Driving last night through the roadworks minding my own business when all of a sudden the truck leaped in the air. Turns out the hard shoulder (where you have to drive because of the roadworks) is nowhere near even, in fact it drops away massively.
Anyone know where I mean?
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Driven that, never had that happen. Were you actually driving on the black stuff and not on the verge?
Definitely the black stuff, when I saw the wagon in front lurch I was midway through saying “what the f…” when I hit it. Seems where the slip road tarmac and hard shoulder tarmac meet are now at two different levels.
Conor:
Driven that, never had that happen. Were you actually driving on the black stuff and not on the verge?
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Yes, just after the exit slip it drops away quite severely. I always indicate out b4 & then straight back in.
Mark500:
Yes, just after the exit slip it drops away quite severely. I always indicate out b4 & then straight back in.
Think I will be doing that from now on, it really did wake me up!
You’d think Highways would’ve ensured the suitability of the hard shoulder before putting it into service as a running lane.
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Know it well i do it at night, i always move across a bit, i find a piece of the A1 at team valley just after you drop downhill northbound go slight left over a rail bridge its that bridge joints that make my unit do Zebedee impressions.
I know where you mean Imp, workman must’ve forgot his spirit level the day they did those bridge joints/surfacing [emoji23]
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stuwozere1:
Definitely the black stuff, when I saw the wagon in front lurch I was midway through saying “what the f…” when I hit it. Seems where the slip road tarmac and hard shoulder tarmac meet are now at two different levels.Conor:
Driven that, never had that happen. Were you actually driving on the black stuff and not on the verge?
Ah. Been a couple of weeks since I’ve been up that stretch. Will know to look out for it now, thanks.
Conor:
stuwozere1:
Definitely the black stuff, when I saw the wagon in front lurch I was midway through saying “what the f…” when I hit it. Seems where the slip road tarmac and hard shoulder tarmac meet are now at two different levels.Conor:
Driven that, never had that happen. Were you actually driving on the black stuff and not on the verge?Ah. Been a couple of weeks since I’ve been up that stretch. Will know to look out for it now, thanks.
If you do hit it make sure your seat belt is on tight, otherwise you’ll be out the sunroof or window [emoji106]
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stuwozere1:
Driving last night through the roadworks minding my own business when all of a sudden the truck leaped in the air. Turns out the hard shoulder (where you have to drive because of the roadworks) is nowhere near even, in fact it drops away massively.
Anyone know where I mean?Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
Yes… it’s the Newton Aycliffe exit.
The roadworks are to replace the centre safety barrier - that means they have what would normally be the outside lane on both carriageways coned off.
Consquently, traffic is having to drive down the hard shoulder and lane 1.
That in itself isn’t particularly great when you’re in an HGV as there isn’t much wiggle room - and if you get it slightly wrong off to the left you are immediately into soft, grassy verge and then probably a field 
That particular ‘jump’ you mention, is where the slip road is going up, but the hard shoulder is continuing straight - and I guess, when it was built, they didn’t get the smoothest of finishes - but it didn’t really matter as it was only the hard shoulder.
Unfortunately, now, it is ‘mattering’ 
Anyways, the topic has done the rounds on North East Truckers on FB - and it’s been reported to Highways multiple times by drivers who have a rude awakening (and needed a change in jockeys) - their answer… put up the ‘Ramp’ sign you now see there.
So, you see, the problem has been sorted 
Jon
Crusher75:
stuwozere1:
Driving last night through the roadworks minding my own business when all of a sudden the truck leaped in the air. Turns out the hard shoulder (where you have to drive because of the roadworks) is nowhere near even, in fact it drops away massively.
Anyone know where I mean?Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
Yes… it’s the Newton Aycliffe exit.
The roadworks are to replace the centre safety barrier - that means they have what would normally be the outside lane on both carriageways coned off.
Consquently, traffic is having to drive down the hard shoulder and lane 1.
That in itself isn’t particularly great when you’re in an HGV as there isn’t much wiggle room - and if you get it slightly wrong off to the left you are immediately into soft, grassy verge and then probably a fieldThat particular ‘jump’ you mention, is where the slip road is going up, but the hard shoulder is continuing straight - and I guess, when it was built, they didn’t get the smoothest of finishes - but it didn’t really matter as it was only the hard shoulder.
Unfortunately, now, it is ‘mattering’Anyways, the topic has done the rounds on North East Truckers on FB - and it’s been reported to Highways multiple times by drivers who have a rude awakening (and needed a change in jockeys) - their answer… put up the ‘Ramp’ sign you now see there.
So, you see, the problem has been sorted [emoji38]Jon
Trouble is when you see the word ramp you assume (I know assumptions are the mother of all mess ups) that said ramp is an even ramp and doesn’t deflect you off to the left. That said, from now on I’m gonna move to the right at that junction and avoid that ‘ramp’ altogether.
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stuwozere1:
Crusher75:
stuwozere1:
Driving last night through the roadworks minding my own business when all of a sudden the truck leaped in the air. Turns out the hard shoulder (where you have to drive because of the roadworks) is nowhere near even, in fact it drops away massively.
Anyone know where I mean?Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
Yes… it’s the Newton Aycliffe exit.
The roadworks are to replace the centre safety barrier - that means they have what would normally be the outside lane on both carriageways coned off.
Consquently, traffic is having to drive down the hard shoulder and lane 1.
That in itself isn’t particularly great when you’re in an HGV as there isn’t much wiggle room - and if you get it slightly wrong off to the left you are immediately into soft, grassy verge and then probably a fieldThat particular ‘jump’ you mention, is where the slip road is going up, but the hard shoulder is continuing straight - and I guess, when it was built, they didn’t get the smoothest of finishes - but it didn’t really matter as it was only the hard shoulder.
Unfortunately, now, it is ‘mattering’Anyways, the topic has done the rounds on North East Truckers on FB - and it’s been reported to Highways multiple times by drivers who have a rude awakening (and needed a change in jockeys) - their answer… put up the ‘Ramp’ sign you now see there.
So, you see, the problem has been sorted [emoji38]Jon
Trouble is when you see the word ramp you assume (I know assumptions are the mother of all mess ups) that said ramp is an even ramp and doesn’t deflect you off to the left. That said, from now on I’m gonna move to the right at that junction and avoid that ‘ramp’ altogether.
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Oh I totally agree with you… it’s a joke and an accident waiting to happen.
If the shoe were on the other foot, and it was something us drivers hadn’t checked or done, and then there was an issue - we’d be fined/prosecuted out the wazoo.
Jon
i hit that last night at about 2am, scared the life out of me. You’d think they’d at least get a spotlight on it or something so you can see how severe it is.