DMS denies roundabout signs are road hazard
(CNS): Despite regrets by the Central Planning Authority over its decision to give local business conglomerate DMS permission to erect digital signs on the roundabout at Grand Harbour, the firm denies that the signs are a danger and say statistics show that accidents in the area have fallen by 50% since the electronic billboards were constructed. The local business said this suggested that motorists were slowing down at this roundabout which has reduced the risks of road collisions at the roundabout. DMS said the roundabout was designed, engineered and maintained to be a safe addition tothe daily travel of motorists and passengers, while offering an important public message service.
“Safety was the top priority in all stages of planning and remains at the forefront of any decision-making where the DMS Roundabout is concerned,” the firm said in a statement released to refute allegations that the digital boards are distracting to drivers and a traffic hazard.The firm said that while the statistics show the roundabout was not a safety concern, there was still an island-wide road safety problem and many accidents and fatalities are occurring where no digital signage is present at all, such as the Esterley Tibbetts Highway.
“DMS is committed to working with our community to find solutions to improve road safety and will continue to broadcast messages of road safety and reminders to slow down as part of our ongoing dedication to our community,” the firm said.
“The DMS Roundabout was conceived as a gift to our community, an important collaboration between the public and the private sector, providing vital means of communication during special community events, emergencies or natural disasters. DMS recognized the medium of digital signage as a safe, efficient and attractive means for getting short messages out to motorists during their commute, compared to the alternative of multiple banner postings,” DMS stated about the boards erected in the centre of the busy junction.
DMS added that the roundabout is available to any group seeking to broadcast an important community message, as under its planning application it is not allowed to broadcast any commercial advertising on the signs.
“It is anon-profit initiative that is making a powerful and positive difference in our community,” the firm added.
Category: Local News
I think it's nice that everyone finds the signs to be a hazard, that means everyone is approaching cautiously as we should do at all roundabouts 🙂
Roundabouts are an abomination. An instrument of the devil!
Girls in sexy swimwear can cause accidents too stop them from walking down west bay road. always someone or something to blame,
Girls in ….. Idiotic, asinine, sexist comment about 2 topics completely un-related. Go back to your cave and stay out of discussions above your level. SMH.
I am not the original poster but they are not unrelated. They are both about 'distractions' which could cause accidents. The point is that we must focus on the road rather than the distractions.
I have no problem with the dms roundabout.
I am not the original…. Here’s one for you… humans walking on west bay road don’t need building permits but ill-conceived roundabouts do… that is a reason why the un-related sexist comments were not necessary in the first place.
Pervert. I’m telling your wife!
Sorry to tell you but they are distracting and a hazard besides being unsightly. I live in the are and must pass these signs oftern twice daily at least. At nights it is worst – as a wearer of prescription lenses – it is a nightmare at night – too dazzling!! Get rid of them please.
Look at my signs! Look at my signs. They are here for you to look at. Please look away from the road and your driving and LOOK AT MY SIGNS! It will reduce accidents 50%!!
Those signs are a hazard at night. They’re so bright the lights seem to be like high-beam headlights coming at you. That roundabout looks like something ordered right but came wrong!
DMS please do the right thing and remove the blinding signs. They are not doing your company any good becasue the public is adversely affected by the signs. Your claim that they stop accidents is ludicrous and downright ridiculous. I have to shield my eyes from the brightness every time I go near the roundabout at night.
None of the DMS people have driven that round about at night. At night it is like a headlight right in front of you! I hate it as well and cruse the everytime I drive thru! DMS must be blind like our current Government!
DMS listen to the people and re do the signs so they are not a hazard because trust me they are or take them down they are horrible! Even during the day it looks like crap and I agree the rocks are always on the road!
Why does all of Cayman need to turn into a South Beach Mecca! Big highways, big hotels, big development cam we please take take a pause and look at what we are turning into?
Planning step up and reverse your decision!
Utter madness.
Really? Who gives a ****? It’s a freekin roundabout. If you crash into it because the signs are a bit bright, your an idiot. I think the country has a little bit more to worry about that a bloody roundabout!
How about if they crash into you?
The signs can drive too???!!!!!
Come on Don the signs are just as dangerous as driving whilst using the cell phone or watching american idol in your rear view mirror. Ask any cyclist how many times they were near hit by the idiots who was busy watching your signs. its a hazard and when the accident happens – God forbid a tourist, lets see how much DMS, the CPA and the government will have to settle.
Please leave em up. I’ve already notified my lawyer and am just waiting for my crash.
The sign is clearly hazzardous. And too bright. It's blinding. Why is it so difficult for human beings to ever admit that what they've done is a mistake?
Way too bright.
A total road hazard.
As a driver I think they are a distracting hazzard. That should count for as much as Don's oppinion.
Are DMS are claiming that their signs are the reason there has been a reduction in accidents at the roundabout?
What exactly do they mean by "…important collaboration between the public and the private sector"? And how do the signs make a "…powerful and positive difference in our community"?
At this rate, maybe the signs should be running for political office!
Does everyone have to hide behind trite words and pat phrases that in actual fact mean absolutley nothing? The signs are there for advertising…no more…no less. And quite frankly I find them hideous, cheap and tacky looking. Just like the one they keep moving up and down on WB road.
Oh, and just an opinon from your average driver….as a means of communication, the sign isn't very effective as I'm so worried about being distracted by the sign that I only glance at it and never actually read what it says.
These signs are WAY too bright. Accidents may have fallen but its not because of the signs. They just about blind you on approach.
They certainly are a distraction that does not need to be there. They also don't even look that great. We have so many pretty round abouts on this island and then there are the ones in the prospect area, such a shame that DMS was allowed to do it.
They need to go.
You can't please everyone, but just like in the classroom: unless technology is used correctly it can be a distraction to learning (driving). There is nothing wrong with these signs. Just keep focus on your driving! We have a lot of crazy drivers on the roads.
The lights are not as blinding as the police emergency lights.
They're clearly dangerous, despite the marketing drivel. They're designed to be read by motorists, right? Meaning they're actually designed to distract them at the very moment they attempt to negotiate one of the busiest, most dangerous junctions on the island, right? Nothing more to say really, except to ask whether the message beneath them was composed by Goebbels? It has a fascist ring about it.
The problem is that they are distracting and they don't only show public services messages as they claimed originally.
CPA, you are full of it! Anything that distracts a driver from driving is NOT contributing to safety!!
The first two lines of the article say it all. Even the CPA realsied this was a msitake (and have previously said they aren't doing it again IIRC) while DMS are still trying to defend themselves. (By implying their signs reduced accidents. Somehow. Trust us. They're fine.)
I think DMS is wrong. I think they are a hazzard. It was a mistake to approve them which |I hope is never repeated.
People in Cayman already do not know how nor can they negotiate round-a-bouts. We already know it's illegal to text and drive and reading text messages is the same thing, I find the bright lit signs flashing advertising just as distracting and in fact worst than reading text's as they are bright at night. Cayman drivers don't need distractions while negotiating a round-a-bout!!!!!
I agree, it was a mistake by the planning department.
CPA. Planning recomended agianst them IIRC. And even the CPA have said they were wrong in retrospect adn will nto permit more in the future. Only DMS can't see the sign for the glare.
All road side distractions are hazardous. Common sense. And yes, theyare extremely bright for a human eye. Waste of time, efforts and money if one can't even read it.
I see nothing wrong with the signs, I travel on the road everyday and rarely do I look at the sign. Drove by this morning and I couldn’t tell you is on it right now.
Well, bully for you. As long as you are the only vehicle approaching the roundabout you should be safe and sound!
Well. If you’re not looking at the signs, you’re not using them as DMS intended. They want you to look at them. LOOK AT THEM! And stop paying so much attention to your precious driving!!!!
LOL
That was perhaps the only roundabout on the island that didn't need to be "landscaped". The small grove of mature palms that were there before looked beautiful. It just looks tacky and ill-thought out now.
The economic value of the small grove of palms exceeded the garbage that replaced it. Think resale to help finance the construction of the roundabout.
I think that the signs are too damn bright!!! They need to adjust that!!
Forgive me for replying to your post to get my comment out there, but I seem to be having trouble making a comment in the correct way – unable to type in the comment box.
I agree the signs are too bright.
I disagree that these signs are the cause for the reduction in the number of accidents at that roundabout. I have used this roundabout myself twice-daily for several years now, and I have noticed a drastic reduction in the number of people incorrectly using the lanes in that roundabout. I noticed this change not after these signs were put up, but more particularly when the Road Code was recently revised to give clear guidance on roundabout usage and the correct lane to be in. Now we just need to get folk to overstand procedures at all our roundabouts coz I am sick to my back teeth of the fools that seemingly have no clue what lane of the roundabout they should be in when turning right. Its extremely dangerous for those who are using the roundabout in the correct manner.
Well if you are correct logically there should have been an increase in the number of accidents on the roundabout rather than a decrease. How do you explain that?
I wish the would do something about those rocks/gravel that has been thrown down as it keeps spilling into the street.
In my opinion, this is easily the ugliest round-about and I keept wondering why they dug out that beautiful big Palm Tree that used to be there…….
they removed the plam trees as they were to distracting to motorists