'Smart' Motorways.

[DT Ralge 10]

13 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

Which is a waste of everybody's time! 

Yes, when a flat tyre is mostly avoidable - in my daily experience, drivers checking their tyre pressure is low priority and rarely done.  
“my car tells me...” - some tech is really good, other tech is not, depending on what level of tech.  Drivers question and know little about the tech they have and, with that, are unaware of its limitations. 

[max 13]

18 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

Which is a waste of everybody's time! 

A waste of time maybe but certainly a great help in avoiding injury or death. The HA vehicles are generally more visible than most vehicles and, if it can help other motorists see an incident, it's a waste of time most of us would accept.

[tinfoilhat 11]

3 hours ago, max said:

A waste of time maybe but certainly a great help in avoiding injury or death. The HA vehicles are generally more visible than most vehicles and, if it can help other motorists see an incident, it's a waste of time most of us would accept.

You miss my point, I'd be very happy to see HA staff, but it seems odd the powers that be take away their ability to help people.

[max 13]

15 hours ago, tinfoilhat said:

You miss my point, I'd be very happy to see HA staff, but it seems odd the powers that be take away their ability to help people.

I can understand why the ability to help in changing tyres has been removed. Having had a blowout on the M25 I spent a very chilling 30 minutes changing my tyre. I had my OH on debris watch and on at least 3 occasions was told to duck as yet another chunk of debris was hoisted in the air towards me by passing vehicles.

 

Not a pleasant experience and I'm sure the unions worked hard to avoid their members being exposed to similar danger.

[Janus 28]

I have always felt that removing the hard shoulder on motorways was a bad idea. The AA feel the same way about it too.

I was just reading about the families of two fatalities near junction 34, Tinsley, due to this.
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england-south-yorkshire-55043607

According to the AA, the average time to identify a broken down vehicle can be 17 minutes before closing the lane.

The government keep telling us it is safe.  Is it time something was done.
https://www.theaa.com/about-us/newsroom/news/17-minutes-to-spot-a-live-lane-breakdown-on-smart-motorways

[rudds1 102]

Once broke down in wagon which is about 55 foot long ? And highways could not find / see me with their cameras. It was only a passing copper that helped as the amount of people who nearly ended up running in to me was unbelievable 

[alchresearch 214]

17 hours ago, Janus said:

I was just reading about the families of two fatalities near junction 34, Tinsley, due to this.
https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-england-south-yorkshire-55043607

Both people died because they were either sat in their car, or exchanging details stood by their cars.

[Janus 28]

I certainly don't know how they died exactly. I understand from the report, that an HGV ploughed in to the vehicle (s) and the driver received a prison sentence. 

[whiteowl 54]

MP's are calling for delays in any new smart motorways. Personally I think they're a terrible idea that should have never left the drawing board.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-59134013

Edited November 2, 2021 by whiteowl
typo

[Anna B 1,401]

Who decided to call them by the misnomer 'Smart Motorways?'

Call them what they are: 'Death trap Motorways....'

[tinfoilhat 11]

3 hours ago, Anna B said:

Who decided to call them by the misnomer 'Smart Motorways?'

Call them what they are: 'Death trap Motorways....'

The concept wasn't awful, but it was done on the cheap.

[hauxwell 243]

I’ve got used to driving on the smart motorway when I’m driving back and forwards from Newcastle to Sheffield, but I still don’t like it tho. A few years ago I could feel myself getting nervous driving on the link road from the A1 near Leeds to the M1 knowing that I had to drive on the smart motorway.  It must be a frightening experience for anyone whose car breaks down on it.

 

I was brought up to drive on motorways with 3 lanes and a hard shoulder.