I was enroute to Colchester last night and just before the A14 split on the A1 the matrix boards were warning A14(E) closed J23-24. Now maybe it’s just me, but as the junction numbers aren’t marked in my Trucker’s atlas then that information is about as much use as a snooze button on a smoke alarm.
Now if it had said A14(E) closed at Godmanchester then I would have gone down and taken the 1198 down the back roads, or if it had said closed at Spittals then I would have carried on down the A1. As it happens, I carried on down the A1 anyway as I had no other option but to follow the diversion signs. However, when the diversion signs said to stay on the A1 at the Brampton Hut junction I guessed that the A14 was closed off round Spittals way. Why couldn’t they put that information up for us instead of just junction numbers?
In the end I carried on past the A428 Cambridge turning as that backtracks too much for Colchester and instead continued down to Baldock and went down the 507 to Buntingford then down the A10 for a couple of notches then across the 120. I just made it to my drop in Colchester in 4.5 hrs so was quite pleased with myself as it’s normally 4.25 hrs going A14, M11, A120.
I came back up the M11 and A14 and noticed that the signs on the A14 do actually have junction numbers on them so I’ve made a note of them and scrawled them on my atlas.
It really bugs me too, the signs are plenty big enough to put more info on like the connecting road number or rough location. I still have to count them round on the M25 when I see one as I know where to turn off rather than the junction number.
I’ve got a Collins atlas which i use for everything in conjunction with my truckers atlas (which is ■■■■ apart from the bridge heights)has all the junction numbers on the A14 and other major A roads,It also has Urban mapping of all the major city areas in the back
Rob K:
I still don’t understand why everyone seems to rant about this Philip’s Navigator. Why spend your money on it when you could have the AA Truckers Atlas which is much better, and half the price?
Rob K:
I still don’t understand why everyone seems to rant about this Philip’s Navigator. Why spend your money on it when you could have the AA Truckers Atlas which is much better, and half the price?
Got junction numbers on the A14 though.
I’ve recently noticed that the current edition of the Trucker’s Atlas has them too. Anyone know when a/the new edition will be out? My 6yr old one is in about 13 pieces now and badly needs replacing but I don’t want to do it right now if a new one is imminent, being the tight git that I am and all that.
Solved the problem with my truckers atlas i took it apart and laminated all the pages stuck it in a large ringbinder and hey presto take the pages out i need i can spill stuff on them throw them about and they stay in one piece
Rob K:
I’ve recently noticed that the current edition of the Trucker’s Atlas has them too. Anyone know when a/the new edition will be out? My 6yr old one is in about 13 pieces now and badly needs replacing but I don’t want to do it right now if a new one is imminent, being the tight git that I am and all that.
the newest edition of the AA truckers Atlas was printed at the end of 2004 with updates for 2005.
hgvbabe:
Solved the problem with my truckers atlas i took it apart and laminated all the pages stuck it in a large ringbinder and hey presto take the pages out i need i can spill stuff on them throw them about and they stay in one piece
