Highways Agency driving
Discussion
Turned off M4 heading for Bristol. Turned off again after a couple of hundred yards to join the Bristol northern bypass. This slip road starts as two lanes and near the bottom expands to three lanes and entrance onto the roundabout is controlled by traffic lights – the left and middle lane can both turn left.
When I join the slip road in the outer lane traffic is at a standstill and two vehicles in front of me is a Highways Agency 4x4. Sudden the HA 4x4 switches on all his lights and forces his way through the traffic in the inner lane and onto the hard shoulder. He drives down the hard shoulder and stops just before the traffic lights. The lights change and he now forces his way through two lanes of traffic back into the outside lane. As soon as he is back in the outer lane he switches off his lights. All the traffic in the left and middle lane turns left so when the HA 4x4 stops at the traffic lights 90 degrees around the roundabout I am now directly behind him. So he gained nothing.
I decide this is pretty poor driving and ask my passenger to make a note of his number. My passenger points out that there is no rear numberplate. There is a mounting point for a spare wheel, but no spare wheel, so I assume that the numberplate is normally mounted in the centre of the spare wheel.
When I get home I remember that there is a cheap digital camera in my glovebox!
>> Edited by Philbes on Thursday 27th April 09:52
When I join the slip road in the outer lane traffic is at a standstill and two vehicles in front of me is a Highways Agency 4x4. Sudden the HA 4x4 switches on all his lights and forces his way through the traffic in the inner lane and onto the hard shoulder. He drives down the hard shoulder and stops just before the traffic lights. The lights change and he now forces his way through two lanes of traffic back into the outside lane. As soon as he is back in the outer lane he switches off his lights. All the traffic in the left and middle lane turns left so when the HA 4x4 stops at the traffic lights 90 degrees around the roundabout I am now directly behind him. So he gained nothing.
I decide this is pretty poor driving and ask my passenger to make a note of his number. My passenger points out that there is no rear numberplate. There is a mounting point for a spare wheel, but no spare wheel, so I assume that the numberplate is normally mounted in the centre of the spare wheel.
When I get home I remember that there is a cheap digital camera in my glovebox!
>> Edited by Philbes on Thursday 27th April 09:52
Didn't Communist Russia have a system of elite cars, driven by the chosen few who could ignore the law? At least they had some sort of identification plate IIRC. Wish I could remember what these people were called.
But, shhh, don't complain about them or you'll be getting that midnight knock on the door and a spike in the back of the head.
SM
But, shhh, don't complain about them or you'll be getting that midnight knock on the door and a spike in the back of the head.
SM
Saw another piece of very bizzare driving by one these the other day as well.
I was in the outer lane of the M1 making progress as you do, and noted one of these chaps pull onto the M1 from a slip road. A few minutes pass and I note that the HA oficer is now behind me flashing his driving lights. He's obviously trying to make progress. SO I pull over, when a space occurs and he flashes the next three cars in front of himas well. When passed he promptly pulls into lane one and returns to a more sedate 65 MPH cruise and we all pass him again? No flashing strobe lights no alarm no nothing.
And no we weren't lane hogging but passing slower vehicles and vans in the two other lanes. Saw no accidents or stranded vehicles to indicate he might have been on a call.
Bizzare.
TS
I was in the outer lane of the M1 making progress as you do, and noted one of these chaps pull onto the M1 from a slip road. A few minutes pass and I note that the HA oficer is now behind me flashing his driving lights. He's obviously trying to make progress. SO I pull over, when a space occurs and he flashes the next three cars in front of himas well. When passed he promptly pulls into lane one and returns to a more sedate 65 MPH cruise and we all pass him again? No flashing strobe lights no alarm no nothing.
And no we weren't lane hogging but passing slower vehicles and vans in the two other lanes. Saw no accidents or stranded vehicles to indicate he might have been on a call.
Bizzare.
TS
It's possible they received a call, started to respond, then the call was rescinded. Impossible to tell from outside of course. Though if you think someone should at least be told about it, you can call 08457 504030 (handsfree of course!) and report it. Eventually the 'compaint' comes back down the line to the HATO. Not saying that anything is guaranteed to come of it, but there is a big push for Highways to get drivers on side...
tvrslag said:
Saw another piece of very bizzare driving by one these the other day as well.
I was in the outer lane of the M1 making progress as you do, and noted one of these chaps pull onto the M1 from a slip road. A few minutes pass and I note that the HA oficer is now behind me flashing his driving lights. He's obviously trying to make progress. SO I pull over, when a space occurs and he flashes the next three cars in front of himas well. When passed he promptly pulls into lane one and returns to a more sedate 65 MPH cruise and we all pass him again? No flashing strobe lights no alarm no nothing.
And no we weren't lane hogging but passing slower vehicles and vans in the two other lanes. Saw no accidents or stranded vehicles to indicate he might have been on a call.
Bizzare.
TS
Did he have his roof lights on as well or do you think he was trying to throw his weight about and get you to slow down?
bigandclever said:
but there is a big push for Highways to get drivers on side...
If thats true, a good start would be if they stopped imitating highway patrol vehicles!
They could be bright red / orange seeing as they are emergency vehicles, they could have hi vis all over them and yet be easily distinguishable from other types of emergency vehicle and stop all this unneeded emergency braking...
Also, they should be in a van, so they can chuck debris in the back and svae on a job for someone else.
>> Edited by hedders on Thursday 27th April 17:46
hedders said:
They could be bright red / orange seeing as they are emergency vehicles,
They're not an emergency service.
hedders said:
Also, they should be in a van, so they can chuck debris in the back and svae on a job for someone else.
A van won't be towing a 32T artic out of a live lane though will it? There are different jobs for different people.
On the M4 this week, I was third in the queue behind a HATO slowing the traffic to pick up debris in lanes one and two (broken cone bases, there's so many bloody cones on the m4!). Anyway, a sign lit up in the rear window of his 4x4 saying 'do not pass' and eventually all three lanes stopped behind him, as he came to a halt in lane two.
The driver and passenger jumped out and waved to thank us for stopping. Then the driver made a near fatal mistake. He pointed forward along the motorway as if to gesture us to pass. What he actually meant was he was about to pick up the debris, and with that he turned and swiftly started picking bits up in a hunched-over running type fashion, darting from side to side.
Anyway , the car infront of me took the gesture as a signal to go and that is what he did, nearly taking the HATO's head and shoulders with him as he passed!
The startled HATO stood up pointing and shouting at the disappearing car! Quite funny to watch but it didn't inspire much confidence.
The driver and passenger jumped out and waved to thank us for stopping. Then the driver made a near fatal mistake. He pointed forward along the motorway as if to gesture us to pass. What he actually meant was he was about to pick up the debris, and with that he turned and swiftly started picking bits up in a hunched-over running type fashion, darting from side to side.
Anyway , the car infront of me took the gesture as a signal to go and that is what he did, nearly taking the HATO's head and shoulders with him as he passed!
The startled HATO stood up pointing and shouting at the disappearing car! Quite funny to watch but it didn't inspire much confidence.
kyletilley said:
what authority do they actually have can they book you etc?
www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/1968.aspx
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