LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Confusing road markings at Canefield intersection

Video depicts signage complaint about this Canefield junction

 

Sir,
The accompanying video clip illustrates the confusion that exists at a well known road junction in Canefield. The motoring public needs an urgent explanation/clarification from the traffic division before there’s a serious accident at that location.

Many years ago I had a run-in with a van load of policemen, when I turned right at that junction onto the main road. I explained to them that I had not broken the law since the sign on the post says “no U-turn”. I had made a right turn, not a U-turn. I went further to advise them to replace it with the correct “no right turn” sign.
Needless to say my recommendation was not acted upon. Last week there were new road surface markings applied at the junction, as shown in the video, which purport to allow right turns. But the original post-mounted sign is still in place.

This to me has compounded the confusion. If the intention is to disallow right turns then the correct NO RIGHT TURN sign should replace the one on the pole, and the road surface markings should be modified as appropriate.

Furthermore, what is required at this junction is a YIELD sign, not a STOP sign.

I trust the authorities at Traffic will take note and on this occasion yield to common sense and logic.

 

Canefield resident.

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35 Comments

  1. UKDominican
    May 30, 2020

    I always wondered why a driving licence issued by Barbados is transferable into a UK licence whereas this is not the case for a Dominica licence and one has to pass the UK exam first. But now I know the answer.f

  2. REAL!!!!!
    May 28, 2020

    @ Brohim.

    1. The police should remove the U turn sign and put a STOP sign.

    2. Coming toward the STOP sign they should but a sign with an arrow indicating a One way.

    3. I don’t believe you should be able to make a RIGHT Turn at the STOP sign as this area is extremely busy with on coming and out going traffic…….Because if going to cause many accident in this area as everything is left up to the judgement of the driver making a RIGHT TURN.

  3. Traffic
    May 28, 2020

    what is so confusing about that sign. It means you simply can’t turn right into the street of the oncoming traffic!!!! There is no confusion. Those who are confused just find it difficult to adhere to the rules…its all. We have a lot of law breakers in this country.

    • MAGWA CA
      May 28, 2020

      are you lacking in intelligence or something?

  4. TBM
    May 28, 2020

    @ Canefield Resident.
    I disagree!
    The sign on the pole says no u-turn, which is applicable since the driver is on a one-way segment. The painting on the street says right turn allowed. There is not a conflict between the signs.
    Furthermore, when an area driver visits and exits NBD on the one-way segment a right turn to the highway is required, thus allowing the driver to return. Therefore, this junction should remain a full stop and not yield.

  5. Just asking
    May 27, 2020

    For the person who suggested it, we doh need traffic lights, just patience. About the sign, that’s nothing; you should see the absence of any sign at speed bumps. :-x :?:

  6. I Dunno
    May 27, 2020

    I may be wrong but as if that sign means no roundabout (OR U TURN) turn eh.

    To me is either you go straight or make a right turn back on to the highway

  7. AP George
    May 27, 2020

    That intersection should be more aligned so that the intersection road is somewhat perpendicular. Otherwise, no right turn should be allowed…it is very dangerous…unless there was a traffic light there.
    Talking about… I think it sad that Dominica does not have even 1 traffic light considering the many dangerous intersection we have.

  8. Ibrahim Brohim
    May 27, 2020

    The present traffic signs says that you can’t turn around and go back up in the opposite direction you came down. If the intention was for drivers not to turn right, then a ” NO RIGHT TURN” sign should have been placed there. But from the video, the road markings placed gives drivers the right to turn right to the main road. Therefore there is no longer a need to have a “NO RIGHT TURN” sign placed there.

  9. Me
    May 27, 2020

    Welcome to Dominica the land of no sense.

    • JS
      May 28, 2020

      Dominica Wii.
      So true, it never ends.
      No surprise, not even road signs make sense.
      🙈 🤦🏽‍♂️

  10. Zandoli
    May 27, 2020

    As I have always said, poor countries remain poor because they do little to raise the standard of their game. If you can’t get the little things right, you sure aren’t going to get the big things right.

    • Shilling
      May 28, 2020

      Well said.
      God please help Dominica.

      • Right..
        May 28, 2020

        God has left this land 20 years ago..

        • Me
          May 29, 2020

          Yes, He took the wrong turning!

    • Eighteen : 3
      May 28, 2020

      @Zandoli Too bad my man stay in your KKK Country and suck where the sun never shines 😜😜😜😜

      • Shilling
        May 30, 2020

        Typical simple minded reply.
        The truth hurts, this is why Dominica
        will continue to be left behind while all
        other Caribbean countries progress
        and grow because of ignorant and basic
        people like you.
        The country just there, u stay there in your simple little world
        while your country gets left behind.

      • Me
        May 30, 2020

        That’s right 18/3 we are staying in triple K country for our cultural enlightenment by Skerrit’s favourite band.

  11. May 27, 2020

    There must be something wrong why the comments are not posted. The public must be informed about bat traffic signs
    even the traffic officers can google traffic signs and see what the shape of the sign tell you. Please post it .

    • Toto
      May 27, 2020

      Was not aware bats need traffic signs in Dominica Wallace, specially not blind bats but maybe you know something I don’t.

  12. Iobservethat2
    May 27, 2020

    Good job citizen of Dominica. Very proactive of you. Now lets see how long it takes the necessary authorities to resolve this.

    • Toto
      May 27, 2020

      Oh, they first have to appoint a committee and appoint a chairman.

  13. May 26, 2020

    I think that the traffic dept. have a problem with signs. You cannot put a no u turn sign where a yield or stop sign have to go. lots of these signs are international signs and they will paint over it to make what they want. When the paint wash off you have the wrong sign. The shape of the sign have a lot to tell you. A triangle tell you its a yield stop is round. I have seen triangle signs in Roseau that they painted over and mark stop on it. We must remember that these signs are international and some time you are confusing visitors by making up signs. Traffic dept. must do a better job.

  14. concern
    May 26, 2020

    This one is really freaking funny. No ‘U’ and two lanes one to go straight ahead and one to turn ‘Right’. Traffic Dept. fix that ASAP

  15. Bwa-Banday
    May 26, 2020

    :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: You are absolutely right. I have been saying this for a while now but no one listens. Only in Dca you see these nonsense. And the sad thing about it is many SENIOR police officers drive through that area every day on their way to work. The deputy and the former deputy both past there :mrgreen: :mrgreen: . I wonder if they themselves understand what the sign is saying :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

  16. Kermit
    May 26, 2020

    I noticed that the other day……loving the article.

    • L C Matthew
      May 30, 2020

      Folks we are all looking at the sign from wrong perspective. That sign is not for the driver in that vehicle in the one way. It is for the other driver on the main highway heading south who is not allowed to make a U turn into that one way. It is a bit confusing because of the location it is. From the perspective of the driver in video i can see how it is confusing, but that sign is not for him. The sign may just need to move in a better location so it will indicate to drivers on main hwy they cannot turn left in that one way but it cannot pose a blind spot for the one way traffic trying merge on hwy South.

  17. magway ca
    May 26, 2020

    you keep forgetting the biggest fact in all of this. DOMINICA IS NOT A REAL COUNTRY and 2020 IS NOT A YEAR THAT EXISTS

  18. Roger Burnett
    May 26, 2020

    I agree with the writer and would add that there are numerous other signage confusions along Dominica’s roads. For example, the Bath Road as it approaches the Government Administrative Building from the south, switches from one way to two way without warning.

    All of our roundabouts are badly designed and most pedestrian crossings are death traps. This is especially the case when bus drivers stop immediately before a crossing and invite disembarking passengers to pass in front of their vehicle with nothing more than a last second nonchalant wave of the arm to alert approaching drivers. I have brought this to the attention of the Traffic Department times without number.

    Road markings are needed to indicate no stopping or parking within the vicinity of a pedestrian crossing.

  19. REAL!!!!!
    May 26, 2020

    This is CRAZY…..Not even traffic sign this GOVT can get right.

    This is a major accident waiting to happens!!!!!!!

    Many signs posted in DA or No signs at all, gives the idea that the Traffic Police think the only people who drive in DA are those residing and living there.

    • May 28, 2020

      Why the first thing we say is the government. The police and traffic department have been there government come and go. They are the ones responsible of placing the signs
      not government. You go to the traffic dept. You see lots of signs in a corner where the officers sitting as you enter the office. Why don’t they go out and do their work see where we need signs and install them. The public should not complain for them to do their work. They act like there only there for the pay check at the end of the month.

      • Toto
        May 30, 2020

        You are wrong Wallace, the PM run everything in Dominica, I hear him say so and You know what, he really believes that. So nothing happen without him say so. Police sitting in their office and other civil servants not moving because they afraid it may be the wrong move and they without a job. So everything going stale and slow in Dominica. Best you all keep mumu and keep your eyes cast down and be miserable.

  20. Shaka zulu
    May 26, 2020

    That is too much work for the traffic department. Just call police tell them concerned citizens movement hanging out there having a meeting see how fast will show up.

  21. CHILDISH
    May 26, 2020

    I heard a smart guy on Matt saying the reasons why the Chinese are doing the road is because our local guys are stuck in mediocre service. He went on to name the Police officer who usually marks the road on his days off and on his vacation leave, suggesting with the technologyhe uses it will take him a decade to paint roads from Roseau to Portsmouth, granted, or lets say true/ But that happens because the job, contract to mark the roads were never tendered or were they? was the guy and his team ever empowered by the business entrepreneurship program under the government to grow and to become more equipped and better able. Was he ever given the opportunity to bid. its all well and good to say that the guy should have positioned himself for bigger things but alas we know how things work in this country – people, young people in particular are afraid to take risk, to invest especially against uncertainties,nepotism, lack of tendering, and corruption. My friends Its not easy.

  22. CHILDISH
    May 26, 2020

    I notice that also, the Chinese were busy painting the road signs and was ok we can’t make a U Turn back to canefield from hence you came, but you can now make a right turn to go down to the west coast road and towards the airport. The traffic department and the Ministry of transport needs to clarify 1) in order to save lives and 2) to protect us from tickets and from embarrassing the police in court. Just to add when you do not have locals working side by side with our Chinese friends expect those things to happen.

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