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The Car Driver - Driving in a tunnel
What is very important is that you take notice of and abide by the safety
information provided before you enter the tunnel, and while you are in the
tunnel. Just being aware where the nearest telephone is or how to find the
nearest emergency exit may save those precious moments that give you the time to
get yourself away from a nasty situation.
Before you get to the tunnel:
Even before you approach a tunnel, it is wise to check that you have
enough fuel to get you through. If you do breakdown in the tunnel
because you run out of fuel you are creating an incident that may easily get
out of hand!
As you approach the tunnel:
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Guess what - you are approaching a tunnel!
Be prepared to adjust your speed
Remove your sunglasses,
if you're wearing them - lighting in the tunnel varies throughout
its length and you need to give your eyes the best chance of
adjusting to the light in the tunnel |
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Some tunnels, especially those in mainland Europe, often show a blue
"tunnel
ahead" symbol, with a kilometer distance on it
The 17km represents the length of the tunnel, and not, as some
would imagine, is the distance to the tunnel |
| You may notice a couple of other signs as you approach a tunnel, such as: |
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This sign indicates that there are illuminated signs in the tunnel,
usually installed above each lane. They indicate which lanes you can use, and which you CAN'T use. The
red cross symbol may be displayed in any lane lane and it will be
being displayed for a reason that may not be obvious to you. There maybe an obstruction in that lane that you
can't yet see, there may be some debris in the road, or something
loose hanging off the ceiling! Don't use this lane if a red cross is
showing.
This sign shows an arrow "move to the left". There may also
be a "move to the right" arrow in some tunnels. Move to the
left, or right, as soon as you can, when it is safe to do so. |
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TURN RADIO ON |
Most modern tunnels are equipped with a clever system that allows radio
signals from your local radio stations to be transmitted into the tunnel.
The Operator in a control room has the ability to break-into that radio
station and transmit safety messages on to your car radio that will relate
directly to you. If you hear an unusual message that doesn't normally
come from your favorite radio station then this may be one of those
messages. Be aware of the instructions and take note of the
information being given. |
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Driving through the tunnel
| When you enter the tunnel you will see a
number of signs that you may not often see while driving |
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They are universally recognised signs for Emergency
Exit. Most tunnels have these signs fitted every 25 or 50m |
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Some of these signs also have a distance
shown on them, 25m, 50m etc. This indicates the distance and
direction to the nearest emergency exit |
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Another sign that you should be familiar
with is this one. The telephones are free to use and they will
connect you directly to a control room Operator who will help you.
Most telephones are fitted with an induction loop so that people
with hearing aids can use them. |
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Never make a U-turn in the tunnel - unless an authorised
person instructs you to. This would only be a Policeman or
Tunnel Traffic Patroller. |
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