After yesterdays chaotic scenes on the M1 Junction 29 -28 where a van hit a broken down car in lane 1 (according to the local press) and was shut for hours, it seems the so called " smart motorways "are now becoming less smart and down right dangerous.
Is it just me or do other drivers start to get nervous on these 4 lane stretches? What happens in thick fog and a vehicle has stopped in a live lane. Where do you go if you don’t spot it in time. What happens if i break down and can’t make it to a refuge area? You are at the mercy of a traffic bod who watches the cctv,
I think the various road groups have got it right saying the idea should be scrapped in future.
My problem is driver continue to use the hard shoulder as a driving lane even when it’s closed ,I see it all the time scary ■■■■
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.
Was heading down M6 couple of weeks ago, matrix said use hard shoulder (congestion) etc… followed by a broken down vehicle in inside lane/hard shoulder, called emergency services who informed me others had also reported it - but it was outside their control.
They were waiting for highways bods to deal…
Rich The Stag:
What happens in thick fog and a vehicle has stopped in a live lane.
The same thing…
That has always happened. If drivers are driving to the conditions at the right speed, then nothing.
If they’re all doing the standard ‘gotta get there by yesterday’ and tailgating then, the usual ‘30 cars in killer fog pile up’ headlines appear.
Smart motorways were a ridiculous idea in the first place.
Main thing that annoys me is that as a night driver i never get a benefit from them. Ive endured countless hours of lane closures, road closures and reduced speed limits but never get anything out of it. Even on the odd occasion i drive in the day I’ve never actually seen a busy motorway with a hard shoulder open to use.
Every night , M5 north on to M6 people still using the Hard shoulder as a live lane to exit jn 9 before the road markings turn to the dotted line from a solid line.
Maybe they should keep the RED X switched on when it’s not a live lane .
I know you can’t educate thick but anything helps
switchlogic:
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.
Exactly.
If they are used correctly they are fine.
After saying that the ones who are too stupid to use the hard shoulder (including many hgv drivers 
) and prefer to sit in standing traffic instead, usually save me quite a bit of time on that stretch between M6 s/b from J11 where it goes to 4 lanes, and up to and including the smart stretch up to J9 as I pass them all in the hard shoulder while they sit queing.
Although legal, you need to be alert to watch for the ones who will maybe wake up, have a lightbulb moment but cut in on you in to lane 1.
robroy:
switchlogic:
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.Exactly.
If they are used correctly they are fine.After saying that the ones who are too stupid to use the hard shoulder (including many hgv drivers
Although legal, you need to be alert to watch for the ones who will maybe wake up, have a lightbulb moment but cut in on you in to lane 1.
Agreed!
I’ve had about three instances now finding stationary cars sitting in still live lanes in West Mids motorways sections, maybe the smart motorway cctv operators need replacing with robots.
Even at 50 mph its surprising how quickly you close on that vehicle.
No i don’t like so called smart motorways, they are a not particularly cheap and unsafe temporary solution (which can barely cope) when those in control finally realised, about 15/20 years too late, that the country is vastly overpopulated and getting worse every year, and we don’t have the money the time or the land to build enough infrastructure to cope with such a rapid population increase as we’ve never seen before.
This ^
Smart motorways are a cheap fix.
A sticking plaster.
I think it was that Alister Darling arse wipe who dreamed them up, or at least sanctioned them, and when I heard I too thought it was a stupid idea. Thing is now I aint got a problem with them, if used correctly they do ease traffic flow, but it’s the knobs who can’t, or won’t use them properly that ■■■■ the whole system up, like everything else.
switchlogic:
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.
Dual carriageways have a much lower volume of traffic, often lower speed limits and with more regular exits so statistically it’s less likely to be an issue. Smart motorways are a sticking plaster.
TiredAndEmotional:
switchlogic:
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.Dual carriageways have a much lower volume of traffic, often lower speed limits and with more regular exits so statistically it’s less likely to be an issue. Smart motorways are a sticking plaster.
Have you never been on the A1 Doncaster Bypass at rush hour■■? 
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Have you never been on the A1 Doncaster Bypass at rush hour■■?
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The short answer is no! Is that one of those exceptions to the rule? 
Whts the long answer…?
Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk
TiredAndEmotional:
Have you never been on the A1 Doncaster Bypass at rush hour■■?
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The short answer is no! Is that one of those exceptions to the rule?
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There are more exceptions than normalities if you look around mate.
switchlogic:
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.
Spot on that is!!
Juddian:
No i don’t like so called smart motorways
There’s a surprise
TiredAndEmotional:
switchlogic:
What happens on any dual carriageway with no hard shoulder? All lane running with no hard shoulder is hardly a new phenomenon. Smart motorways are here to stay, get used to it.Dual carriageways have a much lower volume of traffic, often lower speed limits and with more regular exits so statistically it’s less likely to be an issue. Smart motorways are a sticking plaster.
Have you been down the A14 lately? Besides, smart motorways have been working well in the Netherlands for many years.