Perhaps they’re turning the SOS phones off, as so few drivers speak English these days?
extrucker:
Rob K , I got a reply today stating that they will investigate but usually that time of night would only have one operator on calls at a time and if they are dealing with a long call, there will be a queue.
1 operator to monitor and take calls for the entire UKs road network? Ridiculous. They should scrap the lot the entire outfit, along with all the pointless matrix boards, gantries and so-called active traffic management systems. Roads would flow 1000x better.
Am i reading this right? The advice is to break the law by stopping on the hard shoulder to phone the HA and create a new and probably larger hazard by being there. I wonder if a policeman would support that advice. Actually i don’t wonder because its very poor advice when you advise a motorist to stop on the hard shoulder in a non-emergency situation which it would be if you were calling anyone other than 999 and if you were phoning 999 then there would be no need to stop if you are a passing observer
Scanny, this was an emergency situation, so stopping on the hard shoulder would not be breaking the law. Preferable to continue driving and call 999, which is legal.
Rob, the HA do not cover the UK, just England.
You are not breaking the law if you stop on the hard shoulder to use the telephone that’s provided for the purpose.
Why do you think the phones are there?
I wouldn’t stop on the hard shoulder for anything unless I was breaking down.
If who ever I was speaking to on my phone whether it be HA or police operator couldn’t work out where I was from the highway marker I’ve given them then it’s tough luck, I’ve done my job as a professional and if they can’t do theirs then thats not my problem. I can’t help everyone. That’s how I see it.
GasGas:
You are not breaking the law if you stop on the hard shoulder to use the telephone that’s provided for the purpose.Why do you think the phones are there?
to call for help, not to report an observation. Any other emergency should be a 999 call or 101 for non emergencies which includes some brainless goon on the road like the prat i had the misfortune of being behind the other night with no lights on their caravan shortly before it was getting dark. 101 to report it even though they were heading to the A1M past the rusty angel
Rob K:
extrucker:
Rob K , I got a reply today stating that they will investigate but usually that time of night would only have one operator on calls at a time and if they are dealing with a long call, there will be a queue.1 operator to monitor and take calls for the entire UKs road network? Ridiculous. They should scrap the lot the entire outfit, along with all the pointless matrix boards, gantries and so-called active traffic management systems. Roads would flow 1000x better.
On a similar vein I find when traffic lights are broken at busy junctions, traffic seems to flow better 
It’s only when the police turn up to do the hang signals etc it slow right down.
Rob K:
extrucker:
Rob K , I got a reply today stating that they will investigate but usually that time of night would only have one operator on calls at a time and if they are dealing with a long call, there will be a queue.1 operator to monitor and take calls for the entire UKs road network? Ridiculous. They should scrap the lot the entire outfit, along with all the pointless matrix boards, gantries and so-called active traffic management systems. Roads would flow 1000x better.
I’ve often wondered about the active traffic management systems. Everyday on the M25 at half 3pm without fail the overhead boards are set at 40mph no matter what the the traffic is like. Then of course you get the walleys who actually slam on from doing 80 down to 40 when there is absolutely no reason to then causing a chain reaction for 20 miles and 10 minutes later the traffic is at a standstill.
Why don’t they just scrap the lot and let the actual traffic pattern at that particular time dictate to what speeds are driven at??
I had a very similar incident, accessing a motorway I saw a guy at the last minute no lights all black riding onto the motorway, I called 101 rather then 999 so I got through to a local services after ten minutes they said they would report it,
Anyway half hour later I pull into the services for a drink as two coppers walk over talking rather loudly this is there convo
“Fu***ng waste of time, typical trucker trying to cure some boredome no doubt”
“Yeah, nearly hitting a guy on a hard shoulder, well I suppose they spend half of there time bouncing between lane one and the hard shoulder”
At that point I was getting annoyed and explained politely I was the driver who phoned it in. How I was wide awake with a decent truck with good lighting and how I could hardly see the guy due to his attire and lack of lights,
I also pointed out that I was under the suspicion that riding without lights is illegal, as is riding a push bike on the motorway.
This did not bother them though as apparently it is a regular occurence for this guy and just to justify the call out they give him a lift to the next junction and he was on his way.
The whole affair seemed to be very condescending in my direction.and how I should mind my own business and keep the law facts and enforcement to the “professionals”
This is the 4th time I have had to phone the police and sadly the 4th time I have been shocked and disappointed in our “protectors”
scanny77:
Am i reading this right? The advice is to break the law by stopping on the hard shoulder to phone the HA and create a new and probably larger hazard by being there. I wonder if a policeman would support that advice. Actually i don’t wonder because its very poor advice when you advise a motorist to stop on the hard shoulder in a non-emergency situation which it would be if you were calling anyone other than 999 and if you were phoning 999 then there would be no need to stop if you are a passing observer
I thought the same thing, stopping on the h/s is about a stupid as I gets unless you’ve broken down!
I can never get my head round the fact that the police pull vehicles over onto the h/s for minor motoring offences
Rob K:
1 operator to monitor and take calls for the entire UKs road network? Ridiculous. They should scrap the lot the entire outfit, along with all the pointless matrix boards, gantries and so-called active traffic management systems. Roads would flow 1000x better.
The HAIL line is not operated by the Highways Agency, it is a separate entity sub contracted to the HA. Roads may flow better until someone has a blow out and causes a multiple RTC. Police can’t be everywhere. When you get to the back of the queue and wonder what the hold up is, you’ll say to yourself, “I wish I’d been informed about this so I could take a different route.” Damned if we do, damned if we don’t. 
Rob K:
extrucker:
Rob K , I got a reply today stating that they will investigate but usually that time of night would only have one operator on calls at a time and if they are dealing with a long call, there will be a queue.1 operator to monitor and take calls for the entire UKs road network? Ridiculous. They should scrap the lot the entire outfit, along with all the pointless matrix boards, gantries and so-called active traffic management systems. Roads would flow 1000x better.
Who said only one operator to take calls for the entire UK road network? You just made that up to justify your own rather silly posturing about this incident. The HA only cover England, and they have seven regional control centres. So that’s at least seven operators (assuming one per centre) just for the non- emergency calls. Plus a similar number (or maybe more) covering the Motorway emergency phones. At 2.30 in the morning - when traffic is about as light as it gets these days.
Put it this way - back in the days when local Police manned the Motorway phones, the M1 and M45 in Northants would often generate no calls at all between midnight and 6am, so the Motorway desks were simply not staffed at all - any calls would be taken by whoever happened to be available at the time (nightshift staffing in the County Control Room was 2PCs and four civvy Comms Aides, supervised by an Inspector).
Roymondo:
Rob K:
extrucker:
Rob K , I got a reply today stating that they will investigate but usually that time of night would only have one operator on calls at a time and if they are dealing with a long call, there will be a queue.1 operator to monitor and take calls for the entire UKs road network? Ridiculous. They should scrap the lot the entire outfit, along with all the pointless matrix boards, gantries and so-called active traffic management systems. Roads would flow 1000x better.
Who said only one operator to take calls for the entire UK road network? You just made that up to justify your own rather silly posturing about this incident. The HA only cover England, and they have seven regional control centres. So that’s at least seven operators (assuming one per centre) just for the non- emergency calls. Plus a similar number (or maybe more) covering the Motorway emergency phones. At 2.30 in the morning - when traffic is about as light as it gets these days.
Put it this way - back in the days when local Police manned the Motorway phones, the M1 and M45 in Northants would often generate no calls at all between midnight and 6am, so the Motorway desks were simply not staffed at all - any calls would be taken by whoever happened to be available at the time (nightshift staffing in the County Control Room was 2PCs and four civvy Comms Aides, supervised by an Inspector).
OK just England then, not all of the UK, but as Scotland and Wales have next to no roads in comparison to England then it may as well be just one operator, which is exactly what extrucker (a HATO womble) said, and seeing as there is only 1 number for the HA then 1 operator for the entire road network is correct, and also ridiculous as already stated. Why are YOU making things up by stating 7 operators when extrucker has already told you that there is only 1 operator covering England?
discoman:
Gentleman,there is no such thing as a stupid triple 9 call on the motorways within reason, straps people … cars broken down in lane 1 2 or 3 is life threatening the pol will come out as explained it will be an immediate response from the rpu or traffic divisions don’t feel anyway about calling 999 if a car is broken down in lane one or people are walking etc a ratchet is a life threatening situation to a motor cyclist.
“triple 9”…ffs
Rob, HAIL calls aren’t answered in the HA control centres, they get answered by a civilian operator in the National control centre who are also the ones who set the matrix signs miles from an incident.It is not an offence to stop on the hard shoulder to use the emergency phones, which are answered by HATOs in the region the phone is situated. The answering of emergency phones are subject to performance indicators and have to be answered in a certain number of seconds, biffo will be able to confirm this.
I have not any problems dialling 999 to report obstacles on the road.The details go to Hato.I have seen manhole covers missing or facing upright or the drains have collapsed.
BillyMac:
discoman:
Gentleman,there is no such thing as a stupid triple 9 call on the motorways within reason, straps people … cars broken down in lane 1 2 or 3 is life threatening the pol will come out as explained it will be an immediate response from the rpu or traffic divisions don’t feel anyway about calling 999 if a car is broken down in lane one or people are walking etc a ratchet is a life threatening situation to a motor cyclist.
“triple 9”…ffs
Sorry, who made you the king of speech, triple 9 or 999 does it make a difference, it is habit now as over here in Australia it is 000 they do no say zero zero zero it is triple zero.
so ffs to you
martyh:
I would just leave it ,cretins like that need removing from the gene pool
pmsl at last a sensible comment
discoman:
BillyMac:
discoman:
Gentleman,there is no such thing as a stupid triple 9 call on the motorways within reason, straps people … cars broken down in lane 1 2 or 3 is life threatening the pol will come out as explained it will be an immediate response from the rpu or traffic divisions don’t feel anyway about calling 999 if a car is broken down in lane one or people are walking etc a ratchet is a life threatening situation to a motor cyclist.
“triple 9”…ffs
Sorry, who made you the king of speech, triple 9 or 999 does it make a difference, it is habit now as over here in Australia it is 000 they do no say zero zero zero it is triple zero.
so ffs to you
Fair enough, not a big difference. My bad.