Ask a Highways England Traffic Officer anything

[Willy Nilly]

Are your customers of a type?

[BossHogg]

Nope, we deal with a wide range of people and vehicles.

[anonymous-user]

The Mad Monk said:

Can't we/shouldn't we carry our own water, and some crisps or wine gums?

Yes but the amount of stupid people is beyond comprehension and they expect someone else to do it for them, how many have the wit to breathe surprised me.

[Red Devil]

Flibbertygibbet said:

What will be interesting is what happens if Carillion collapse as has been predicted in today’s papers...

Hopefully Grayling will be relgated to the back benches.

BossHogg said:

We don't have that problem on my patch, our stretch is tarmacked.

Or even Carillioned...

The Rookie said:

Our environment has to be taken into account, no regular frosts (most of France and Spain for example) makes a big difference, If its freezing for long periods (North Germany or Scandinavia) then there is no water getting in to freeze either, ours is one of the worst in Europe for its affect on the roads.

The problem in the UK is the alternating freeze/thaw cycle which is a result of our proximity to the Gulf Stream.
Continental northern Europe tends to have longer periods with fewer temperature fluctuations.

[CABC]

cmaguire said:

Our roads are bloody awful.
Compare them to France and Spain for example.

They are a patchwork quilt of bodged repairs and potholes here.

The autoroute is generally very good. of course, you pay for it. Calais to Chamonix is over 70euro one way.
off the autoroute in both France and Spain and things become patchy.
i'n not saying that the roads in UK haven't got worse but they're not that bad by comparison.
Where I am in France is patch on patch on patch, because we suffer freeze/thaw.
the other problem with Brits comparing driving life in France is that it's typically based on Autoroute and countryside, where the French are well behaved. move towards the towns and you find a car anywhere.

[BossHogg]

Flibbertygibbet said:

There’s a commitment to resurface most of the strategic road network and I don’t think progress is being badly made at this point, bearing in mind on one night a tarmac team can only provide so much material and lay so much in the 6 hour window that is available to them.

We are looking into utilising these machines, cuts down on planing going to landfill, and saves an absolute fortune in transport, new tarmac and man hours transporting new tarmac to site.

http://highwaysmagazine.co.uk/new-asphalt-recyclin...

[IroningMan]

Just read the full thread.

How in God's name did you find the patience to keep replying after all the muppets showed up in the first few pages?

[BossHogg]

A long fuse from dealing with eight grandkids on a daily basis.

[HantsRat]

BossHogg said:

There may be no commercial mobile signal, but you should still get 999 services as I believe that piggybacks off the masts that we use.

Edited by BossHogg on Saturday 13th January 16:20

It won't piggy back off airwave but 999 call will jump to the telephone network with the best signal even if it's say EE and you're on Virgin.

[berlintaxi]

BossHogg said:

Which one, there have been many in twelve years, the worst one is the one where we lost a good friend and colleague.

Has the toe-rag responsible for that been sentenced yet?

[bangerturner]

Is it legal to overtake here?
I've always assumed not, but was assured by a qualified driving instructor that you can

[HantsRat]

bangerturner said:

Is it legal to overtake here?
I've always assumed not, but was assured by a qualified driving instructor that you can

Yes perfectly legal to overtake there.

[dmsims]

Yes but notice the "clever" markings trying to make the road look narrower - idiots

[Red 4]

dmsims said:

Yes but notice the "clever" markings trying to make the road look narrower - idiots

They are broken hatched markings to try to keep vehicles travelling in opposite directions some distance apart.

Possibly been some nasty head-on RTCs on that road - hence the markings.

If it's a broken white line you can enter the area - if it's a solid white line you can't.

[dmsims]

Red 4 said:

They are broken hatched markings to try to keep vehicles travelling in opposite directions some distance apart.

Possibly been some nasty head-on RTCs on that road - hence the markings.

If it's a broken white line you can enter the area - if it's a solid white line you can't.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry

[HantsRat]

dmsims said:

I don't know whether to laugh or cry

Why? The first picture is on a bend, the second is a straight?

[Red 4]

dmsims said:

Red 4 said:

They are broken hatched markings to try to keep vehicles travelling in opposite directions some distance apart.

Possibly been some nasty head-on RTCs on that road - hence the markings.

If it's a broken white line you can enter the area - if it's a solid white line you can't.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry

I don't see your point.

The road is wider where the hatched markings are.

Do you suggest they spend oodles of tax-payers money widening the road where you've pictured it ?

It looks like a fast road where the hatched bit is, near to a bend. I'm struggling to see any idiocy here.

[BossHogg]

berlintaxi said:

Has the toe-rag responsible for that been sentenced yet?

Tomorrow at Liverpool crown court.

[Red 4]

BossHogg said:

Tomorrow at Liverpool crown court.

Is this the guy who was texting whilst driving through torrential rain/ gale force winds ?

1 HE officer killed, the other left paralysed ?

Perhaps some people on here should take a step back and re-evaluate their posts.

BossHogg - you have my most heartfelt sympathy.
Thanks for the thread.
I've also spent some time on the runway (Police).
Some people don't, and never will, understand.
Best regards mate.
Tough times.

Edited by Red 4 on Thursday 18th January 13:59

[dmsims]

HantsRat said:

dmsims said:

I don't know whether to laugh or cry

Why? The first picture is on a bend, the second is a straight?

Really are you being serious ?