HATO (TOS)ers will

[oscardog]

cheesey:
Looking at their budget, they spend a lot of money baby sitting broken down cars waiting for the AA. After the Olympics, can’t see the need for them…

And the budget is how much as you are obviously on the inside track and have all the info to hand?
Have you ever actually spoken to a HATO to ask what they do? You ought to, you may find out that we dont babysit breakdowns, unless its a truck carrying a high value load, tanker etc.
Do you know what the Traffic Officer involvement is in the Olympics cos if you do you are brilliant as the plans havent been finalised yet.

Dont know why i allow myself to get wound up by morons.

Mick.

[lighting_mcqueen]

Don’t let him get to you oscardog

I must admit random attacks on hatos such as this on forums are getting boring.

keep up the good work

[oscardog]

Cheers, much appreciated.

[secretelephant]

Insted of simply parking behind a broken down vehicle, they should be allowed to tow it to the nearest service station or mway junction. Far safer. Nothing worse than being forced to stand at the roadside waitibg for a rbreakdown mechanic even with a foil blanket.

[mickyblue]

My old dear works for HATO in the control room at south mims and she would’ve told me if HATO was going.

[coffeeholic]

mickyblue:
My old dear works for HATO in the control room at south mims and she would’ve told me if HATO was going.

I’ve been in there, busy and interesting place.

The control room I mean before anyone says anything.

[mickyblue]

Without HATO we will be buggered. There is not enough police to make the motorways safe as there is not enough of them

[muckles]

Secretelephant:
Insted of simply parking behind a broken down vehicle, they should be allowed to tow it to the nearest service station or mway junction. Far safer. Nothing worse than being forced to stand at the roadside waitibg for a rbreakdown mechanic even with a foil blanket.

I know it would make sense, but the problem with that is then the recovery firms woud be up in arms complaining that HATO are taking thier work.

[extrucker]

Mike Penning,the roads minister,was out on patrol on M1 and M25 two weeks ago and said our role will change slightly,but we are not going anywhere.I think ACPO would object strongly as Police numbers are being cut and they will not be able to deal with the incidents we deal with.I deal with mainly with two police forces and they both say they would struggle without hato’s.
We have one or two idiots,one or two on a power trip etc but 99% want to do a good job and keep lanes open.A lot of the time,we are stuck with procedures from people who dont work on motorways and off course health and safety rules,restricting us.Not allowed to use common sense !!

[wheel_nut]

extrucker:
Mike Penning,the roads minister,was out on patrol on M1 and M25 two weeks ago and said our role will change slightly,but we are not going anywhere.I think ACPO would object strongly as Police numbers are being cut and they will not be able to deal with the incidents we deal with.I deal with mainly with two police forces and they both say they would struggle without hato’s.
We have one or two idiots,one or two on a power trip etc but 99% want to do a good job and keep lanes open.A lot of the time,we are stuck with procedures from people who dont work on motorways and off course health and safety rules,restricting us.Not allowed to use common sense !!

A good friend of mine works in the control unit and answers the emergency phone to the motorway morons, they call in and do not have a clue where they are or which direction they are heading. some are lorry drivers, some are car drivers, she then decides whether the call needs police involvement, a clean up squad or a babysitter. Often it just needs someone with more patience than I have and a sense of humour.

[cheesey]

Oh sorry, it was not until I re-read what I wrote that I was striking the wrong note!
Yes I do know them very well and I know that now they are Called T.O.S (Traffic officer Support) not HATO and thanks to whom ever now get called Tossers.
What I really meant that in this current climate are they still justified?

You mention the Highways Agency ISUs contractors, they cost the HA much more money per year than the Traffic officers and do not have any powers to place out emergency traffic management unless a Police officer or HA Traffic officer is on scene with them. In addition to that Traffic officers are exempt from motorway regulations ISUs are not they are purely there to support Traffic officers and Police.

Got news for you mate, with most motorway, APTR incidents cleared now within 45mins and a massive reduction in serious and fatal accidents since they started.They are here to stay, I don’t know where you got 2012 from? They have funding for at lease the next 4 years.

More news for you mate, ISU’s can and have the right to place ETM without TO’s and can use hard shoulders and close lanes call in rolling road blocks etc, although they still need the HATO’s for that.

The contractors cost more because they do more.

Once again, it was more worry about my job with HATO and I was just passing on rumours to see if anyone knew anything!
Sorry again to those I have offended, it was in the spirit of debate

Why does every lorry with the flashing keep left/right signs on have to have at least 2 men in the cab?

You would like to cone off a couple of lanes without no one watching your back?
Pick up rubbish without some one moving the only thing between you and a car/lorry moving at speed?
ISU’s work in pairs for safety.

[peirre]

Coffeeholic:
I’ve been in there, busy and interesting place.

The control room I mean before anyone says anything.

Yeah, Yeah … we believe you …honestly we do

[bosshogg]

cheesey:
Oh sorry, it was not until I re-read what I wrote that I was striking the wrong note!
Yes I do know them very well and I know that now they are Called T.O.S (Traffic officer Support)

Wrong! We are Highways Agency Traffic Officers - HATOs who are part of the Traffic Officer Service, which is a small part of the Traffic Management Directorite - TMD. The budget for this department is massive, we are only a very small part of the expenditure for that department and will be around to patrol our network for quite a long time to come.

[denis_f]

extrucker:
We have one or two idiots,one or two on a power trip etc but 99% want to do a good job and keep lanes open.

we know we’ve seen them on here

but it’s the same in any group ( including truckers) there will always be a small minority who can best be described as tossers

[bosshogg]

Denis F:

extrucker:
We have one or two idiots,one or two on a power trip etc but 99% want to do a good job and keep lanes open.

we know we’ve seen them on here

but it’s the same in any group ( including truckers) there will always be a small minority who can best be described as tossers

Good job we’re not all like that. Some of us are even house trained.

[truckyboy]

Well…Well…so many different opinions…what do they do…well they can switch on a flashing light…they can weave from lane to lane…they can give you a tin foil coat/blanket…err…oh they can put cones out…what they also do is draw your attention and distract you from the normal routine.
They cannot pull wreckage out of the way…cannot change someones punctured tyre…oh… and they can tell english drivers not to take a 45 on the hard shoulder, but cant tell the foreigners ( too much hastle with language )…and i for one will not stand in the ■■■■■■■ rain or snow in the interest of safety, i will stay in my nice warm cab and take my chances there…its better than pneumonia…so they will not get my vote…sorry.

[bosshogg]

I dont know where you get your info from. I can clear wreckage from live lane, i’m not supposed to change tyres but I have. I have a foreign phrase book to converse with overseas drivers. Failing that, I have 24 access to an interpreter.

[muckaway]

Why does every lorry with the flashing keep left/right signs on have to have at least 2 men in the cab?

You would like to cone off a couple of lanes without no one watching your back?
Pick up rubbish without some one moving the only thing between you and a car/lorry moving at speed?
ISU’s work in pairs for safety.
[/quote]
Why not quote the whole thing instead of just what suits? If you think I was exaggerating, watch the highways blokes on the Witney bypass next time they decide to waste a few quid appeasing the owners of hay-burners (horse-owners). About 3 flashy trucks, 2 blokes to a cab (copy of the Sun optional but as they sit there for the entire job duration it’s a good idea) at least 3 blokes standing around chatting/watching for fanny etc and 1 poor sod actually doing something…Oh, and “the foreman” in a Hilux sat in the nearest layby “supervising” (texting someone).
Perhaps the job would be done quicker if the passengers and fanny watchers grabbed a broom/shovel?

[big_jase]

truckyboy:
well they can switch on a flashing light

To warn people of an obstruction, what a pain we are

truckyboy:
…they can weave from lane to lane.

To start a rolling road block to ensure no one runs over the dead dog in the carriageway

truckyboy:
.they can give you a tin foil coat/blanket…

Which you will be very very appreciative of when you pop down the road and dont take a coat.

truckyboy:
.oh they can put cones out…

To protect a tyre fitter when he fixes your truck to ensure that he can work safely and go home to his family

truckyboy:
.what they also do is draw your attention and distract you from the normal routine.

If your being distracted then your one of only a few as many millions pass us without issue.

truckyboy:
They cannot pull wreckage out of the way.

You see, the ill informed give us a bad name, if you dont know what we can do, you shouldnt really comment, why do you think we have 4x4’s?

truckyboy:
.cannot change someones punctured tyre.

Correct but we can assist with advice and get them on their way an hour quicker than having to wait for the recovery services, surely your mother/missus/son/daughter would appreciate that??

truckyboy:
.oh… and they can tell english drivers not to take a 45 on the hard shoulder, but cant tell the foreigners ( too much hastle with language ).

I do mate.

truckyboy:
…and i for one will not stand in the ■■■■■■■ rain or snow in the interest of safety, i will stay in my nice warm cab and take my chances there…its better than pneumonia…so they will not get my vote…sorry.

No problem, we’ll shut the motorway while your death is investigated after you get hit up the backside and end up led on the road.

By the way, in responce to us being a waste of money, there is 61 million people in this country. We cost each peson £1.60 a year for all we do. Whats that, one cup of Costa coffee, sounds like very good value to me.

[cheesey]

You would like to cone off a couple of lanes without no one watching your back?
Pick up rubbish without some one moving the only thing between you and a car/lorry moving at speed?
ISU’s work in pairs for safety.

Why not quote the whole thing instead of just what suits? If you think I was exaggerating, watch the highways blokes on the Witney bypass next time they decide to waste a few quid appeasing the owners of hay-burners (horse-owners). About 3 flashy trucks, 2 blokes to a cab (copy of the Sun optional but as they sit there for the entire job duration it’s a good idea) at least 3 blokes standing around chatting/watching for fanny etc and 1 poor sod actually doing something…Oh, and “the foreman” in a Hilux sat in the nearest layby “supervising” (texting someone).
Perhaps the job would be done quicker if the passengers and fanny watchers grabbed a broom/shovel?
[/quote]
Err…because they are not ISU’s?
Those are HA Contractors.
ISU teams do pick up litter and cut the grass mainly on motorways only as a secondary role.
They are there to provide a bigger safety area, carriage repair and better protection to the emergency services.