Driving home one evening along the motorway in the pouring rain, it dawned on me that generally the motorways here do not have "Cats Eyes", has anyone else realised this?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat's_eye_(road)

Yeah, I've noticed and often grumble about it, especially since roads are unlit outside urban centres. It makes driving at night here a real pain on pitch black autoroutes. And it's not just motorways - it's any road. The only place I see them are in tunnels and even then I think they're LED light emitting studs and not your traditional reflective cat's eyes. I asked my neighbour once and for what it's worth he said they can't put road studs in because snow ploughs would rip them out. It didn't sound right to me because I know British roads are ploughed in extremis but I didn't argue.

The snow ploughs would rip them up as I was shown today when the snow plough lifted the drain cover today outside my appt. It is a shame as Cats Eyes have probably saved many lives.

If you search for Cats Eyes you'll find they were discussed somewhere else on the forum last year (here). I think the issue is that the snow ploughs will dig them out when they are clearing the road, so they are unsuitable to be used here.

I hear your pain, I miss them a lot too, I find it much more difficult to drive on a dark wet evening here then at home due to the lack of cats eyes. I think if they used a more reflective paint on the roads it might help.

Along the same lines, I think that painting pedestrian crossings yellow is a terrible idea. On a dark wet evening they are invisible under the orange street lights.

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Well if "cats eyes" don't work they could at least try to use "glass beads" in the paint work of the road lines, that would be a very useful and reflective substance that would help?

This is what I've been told as well, but I'm not sure I buy it. I mean, I'm from snow country back home and we've got them (not on all the back county roads, but certainly on the state roads.) Even Alaska has them, for cryin' out loud!

There is an American company from Colorado (I think) that has a great system. The snow plows run over the eyes and they retract into the ground. I will see if I can find the website.

Yes, I agree, there are lots of areas in CH that could benefit from this system. There are plenty of areas that have really bad fog or low visibility. This American system is really easy to install as well. They just use a coring machine (big drill) and drop in the system.

I find it really strange and rather hard to believe, Since you can have rubber tipped snow ploughs, I remember when I lived in USA around Wisconsin in the 1980's they had real heavy snowy winters and they used these types of ploughs.

I haven't found the one I am looking for but here is a flush mounted version (MODEL 101 LPCR - right of page) that allows the snow blade to slide over the reflector without damaging it.

http://www.ennispaint.com/products/product.asp?ID=21

I will see if I can find the other one that retracts into the ground.

Just to say, there is no excuse for not having these in dangerous areas.

Last weekend I drove to Munich and despite the glaring lack of cat's eyes, one could still drive 190+ on the autobahn between Lindau and Munchen.

Very brave when you can't see further than your headlights!

Some would even say irresponsible.

I have heard of incidents where even the retractable ones can get dug out by snowploughs. But as someone mentioned this risk could probably be reduced by rubber tipped snowploughs.

You really would think they would put more effort into it here, I think they make driving at night far safer.

Correct on the damage question. A study that the province of Alberta did a few years ago found that "losses" from snowplows and other damage were about 20-25% per year. So these things have to be inexpensive enough (not sure of the price) and easy enough to replace (they are) that it makes sense. They rotor/dig out a bit of the asphalt and glue these cat eyes into the cleaned out area so it is harder for the snow plow blade to catch the edges. The idea is that the blade slides over the reflector (see link above).

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So I am guessing correctly that rubber tipped snow ploughs are no used here? Could it be that Switzerland not such an advance country after all? with all the new ideas and technology they always boast about?

Please excuse me if my views offend anyone, but I was recently reading the review below, which I feel kind of adds to this discussion regarding "cats eyes" on motorways.

http://www.molon.de/travelogues/Switzerland/2008/

for that web page above:

"I had the impression that Switzerland is not as modern as the other European countries. They used to be on a pretty high standard, but it seems that the Swiss have kind of missed the modernisation wave which swept through the EU over the past years. To make some examples, the infrastructure in Switzerland is aging. Motorways are not up to the standards of an advanced European country, streets in the cities are confusing."

Going from Basel to Zurich at night, there are a few stretches where I have had a hard time seeing the road ahead, unless you can follow someone elses tail lights. I think one gets used to seeing the Cat's Eyes and if you are not accustomed to NOT having them, it is more difficult.

fduvall

Totally agree with you.

Go to the airport. Look at the runways . Lots of "cats-eyes" lights . Lots of snow. Lots of snowploughs.
Seems to work ok.

I wonder does it cost more over here than the UK to build roads? Is that why? I mean how much can one of those cost against saving a life?

Oh please......

I for one absolutely hated driving in Germany when it was dark and raining as it was IMPOSSIBLE to see the road infront of you. Cat's eyes are a brilliant invention and it surprises me that countries such as Switzerland and Germany do not use them to the extent they are used on say British roads.