The Police say if a car breaks down on the h/s get everybody out and stand on the embankment, which is common sense and I agree after once seeing a truck sat on top of a car on the h/s in France a few years ago.
I have noticed lately a few truck drivers doing this. The numerous times that I have been broken down over the years I have either sat in the passenger side or got in the bunk, I reckon on the whole it is a slim chance of getting rammed up the arse (ooer Mrs) and the worse that could happen is a hell of a wake up call.
I would rather take that chance than stand freezing my bits off or getting soaked for 2 hours waiting for a tyre fitter.
If you do think it’s unsafe, what is the difference from a safety perspective between being parked on the h/s and you stars that overnight park in lay bys on busy trunk routes, and especially the idiots that feel the need to pull their mirrors in, if your brain is telling you that you need to pull your mirrors in, it is also trying to tell you it ain’t safe 
I cringe every time I see a family stood in front of or behind a broken down car. Maybe these people are unaware of what the outcome of being hit by a tired or careless driver.
Having followed numerous trucks weaving in and out of the hard shoulder I’d always stand away from my car/truck. Getting wet for 2 hours is better than ending up in a wheelchair or leaving my wife a widow.
2 Uk driver’s killed by this in an incident this year, according to my agency boss. Driver thrown from his bunk and killed as truck rolled off hs by lorry rear ending him. (that driver also killed on impact).
I will get out.
Shandy123:
2 Uk driver’s killed by this in an incident this year, according to my agency boss. Driver thrown from his bunk and killed as truck rolled off hs by lorry rear ending him. (that driver also killed on impact).
I will get out.
Never heard about these 2 incidents this year, but that doesn’t mean they ain’t true, although I suspect it may be a mmtm thing, I agree it could possibly happen but the odds are against it.
You say you would get out on h/s, do you overnight park in lay bys out of interest?
There is a clip on police camera action or similar where a lorry had stopped/broke down on a dual carriageway. Another lorry rear ended it and didn’t half shunt the standing lorry 
I’d be out of the truck and well away - regardless of the weather!
I will be (and have) staying in the warm and dry within easey reach of the coffee.
Yep use laybys now and then but try to choose one with a degree of seperation.
Depends how heavy the vehicle is that i’m stuck in.
Luckily most breakdowns i’ve had have been tyre related, and usually happen loaded @ full weight, if the weathers bad i’ll stay in the warm when i have that sort of weight between me and the half alseep.
The last few times i’ve had tyre issues, the wombles have never said a word to me about waiting in the cab, they’ve all been decent blokes the ones i’ve met, sense of humour too.
If the weathers nice, i’ll try and get up the bank, sit on a blanket and read a good book, but that applies to any vehicle.
Just out of interest now the question’s been asked, would Scania (or any other make that doesn’t lock the trailer wheels when parked) drivers put the trailer parking brake on for added protection in a hard shoulder scenario?
Must admit i kinda like the added security it brings, for any tanker tipping (especially) or anything else really of vehicles that apply trailer brakes with the normal park brake.
I sleep in laybys, but try to select one which I deem to be safe, one of the safe ones is the first lay by A9(s) just after Broxden Rbt… My reasoning is, trucks may not be doing 56 mph if they do hit me, due to slowing down or stopping at the round about.
Ones that are off away from the carriageway are ideal, there is also one at the bottom or near the bottom of a hill, on a right hand bend that I always avoid stopping in never mind sleeping in… A driver falls asleep going down the hill, doesn’t steer right and bang!!!
Just wondering, about the post above in which a truck was shunted and rolled away, obviously the parking brake was on, would it prevent or decrease this if the trailer parking brake was on as well?
I’d get out on a motorway and stand up the embankment… Hypocritical, I know!!!
Juddian:
Just out of interest now the question’s been asked, would Scania (or any other make that doesn’t lock the trailer wheels when parked) drivers put the trailer parking brake on for added protection in a hard shoulder scenario?
Must admit i kinda like the added security it brings, for any tanker tipping (especially) or anything else really of vehicles that apply trailer brakes with the normal park brake.
Ooooh you just bet me in with that question lol
G6Bob:
Juddian:
Just out of interest now the question’s been asked, would Scania (or any other make that doesn’t lock the trailer wheels when parked) drivers put the trailer parking brake on for added protection in a hard shoulder scenario?
Must admit i kinda like the added security it brings, for any tanker tipping (especially) or anything else really of vehicles that apply trailer brakes with the normal park brake.Ooooh you just bet me in with that question lol
Surprising how much more the tank moves when tipped when the load shifts when its behind a tractor that doesn’t apply the parking brake, got to make a massive difference in the event of getting shunted up the arse.
It doesn’t just happen on hard shoulders because i had a car rear end me one sunday night when i was parked on an ind est in Erith.
He was ■■■■■■ at the time, i was parked under street lighting and the police was fine about it all.
Was scary at the time. Ok about it now 
I would say if you are hit by 44t travelling at 56mph you wouldn’t want to be in the cab at the time. Regardless of how much weight, how many wheels are braked, there was in between me and the numpty.
My mate was in the Kane lorry that was hit up the arse while in a lay by on the A12 a couple of years ago. Granted he was an empty 8 wheeler, but he got pushed a long way forward and pushed sideways across the carriageway. He spent a long time in hospital and had many operations to get himself right again.
So I’ll be waiting outside the cab thanks. I have top notch wet weather gear and flask all made up. So if I have sit in the ■■■■■■■ wet for a few hours I won’t be getting wet/cold.
robroy:
You say you would get out on h/s, do you overnight park in lay bys out of interest?
I don’t night out but have done in the past. I would only use a layby with a central divide to the road.
I always ■■■■ myself when you see them out & stood in front of the car, where do you think the car is going to go if a truck boots it up the arse on the limiter, that’s right, in your face.
I can’t stand the recovery dicks who park right on the white line behind the stricken vehicle giving it, oh yeah, that’ll save me & give me a barrier, the idea is to not get hit in the bloody first place you cretin. I mean give them some bloody lee way you ■■■■■
My Welsh saviour also told me it’s illegal not to have your hazards on if you’re in the hard shoulder which I though was best practice but not actually illegal. Points & a grand fine apparently!!!
Silver_Surfer:
My Welsh saviour also told me it’s illegal not to have your hazards on if you’re in the hard shoulder which I though was best practice but not actually illegal.
So your car’s just had a complete electrical failure and you have no lights at all. Sounds like your saviour has been on his DCPC with that elusive trainer who spouts bollox.
robroy:
and especially the idiots that feel the need to pull their mirrors in, if your brain is telling you that you need to pull your mirrors in, it is also trying to tell you it ain’t safe
Disagree with this. I’m the type of idiot to pull my mirror in even when having a 45 in a deep lay by with a seperation between the carriageway. I’d rather be an idiot than have my mirror ripped off, how inconvenient would that be!
Milk Man:
robroy:
and especially the idiots that feel the need to pull their mirrors in, if your brain is telling you that you need to pull your mirrors in, it is also trying to tell you it ain’t safeDisagree with this. I’m the type of idiot to pull my mirror in even when having a 45 in a deep lay by with a seperation between the carriageway. I’d rather be an idiot than have my mirror ripped off, how inconvenient would that be!
Parking in a deep lay by and pulling your mirror in does not make you an idiot, it makes you cautious and sensible. Parking on the edge of a busy trunk route (the bit that you edited out of my post) that you feel the NEED to pull your mirror in, because the clearance area between you and trucks passing you at 56mph is centimetres …that makes you an idiot ! because you are not listening to the full message from your brain. ie. you need to pull in your mirror because …the parking is dangerous therefore unsuitable
The point in my o/p was do the guys that do not think it is safe to sit in the cab on the h/s think it is safe to overnight park in an unsuitable lay by, and if so what is the difference.
Hope that helps 
guy we used to run with got killed 25 years ago that was only stopping at the rear end of a queue.Loaded artic ran into ■■■ end of his trailer and knocked it out /off fifth wheel straight through back of cab…
I can’t stand the recovery dicks who park right on the white line behind the stricken vehicle giving it, oh yeah, that’ll save me & give me a barrier, the idea is to not get hit in the bloody first place you cretin. I mean give them some bloody lee way you [zb].
Can’t agree more with the above statement…When I did roadside assistance many years ago in a van…We had some know it all H&S freak give us a lecture on parking as above…I had a long argument with him ,saying I was more likely to get hit with his method,and I didn’t want to be in the back if it happened.Fair enough you always run the risk of being hit no matter how far to the left you parked ,as beacons seem to attract people…Personally I pulled over to the left at a slight angle front wheel on full left lock.Nothing is 100% safe it is just a matter of minimising the risk as much as possible
I think the idea that being in a loaded truck gives you any significant protection in the event that another loaded wagon runs into the back of it is at best misguided. Anyone who thinks that way has no grasp of elementary physics.