Help - driver going the wrong way on a motorway! Lessons from the UK, USA, New Zealand

California wrong way signage. Wikipedia.

In the UK and USA drivers have gone the wrong way. Causing fatal accidents. Several changes are needed. 

I was shocked. I thought, another one, that's two, one each side of 'the pond' or ocean. When I read the statistics, I was even more shocked. More than 400 such accidents in the USA each year.  Of course, prevention costs money. But imagine the costs of medicine for injuries, car damage, car replacement, insurance reports, insurance company investigations, police and ambulance attending, traffic delays, missed social events and work appointments, even clothes and stress to others, plus, of course, hospitals, enquiries, inquests into causes of accident events, coroner's report on medical findings, funerals, gravestones, memorial services, sometimes prosecutions or private court cases seeking damages, petitions for changes in the law.

I started writing two changes are needed. Then I thought of more and reached five. 

1 One way barriers to exits so only emergency vehicles can enter them.

2 Immediate warning signs to stop to all traffic if a vehicle enters the wrong way on a slip road. 

3 A wrong way vehicle emergency number to summon police if a vehicle is driving the wrong way. Restore hard shoulders so vehicles can pull over and stop if they or another vehicle are driving the wrong way. 

4 Mandatory stopping of traffic if a vehicle is seen driving the wrong way, not just honking and flashing lights. 

5 Lay-bys, or pull-ins, or pedestrian spaces are needed on the fast lane. My vehicle was hit by another and came to rest in the fast lane, endangering me and others. At my request the driver or a large lorry blocked my lane, also the next lane, by parking diagonally, which was an obvious obstruction and unusual position which could be seen for miles back, slowing traffic and prevented multiple rear-enders.

Some measures have already been taken, clearly not enough.

Causes of Wrong Way Driving

Accidental

Near borders and ferries UK-France, drivers where other countries drive on the opposite side. Drivers quickly realise their mistake and usually reverse slowly and re-route. Nowadays more and larger signs warn the British and others exiting from ports onto main roads. 

If you hire a local car, the driver's seat and driving wheel are usually in the middle of the road so he can see oncoming and distant traffic, whilst the front passenger seat is by the (pedestrian) pavement (sidewalk is what Amreicans call it) so that passengers exit safely, not into the road.

Distracted Driving

Noted Causes of Wrong-Way Driving

Driver reading online road maps - (I query, due to poor signage?) 

New Zealand changed signage to make it clearer, with fewer signs meaning less clutter. 

Driver texting. 

Driver watching movies! 

(Other types of accidents have been caused by a driver distracted by animals, by children (one notable case of a mother turning to stop siblings fighting, resulting in an accident causing the death of one child), back seat passengers, insects flying in.)

Places

In the USA there are apparently more accidents of this type in Florida, Texas and California.  I suspect the causes might relate, not entirely, but inflated by, the numbers of elderly drivers in Florida (poor eyesight, but in my opinion also Alzheimer's or poor decision making due to it; maybe drugs in California, resulting in poor attention, or thrill seeking. 

Lessons Learned To Avoid Being The Wrong-Way Driver

1 Remember which side of the road to drive on when going from the UK to Europe and Europe to the UK.

2 Have regular eye tests. Carry spare glasses in case you lose them. Check your route and intermediate points. Use speaking satnav rather than one requiring you to look down or away from the road.

3 If you miss your turning, never try to U-turn back against traffic on a motorway.

Avoiding One Way Drivers

Accidents are more likely when there is poor visibility at night or in bad weather. Watch the distance, if you can. Try to get behind an obstruction such as a parked car or tree or pole so that the other vehicle does not hit you head on with full force. In the USA you call 911 (not the old UK number of 999). Be familiar with emergency numbers, have them on a post-it and/or have them listed in your phone contacts.

Safe driving!

Useful Websites

Daily Mail 22 Jan 2025

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14311177/Six-million-Brits-retake-driving-test-campaigners-call.html

Global Statistics On Types Of accidents, which cause most fatalities, geographical hotspots, prevention

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrong-way_driving

In-car Warnings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrong-way_driving_warning

Prevention When Others Approach Wrong Way

https://caraccidentattorney.com/blog/safety-tips-to-defend-against-a-wrong-way-driver

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Cut Coughs And Colds With Fruit: How To Help Yourself, Your Speakers, And Your Audience

I had a streaming cold, constant sneezing and the cough that goes with it as the body attempts to deal with the phlegm which stays inside and drips down your throat.

You can buy masks from pharmacies in Singapore (not all branches - usually only the larger ones). Or pick one or a few for free from mask dispensers in a medical centre or hospital.

You can wear a mask to stop your germs spreading to others onto surfaces or into the air when you cough or sneeze. However a mask restricts breathing which is already difficult when you have a cold. You cannot stand up and speak to an audience wearing a mask.

Fruit Cured My Cough
At a meeting of a Toastmasters International group, Focus, in the interval I ate the fruit provided as one of the options. (A food court was downstairs.) I ate melon and pineapple. The effect was instantaneous. My problem was cured, which was good as I had to stand u and speak as Language Evaluator at the end of the meeting.

Next monring I woke feeling dreadful, same symptoms as previous days. I had fruit for breakfast. Again, instant cure.

Pineapple In Pizza
At lunchtime at another club at Gemalto, we were served pizza. It contained pineapple, just enough to get me through being the Test Speaker (giving a speech for others to evaluate).

Afterwards I walked with the other visitors back to the MRT station One North. The weather was hot, as it always is in Singapore. I felt seriously dehydrated.  I bought three pieces of fruit from a stall and felt much better. Less sneezing, no more need of paper tissues (good for the environment as well as fewr germs being spread around to others).

In the evening I went to Kampong Kembangan Community Cub to their Toastmasters International speakers club. I gave a speech. (And later won the ribbon for best speech.)

Before the meeting and in the interval we were offered chocolates and chocolate biscuits. I love chocolate biscuits. Especially when speaking. the energy rush is what I want for the moment I stand up and adress the audience.

A member told me that the Kembangan Community Centre gives the club a free room (albeit a small room) and even supplies free biscuits. One member had supplemented the supply with more biscuits from M & S.

How I longed for some fruit! Refreshing fruit. Vitamin C. The benefits of apples have been known for centuries. Hence the rhyming saying: An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

You can add lemon to water. It is supposed to be bad for your teeth, to ea away at the enamel. I drink lemon water followed by plain water to rinse my teeth.

Whilst you are shopping in a supermarket, if you are not sure whether your evening meeting will include any savoury food or protein, a banana is filling.

I had to cut short my Language Evaluation because my nose was starting to drip and I did not have a tissue to hand. I had removed my jacket with the pockets in order to look more streamlined and elegant. How I longed for a piece of fruit.

Size Of Sample
I am only one person. Now, what works for me won't necessarily work for you. I could have an allergy to milk or gluten. You might not have a cold. I am only a sample of one. It's possible that psychological factors were involved, stress, hunger, eating too little, eating too much, drinking water.

However, my own experience was that eating juicy fruit made a huge difference to my comfort. The whole room benefited because the fruit reduced the amount I was coughing which interrupted other people's speeches when I was in the audience.

Concerts And Coughing
For years I have known about the effect, the disruption, of people coughing at concerts, noticeably in the intervals, sometimes during the playing. Now I have seen the effects of coughing affecting speakers and members of the audience. More importantly, I think I have found a cure.

If you are organising a meeting, please provide water and fruit for the speakers as well as members of the audience.  If you can influence the people providing food, please ask for fruit.

I made a request in advance for water and fruit. I got the water. I should have asked what kind of refreshments would be provided. I am now making myself a list. Of course, some venues change the food and drink at every meeting depending on the size of event and budge, the person ordering, and the caterer. Nonetheless, a few place consistently provide fruit as policy. Others don't. Here's my list:

The star rating is my rating for the supply of fruit and water. Items in brackets not necessarily at every meeting.

Sheraton Hotel - Toastmasters Club of Singapore *****
First, second and third Monday evenings of most months except for public holidays such as Xmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, Easter, Singapore National Day.
Fruit provided. Fee of $20 for visitors includes the fruit, other food, water, usually lemon slices for  you to add to hot water to make your warm lemon tea or cold lemon water, and coffee.

Sheraton Hotel. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Sheraton Hotel viewed from gallery where you eat outside the conference room before the meeting and during the interval.

Useful websites
singaporeair.com
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2122064-you-should-be-eating-10-pieces-of-fruit-or-veg-every-day-not-5/

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have many more posts on hotels, Community clubs, and Singapore. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Drunken Escapades - don't do it - here's why

Problem
On holiday people get drunk. Celebrating, people get drunk. Then, alone or in a group, they do things which seemed like a good idea at the time, not so good a day or two later.

Drunk or sober, before taking any actions, ask yourself:
1 HOW DO RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE & HEROES ACT?
Would this action be done by any responsible person such as, (choose your favourites) my parents, my school teachers, the head of my school, my country or state, the HM The Queen?
Don't be an anti-hero if you can be a hero.

2 DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY
Would I be happy if somebody else did this to me?

3 NEWSPAPER REPORTS
It used to be said, 'a lady should get her name in the newspapers only when she is born, when she marries and when she dies'. How will I feel if this is reported in the papers or on the internet and known to the next person giving out honours or jobs?

4 NO HONOUR AMONGST THIEVES?
If somebody else did this and I allowed them to do it, do I risk them claiming that I did it, in order to save themselves from loss of status, being put in prison or worse?

5 PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Can I safely suggest to somebody else that they might refrain from this action, to protect them from regrets and punishment and to protect an innocent third party?

6 YOU ARE A REPRESENTATIVE
Do I owe it to my family, friends, colleagues, sponsors, bystanders, members of the same sex, race, religion, nationality, to protect our reputation?

7 CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES
Actions have consequences. For you, your family, your colleagues, nearby acquaintances, people at a distance. Like stepping on a butterfly in the short story, everything has consequences. Consider the consequences.

8 HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS
Instead of' it seemed like a good idea at the time', you might find that 'on second thoughts, it did not seem such a good idea'. You would then save yourself and lots of other people lots of trouble.

9 FAMILY FIRST, LAWYERS LAST
Your family come first, not the people looking for work or a story or entertainment. You can entertain with your successes and skills. Believe me, if you refrain from a bad action, the lawyers won't go hungry. And journalists will be able to find something else to write about.

10 WRITE YOUR OWN EULOGY
Set a good example to others. Everything you do, even running across the road when the light is red, can inspire children and adults to copy you, at the time, immedately afterwards, or later. What do you want on your obituary? Not errors of judgement! Only good things!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5434151/Canadian-athlete-coach-fined-taking-car-Olympics.html#comments

Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Bedbugs in hotel beds - or your home!

How do you identify a bug bite? Or spot the bugs before they bite.
Lots of tips in a newspaper article, the comments, and a website.

To summarize - what I learned and will do. Up to you which of these you feel would be helpful or necessary.
1 Bites - the picture shows dime size red marks - but are they bites or allergic reaction - does it matter - if it's caused by bugs you have the problem and the cause
2 Prevention is better than cure. Check between mattresses, behind the headboard, in the bed.
3 Check room before unpacking.
4 One reader suggested keeping all your possessions in the bathroom (on a stay of just one night that would be easier than long stay).
5 In the middle of the night you might have to change rooms. Check the room before accepting it and unpacking.
6 Change hotels.
7 Check hotels on TripAdvisor.
8 Carry bug killer and keep bug killing instructions.

Bedbugs in the USA, Florida
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1194711/Families-horror-finding-BEDBUGS-Florida-resort-room.html

Bedbugs in London
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-300579/The-bed-bug-wont-die.html

Angela Lansbury, author and travel writer. Please follow my posts and pass on the link. Thank you.