I wonder about one thing, after watching this poor Polish sod who went in trouble for stopping on the hard shoulder… (no, I won’t comment on him, its just this case prompted me to think)
Police is very strict on drivers, who pull over onto hard shoulders as they run out of time in traffic jam.
But they themselves pull the vehicles for example for speeding and deal with them on hard shoulders…
I would say that two vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder on nearly empty motorway, with driver walking between police car and his car is much more danger than a truck parked on the shoulder of the busy motorway, where traffic is so dense that vehicles rarely get higher speed than 40 mph and for most of time it’s just start-stop…
Why British police, don’t do what police everywhere else do, singal the vehicle in question to follow them and lead them to safe place to stop?
Is that because you don’t have safe places to stop, for example you don’t have all these small parkings along motorway that are so popular everywhere else?
I think it’s kind of absurd, this country is so obsessed with health and safety, yet the police put people in risk by using hard shoulders as a checkpoints…
I agree Orys! VOSA Police etc doling out fines for hours offences and knowing there are not nearly enough places to stop for the poor lads earning barely enough to make a living! Who are trying to avoid fines by staying legal even though it’s on the shoulder! The UK is a disgrace over safe parking areas for all! It is after all a legal requirement for us to stop for rests!
orys:
I would say that two vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder on nearly empty motorway, with driver walking between police car and his car is much more danger than a truck parked on the shoulder of the busy motorway, where traffic is so dense that vehicles rarely get higher speed than 40 mph and for most of time it’s just start-stop…
If the hard shoulder is blocked it will delay emergency vehicles getting to a crash, have you ever seen how long it takes a police car to get through the traffic when they have the hard shoulder open as part that lane control thing? If you’ve broken down you can’t really help it, but to stop for a 45 is just selfish in my opinion. Run over time to the next stopping place and write an explanation on the back, Vosa are only going to be interested if your running over all the time.
orys:
I wonder about one thing, after watching this poor Polish sod who went in trouble for stopping on the hard shoulder… (no, I won’t comment on him, its just this case prompted me to think)
Police is very strict on drivers, who pull over onto hard shoulders as they run out of time in traffic jam.
But they themselves pull the vehicles for example for speeding and deal with them on hard shoulders…
I would say that two vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder on nearly empty motorway, with driver walking between police car and his car is much more danger than a truck parked on the shoulder of the busy motorway, where traffic is so dense that vehicles rarely get higher speed than 40 mph and for most of time it’s just start-stop…
Why British police, don’t do what police everywhere else do, singal the vehicle in question to follow them and lead them to safe place to stop?
Is that because you don’t have safe places to stop, for example you don’t have all these small parkings along motorway that are so popular everywhere else?
I think it’s kind of absurd, this country is so obsessed with health and safety, yet the police put people in risk by using hard shoulders as a checkpoints…
Frankly I can’t be arsed to go into the nitty gritty of why this is a useless ill thought out and ************ post, but lets be honest, police (or any other emergency vehicle) VOSA (who have a job to do same as you and I), HATO’s, & HA vehicles all have one (almost two) thing in common which any other vehicle that has a necessity to stop on the hard shoulder do not,
BIG FLASHY LIGHTS!!!
If you can’t see the difference here than you really ought to think about a career change as I don’t want someone with your bad eyesight anywhere near me or my family on the road!!
As for going over time, VOSA will be quite obliging if you have genuine reason to do so, if you taking the proverbial then expect a rocket as you’ll deserve it!!
There’s a lot of recovery guys, tyre fitters and traffic coppers in the graveyard who’ll beg to differ about the actual protection big flashy lights afford.
If you can’t see the difference here than you really ought to think about a career change as I don’t want someone with your bad eyesight anywhere near me or my family on the road!!
Ah, off course, Big Flashy Lights… If you flash, you are almost safe, and if you wear a hi viz on the top of that, there is no risk involved at all. Forgot about this
Obviously someone who was injured in that crash when truck drove into that tire van some time ago (there were pics of it over trucket) agrees with you in full. Well, me not.
10-08:
orys:
I would say that two vehicles stopped on the hard shoulder on nearly empty motorway, with driver walking between police car and his car is much more danger than a truck parked on the shoulder of the busy motorway, where traffic is so dense that vehicles rarely get higher speed than 40 mph and for most of time it’s just start-stop…
If the hard shoulder is blocked it will delay emergency vehicles getting to a crash, have you ever seen how long it takes a police car to get through the traffic when they have the hard shoulder open as part that lane control thing? If you’ve broken down you can’t really help it, but to stop for a 45 is just selfish in my opinion. Run over time to the next stopping place and write an explanation on the back, Vosa are only going to be interested if your running over all the time.
yes, there might be the cases.
See, I am not telling that stopping on hard shoulder is good thing to do. I do agree that its bad, and therefore I think Police should not do it as well!
orys:
See, I am not telling that stopping on hard shoulder is good thing to do. I do agree that its bad, and therefore I think Police should not do it as well!
Oh yes sorry, completely agree with you there, they should at the very least take you up the top of a slip road where the traffic is slowing/stopping or take you to the next services.
no one is encouraging anyone to put a magnet on to avoid an unnecessary fine.
but if anyone thinks that paying a fine after stopping and starting in traffic, and going over your hours is sensible, then that’s their choice. but i’ll keep my money in my wallet thanks.
10-08:
Oh yes sorry, completely agree with you there, they should at the very least take you up the top of a slip road where the traffic is slowing/stopping or take you to the next services.
…or there should be small parkings in the laybys along the motorways, as they are everywhere else in Europe, not only for that reason
I agree with pulling somone on the hard shoulder if there a flight risk ie bank robber drug dealer etc
but when they pull people cause ANPR comes up no insurance or tax they should similar to VOSA where get in front of you and put the FOLLOW ME sign on.
I used to work on the hard shoulder when I did recovery and even in the motorway high vis overall’s the Recovery truck lit up light a xmas tree and sometimes even a police car behind you as well you will still be minding your own business when you hear a cars & Trucks coming down the rumble strips
If I was pulled on motor way I would acknowledged the stop and come off next exit but I bet you would be arrested for that
I have never agreed with Police stopping vehicles on the hard shoulder for minor offences. take to next exit.
Blocking the hard shoulder due to serious congestion is selfish in my opinion. It blocks h/s for emergency and recovery vehicles but also blocks it for emergency vehicles that might not be attending the actual incident but on route to another incident or on a hospital transfer.
During a M25 closure, we were deployed to a driver in the queue suspected of having a heart attack. Only location we had was J21A -J22 in lane 3. Because of the amount of vehicles blocking the h/s, we had to deploy a unit and a Police unit to place a rolling road block on the anti clockwise and along with an Ambulance, so they could locate the driver. This then became a lane three closure so the medics could treat the driver causing even more congestion to an area already gridlocked.
VOSA have told me that unless you work for cowboys, written explanation on your tacho , or printout, will suffice. If you work for cowboys, you deserve all you get.
I must say that 99% of trucks taking breaks on the h/s are foreign. I assume because they can get a ticket for over hours a week later back abroad??
extrucker:
I must say that 99% of trucks taking breaks on the h/s are foreign. I assume because they can get a ticket for over hours a week later back abroad??
I think it’s because this is tolerated in many countries (and not only Eastern Europe - it’s a norm in Italy for example. Also Germany, Holland - they are full of trucks on slip roads every night). As for emergency vehicles, in Europe you are obliged to live space between the lanes - like in Austria. The right and middle lane pull to the right, left lane pull to the left and emergency vehicles can go through even if someone is broken down on the shoulder.
I think it’s better especially that you often have discontinous hard shoulders in UK.
Own Account Driver:
There’s a lot of recovery guys, tyre fitters and traffic coppers in the graveyard who’ll beg to differ about the actual protection big flashy lights afford.
I quite agree with you the OP on that (and the fact that wearing hi-viz has been proved to offer no additional safety whatsoever) and I have no issue with it.
BUT, even though unfortunate incidents occur on the HS, we still have an obligation to drive in a manner becoming all hazards. One of those hazards being vehicles and persons stopped by the carriageway.
Slow down (if appropriate) and move over if safe to do so.
anisboy:
Slow down (if appropriate) and move over if safe to do so.
I always do it. But if its necesary, that proves my point for sure? That stopping on hard shoulders (even with BIG FLASHY THINGS) is dangerous? So why not to avoid it when it’s possible?
Breakdowns have to be on hard shoulders, as they can’t leave the motorway on nearest exit. I am pretty sure that checking my insurance can be done off the motorway. I hope you agree with me on that?
The way I see it, those are the rules, wrong or right, take it or leave it.
Slimeyphil and his ‘magnet’, yea whatever phil. I don’t believe for one minute you’ve done this bs trick.
