mezzzz1211:
i tried to report a car in the central reservation of th a1m,no answer on the roadside phone so dialed 999,whats the point of roadside phones if no one answers them?
Like anything electrical, from time to time they do break. The new ones however have a Text facility on them, so if we get a call on one and cannot hear anyone on the other end, we switch it to text mode (this does take up to 30 seconds as it’s not very user friendly) whilst we’re doing this, a message shows on the screen of the ERT box to say “please wait” or similar. Once the connection is made, it goes through a short series of pre-planned messages that show on this screen, these get just basic information, the caller only has the option to click “yes” or “No”, once these preplanned ones are through, we can send others that will allow the caller to answer yes or no to, but will give us more information as to the problem.
If there is still no communication with the ERT, and it shows “off hook” or keeps ringing, a patrol is sent to the location.
We are measured on how long we take to answer the ERT calls (max 20 seconds)
ERT = Emergency Roadside Telephone.
Further information for you guys, If you do use the ERT and you have difficulty hearing the operator, press the square button that has the “tick” on 3 times in succession, that turns up the headset volume.
The real Biffo:
The quickest response would have been by using the SOS box.
Signals would have been set straight away (in the right place!) and a HATO deployed to it.
Going through the police, depending on the callers & the police operators knowledge of the motorway, can often finish up with incorrect locations passed to patrols. By using the SOS box we know exactly where you are, and would ask the correct questions to establish where in relation to the SOS box the problem is (I use problem, as it could be anything that’s being reported, obviously a deer in this case)
It’s unfortunate that HAIL kept you waiting, I’ve not heard of that before, I would either call them again and complain, or e-mail the HA.
Thanks all the same for caring enough to make the effort, I can only apologise that HAIL let you down.
You are joking of course? You seriously expect drivers to stop on a motorway to use the emergencey fone to report a problem concerning someone/something else?
