On 30 Mar 2005 05:08:55 -0800, "woodman"
wrote:

But straying only slightly off-topic, I took advantage of my freedom
pass to go to Amersham on Easter Monday, and after walking down via
Parsonage wood, and the Martyrs field, to the Old Town, I then took a
public
footpath which emerged on the A413. I could see the sign for the path's
continuation across the road, but with cars and motorbikes zooming past
so fast, I didn't dare try and cross it. I had been thinking of
bringing a party of friends this way some time in the future, probably
with kids, but it's back to the map/drawing board. Are there, or should
there be any speed restrictions at places like that? I might have had
right of way legally, but I wasn't brave enough to test it.

There's one near me on the A303 near Whitchurch (Hants), another right
of way crossing a very busy dual carriageway with nothing more than a
"! Pedestrians Crossing" sign a couple of hundred metres before the
supposed footpath crossing point.

If a fraction of the safety standards and regulations which apply to
railway companies were similarly enforced on the roads....well there
wouldn't be much traffic would there!