'Smart' Motorways.

[DT Ralge 10]

Minus the gentle sexism Justin it's a good question I'd not considered. However, the odds of being charged a recovery fee seems highly unlikely and it's not mentioned on any website I've looked at. You aren't charged anything if you breakdown on a part of the motorway that's being worked on and the signs are up saying 'free recovery'. I presume the same rules would apply for the smart motorway.

 

I reckon that's an incorrect presumption.

If you speak to the HA having broken down on a m/w they ask if you are a member of AA .. etc. If not, have you got a credit card, means to pay for membership/recovery.

The AA et al won't understandably be keen on recovery from a live, running lane but once the lane is closed, it's a different matter.

[Eater Sundae 12]

If I'd got a flat, or pretty much any other problem that didn't immediately cause the car to stop, then I'd try to limp along to the next refuge. It would be much safer there. They are safer than the normal hard shoulder in my opinion, as you are out of the path of any half asleep driver wandering across lanes.

 

I would like the refuges to be closer together.

[Berberis 10]

If I'd got a flat, or pretty much any other problem that didn't immediately cause the car to stop, then I'd try to limp along to the next refuge. It would be much safer there. They are safer than the normal hard shoulder in my opinion, as you are out of the path of any half asleep driver wandering across lanes.

 

I would like the refuges to be closer together.

 

All across europe, people are able to use the refuge zones. We just need to learn how to use them here in the UK. Plus if you get a flat on an A road, you would have to do the same with the same speed traffic.

[Justin Smith 10]

I reckon that's an incorrect presumption.

If you speak to the HA having broken down on a m/w they ask if you are a member of AA .. etc. If not, have you got a credit card, means to pay for membership/recovery.

The AA et al won't understandably be keen on recovery from a live, running lane but once the lane is closed, it's a different matter.

 

I have just phoned the AA to clarify the situation. For a start there was a bit of a grey area about what is a live running lane. The M42 where the inside lane is a hard shoulder by default does not count as a live running lane, assuming it`s shut with the red "Xs". The grey area was with the newer "smart" motorways (where the inside lane is by default a running lane), to be frank she didn`t seem to know 100% if that still counted as a live running lane if the red X was closing it. It doesn`t help that the X is no longer directly over the lane, but that`s another issue..... She did confirm that if the Highways Agency was in attendance the AA would call out. If not the Police will attend and remove the vehicle to a safe place where the AA will then attend. She said she didn`t think the motorist got charged for that, but again that was a grey area, she implied they didn`t get charged if the motorist was actually wanting the AA to call out.

Lastly she confirmed that the AA wouldn't attend a breakdown on, say, the A1 where there`s no hard shoulder, unless the vehicle was in a safe place.

The obvious supplementary question (which I forgot to ask and she probably wouldn't know the answer anyway) is why, if the AA will not attend a breakdown on a live running lane on a motorway or dual carriageway, they do attend one on a single carriageway road which by definition, is a live running lane ! The speed limit is 10mph lower, but, the Highways Agency are supposed to lower the speed limit when there`s a stranded vehicle anyway, though, as we all regularly see, they don`t in many cases.

 

Plenty of food for thought there I feel. Does anyone know anything else ?

 

---------- Post added 05-04-2017 at 09:36 ----------

 

If I'd got a flat, or pretty much any other problem that didn't immediately cause the car to stop, then I'd try to limp along to the next refuge. It would be much safer there. They are safer than the normal hard shoulder in my opinion, as you are out of the path of any half asleep driver wandering across lanes.

 

I would like the refuges to be closer together.

 

We were discussing this very point at work and, at first, thought it the best policy. However, there are two arguments against that :

 

1 - You may well knacker your wheel.

 

2 - More importantly, as you limp along at some very low speed you`re incredibly vulnerable to being rear ended by the other traffic moving at between 50 and 80 mph..... At least if you beach the vehicle and get out you`re not going to get killed or injured if it`s hit. I would say if you do decide to limp along I`d do so on the extreme left of the lane (wheels almost touching the kerb ! )* so it`s even more obvious that your vehicle is in trouble, plus there`s more room for any vehicle to get past if they don`t see you till the last minute, particularly if there`s another vehicle in the next lane out preventing them changing lanes.

 

More refuges : good idea. Better still how about a continuous refuge which is only used as a running lane when necessary and there`s a 60mph, or preferably 50mph, speed limit in place under those circumstances ! It`s actually back to where we started, which is more important, safety or cost or reducing congestion ?

 

* Unlike that absolute CRETIN on the M1 that time.....

Edited April 7, 2017 by Justin Smith

[sgtkate 10]

I reckon that's an incorrect presumption.

If you speak to the HA having broken down on a m/w they ask if you are a member of AA .. etc. If not, have you got a credit card, means to pay for membership/recovery.

The AA et al won't understandably be keen on recovery from a live, running lane but once the lane is closed, it's a different matter.

 

Let's run this through to it's logical conclusion. I say 'no I have no means to pay you anything'. Do they:

 

a) leave me there for eternity in a live running lane causing who knows what problems, congestions and accidents

b) move my car to outside of a running lane so it causes less of a problem

 

Let's think this one through shall we?

 

Just read Justin's more thorough reply where the AA basically say that you will be moved to somewhere they can recover you at no charge. As suspected as it's the only logical answer.

Edited April 5, 2017 by sgtkate

[Justin Smith 10]

Let's run this through to it's logical conclusion. I say 'no I have no means to pay you anything'. Do they:

 

a) leave me there for eternity in a live running lane causing who knows what problems, congestions and accidents

b) move my car to outside of a running lane so it causes less of a problem

 

Let's think this one through shall we?

 

Just read Justin's more thorough reply where the AA basically say that you will be moved to somewhere they can recover you at no charge. As suspected as it's the only logical answer.

 

Just to clarify, the lady at the AA didn`t sound 100% sure to me !

That said, you`re right, what are they going to do ? Leave the vehicle in a dangerous position because the driver hasn`t got any money !

[tinfoilhat 11]

Let's run this through to it's logical conclusion. I say 'no I have no means to pay you anything'. Do they:

 

a) leave me there for eternity in a live running lane causing who knows what problems, congestions and accidents

b) move my car to outside of a running lane so it causes less of a problem

 

Let's think this one through shall we?

 

Just read Justin's more thorough reply where the AA basically say that you will be moved to somewhere they can recover you at no charge. As suspected as it's the only logical answer.

 

They will move you, then you will get a large bill through the post. I'm fairly sure they will shift you - in the past when the van broke on a hard shoulder the chap didn't even look at the problem, just towed us to the nearest services THEN he had a look.

 

If you're a member of any breakdown company I suspect they'll either send a proper recovery vehicle or sub it out to a company that does so it can move you quickly. It won't be an AA driver in a small van faffing around with one of those poxy trailer things.

[Justin Smith 10]

They will move you, then you will get a large bill through the post. I'm fairly sure they will shift you - in the past when the van broke on a hard shoulder the chap didn't even look at the problem, just towed us to the nearest services THEN he had a look.

 

If you're a member of any breakdown company I suspect they'll either send a proper recovery vehicle or sub it out to a company that does so it can move you quickly. It won't be an AA driver in a small van faffing around with one of those poxy trailer things.

 

I have to say I think that`s an absolute disgrace The soddin` Highways Agency decide to convert motorways to cheapo type "Smart" motorways in order to save money. Then, because ones recovery company will no longer attend, they charge you to tow your vehicle to somewhere where they will sort it out. Is it any wonder people are disillusioned.

[tinfoilhat 11]

I have to say I think that`s an absolute disgrace The soddin` Highways Agency decide to convert motorways to cheapo type "Smart" motorways in order to save money. Then, because ones recovery company will no longer attend, they charge you to tow your vehicle to somewhere where they will sort it out. Is it any wonder people are disillusioned.

 

I'm sure they will turn out to be honest Justin. I'll send the AA a tweet.

 

I asked if I broke down on a smart motorway (not in an an emergency lay by) will they recover me. They replied "yes, you'd be covered on smart motorways".

 

If I don't have breakdown cover I assume I'd get a big bill to get moved from a motorway - hard shoulder or smart motorway.

Edited April 5, 2017 by tinfoilhat

[Justin Smith 10]

I'm sure they will turn out to be honest Justin. I'll send the AA a tweet.

 

I asked if I broke down on a smart motorway (not in an an emergency lay by) will they recover me. They replied "yes, you'd be covered on smart motorways".

 

If I don't have breakdown cover I assume I'd get a big bill to get moved from a motorway - hard shoulder or smart motorway.

 

Are you saying the AA said they`d definitely recover your car on the inside lane of a "smart" motorway ? Are we sure they knew we are talking about the budget version smart motorway, not the original M42 version ? If so that`s the opposite of what they told me, well not the opposite exactly, but not the same.

[rudds1 102]

Are you saying the AA said they`d definitely recover your car on the inside lane of a "smart" motorway ? Are we sure they knew we are talking about the budget version smart motorway, not the original M42 version ? If so that`s the opposite of what they told me, well not the opposite exactly, but not the same.

 

Iv e read somewhere that until highways have closed a lane down aa/rac won't try to recover a broken down vehicle

[Justin Smith 10]

Iv e read somewhere that until highways have closed a lane down aa/rac won't try to recover a broken down vehicle

 

I read that too, plus the woman from the AA said that. The point is, what does "closed down a lane" mean ? Does it just mean saying it`s closed on the roadside signs (remember the signs are no longer even directly over the lanes). Or does it mean that the AA / RAC require the Highways Agency to send out a vehicle to park further up the lane with all its lights flashing ? I have to say if I was an AA / RAC patrol man I`d want the latter !