Lots of people profess to having held a hgv licence for X amount of years, this means absolutely nothing. They may never have driven an hgv after passing their test, much like coppers or they may be one of those “I’ve been driving 40 years” knobs who still cant drive for toffee.
The fact remains, and nobody can deny it, that our motorway signage leaves a lot to be desired and with todays technology there is no excuse for getting it wrong. There are cameras everywhere as well as Hatos pretending to be coppers by parking on the side of the motorway to fool all the idiots who know no better that coppers are about. It embarrassing watching people trying to excuse the poor signage and even poorer to witness the powers that be ignoring the very people that use the roads all the time.
I tend to ignore the motorway signs nowadays because it is generally 7 hours out of date. I rely on my eyesight (god forgive me) and so far I’m still here. I don’t know how we coped for all those years without these state of the art out of date smart motorways.
The problem is that the smart motorways are being controlled by dipsheets.
Big Jase:
Can you imagine loading a truck off a loading dock and it looks to the driver like you have finished so he drives off? It can’t be assumed that you have finished. You have safety systems, salvo locks, no keys etc etc, the Rcc may have 30+ sets of roadworks going in at once and don’t sit and watch 30+ 6 mile stretches waiting for them to finish and even if it looks like they have gone, the guys go back around after removing tapers to collect the 800, 600, 400, 200 boards.
Secondly, there are Midas loops in the road on mm sections that trigger alarms if traffic slows so they are alerted.
So in actual fact after 2 years of disruptions, endless millions of pounds creating managed motorways, there is no advantage in the time it takes to adjust the signs, guess I’ll be keeping off the shoulder when it suggest’s you can use it.
By fooooooook Trev you are a numpty, you get 25% extra running lanes when there are no incidents, probably 97% of the time, yet you are tooooo stupid to use it with your eyes open and prepared to drive PROPERLY according to conditions just in case you weren’t told there may be a problem.
Maybe it’s time tooooo hand the license in
I am neither a numpty nor stupid, I was only making the point that the signs are next to useless, Of course I can use my eyes and drive at a safe distance (I have for over 40yrs) but don’t kid yourself that is all that is required to stay out of trouble. When things go ■■■■ up there will always be some clown who makes a dive for your safe distance.
I will hand my licence in when I want to and not when a desk jockey that reverts to personal slurs suggests it.
Truckbling:
Lots of people profess to having held a hgv licence for X amount of years, this means absolutely nothing. They may never have driven an hgv after passing their test, much like coppers or they may be one of those “I’ve been driving 40 years” knobs who still cant drive for toffee.
The fact remains, and nobody can deny it, that our motorway signage leaves a lot to be desired and with todays technology there is no excuse for getting it wrong. There are cameras everywhere as well as Hatos pretending to be coppers by parking on the side of the motorway to fool all the idiots who know no better that coppers are about. It embarrassing watching people trying to excuse the poor signage and even poorer to witness the powers that be ignoring the very people that use the roads all the time.
I tend to ignore the motorway signs nowadays because it is generally 7 hours out of date. I rely on my eyesight (god forgive me) and so far I’m still here. I don’t know how we coped for all those years without these state of the art out of date smart motorways.
The problem is that the smart motorways are being controlled by dipsheets.
Ah well truckbling, what you are seeing there is a result of the Motorway MIDAS Loop Detection System! Have I told you about that before? No? Well, it’s a very interesting concept, let me tell you about it… What it is…
Muckaway:
Can’t recall which motorway it was on earlier this week, (Either M69 or M1) but there was a broken down car full of Asians (so it was probably a Nissan Bluebird) on the hardshoulder. I assumed they were broke down but it might’ve been prayer time as one woman (most likely buck toothed with huge sideburns) was laying out a blanket. Either that or they were going to ditch the currymobile and fly home.
Yep, I’ve had that several times and we let them carry on but give them some protection in a way of putting our car there so we get hit instead of them.
Truckbling:
The fact remains, and nobody can deny it, that our motorway signage leaves a lot to be desired and with todays technology there is no excuse for getting it wrong. There are cameras everywhere as well as Hatos pretending to be coppers by parking on the side of the motorway to fool all the idiots who know no better that coppers are about. It embarrassing watching people trying to excuse the poor signage and even poorer to witness the powers that be ignoring the very people that use the roads all the time.
I tend to ignore the motorway signs nowadays because it is generally 7 hours out of date. I rely on my eyesight (god forgive me) and so far I’m still here. I don’t know how we coped for all those years without these state of the art out of date smart motorways.
The problem is that the smart motorways are being controlled by dipsheets.
So I assume that this guy was using his eyes and thought he’d ignore the electronic signs, the metal signs, the cones and the car with 12 flashing lights on, thus forcing the transporter into lane 3, is this acceptable to you or anyone else putting a TO’s life at risk?
And how about this guy 25 metres away from hitting something at 56 mph, is this acceptable?
Wouldn’t it just be safer, easier and more calm to just move out as you never know if there is something there or not?
Muckaway:
Can’t recall which motorway it was on earlier this week, (Either M69 or M1) but there was a broken down car full of Asians (so it was probably a Nissan Bluebird) on the hardshoulder. I assumed they were broke down but it might’ve been prayer time as one woman (most likely buck toothed with huge sideburns) was laying out a blanket. Either that or they were going to ditch the currymobile and fly home.
Yep, I’ve had that several times and we let them carry on but give them some protection in a way of putting our car there so we get hit instead of them.
Better man than me. Let them carry on without protection and then they can find out if Allah really does sit alongside virgins. He probably does judging by the bucktoothed “women” and their sideburns-the justification for arranged marriages as nobody wouod choose to marry them.
Bellini006:
Hi thought i’d get involved, them signs are a joke. they should put jokes on them if they are that bored. Build up on one sign, punch line on next.
the part about jokes is a good idea only if they are good though,mind you the bad ones are sometimes quite good like this one, 2 fish in a tank, one says to the other I CANT DRIVE THIS, well i thought it was good
Truckbling:
The fact remains, and nobody can deny it, that our motorway signage leaves a lot to be desired and with todays technology there is no excuse for getting it wrong. There are cameras everywhere as well as Hatos pretending to be coppers by parking on the side of the motorway to fool all the idiots who know no better that coppers are about. It embarrassing watching people trying to excuse the poor signage and even poorer to witness the powers that be ignoring the very people that use the roads all the time.
I tend to ignore the motorway signs nowadays because it is generally 7 hours out of date. I rely on my eyesight (god forgive me) and so far I’m still here. I don’t know how we coped for all those years without these state of the art out of date smart motorways.
The problem is that the smart motorways are being controlled by dipsheets.
So I assume that this guy was using his eyes and thought he’d ignore the electronic signs, the metal signs, the cones and the car with 12 flashing lights on, thus forcing the transporter into lane 3, is this acceptable to you or anyone else putting a TO’s life at risk?
Muckaway:
Can’t recall which motorway it was on earlier this week, (Either M69 or M1) but there was a broken down car full of Asians (so it was probably a Nissan Bluebird) on the hardshoulder. I assumed they were broke down but it might’ve been prayer time as one woman (most likely buck toothed with huge sideburns) was laying out a blanket. Either that or they were going to ditch the currymobile and fly home.
Yep, I’ve had that several times and we let them carry on but give them some protection in a way of putting our car there so we get hit instead of them.
You’re not serious? You really provide protection for people idiotic enough to choose to stop on the HS to PRAY!? Why not call the police instead and have them arrested for causing an obstruction? The risk involved in you having to provide protection is surely NOT worth it for someone who CHOOSES to stop there.
I’m no atheist but there is a time and a place and the hard shoulder is not it!
Deadly serious, gave advise but since they were praying to the east if I remember correctly. If I’d left and they been hit if be in all sort of trouble I’m sure but then we’ve had people have picnics in the central res and stop in lane 1 to jump start a mate on the HS.
Seriously though, the pics above, is it worth ignoring the signs and coming across that and not being able to move over?
Bazza, Yes it does happen that some stop and pray on the HS. If I find them, provide cover until finished, usually takes only a few mins and then give them the ticket.
Big Jase:
Seriously though, the pics above, is it worth ignoring the signs and coming across that and not being able to move over?
But the whole point that some of us have been trying to make from the start of this thread is that the more often the signs are wrong, the more likely it is that they’ll be ignored when they are telling us something important. I know you can come up with all sorts of reasons as to why the signs are sometimes misleading, but that’s not really the point. As long as the signs do sometimes give misleading, inaccurate or just plain wrong information, we’re really better off without them. At least back in the day we knew we had only our eyes to rely on and drove accordingly. (Not that I don’t still do that, by the way.) Nowadays, I read what the overhead signs say and act upon what I can actually see happening in front: I can honestly say they aren’t much help.
Rhythm Thief:
, I read what the overhead signs say and act upon what I can actually see happening in front: I can honestly say they aren’t much help.
So looking at pic no 5 above, this guy is doing 56 so ignoring the speed restriction and also the lane one sign, then still FULLY in lane 1 at the first cone only 25 metres away from hitting the second one. Travelling at 80 feet per second at that speed he has 1 second to move over before he hits it or swerves and hits something next to him. It’s ok saying you’ll use your eyes but most don’t and by the time they do it’s too late.
I can give you hundreds of examples where signs have been set but there was nothing there at that time, on Friday some bikes had fallen off a car, we set signals, they got hit, 1 trashed car and now nothing in the lane but did you know that had happened or would you just mouthe “bloody HA setting signs for a car on the HS”? Did you know there were bikes there before? Nope. You only have to watch these YouTube clips to see how it goes pear shaped very very quickly.
Isn’t it easier just to ease off and move over just to be safe than to barrel along and it’s too late? I often see trucks one metre off the bumper of the car in front pushing and bullying him along despite being in a mandatory 50, if so many of you on here don’t do, who can be left on the road doing it?
Rhythm Thief:
, I read what the overhead signs say and act upon what I can actually see happening in front: I can honestly say they aren’t much help.
So looking at pic no 5 above, this guy is doing 56 so ignoring the speed restriction and also the lane one sign, then still FULLY in lane 1 at the first cone only 25 metres away from hitting the second one. Travelling at 80 feet per second at that speed he has 1 second to move over before he hits it or swerves and hits something next to him. It’s ok saying you’ll use your eyes but most don’t and by the time they do it’s too late.
I can give you hundreds of examples where signs have been set but there was nothing there at that time, on Friday some bikes had fallen off a car, we set signals, they got hit, 1 trashed car and now nothing in the lane but did you know that had happened or would you just mouthe “bloody HA setting signs for a car on the HS”? Did you know there were bikes there before? Nope. You only have to watch these YouTube clips to see how it goes pear shaped very very quickly.
Isn’t it easier just to ease off and move over just to be safe than to barrel along and it’s too late? I often see trucks one metre off the bumper of the car in front pushing and bullying him along despite being in a mandatory 50, if so many of you on here don’t do, who can be left on the road doing it?
The drivers in your pictures are clearly idiots. Nothing to do with the signs … if you somehow had personalised signs projected directly onto their retinas, they’d still drive like dicks.
The very fact that you can give us “hundreds of examples where signs have been set but there was nothing there at that time” is not a vindication of the overhead sign system. I understand the reasons why it happens, but my whole point is that the more often people see signs with no apparent cause - whatever the actual cause - the more likely they’ll be to ignore them next time. If you really want people to respect the signs, make them more responsive to road conditions and don’t over use them.
Just looking at the the pictures and I can’t believe the vehicles are travelling at 56mph I would say more realistically 30 - 40 mph max.
Traffic would have slowed down well in advance not only with the bottle neck affect but also so everyone can have a good look at whats going on, I personally like to stop and have a good butchers myself
Also was there enough advance warning of this incident judging by the amount of traffc in the nearside lane they can’t all be leaving it so late unless traveling at a very slow speed and gently merging in turn.
Or just maybe the trucks approaching are acting as a roadblock for you and if they move over to early when traffics moving at slow speed in the unblocked lanes some nutter is going to come flying up the inside (as usually happens).
Course I would have moved over well in advance and left a big gap for undertaking vehicles to pull in as they would no doubt be in a state of shock that a lane closure sign was accurate.
Sure a member of the TNUK CSI team will be along eventually with a more expert view.
Dipper_Dave:
Just looking at the the pictures and I can’t believe the vehicles are travelling at 56mph I would say more realistically 30 - 40 mph max.
.
I can assure you they we flat out since I was there and all. What you may not be able to see a further 50 metres back is another right arrow and a further 50 behind that is an incident slow. I can also tell you that I lost count of the amount of times that trucks were leaving it to the last minute and that it was so bad, that’s the reason I attached my gopro to me so that I could film if anything happened. I was walking where I was at that moment to ensure, as part of my training, that none of my cones or signs had been either hit or blown about as often happens when trucks get too close. I would normally be stood well away and behind the barrier in case kit or the car is hit.
I must also stress, there was a human being led in lane 1 whilst fixing a truck blowout and another fitter fixing the airlines. Have disregard for our signs that are set “For nothing” as many do but put others lives at risk just to prove to yourself that are signs are “Always” wrong?
I accept crying wolf and all that jazz but on an average day we deal with 2000 incidents, just how many of those are hoax calls, debris reported or other defects that signs are set for that may not be immediately obvious. All I’m asking is to have a bit more consideration to prevent this sort of thing,
Oh and thanks to the driver that left me this at my work place yesterday on my early shift, very kind.
Big Jase:
I must also stress, there was a human being led in lane 1 whilst fixing a truck blowout and another fitter fixing the airlines. Have disregard for our signs that are set “For nothing” as many do but put others lives at risk just to prove to yourself that are signs are “Always” wrong?
I agree its incredibly dangerous to ignore a sign no matter how many have been left on too long before. But it happens only thing that can be done is the last one to leave the scene radios in for the signs to be switched off if thats possible.
Oh and thanks to the driver that left me this at my work place yesterday on my early shift, very kind.
Due to the quantity of liquid in the bottle you will find this has been chucked out of a passing car after a small child has needed a tinkle. Any trucker who needs to go bad enough to use a bottle and can only produce this ■■■■-poticle amount of tizer is an embarrasment to the profession. That said double the quantity could be in his or her cab due to spillage and bad co-ordination.
Dipper_Dave:
Due to the quantity of liquid in the bottle you will find this has been chucked out of a passing car after a small child has needed a tinkle. Any trucker who needs to go bad enough to use a bottle and can only produce this ■■■■-poticle amount of tizer is an embarrasment to the profession. That said double the quantity could be in his or her cab due to spillage and bad co-ordination.
Ha brilliant.
We do radio in and ask the signs to be turned off and even if we don’t, the RCC ask us if they can be turned off. They really aren’t turned on and left on for fun. A signal activation must be attached to a log AND justification and reasoning given for its activation. It isn’t just a button that turns on a few signs.
That could be it, wonder if its a red tape issue as it would be potentially disaterous to turn the signs off to early, maybe there is a way to speed up the process slightly - perhaps a two code failsafe when the last person from the incident has a mate and both have to give the authority to switch off the signs but its done quicker.
In an ideal world everyone would obey the signs even if the incident was clear but people tend to be a synical bunch and seeing signs and no incident on one occasion will put doubt in their mind for the next.
In light of recent information heres another sign idea: ‘GOD BOTHERING IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE HARD SHOULDER’
What you may not be able to see a further 50 metres back is another right arrow and a further 50 behind that is an incident slow. I can also tell you that I lost count of the amount of times that trucks were leaving it to the last minute and that it was so bad, that’s the reason I attached my gopro to me so that I could film if anything happened. I was walking where I was at that moment to ensure, as part of my training, that none of my cones or signs had been either hit or blown about as often happens when trucks get too close. I would normally be stood well away and behind the barrier in case kit or the car is hit.
