traffic – Page 10 – BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking

July 12th – there seem to be a lot of traffic surveys going on in South Staffordshire at the moment. Lots of back lanes seem to have the familiar rubber pickups nailed to the asphalt, just like this one in Gravelley Lane, between Shenstone and Stonnall. These devices count vehicles, and many modern ones take a punt at guessing what yore driving. The black cables are actually flexible, soft pipes, sealed at one end (usually by tying it in a simple knot). Any vehicle tyre running over the pipe causes the air pressure to rise within, and activates a pressure switch in the counter. By analysing the number of pulses and distance apart in time, many units can now tell the difference between HGV’s passing and normal cars. This device is probably installed for a routine traffic survey, and will soon be moved to a different spot. Surveys like this are regularly taken by councils.

May 5th – one of the flattest, smoothest stretches of tarmac in the UK. Gorgeous, and lovely to ride, too (I rode the length of it the M6 Toll the night before it opened), mainly because few use this white-elephant toll motorway. Crossing it on Chase Road last night, I counted 4 cars in a ten minute period. At 8pm on a Saturday.

An utterly misguided project, making money hand over fist for it’s operators, who don’t want the cost of maintaining it, so have consequently priced it beyond use. Bizarre.

December 29th – Now do you see what we have to put up with? This weather is awful. Heading into Brownhills, yesterday lunchtime. Waterproofs on, resolute into the rain. Watching for the traffic, which goes a bit silly in these conditions. Come on, weather, give us a break. Leave the rain if you must, but please, please, please drop the wind. Thanks.

The music is ‘Il Pleure’ from The Art of Noise, a lost classic from a sadly overlooked album ‘The Seduction of Claude Debussy’.

December 8th – Walsall Arboretum is the jewel in Walsall’s Victorian crown. The extensive park was created out of former limestone mining land over a century ago, and remains, to this day, a classic example of a municipal park. Neglected somewhat for two decades, it is currently undergoing a lottery-funded restoration which has proven controversial. The gatehouse – classically Victorian in design and execution – is sadly diminished now by being overseer to the hideous traffic junction bearing the park’s name. Still, the handsome tower and clock give the weary cyclist something to admire whilst waiting for the lights to change…

November 3rd – The Shire Oak pub has stood at this junction for over a hundred years. Forming the bottom – or top, depending on your perspective – of Brownhills, it’s a busy crossing of two arterial routes. The Chester Road crosses the Lichfield Road, and it’s a busy, often difficult proposition to negotiate – particularly if turning right. It doesn’t bother me these days so much, I often cross it twice a day, but getting stuck turning right here can be scary. I once fund myself stranded in the 6 foot void between to lorries travelling in opposite directions. The junction stands near the brow of Shire Oak Hill, itself named after the tree that stood near the old junction with Holly Lane, further downhill to the southwest, as the boundary marker between parishes.

August 15th – The digital traffic signs, recently installed on the edges of Walsall town centre have been controversial, costly, and rather pointless. Since installation, they’ve either been blank, or displaying such crucial messages as ‘Tiredness kills – Take a break’. Today, with a major fire in central Walsall, they got chance to display vital road closure information, which made no difference whatsoever to the traffic, which was gridlocked at rush hour. It doesn’t help that several of the message displays – like this one on the edge of The Butts – are situated at a point where it’s virtually impossible to take any preventative measures to avoid the problem. Design in action.

August 7th – The nights are drawing in and it was already dusk when I returned from a event in Burntwood at 9:05pm. The lights on the M6 toll at Ogley Hay Road made for an impressive scene of hard surfaces and speed.

August 4th – Cresting Greenhill in Lichfield, heading down the Birmingham Road on my way home, traffic was very heavy. I love riding the traffic in Lichfield – challenging, exhilarating and smugness-inducing. A fine ride.

Sadly, I had a better audio track for this ride, but yootoob’s audio fingerprint thing spots it and removes it, which is a great shame. That technology is bloody impressive, though…

August 2nd – Stopped for the lights at Rushall Square, I remembered the odd little building on the opposite corner, at the junction of Daw End Lane. I don’t really know anything about it, but the architecture is lovely. Those are chimneys with serious aesthetic intent.

Just then, the lights changed and broke my dream…

June 10th – The day was fine until late afternoon. Leaving work, I called at the shops in Aldridge and then dived into Morrisons for some bits and pieces. It started to rain lightly. Thinking it would come to nothing, I headed for home via Stubbers Green. As I left, the sky looked ominously dark.