
Sunday, 28th June 2009
Shrubs and trees on roundabouts
The picture shows the round-about near St Margaret Gate in Cospicua.
Cars coming up from Cospicua in the direction of the arrow are not visible to those coming out through the gate, from where the picture was taken, until the last second.
Huge shrubs, like the ones in this picture, should never be placed in roundabouts, especially on the edges.
This is not the only roundabout or centre strip where this illogical practice is evident. If shrubs need to be planted they should be placed in the centre of roundabouts where they do not obstruct the drivers' view.







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Comments
The issue of traffic density by Mr. Darmanin is another point to comment on. I left Malta in 1972 when there were 300000 people on the Island and 85,000 vehicles ie. one vehicle to 3.5 people. Last year the figures were 400,000/250,000 or one vehicle to 1.6 people. No wonder those visiting the Island always wonder how you manage it although I am sure that it is now affecting the quality of life for all users and non users alike. If only that number could be forced down , life will be bliss on Malta.
http://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/dmrb/vol6/section2/td1607.pdf Check out fig.8.3
Before telling us what you do in the UK I invite you to visit this spot and see for yourself.
I know that when approaching a round about one is supposed to reduce speed or stop altogether. In the case of this roundabout a car coming out of the tunnel even if it has slowed down can find itself right in the path of a vehicle coming round from behind the large bush seen in the picture. It only takes two seconds for the cars to collide. besides, there is another road feeding into the round about from the left and another one from the right.
Driving in Malta is different than in the UK, where here you have many in a particualr service who require great pain to reprogram their personal and driving manners. While others who drive large vehicles, especialy those in the costruction industry, believe that God had granted them our roads to drive on as they please because of the size of their vehicle! This doesn't apply to all but to many and many car drivers are just as bad. The buzz words are education and enforcement.
With all respect to your profession and nationality, but we're in Malta, driving on Maltese roads and all else associated to our central Mediterranean country and temperament. Are you trying to tell me that an impaired vision is good at such crucial points and as soon as you drive off blindly, bang, on comes the other car as it has all right of way! Have you taken into account the number of cars per capita to per kilometer of road and of corners just about every 10 to 15 meters? Many UK relatives and friends often exclaim that they wonder how we drive on our roads; not just because of the condition of some. And I've been to the UK, to the Midlands and Scotland, and many of the round-abouts that I saw either had turf or turf with flowerbeds and low shrubs. Obviously, I'm not a Brit and therefore do not know it as much as you do. But I've also been to a few other central European countries and turf and flowers prevail. Oh, and I'm driving on Maltese roads for three days a week or more, so I'm talking from experiance too.
@Pryce. Try driving along the Mriehel By-pass and stop at one of the round-abouts to give way. In two locations, the white serrated line where to stop is in line with shrubs that block your view. Moving forward half a meter will either get you fined or chance an accident. This is common in other locations. Sitting in a driver's seat of a car is not as high as in a van, bus or truck. ELC and ADT should not allow shrubs to be planted in such locations close to the end of central strips causing visual impairment to drivers.