stretch of the imagination.

Coincidentally, I recently had a conversation about this with someone I know, who also complained about not being able to clearly see the road markings at night. When I looked at the headlights on their car I could easily see why. The plastic of the lenses were so yellowed with age, it was a miracle any light came out of them at all. A simple procedure with some wet and dry sandpaper, polishing compound and lots of water solved that plus some better headlight bulbs and they're astonished at the difference it made.

raler

Good idea, I should double check my lights too, thanks.

loyatemu

Alun wrote: »

So am I!

Look, I don't deny cat's eyes are useful, and in some instances very useful, but mostly on winding roads with poor visibility, which the road over Windgates is not by any stretch of the imagination.

Coincidentally, I recently had a conversation about this with someone I know, who also complained about not being able to clearly see the road markings at night. When I looked at the headlights on their car I could easily see why. The plastic of the lenses were so yellowed with age, it was a miracle any light came out of them at all. A simple procedure with some wet and dry sandpaper, polishing compound and lots of water solved that plus some better headlight bulbs and they're astonished at the difference it made.

In fairness the road markings are all but invisible in daylight on many of the roads in Wicklow. The council seem to have no program of repainting roads (or fixing potholes, cleaning/repairing roadsigns).

Alun

raler wrote: »

Good idea, I should double check my lights too, thanks.

You can get kits from 3M or Meguiars to do headlight restoration, available from Amazon and the like or Halfords, but many garages offer it as a service these days too. Windsor Bray do it if I recall correctly. It's one of those things that, especially if the car is older (this was a '00 Yaris) doesn't appear that obvious to the owner from the outside, but once I'd done one headlight the other one stuck out like a sore thumb.

As regards the bulbs, either Philips X-treme Vision or Osram Night Breaker are the best. I get mine from powerbulbs.com in the UK.

Alun

loyatemu wrote: »

In fairness the road markings are all but invisible in daylight on many of the roads in Wicklow. The council seem to have no program of repainting roads (or fixing potholes, cleaning/repairing roadsigns).

That's very true, and was one of my concerns about the use of cat's eyes. If they aren't maintained correctly it's a wasted investment.