AN HGV driver has found a novel way to pass the time on long trips – finding road signs with mileages that add up to 100.
Mike James has so far spotted 16 such signs during his travels in the UK and is on constant look out for more.
The 49-year-old from Newport, South Wales, shared examples on a Facebook page called The Very Boring Group.
Examples include a sign on the M4 which says it is 45 miles to Port Talbot, 35 miles to Bridgend, 18 miles to Cardiff and two to Newport.
The A76 in Scotland has a sign stating it is 13 miles to Cumnock, 30 miles to Sanquhar and 57 to Dumfries.
Mike scans distance signs and, when they add to up to 100 – or multiples of 100 – later finds them on Google Maps.
Writing on social media, he said: “The first picture will be familiar to anyone driving past the Celtic Manor at Newport. The second is near Stonehenge.
“All of them have the road number at the top, this does not form part of the sum, just the numbers which relate to the destination.
“Not many road signs add up to 100, or multiples thereof. I am satisfied when I find a new one.”
The A303 Westminster to Exeter, the M25 to Heathrow, A34 The Midlands, and the A30 Bodmin all have mileage signs adding up to 100.
Michael Rodgers Kane wrote under Mike’s post: “Excellent. Fine signage and number crunchers like me get mildly excited at this kind of numerology. I’ve driven past at least 3 of these on my travels and will pass one today.”
Janette Booth added: “This greatly satisfies me and my compulsion for round numbers. I fear you may have sparked a new hobby.”
Tambra Galid added: “This seems to be a little too exciting, at least for me.”
Zoe Chambers-Cue said: “Found this post to be sufficiently boring, and I appreciate how much time it has consumed. I also appreciate how much time this must take for you to pursue this activity.”
Speaking today Mike said: “It’s a challenge that I set myself to try and find all the signs in the UK that add up to 100.
“I’m a long distance lorry driver and I started 13 years ago and I would drive the road to the Midlands quite a lot and noticed that most of the signs added up to 102, 98 but never actually 100, so I thought I would try and find one that does.
“The first one I found was a year later on the way home near to my home city in Newport near the Celtic Manor.
“I drive in a lorry, which is about 55 miles per hour so it allows me more time to pass the signs and add up the destinations. It’s been a while since I seen anothe 100.
“I saw for the first time last year near Peterborough the first sign that added up to 200 and six months ago near Aberdeen was the first and only 300 I’ve seen, so far.”
