Drivers fined for using hard shoulder

[TUS373]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2333k4983o

More regretful decline in driving standards. Drivers who are hard of understanding, inappropriately using the hard shoulder....have found hard luck.

[miniman]

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn’t it?

[LosingGrip]

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

Isnt that why they can close lanes if they need to? Along with an extra lane to ease traffic?

[paul_c123]

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

If an incident occurs, as well as showing reduced speed limits, one of the first things to happen is to ditch "All Lanes Running" and close the hard shoulder to all but emergency use so that police/fire/ambulance have it available to make progress through potential congestion.

[SydneyBridge]

Seeing as hardly anyone uses the inside lane, it will not be a problem (see M3..)

[TorqueVR]

I think a more appropriate title is "Drivers Fined For ABUSING Hard Shoulder"

[vikingaero]

I think it's incredible that a UK Police Force has actually booked people for this.

Hard shoulders, especially near airports are "priority VIP/Instagram lanes" and things like Red X's are totally optional these days.

[havoc]

paul_c123 said:

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

If an incident occurs, as well as showing reduced speed limits, one of the first things to happen is to ditch "All Lanes Running" and close the hard shoulder to all but emergency use so that police/fire/ambulance have it available to make progress through potential congestion.

If an incident occurs it'll almost certainly cause an immediate traffic back-up so even IF (when?) the HA close the hard shoulder there'll be dozens/hundreds of cars stuck on it going nowhere because of the incident the emergency services are trying to get to.

[donkmeister]

SydneyBridge said:

Seeing as hardly anyone uses the inside lane, it will not be a problem (see M3..)

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

[SydneyBridge]

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

[98elise]

havoc said:

paul_c123 said:

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

If an incident occurs, as well as showing reduced speed limits, one of the first things to happen is to ditch "All Lanes Running" and close the hard shoulder to all but emergency use so that police/fire/ambulance have it available to make progress through potential congestion.

If an incident occurs it'll almost certainly cause an immediate traffic back-up so even IF (when?) the HA close the hard shoulder there'll be dozens/hundreds of cars stuck on it going nowhere because of the incident the emergency services are trying to get to.

I used to do 40k miles a year, and that wasn't my experience. When a lane got closed there was normally plenty of time and space to cross into the other lanes.

Plenty of drivers ignore it though and then cause a jam nearer the accident.

I've seen fire engines and ambulances blocked by the VIP's who feel the red X doesn't apply. I'd be happy to see big fines for anyone using a hard shoulder or closed lane when they shouldn't.

[donkmeister]

SydneyBridge said:

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

I have mulled this one and the only logical reason is that they believe the lane is made of molten lava.