'Smart' Motorways.

[Justin Smith 10]

Yet more reasons.....

A report I`ve just read in an old copy of the Yorkshire Post (29 Jan 16) that in a study on the 4 lane running stretches of the M25, up to 7% of drivers do not comply with the red lane closure warnings.

Something to ponder on if you`re ever unlucky enough to find yourself broken down in the non existent hard shoulder, or, indeed, waiting for an ambulance or fire engine to get to you along the (no longer in existence) hard shoulder.

Edited February 22, 2016 by Justin Smith

[Cyclone 10]

Funnily enough there were 2 lane closures yesterday in the new 4 lane section.

 

I moved over when I saw the lane closed 600 yards section.

At 200 yards someone had just passed me in that lane, and the car in front then pulled out into it... As the cones appeared they both had near misses as they moved back over without much time and with cars to their insides... So yeah, there are definitely some drivers who ignore the lane closed markings.

 

Which also made me wonder, why are they setting up new roadworks, with 2 lanes closed, when the road has only just been finished!

[geared 321]

Didn't build it right in the first place??

 

They've had to rip the central reservation out more than once because the concrete wasn't any good.

[Cyclone 10]

Only closed on one side, so I guess it's not central barrier being removed.

[alchresearch 215]

So they have to then do what? Park in the fast lane and climb over the barrier... That's likely to cause another accident on the other carriageway.

 

That's why I said in the "wrong" direction.

 

If there's an accident on J37 northbound and its totally blocked, go to J38, but head south, down the Northbound side.

[Cyclone 10]

That's why I said in the "wrong" direction.

 

If there's an accident on J37 northbound and its totally blocked, go to J38, but head south, down the Northbound side.

 

So first wait for the police to entirely close the opposite carriageway...

Solves the problem of access for the emergency services, albeit with a major delay first.

Double the impact of an accident though, in terms of traffic problems caused.

[Obelix 11]

So first wait for the police to entirely close the opposite carriageway...

Solves the problem of access for the emergency services, albeit with a major delay first.

Double the impact of an accident though, in terms of traffic problems caused.

 

Er no..

 

IF say the northbound carriageway was blocked between J40 and 41, you would go to J41 and drive south to the accident on the northbound carriageway. No need to have the other side closed at all.

[DT Ralge 10]

Revolutionary/fanciful thoughts:

- there's no such thing as an "accident" (I.e. "Diddums, never mind, wrong place, wrong time; it's just one of those things; it will all come out in the wash; the emergency services will turn up; everything will mend or be mended; the insurance will cover it ...)

- instead, the blue lights don't turn up to whisk you away, ever, you have to find your own way home; your car is gone, you've lost your job; the hospitals are closed and can't/won't help and your wounds never heal; your insurers turn their back on you; and you go to jail for driving in a closed lane ...

 

Would your driving behaviour change to avoid this "Armageddon"?

Would you do EVERYTHING in your power to avoid running out of space and having an "accident"?

Would you follow the advice given in the HC, keep more than adequate space, back off a little when, inevitably (that's how m/w's work), someone moves into your space. Would you comply with "lane closed" signage and, when the traffic comes to a halt, still retain some space ahead so that you could move forward and sideways to allow blue lights through?

Remember: driving safely is no accident.

Fanciful thought, let's have a "drive safely" day where we commit to keeping space 'cos running out of space is getting a little tedious and keeping space is not rocket science.

Or, numbskull-like, shall we wait for a machine to do it for us?

[Cyclone 10]

Er no..

 

IF say the northbound carriageway was blocked between J40 and 41, you would go to J41 and drive south to the accident on the northbound carriageway. No need to have the other side closed at all.

 

Oh, you use the same side, and come back down it. Right, I get it now.

 

That's only possible if it's entirely 100% blocked.

 

If there are a few cars squeezing past, then you can't do it.

[ANGELFIRE1 10]

Are these "new" super motorways safe, no hard shoulder just small areas to pull in every few miles along them.

 

What is the protocol if you break down between the small "safe" areas. I suppose jump over the barrier and get out of the way asap. It does not seem to be a clever move to get rid of the hard shoulder.

 

Angel1.

[tinfoilhat 11]

Are these "new" super motorways safe, no hard shoulder just small areas to pull in every few miles along them.

 

What is the protocol if you break down between the small "safe" areas. I suppose jump over the barrier and get out of the way asap. It does not seem to be a clever move to get rid of the hard shoulder.

 

Angel1.

 

Your dead buster. Deader than dead. Dead as door nail, deader than.......sorry what will happen is the speed limit of the matrix signs will drop to 50mph and they'll close the inside lane off until you're towed away. It works on bits of the M25 and M42 without massive problems, and now doubt other places too.

 

Let's put it this way - what happens when you break down on the A1?

[Fogey 10]

A report from Birmingham of an accident on a motorway using the hard shoulder.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-35490204