Traffic cops BBC last night
Discussion
This made me mad.
Big crash, girl killed due to driver messing with phone. Police man goes to tell family then goes back to site in a right mood.
Sitting in traffic sees woman TEXTING on her mobile and shouts at her to get off it. Then travelling down hard shoulder and a car is doing about 10mph in it to get to the services, does him with 3 points and a £60 fine!! All within a couple of minutes I think and all because he's in a bad mood! Why not do the woman or the van travelling down the hard shoulder while he's doing the bloke? Surely this police man shouldn't have had to go straight back to the scene after the stress of telling the family?
I had a lot of sympathy for the bloke until he acted so differently for 2 similar offences.
Big crash, girl killed due to driver messing with phone. Police man goes to tell family then goes back to site in a right mood.
Sitting in traffic sees woman TEXTING on her mobile and shouts at her to get off it. Then travelling down hard shoulder and a car is doing about 10mph in it to get to the services, does him with 3 points and a £60 fine!! All within a couple of minutes I think and all because he's in a bad mood! Why not do the woman or the van travelling down the hard shoulder while he's doing the bloke? Surely this police man shouldn't have had to go straight back to the scene after the stress of telling the family?
I had a lot of sympathy for the bloke until he acted so differently for 2 similar offences.
dickster said:
This made me mad.
Big crash, girl killed due to driver messing with phone. Police man goes to tell family then goes back to site in a right mood.
Sitting in traffic sees woman TEXTING on her mobile and shouts at her to get off it. Then travelling down hard shoulder and a car is doing about 10mph in it to get to the services, does him with 3 points and a £60 fine!! All within a couple of minutes I think and all because he's in a bad mood! Why not do the woman or the van travelling down the hard shoulder while he's doing the bloke? Surely this police man shouldn't have had to go straight back to the scene after the stress of telling the family?
I had a lot of sympathy for the bloke until he acted so differently for 2 similar offences.
Big crash, girl killed due to driver messing with phone. Police man goes to tell family then goes back to site in a right mood.
Sitting in traffic sees woman TEXTING on her mobile and shouts at her to get off it. Then travelling down hard shoulder and a car is doing about 10mph in it to get to the services, does him with 3 points and a £60 fine!! All within a couple of minutes I think and all because he's in a bad mood! Why not do the woman or the van travelling down the hard shoulder while he's doing the bloke? Surely this police man shouldn't have had to go straight back to the scene after the stress of telling the family?
I had a lot of sympathy for the bloke until he acted so differently for 2 similar offences.
I thought he got it right tbh. Woman texting on her phone was stationary (Ok maybe moving at 5mph) in long queues caused by the fatality. I know you arent meant to use your phone on the move, but stuck in a non-moving traffic queue is hardly the same as holding it to your ear whilst doing 80mph down the motorway.
As for driving down the hard shoulder when everyone else is waiting in the queue.. I thought he got what he deserved. I couldnt see the services in view so they must have been some distance off.
Did you see the van behind them coming down the hard shoulder though!! He saw the bib and quickly pulled back into lane 1 before he was noticed.
Cameraman should have pointed him out.I think he got it right too, the van on the hard shoulder he didn't see it, though I guess if he had he could have signalled it to stop behind the one he'd just pulled and deal with it next.
Personally he seemed deep down to be more upset than he openly showed. Voice tremor gave it away for a fraction of a second.
I mean even the clip which showed him where he vascared somebody off a motorway bridge and was off to stop them when called to the collision he was after somebody at 85mph on a busy motorway who was driving right up car in front's chuff to bully them out of the way. Seemed a good bloke to me anyway. :thumbup;
This is also being discussed on another thread about cell phone use> here
Personally he seemed deep down to be more upset than he openly showed. Voice tremor gave it away for a fraction of a second.
I mean even the clip which showed him where he vascared somebody off a motorway bridge and was off to stop them when called to the collision he was after somebody at 85mph on a busy motorway who was driving right up car in front's chuff to bully them out of the way. Seemed a good bloke to me anyway. :thumbup;
This is also being discussed on another thread about cell phone use> here
chrispy porker said:
hardest thing I have EVER had to do tell someone their son had been killed on his motorcycle. I was in bits afterwards for the rest of the shift. You try and be proffessional but inside you want to cry with them.
Thanks for saying this cp; This is one of those things that I really really admire the 'real' BiB for and am glad I don't have to do this in my dayjob.
Edited by Richard C on Thursday 9th November 18:07
yes unfortunately you get flashbacks when you remember things like this. Normally you knock on someones door and say 'its nothing to worry about'.
An inspector of mine had to tell a local scrote his son was dead, but was denied access 'unless you've got a warrant' so he had to shout the news to Mr Nasty who was leaning out of an upstairs window telling him to 'Foxtrot oscar'in no uncertain terms.
The guy then fell out of the window on hearing the news , and ended up being hospitalised himself.
An inspector of mine had to tell a local scrote his son was dead, but was denied access 'unless you've got a warrant' so he had to shout the news to Mr Nasty who was leaning out of an upstairs window telling him to 'Foxtrot oscar'in no uncertain terms.
The guy then fell out of the window on hearing the news , and ended up being hospitalised himself.
I had just this situation a few years ago.
I was on the M18 just outside Doncaster.
I was sitting in stationary traffic.
Looking in the rear-view mirror I saw a 40 foot, 32-tonne artic, bearing down on me at 60mph.
It was a bit foggy, but not bad. I dabbed my brakes. The lights came on (I could see the red glow).
No change in the artic.
Shall I get out and stand in the central reservation, between the crash barriers? No, if it overturns, the load of timber would go on top of me.
At the last few seconds the artic swerved. Smoke from the tyres. Over to the hard shoulder. The driver stopped about 15 feet ahead of me, making the sign of the cross.
I got out and swore at him. He couldn't understand a word (he gesticulated). The artic bore Polish details.
I was on the M18 just outside Doncaster.
I was sitting in stationary traffic.
Looking in the rear-view mirror I saw a 40 foot, 32-tonne artic, bearing down on me at 60mph.
It was a bit foggy, but not bad. I dabbed my brakes. The lights came on (I could see the red glow).
No change in the artic.
Shall I get out and stand in the central reservation, between the crash barriers? No, if it overturns, the load of timber would go on top of me.
At the last few seconds the artic swerved. Smoke from the tyres. Over to the hard shoulder. The driver stopped about 15 feet ahead of me, making the sign of the cross.
I got out and swore at him. He couldn't understand a word (he gesticulated). The artic bore Polish details.
You know what to do next time don't you.
When you see standing traffic in your lane, slow down and come to stop about 45 foot from the next guy whilst watching your mirror, you want to be watching the next half dozen vehicles come to stop behind you, then slowly creep up still leaving about 12 foot from the one in front.
If you are in lane one your escape route is the hard shoulder, or if you are in lane 2 your escape is lane 3.
Once YOU aren't tail-end-Charlie you are safe(r)
When you see standing traffic in your lane, slow down and come to stop about 45 foot from the next guy whilst watching your mirror, you want to be watching the next half dozen vehicles come to stop behind you, then slowly creep up still leaving about 12 foot from the one in front.
If you are in lane one your escape route is the hard shoulder, or if you are in lane 2 your escape is lane 3.
Once YOU aren't tail-end-Charlie you are safe(r)
Thanks slowly.
Yes, you're absolutely right. The poor girl died because her car was crushed between the artic behind and the car in front.
If she'd done as you wrote, there'd be clear space in front of her and her Peugeot shouldn't have been squashed.
Very good deduction, I'd say. It really should be in the Highway Code. Can't you suggest it?
Yes, you're absolutely right. The poor girl died because her car was crushed between the artic behind and the car in front.
If she'd done as you wrote, there'd be clear space in front of her and her Peugeot shouldn't have been squashed.
Very good deduction, I'd say. It really should be in the Highway Code. Can't you suggest it?
I have to say - i'm really nervous at that particular junction.
I come off it every morning - and number of lorries I've seen slamming on their brakes because theres someone in the middle lane trying to bypass the queue and jump in at the last second!
I've seen 1 smash there as a cause of this. I know this was not the cause of the accident that was on TV last night - but to pick up on what slowly x2 said - it's all about being prepared for the worst.
K
I come off it every morning - and number of lorries I've seen slamming on their brakes because theres someone in the middle lane trying to bypass the queue and jump in at the last second!
I've seen 1 smash there as a cause of this. I know this was not the cause of the accident that was on TV last night - but to pick up on what slowly x2 said - it's all about being prepared for the worst.
K
slowly slowly said:
You know what to do next time don't you.
When you see standing traffic in your lane, slow down and come to stop about 45 foot from the next guy whilst watching your mirror, you want to be watching the next half dozen vehicles come to stop behind you, then slowly creep up still leaving about 12 foot from the one in front.
If you are in lane one your escape route is the hard shoulder, or if you are in lane 2 your escape is lane 3.
Once YOU aren't tail-end-Charlie you are safe(r)
When you see standing traffic in your lane, slow down and come to stop about 45 foot from the next guy whilst watching your mirror, you want to be watching the next half dozen vehicles come to stop behind you, then slowly creep up still leaving about 12 foot from the one in front.
If you are in lane one your escape route is the hard shoulder, or if you are in lane 2 your escape is lane 3.
Once YOU aren't tail-end-Charlie you are safe(r)
This is a very good post. I have had 3 bumps in 16 years of driving. All 3 were due to me being last in the q of traffic and being shunted. None were serious but I do this now and in rush hour on the m/way my heart is in my mouth and I am always ready for this now.
Being a truck driver I know how these things happen, people come into this line of work because they think it's a good job, that truck drivers tacho showed it happened at about 8.30am and he had beem mobile for about 2 hours and I'm not being funny but he was a big lad, he probably goes to bed late and gets up early, not good.
He would get his cab nice and warm(not good), he would probably be either chatting or have the radio on or both.
The phrase I use is "eyes open but not seeing"
Next time you stop 45 foot away look in your mirror for signs of life from the driver, if in doubt take your escape route and let the other guy take the hit.
He would get his cab nice and warm(not good), he would probably be either chatting or have the radio on or both.
The phrase I use is "eyes open but not seeing"
Next time you stop 45 foot away look in your mirror for signs of life from the driver, if in doubt take your escape route and let the other guy take the hit.
slowly slowly said:
Being a truck driver I know how these things happen, people come into this line of work because they think it's a good job, that truck drivers tacho showed it happened at about 8.30am and he had beem mobile for about 2 hours and I'm not being funny but he was a big lad, he probably goes to bed late and gets up early, not good.
He would get his cab nice and warm(not good), he would probably be either chatting or have the radio on or both.
The phrase I use is "eyes open but not seeing"
Next time you stop 45 foot away look in your mirror for signs of life from the driver, if in doubt take your escape route and let the other guy take the hit.
He would get his cab nice and warm(not good), he would probably be either chatting or have the radio on or both.
The phrase I use is "eyes open but not seeing"
Next time you stop 45 foot away look in your mirror for signs of life from the driver, if in doubt take your escape route and let the other guy take the hit.
...plus keep tapping your brake pedal to show some stop lights, and maybe use the hazard flashers - then hopefully nobody takes the hit.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
gently bentley said:
slowly slowly said:
You know what to do next time don't you.
When you see standing traffic in your lane, slow down and come to stop about 45 foot from the next guy whilst watching your mirror, you want to be watching the next half dozen vehicles come to stop behind you, then slowly creep up still leaving about 12 foot from the one in front.
If you are in lane one your escape route is the hard shoulder, or if you are in lane 2 your escape is lane 3.
Once YOU aren't tail-end-Charlie you are safe(r)
When you see standing traffic in your lane, slow down and come to stop about 45 foot from the next guy whilst watching your mirror, you want to be watching the next half dozen vehicles come to stop behind you, then slowly creep up still leaving about 12 foot from the one in front.
If you are in lane one your escape route is the hard shoulder, or if you are in lane 2 your escape is lane 3.
Once YOU aren't tail-end-Charlie you are safe(r)
This is a very good post. I have had 3 bumps in 16 years of driving. All 3 were due to me being last in the q of traffic and being shunted. None were serious but I do this now and in rush hour on the m/way my heart is in my mouth and I am always ready for this now.
Apart from bumps in motor sport competition the only RTA (touch wood) I have had have also been up the rear end, ooo err missus. Sorry tell a lie, one a long time ago first at scene of an RTA and my vehicle got taken out protecting the scene which I guess was what it was supposed to do.
To add to what slowly slowly says that is exactly why my preferred choice of queuing lane is lane 1. Not always possible of course.
The other thing I would add, is that having stopped a way back, and keeping a watch on the mirrors, if something is looming up then I get on the brakes lights. On/off at around 1-2 cycles per second really wakes the bar stewards up.
Also this stopping early is useful not just on the motorway. One regular junction I go through is a fastish NSL SC B road. It goes over brow & downhill to T Junc with major road. At busy times the queue extends back towards the brow. Stopping well back on the brow watching mirror with brake lights ready as above keeps you and the queue safe.
What boggles my mind, however, is the number of people who, having been 'saved' from cracking into the queue, that then follow you down to join the queue and thus put themselves into danger frame.
FiF
TripleS said:
slowly slowly said:
The phrase I use is "eyes open but not seeing"
...plus keep tapping your brake pedal to show some stop lights, and maybe use the hazard flashers - then hopefully nobody takes the hit.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
More and more people are doing this these days and it certainly works, but I can't say that I have ever read this advice any where, obviously it comes with experience and unfortunately it was a young girl that got killed.
That scenario is my worst 'fear' when on the motorway, and hence adopt the tactics above (early slow braking, keeping brake lights lit etc.), they have worked so far.
I think the bib acted as best he could given his days work - he is only human!
On a less bad note - the audi a4 seem to stand up remarkably well in the crash, which is good to know as i have one!
I think the bib acted as best he could given his days work - he is only human!
On a less bad note - the audi a4 seem to stand up remarkably well in the crash, which is good to know as i have one!
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