2011-10-03 - Rider Down/Fatality, Kings Cross

I don't know any examples of places where guard-rails are a good thing. When talking to planners/council, we push to get them removed...which is what we've just found out will be happening on Jamaica Rd. :)

From a civil engineering / traffic engineering stand point the guard rails have 2 very important roles -

1. This lightweight designed 'fence' is just strong enough to stop small cars leaving the road (accident or ice/oil/water patches etc causing loss of control , and hence give a decent level of protection to pedestrians and buildings.
   
2. They largely stop pedestrians stepping out in to either busy/fast/dual-lane roads.
   
   

They're not a perfect solution but there are benefits to them in the right places. Adding or removing them is probably a decision that should be debated at a much higher level than the engineers or planners employed to design our road layouts.

(not for or against, just saying it how it is currently)