Discussion
Hi.
Im a new member to this site and i have notice alot of anti HATO threads. not all are anti HATO but the majority seem to be.
I dont know if anyone has offered this before and i may be opening myself up a bit here but if you have any questions about the service or you have seen somthing that you want clarification on or a HATO has done somthing strange ( one thread stated that a HATO saw a 911 (i think) making progress in L3 so he moves over to L3 and does 60? madness), please email me via my profile. just mention your from pistonheads so i know where its come from please.
I will try to look for new threads on us but im not on the net much which is why i have suggested the above. I figured that with so many members on here and the fact that our roles have not been well advertised,it might do us both good but please dont email me with rants about plastic police and crap like that, it doesnt do either of us any good although everyone is entitled to there opinion and i respect that.
Please allow me to explain that i do not think im a copper and i would never say comments like 'we are highway police'. I know my role and its limits very well otherwise i wouldnt offer although im aware that there are many HATOs who think they are very important and like to play police. I dont know why, perhaps the wife wears the trousers at home?!!!!.
I am doing this off my own back and i may get shot down by my bosses if they find out but i will deal with that as and when!!
Hope to help you guys soon
Dave
Im a new member to this site and i have notice alot of anti HATO threads. not all are anti HATO but the majority seem to be.
I dont know if anyone has offered this before and i may be opening myself up a bit here but if you have any questions about the service or you have seen somthing that you want clarification on or a HATO has done somthing strange ( one thread stated that a HATO saw a 911 (i think) making progress in L3 so he moves over to L3 and does 60? madness), please email me via my profile. just mention your from pistonheads so i know where its come from please.
I will try to look for new threads on us but im not on the net much which is why i have suggested the above. I figured that with so many members on here and the fact that our roles have not been well advertised,it might do us both good but please dont email me with rants about plastic police and crap like that, it doesnt do either of us any good although everyone is entitled to there opinion and i respect that.
Please allow me to explain that i do not think im a copper and i would never say comments like 'we are highway police'. I know my role and its limits very well otherwise i wouldnt offer although im aware that there are many HATOs who think they are very important and like to play police. I dont know why, perhaps the wife wears the trousers at home?!!!!.
I am doing this off my own back and i may get shot down by my bosses if they find out but i will deal with that as and when!!
Hope to help you guys soon
Dave
Edited by Kinky on Saturday 9th February 11:57
Hi Dave welcome to the site. It's nice to see a HATO sayng hello and welcoming questions, I'm sure lots will come along! I personally think the HATOs do a good job, yes I'm sure they can be annoying at times, rolling road closures etc, but this is just something the Police would be doing anyway. The most annoying thing is when I'm driving along a motorway and fellow motorists slam on their brakes and slow to 50mph on seeing one of your cars thinking you are police. Its quite easy to spot the differences! I would be interested to see a list of your main duties. Do you liase much with the police?
Dave, I use the M3/M25 regularly and observed HATO's in action. Altogether I think they do a good job. My fear is that there will be a creeping enlargement of their role so they in effect become to Motorway police. It is already against the law to ignore their instructions, how much longer before they take over? Nothing personal but giving civilians powers over others has, in my opinion, made Britain a less fair place to live.
Can you explain why you are made to look as like the Police in vehicles and uniforms? In France the people who carry out your role have bright orange vans and overalls.
Can you explain why you are made to look as like the Police in vehicles and uniforms? In France the people who carry out your role have bright orange vans and overalls.
WelcomeHow exactly does one become a HATO? You don't have legal powrs to enforce laws, but I am sure that you have to be aware of them so how much training do you receive on this?
What training are you given regarding for example removing debris? Is there a set procedure?
Does your management make you feel that the priority of the HATO service is to keep traffic flowing or to maximise revenue by informing police of motorists doing 74mph?
Do you get sent on advanced / specialised training courses?
We all know that HATO will be first to arrive, and then call for BIB to deal with an incident, but do you ever get calls from BIB informing you of something that public have informed them of and asking you to deal with it as they don't feel it warrants police involvement?
There will be more questions I am sure!!!
What training are you given regarding for example removing debris? Is there a set procedure?
Does your management make you feel that the priority of the HATO service is to keep traffic flowing or to maximise revenue by informing police of motorists doing 74mph?
Do you get sent on advanced / specialised training courses?
We all know that HATO will be first to arrive, and then call for BIB to deal with an incident, but do you ever get calls from BIB informing you of something that public have informed them of and asking you to deal with it as they don't feel it warrants police involvement?
There will be more questions I am sure!!!
spikeyhead said:
....it still amazes me that sooooo many people can't tell the difference between a HATO motor and police one...
That would assume that the majority of the motoring public:a. Don't have a mobile phone clamped to their ear with one hand whilst using the other to pick their nose
b. Have a clue about what is going them on around them, like looking anywhere other than at the bumber of the vehicle in front
c. Give a shit
In Lieu of Dave answering some of these questions, it is only fair the rest of us assist...
Spookyman said:
How exactly does one become a HATO?
Keep an eye on the Highways Agency website www.highways.gov.uk under recruitment. You can add your emaila ddress and they will alert you once a recruitment round starts. Process is application form/sift/half-day assessment/job offer/medical/training/probation.Spookyman said:
You don't have legal powrs to enforce laws, but I am sure that you have to be aware of them so how much training do you receive on this?
Foundation training covers our powers, where they fit into law, and the exemptions we have under existing laws.Spookyman said:
What training are you given regarding for example removing debris? Is there a set procedure?
Easy question to ask, harder to answer. Foundation training covers the theory and slight practical. Post-foundation, on the job training covers real life examples. Depends on the size of debris and where it is, the traffic flow and the weather conditions. For example, a sofa in the outside lane when the traffic is stationary is easy. Stop traffic by hand, drag it out. A roll of insulation in the central res can wait until the large incident support truck can get it on nights when they can run out due to less traffic. No requirement for a rolling block, less disruption on the motorist. However, if windy, we have to get it straight away as it has the chance to blow out in the carriageway. Rolling block may be required depending on traffic. To answer the question, there is no set procedure, but loads of different procedures that you may link together to achieve the correct outcome. Spookyman said:
Does your management make you feel that the priority of the HATO service is to keep traffic flowing or to maximise revenue by informing police of motorists doing 74mph?
Firmly to keep traffic moving. That is what we are measured on. That is what we (and they) have to answer to if we don't perform.Spookyman said:
Do you get sent on advanced / specialised training courses?
The foundation course is specialised. Driver training isn't. We don't get anything other than a little refresher on driving a liveried vehicle on the motorway, reversing on the hard shoulder, crossing bullnoses etc. Towing damaged vehicles. Oh, and 4x4 training i suppose. Spookyman said:
We all know that HATO will be first to arrive, and then call for BIB to deal with an incident, but do you ever get calls from BIB informing you of something that public have informed them of and asking you to deal with it as they don't feel it warrants police involvement?
Yes, all the time. Non-injury collisions. Pedestrians. Debris. Depends on how the police feel sometimes. If they want to go as they are not busy, they still will. rewc said:
Can you explain why you are made to look as like the Police in vehicles and uniforms? In France the people who carry out your role have bright orange vans and overalls.
The vehicle livery designs are set down as standard for safety. the uniform is vastly different. Orange and yellow, not just yellow. The French have a terrible attitude for safety standards on fast roads iirc. The vehicle debate has been done to death, over how you cannot tow a damaged vehicle with a van Vs a 4x4. Everyone assume because the police "look" is a "police" look, anyone having the same is copying them. No-one assume that they set the standard first. Imagine if the TO service started before any motorway police and they did loads of research into hi-visibility, and then the police adopted the same methodology. Who is copying whom?
In fact, i seem to remember the recovery services adopting hi-vis clothing in the late 60's/early 70's and then the police used the same colour jackets until they could get their own made.
I often pass by HATO vehicles parked up protecting broken down vehicles and I'd be very grateful for the help if I found myself in that situation. I was amused though recently to see a HATO patrol vehicle pulled over with a flat tyre (I guess they will get a lot of these) with an AA patrol pulled up protectively behind them and the AA bod changing the wheel. Aren't you guys allowed to do this sort of thing for yourselves?
davegt4 said:
Hi.
I am doing this off my own back and i may get shot down by my bosses if they find out but i will deal with that as and when!!
Hope to help you guys soon
Dave
Good for youI am doing this off my own back and i may get shot down by my bosses if they find out but i will deal with that as and when!!
Hope to help you guys soon
Dave
Edited by Kinky on Saturday 9th February 11:57
Why don't der management trust their employees - not confident that you'll entirely follow the party line....? search button a waste of time?? how strange!!! WORKS WELL FOR ME.
To help you out : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/search.asp?h=0
To help you out : http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/search.asp?h=0
Edited by Davevx220 on Saturday 9th February 17:24
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