the other day, a HATO vehicle pulled onto the m6 near stafford, he pulled in right in front of an artic, did he speed up? did he [zb].
the driver of the artic couldn’t pull out, so he had to anchor on. he warned the HATO driver of his presence by a blast of the horns.
The HATO responded by putting a sign on saying “FOLLOW ME”. he pulled him into stafford checkpoint.
It didn’t seem right to me.
and while i’m at it. about two weeks ago i was on the m53 and two vosa cars were having a race, they cut across from the 3rd lane of the m53 and cut across to join the m56. they made quite a few people swerve and brake.
HATO vehicles do not have FOLLOW ME as an option on their message display panels.
The Variable Message Signs only have certain messages in the memory and only a laptop encrypter can alter.
I would think it was a VOSA vehicle as they do have FOLLOW ME fitted in their VMS.
As suggested , the vehicle you saw “pull” the lorry would have been VOSA and NOT HATO.
HATO do NOT use “follow me” on their VMS vehicle message panel and NOR is it an option to use.
That is also NOT the correct and trained way of a “Safety Intervention Stop” on a vehicle for hato.
and NOT to be mistaken with powers of Law enforcement.
Yes they are trained to use a protocol proceedure in the interests of “Safety Intervention” , and this will take place from behind the said vehicle of concern if necessary , this is to safeguard all road users to point as may be necessary . Other than that , the Police will also take charge as necessary and Police WILL persue any Law Enforcement where necessary and hato can liaise with police to inform them.
3) Those powers may only be exercised for one or more of the following purposes–
(a) maintaining or improving the movement of traffic on a relevant road over which the traffic officer has jurisdiction by virtue of section 3;
(b) preventing or reducing the effect of anything causing (or which has the potential to cause) congestion or other disruption to the movement of traffic on such a road;
(c) avoiding danger to persons or other traffic using such a road (or preventing risks of any such danger arising);
(d) preventing damage to, or to anything on or near, such a road;
or for a purpose incidental to any of those purposes.
It comes under a Traffic Officers powers of the use of Emergency Traffic Management :- … Traffic Management Act 2004…
I personally don’t think enough people have the power to stop us! Why not enable traffic wardens, lollipop ladies, library attendants, in fact anyone this government decides has any quasi powers should be able to disrupt, interrupt and prevent us working daily. Bring back The Home Guard I say.
And one day,when every working man is being regulated by another working man we’ll have reached our Socialist Utopia so beloved of our dear politicos.
I suppose this is the problem with living in a country that produces diddly squat anymore, non jobs created to meet “figures”. whilst the real problems lie unaddressed.
limeyphil:
the other day, a HATO vehicle pulled onto the m6 near stafford, he pulled in right in front of an artic, did he speed up? did he [zb].
the driver of the artic couldn’t pull out, so he had to anchor on. he warned the HATO driver of his presence by a blast of the horns.
The HATO responded by putting a sign on saying “FOLLOW ME”. he pulled him into stafford checkpoint.
It didn’t seem right to me.
and while i’m at it. about two weeks ago i was on the m53 and two vosa cars were having a race, they cut across from the 3rd lane of the m53 and cut across to join the m56. they made quite a few people swerve and brake.
i only live off jnct 3 m53 and its only a short motorway but its always got police and vosa sitting off on the junc 3 slip road facing eastbound, probably trying to catch out the irish drivers coming off the ferry down in 12 quays… so be warned!!
Guess thats a tongue in cheek reply ,
In many areas people are already trying to "work together " as you say in the suggesested possible view of Socialist Utopia.
Unfortunately there is a percentage out there who are not willing or just naieve to their own surroundings, and those who are not prepared to consider the Safety of themselves or others.
Ok, the unavoidable incident will always occur , thats the nature of the beast
Work together Brother in Arms , and we shall seek, the Everlasting Dream of Freedom and Perfection.
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…
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We are free men and just a number
trux:
Unfortunately there is a percentage out there who are not willing or just naieve to their own surroundings, and those who are not prepared to consider the Safety of themselves or others.
There is also a percentage of people that have principles and beliefs, strong to their heart and soul. Some of those believe it to be “unfair” and therefore outside the bounds of common decency to move the goalposts to suit.
The “using a mobile phone” laws for instance. Totally unnecessary and an insult to people able to control their own mind and concentration division and application.
trux:
The “using a mobile phone” laws for instance. Totally unnecessary and an insult to people able to control their own mind and concentration division and application.
There i have to differ on your opinion,
I have lost count on the too many numerous occasions where I have been cruising along on a clear open road on cruise-control in my truck, only to have to overtake a driver who is in clear view on their mobile phone and they`re too busy concentrating on the call that they slow down rapidly.
Can you in your own clear conscience categorically state that you have never had to take evasive action due to someone else being mind held on their mobile I know i cant.
So the use of someone explaining to the berieved relatives of a sudden lost one from a road traffic incident is suitable in saying :- " Yes its OK theyre dead , the person was phoning home to find out what was for tea " then Think NOT…
But then I can still remember the time before the explosion of mobile phones availability, when we all used to use a land-line phone box to call TM etc.
On a certain occasion , a rephad been so long in the kiosk with a queue of people waiting to use it , that someones (persons unknown) :laughing: tied a rope and ratchet strap around the phone box and locked him in . :laughing: :laughing: He had to phone for help to get out, and he had the cheek to ask for 10p to make the callcos he had ran out of coins Justified or not ?
At the risk of taking this thread to Cuba . . . . . . . .
My own clear conscience is a matter for — well . . . . . . my own conscience, but I have on many occasions had to take evasive action due to someone else’s mind being elsewhere. And by simple definition, they were therefore not driving with due care and attention, or possibly guilty of dangerous driving — ALL of which is without there being an “incident” let alone the death you mention.
My point is that the new and separate law was unnecessary.
I can though “categorically state with clear conscience” that nobody has had to take evasion action due to me using a hand-held mobile phone. This is because I, like many, many others are able to control the division and application of attention and concentration.
Perhaps this (sub-topic) would make an interesting discussion point in it’s own separate thread
dustylfc:
i only live off jnct 3 m53 and its only a short motorway but its always got police and vosa sitting off on the junc 3 slip road facing eastbound, probably trying to catch out the irish drivers coming off the ferry down in 12 quays… so be warned!!
Which way is east from B/head to Chester
Be warned why , if you are running legal, break on the ferry and a nice new little truck stop at junction 8 , except the butties are ridiculously expensive
As others quote the Vms in the back are not free type, follow me is not available, (God i wish it were though sometimes ) Pull Over is available, i have used it sparsely on trucks and cars and only as a safety intervention, nothing else. And the “procedure” is in the highway code
limeyphil:
the other day, a HATO vehicle pulled onto the m6 near stafford, he pulled in right in front of an artic, did he speed up? did he [zb].
the driver of the artic couldn’t pull out, so he had to anchor on. he warned the HATO driver of his presence by a blast of the horns.
The HATO responded by putting a sign on saying “FOLLOW ME”. he pulled him into stafford checkpoint.
It didn’t seem right to me.
and while i’m at it. about two weeks ago i was on the m53 and two vosa cars were having a race, they cut across from the 3rd lane of the m53 and cut across to join the m56. they made quite a few people swerve and brake.
Do they have on board video cameras front and back to record constantly like the traffic cars ?. If not, why not !!!
It would be nice to see there actions on film / video against the drivers chart, if a complaint was made
But they think they are above the Law nowadays and want us to roll over play dead and pay the fixed penalties Without Question
the maoster:
I personally don’t think enough people have the power to stop us! Why not enable traffic wardens, lollipop ladies, library attendants, in fact anyone this government decides has any quasi powers should be able to disrupt, interrupt and prevent us working daily. Bring back The Home Guard I say.
And one day,when every working man is being regulated by another working man we’ll have reached our Socialist Utopia so beloved of our dear politicos.
I suppose this is the problem with living in a country that produces diddly squat anymore, non jobs created to meet “figures”. whilst the real problems lie unaddressed.
dambuster:
‘… The “using a mobile phone” laws … Totally unnecessary and an insult to people able to control their own mind and concentration …’
‘…Totally unnecessary…’?
What about those unable to ‘…control their own mind and concentration…’?
I sometimes feel insulted by slack traffic governance/management which encourages unsafe buffoons to spoil otherwise nice days for the safe & courteous.
Thus, is the current HATO arrangement a satisfactory solution for today’s road management needs?
dambuster:
‘… The “using a mobile phone” laws … Totally unnecessary and an insult to people able to control their own mind and concentration …’
‘…Totally unnecessary…’?
What about those unable to ‘…control their own mind and concentration…’?
I sometimes feel insulted by slack traffic governance/management which encourages unsafe buffoons to spoil otherwise nice days for the safe & courteous.
Thus, is the current HATO arrangement a satisfactory solution for today’s road management needs?
I’d say totally unecessary too. There is already a law to prosecute dangerous drivers or without due care and attention. It does not neccesary follow that someone so much as touching a fone is dangerous or liable to become a danger. But it does now follow that they can be heavily penalised. When satnavs, stereos,handsfree,in car dvd players and cigarette lighter sockets are all removed from vehicles then i’d say its a level playing field.
Anyway, HATO’s !! Althugh they have powers of direction and to stop you etc. i’d assume its to aid safe passage of traffic and or safety and not power to stop as in to do you for something.
dambuster:
‘… The “using a mobile phone” laws … Totally unnecessary …’
‘…Totally unnecessary…’?
‘…I’d say totally unecessary too. There is already a law to prosecute dangerous drivers or without due care and attention. It does not neccesary follow that someone so much as touching a fone is dangerous or liable to become a danger. But it does now follow that they can be heavily penalised…’
You’re maybe suggsting that discretion by a human remains an option within today’s electronic surveilance era? But in reality we are being treated at the numpty level of Joe Pubic [sic] who, ie, can’t use a motorway slip-road properly, cruises all day alone in lane three, slows down for his exit 2 miles early & hasn’t read his Highway Code in 30 years: Or Joe Gupta - who is fresh off the Dover ferry: Or Josephine Pubic in her 4 kiss 4 with a dinner party to fix, the labrador being sick over the twins when her phone rings, etc, etc.
I suggest that they are the liabilities - yet the electronic eye see’s us all the same & is why we are being treated as muppets. That’s the way we’re being led …didn’t you vote for it either?
Yes they are trained to use a protocol proceedure in the interests of “Safety Intervention” , and this will take place from behind the said vehicle of concern if necessary , this is to safeguard all road users to point as may be necessary . Other than that , the Police will also take charge as necessary and Police WILL persue any Law Enforcement where necessary and hato can liaise with police to inform them.
I know i cant.
, except the butties are ridiculously expensive 
) Pull Over is available, i have used it sparsely on trucks and cars and only as a safety intervention, nothing else. And the “procedure” is in the highway code 