Police Motorway breakdown safety advice..
Discussion
Motorway Safety
What to do if you break down
If practicable, leave the motorway at the next exit and seek assistance.
Otherwise switch on your hazard warning lights, drive onto the hard shoulder, and stop as far to the left as is possible. In the dark or poor visibility, leave your side lights on.
If possible, stop near to an emergency telephone.
Leave the vehicle, with any passengers, via the nearside door, leaving any animals inside. If you are unaccompanied, lock all the doors before walking to the nearest emergency telephone. If you are accompanied, lock all doors except the front passenger door; in vehicles with central locking leave all the doors unlocked.
DO NOT CROSS THE CARRIAGEWAY.
Walk to the nearest telephone keeping to the inside of the hard shoulder. (Less than 100 metres from your vehicle is a marker post. An arrow on the post directs you to the nearest telephone.)
The SOS telephone is free and connects you directly to the Motorway Police Control Room. They will arrange any help you may need. Women travelling alone or with small children should tell the operator.
Return to your vehicle, unless otherwise instructed, and stay on the bank or nearby land so that you can see the breakdown vehicle or police car arriving. (If you have locked your vehicle before going to the telephone, unlock your front passenger door on your return.)
DO NOT :
Attempt repairs on the offside of your vehicle, even changing a wheel.
Cross the carriageway under any circumstance.
Use the hard shoulder except in cases of emergency as this is often the only means of access for emergency vehicles.
People with disabilities, who may find it difficult or impossible to follow the above advice, should not attempt to leave the vehicle or to use the emergency telephones. It is particularly dangerous for wheelchair users, and those with walking difficulties, to try to move along the hard shoulder. You should stay in your vehicle and, if you have one, display a 'HELP' pennant to draw the attention of Police patrols to your need for assistance.
SPECIAL ADVICE TO FEMALES TRAVELLING ALONE OR WITH SMALL CHILDREN
Inform the operator in the Police Control Room that you are a woman alone, or with young children. Your call will then be given priority and Police patrols will be notified of your location. During darkness, or in lonely or isolated places, when possible, a Police patrol will visit and remain with you until recovery arrives.
DO NOT ACCEPT A LIFT FROM A STRANGER - UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Return to your vehicle and make sure all doors are locked, except the front nearside passenger door. Wait in the vicinity of your vehicle and stay on the bank or nearby land.
Do not wait in your vehicle unless another vehicle pulls up nearby and you feel you are at risk. If you feel at risk, get into your vehicle via the front passenger door, stay in the front passenger seat and ensure all doors are locked and all windows are closed. Once you feel the danger has passed, leave your vehicle and return to the banking.
Motorway patrol officers will always be in uniform and mainly in marked patrol cars. If you are in any doubt, get into your vehicle, secure doors and windows, and ask to see his warrant card. If you are still unsure then ask him to contact another patrol car on his radio.
If you are too afraid to go to the emergency telephone, then remain near your vehicle and watch for a Police patrol.
Remember that, if your vehicle breaks down on the carriageway before you can drive onto the hard shoulder, IT WILL PRESENT A GREATER DANGER TO REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE.
The information contained on this page is general advice and your particular circumstances may justify an alternative course of action, eg standing outside of your vehicle in mid-winter may not be advisable. You should, therefore, decide on your own individual action.
What to do if you break down
If practicable, leave the motorway at the next exit and seek assistance.
Otherwise switch on your hazard warning lights, drive onto the hard shoulder, and stop as far to the left as is possible. In the dark or poor visibility, leave your side lights on.
If possible, stop near to an emergency telephone.
Leave the vehicle, with any passengers, via the nearside door, leaving any animals inside. If you are unaccompanied, lock all the doors before walking to the nearest emergency telephone. If you are accompanied, lock all doors except the front passenger door; in vehicles with central locking leave all the doors unlocked.
DO NOT CROSS THE CARRIAGEWAY.
Walk to the nearest telephone keeping to the inside of the hard shoulder. (Less than 100 metres from your vehicle is a marker post. An arrow on the post directs you to the nearest telephone.)
The SOS telephone is free and connects you directly to the Motorway Police Control Room. They will arrange any help you may need. Women travelling alone or with small children should tell the operator.
Return to your vehicle, unless otherwise instructed, and stay on the bank or nearby land so that you can see the breakdown vehicle or police car arriving. (If you have locked your vehicle before going to the telephone, unlock your front passenger door on your return.)
DO NOT :
Attempt repairs on the offside of your vehicle, even changing a wheel.
Cross the carriageway under any circumstance.
Use the hard shoulder except in cases of emergency as this is often the only means of access for emergency vehicles.
People with disabilities, who may find it difficult or impossible to follow the above advice, should not attempt to leave the vehicle or to use the emergency telephones. It is particularly dangerous for wheelchair users, and those with walking difficulties, to try to move along the hard shoulder. You should stay in your vehicle and, if you have one, display a 'HELP' pennant to draw the attention of Police patrols to your need for assistance.
SPECIAL ADVICE TO FEMALES TRAVELLING ALONE OR WITH SMALL CHILDREN
Inform the operator in the Police Control Room that you are a woman alone, or with young children. Your call will then be given priority and Police patrols will be notified of your location. During darkness, or in lonely or isolated places, when possible, a Police patrol will visit and remain with you until recovery arrives.
DO NOT ACCEPT A LIFT FROM A STRANGER - UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Return to your vehicle and make sure all doors are locked, except the front nearside passenger door. Wait in the vicinity of your vehicle and stay on the bank or nearby land.
Do not wait in your vehicle unless another vehicle pulls up nearby and you feel you are at risk. If you feel at risk, get into your vehicle via the front passenger door, stay in the front passenger seat and ensure all doors are locked and all windows are closed. Once you feel the danger has passed, leave your vehicle and return to the banking.
Motorway patrol officers will always be in uniform and mainly in marked patrol cars. If you are in any doubt, get into your vehicle, secure doors and windows, and ask to see his warrant card. If you are still unsure then ask him to contact another patrol car on his radio.
If you are too afraid to go to the emergency telephone, then remain near your vehicle and watch for a Police patrol.
Remember that, if your vehicle breaks down on the carriageway before you can drive onto the hard shoulder, IT WILL PRESENT A GREATER DANGER TO REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE.
The information contained on this page is general advice and your particular circumstances may justify an alternative course of action, eg standing outside of your vehicle in mid-winter may not be advisable. You should, therefore, decide on your own individual action.
Streetcop said:
Otherwise switch on your hazard warning lights, drive onto the hard shoulder, and stop as far to the left as is possible. In the dark or poor visibility, leave your side lights on.
Personally I think a worthwhile addition to this is to angle the car towards the verge and turn the steering left so that if someone does stray onto the hard shoulder and hit you, at least the car should go off to the left rather than into the carriageway.
miniman said:
Otherwise switch on your hazard warning lights, drive onto the hard shoulder, and stop as far to the left as is possible. In the dark or poor visibility, leave your side lights on.
Personally I think a worthwhile addition to this is to angle the car towards the verge and turn the steering left so that if someone does stray onto the hard shoulder and hit you, at least the car should go off to the left rather than into the carriageway.
The wheels turned to the left...definately...
Not really a fan of the vehicle being angled...(I know the odd BiB does it and breakdown/recovery trucks)..
Problem is; especially with private vehicles, is that the hazard warning lights work better/show brighter when in a straight line....ie: vehicle parked forwards. Any deviation means vehicles behind aren't afforded quite so much bulb/brightness...
I broke down on the M6 a couple of weeks ago at night (and before anybody starts it wasn't the Tuscan 
) bloody scary, then a range rover stoped which I thought was BiB, but turned out to be the highways agency. Really helpfull and stayed behind me with the flashing lights until the AA arrived.
) bloody scary, then a range rover stoped which I thought was BiB, but turned out to be the highways agency. Really helpfull and stayed behind me with the flashing lights until the AA arrived.
hop on folks 
Streetcop said:
The wheels turned to the left...definately...
Not really a fan of the vehicle being angled...(I know the odd BiB does it and breakdown/recovery trucks)..
Interesting - seen quite a few police vehicles angled into the carriageway (eg right). Never could work out the reason as in an accident they would get shunted into the carriage. I would have thought left would be better
Streetcop said:
Motorway Safety
DO NOT :
Attempt repairs on the offside of your vehicle, even changing a wheel.
Cross the carriageway under any circumstance.
Use the hard shoulder except in cases of emergency as this is often the only means of access for emergency vehicles.
Can't but agree with your advice. Could you explain why unmarked police cars use the hard shoulder as their office when ticketing speeders? After all it is generally agreed that the hard shoulder is a dangerous place to be.
bluepolarbear said:
The wheels turned to the left...definately...
Not really a fan of the vehicle being angled...(I know the odd BiB does it and breakdown/recovery trucks)..
Interesting - seen quite a few police vehicles angled into the carriageway (eg right). Never could work out the reason as in an accident they would get shunted into the carriage. I would have thought left would be better
You will probably find that wheels are turned to the offside when there is a crash barrier present. I used to train my guys to do this. If the breakdown vehicle is parked 4 or 5 car lengths behind the casualty vehicle to protect the scene and it is struck from behind, with the wheels to the nearside it will slide along the armco, hit the casualty vehicle and probably kill the breakdown man.
Steve
Another tip. If you have broken down and are attempting to fix the car yourself (e.g. n/s puncture), place something on the hard shoulder about 10 metres behind your car. A briefcase size object is ideal. If a vehicle is "wandering" and strays onto the shoulder, impact with this item should alert the both the driver of the wandering vehicle and yourself to the danger.
If you are feeling flush, invest £17 in a fold flat cone - it may save your life!
If you have a passenger, have him/her watch the oncoming traffic for you - but from a safe place
Steve
>> Edited by towman on Tuesday 22 February 00:03
If you are feeling flush, invest £17 in a fold flat cone - it may save your life!
If you have a passenger, have him/her watch the oncoming traffic for you - but from a safe place
Steve
>> Edited by towman on Tuesday 22 February 00:03
towman said:
You will probably find that wheels are turned to the offside when there is a crash barrier present. I used to train my guys to do this. If the breakdown vehicle is parked 4 or 5 car lengths behind the casualty vehicle to protect the scene and it is struck from behind, with the wheels to the nearside it will slide along the armco, hit the casualty vehicle and probably kill the breakdown man.
Steve
Ta - I'll keep an eye out
towman said:
Another tip. If you have broken down and are attempting to fix the car yourself (e.g. n/s puncture), place something on the hard shoulder about 10 metres behind your car. A briefcase size object is ideal. If a vehicle is "wandering" and strays onto the shoulder, impact with this item should alert the both the driver of the wandering vehicle and yourself to the danger.
If you are feeling flush, invest £17 in a fold flat cone - it may save your life!
If you have a passenger, have him/her watch the oncoming traffic for you - but from a safe place
Steve
>> Edited by towman on Tuesday 22 February 00:03
Top tips them Steve...
I've always carried an emergency triangle...and the fold flat cone is another good idea...
My only advice different from yours, would be the distance the item should be from your vehicle....
I would advice at least 50 metres....
>> Edited by Streetcop on Tuesday 22 February 11:28
towman said:
..... place something on the hard shoulder about 10 metres behind your car.
There is a legal requirement to place any such device/warning at least 45 meters behind the obstruction!
Covered by Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994 (SI 1994 No. 1519)
Regulation 16(5) covers the placing of a single traffic triangle/cone
It says
1. A traffic triangle must be placed at least 45 meters away from the obstruction
2. A traffic triangle must alos be placed as to face traffic approaching the obstruction from the side of the obstruction on which it is placed.
Towman said:
If you are feeling flush, invest £17 in a fold flat cone - it may save your life!
Good advice!
Towman said:
If you have a passenger, have him/her watch the oncoming traffic for you - but from a safe place
Steve
If your sign or cone is only 10 meters behind your vehicle, a driver travelling at 70mph will have hit your broken down car before he could put his foot on the brake if the cone is only 10 meters behind!
>> Edited by gone on Tuesday 22 February 11:37
gone said:
If your sign or cone is only 10 meters behind your vehicle, a driver travelling at 70mph will have hit your broken down car before he could put his foot on the brake if the cone is only 10 meters behind!
Apologies. I got it wrong. Another halfasleeplatenightposting issue!
Steve
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