HATOs - great service
Discussion
I went up to Arbroath yesterday to collect a BMW 740 I'd bought through eBay.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
TPS said:
I take it you will be having words with the AA about there time taken to get to you.
They rang me yesterday as a courtesy call, poor lass didn't know what to say when I told her I was over the hypothermia and had stopped shaking uncontrollably now but no, their response time wasn't acceptable.
While we're on the subject of Traffic Officers, here are my musings: -
HATO's seem to provide a good service, and I'd be glad of their assistance if I should need it. I don't know the cost to the HA of providing the service, so I can't comment on value for money.
One slight gripe I have however, whilst not directly their fault, is that around my way they're rather fond of reverse-parking their Disco3's in the Police observation platforms, performing a convincing immitation of a Police vehicle. Unfortunately, upon seeing said vehicle, all the naughty boys and girls that have been tailgating, speeding, undertaking and being generally mischievous nail the brakes and go into 55mph, please don't bust me mode. Predictably, this results in a panic-breaking induced flow breakdown and a significant delay to my commute. So I'd prefer it if they just cruised up and down the mainline, or waited at the very start of the on-slip hard shoulder, where the naughty boys and girls can't see them. As I said, it's not their fault, but they could solve it.
HATO's seem to provide a good service, and I'd be glad of their assistance if I should need it. I don't know the cost to the HA of providing the service, so I can't comment on value for money.
One slight gripe I have however, whilst not directly their fault, is that around my way they're rather fond of reverse-parking their Disco3's in the Police observation platforms, performing a convincing immitation of a Police vehicle. Unfortunately, upon seeing said vehicle, all the naughty boys and girls that have been tailgating, speeding, undertaking and being generally mischievous nail the brakes and go into 55mph, please don't bust me mode. Predictably, this results in a panic-breaking induced flow breakdown and a significant delay to my commute. So I'd prefer it if they just cruised up and down the mainline, or waited at the very start of the on-slip hard shoulder, where the naughty boys and girls can't see them. As I said, it's not their fault, but they could solve it.
cross-eyed-twit said:
good stuff. need more examples from happy customers.
There is a lot of complimentary feedback from happy customers.
Doesn't make for interesting reading like Clarkson's Wombles piece, or BiB stories of HATOs trying to slow down unmarked cars on training runs though.
From another source;........
Awards for fire battle traffic officers
Courageous Highways Agency officers have received a bravery award after they tried to save a man in a fire on the M65.
Traffic Officers Clint Gumbley and Iain Rowlands, who are based at the Samlesbury outstation just off the M6, were presented with Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society certificates following the rescue attempt last summer.
The officers, who had only been in the post a few months, were patrolling the motorway on June 19 and were first on the scene when they spotted a stationary car on the hard shoulder of the M65 near Blackburn.
Shortly after stopping to check out the vehicle, a fire broke out inside and the officers used an extinguisher to control the blaze and to try to save the driver and protect other road users.
They put out the blaze but the incident caused the motorway to be closed for a while to allow a helicopter to take the driver to hospital where he later died.
Mr Gumbley, 31, of Abbey Village in Chorley, and Mr Rowlands, 42, from Caterall, Garstang, said they felt honoured to be recognised for their work but wish they could have saved the man's life.
Mr Rowlands said: "I'm just really sorry for the man's family and children and that we couldn't do more for him at the time. It was an unusual occurrence and quite traumatic."
Mr Gumbley said: "I'm very pleased that we've been recognised, it was a traumatic incident."
The two were presented with the Liverpool Shipwreck Society bravery certificates by Lancashire Police Supt Richard Bayly.
Awards for fire battle traffic officers
Courageous Highways Agency officers have received a bravery award after they tried to save a man in a fire on the M65.
Traffic Officers Clint Gumbley and Iain Rowlands, who are based at the Samlesbury outstation just off the M6, were presented with Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society certificates following the rescue attempt last summer.
The officers, who had only been in the post a few months, were patrolling the motorway on June 19 and were first on the scene when they spotted a stationary car on the hard shoulder of the M65 near Blackburn.
Shortly after stopping to check out the vehicle, a fire broke out inside and the officers used an extinguisher to control the blaze and to try to save the driver and protect other road users.
They put out the blaze but the incident caused the motorway to be closed for a while to allow a helicopter to take the driver to hospital where he later died.
Mr Gumbley, 31, of Abbey Village in Chorley, and Mr Rowlands, 42, from Caterall, Garstang, said they felt honoured to be recognised for their work but wish they could have saved the man's life.
Mr Rowlands said: "I'm just really sorry for the man's family and children and that we couldn't do more for him at the time. It was an unusual occurrence and quite traumatic."
Mr Gumbley said: "I'm very pleased that we've been recognised, it was a traumatic incident."
The two were presented with the Liverpool Shipwreck Society bravery certificates by Lancashire Police Supt Richard Bayly.
markmullen said:
I went up to Arbroath yesterday to collect a BMW 740 I'd bought through eBay.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
Excellent service by the HATO people full marks. Can we have more of them on the road please
Changing the subject a bit, what I have never understood why is it considered better to stand outside the vehicle, behind the barrier, in a gale with torrential rain or a blizzard and risk dying of hypothermia, especially if you aren't carrying suitable clothing, rather than parking the vehicle well over to the left and staying inside relatively warm and comfortable.
Before anyone says about being rear ended I am aware of that possibility and if it happens with some force then the end result is going to be the same as standing outside.
In fairness I wasn't dying of hypothermia (just yet), because I was travelling by coach I didn't have my usual car survival kit with me (hi-viz thermal coat, gloves and hat, spare shoes, snow gear etc). I was wearing a goose down puffa jacket which is normally very very warm but after an hour or so it started to get waterlogged.
Where I was there was only a narrow shoulder, not much wider than the 740 I saw numerous cars and the trucks wandering over the line and into the shoulder which was alarming to say the least.
My brother is a policeman and he isn't keen on being on the shoulder even in a fully liveried up T5 with all the lights going. As he put it the other night no amount of flashing lights will help if the driver is asleep.
Where I was there was only a narrow shoulder, not much wider than the 740 I saw numerous cars and the trucks wandering over the line and into the shoulder which was alarming to say the least.
My brother is a policeman and he isn't keen on being on the shoulder even in a fully liveried up T5 with all the lights going. As he put it the other night no amount of flashing lights will help if the driver is asleep.
smallgun said:
markmullen said:
I went up to Arbroath yesterday to collect a BMW 740 I'd bought through eBay.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
Excellent service by the HATO people full marks. Can we have more of them on the road please
Changing the subject a bit, what I have never understood why is it considered better to stand outside the vehicle, behind the barrier, in a gale with torrential rain or a blizzard and risk dying of hypothermia, especially if you aren't carrying suitable clothing, rather than parking the vehicle well over to the left and staying inside relatively warm and comfortable.
Before anyone says about being rear ended I am aware of that possibility and if it happens with some force then the end result is going to be the same as standing outside.
The simple reason is it is better to be cold than dead end of.
I beleive the average car is hit by another vehicle within 10 minutes of being on the hard shoulder,so its simple you get the hell out and pretty quickly to.If you are out and behind the barrier or up the bank the vehicle wont hit you.
Edited by TPS on Tuesday 6th March 21:11
TPS said:
smallgun said:
markmullen said:
I went up to Arbroath yesterday to collect a BMW 740 I'd bought through eBay.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
On the way home the car overheated (it turns out it needs a new radiator) at the side of the A1m between junctions 61 and 60 at Teeside.
I phoned the Highways Agency through the orange box rather than my mobile so they had the exact location, despite this the AA sent their driver to junction 1 of the A1 not junction 60 (about 260 miles away).
After about 10 minutes at the roadside (howling wind and torrential rain, I was stood out of harms way on the far side of the Armco) a HATO shogun appeared and the (rather tasty) HATO officer jumped out to check I was OK and I had someone on the way to recover me. She also took my mobile number and then rang every 10 or 15 minutes to check I was OK whist they continued to patrol.
After an hour and a half of broken promises by the AA they returned and found me shaking with cold so they gave me a foil space blanket to keep me warm. They waited for the next hour until the AA finally got to me. During this time they weren't able to sit in their vehicle in case anyone hit it so were out and about in the rain with me. The hazards on my car had stopped working due to the battery going flat after 2 hours so the I was glad to have their amber and red beacons lighting the job up.
I know is a long and boring story but I wanted to counter some of the negative press the HATOs get, in this case they were ideal, it would not have been a good use of a police traffic car. Their company made it seem a lot less unpleasant. I will be writing to their office to thank them for their help.
Excellent service by the HATO people full marks. Can we have more of them on the road please
Changing the subject a bit, what I have never understood why is it considered better to stand outside the vehicle, behind the barrier, in a gale with torrential rain or a blizzard and risk dying of hypothermia, especially if you aren't carrying suitable clothing, rather than parking the vehicle well over to the left and staying inside relatively warm and comfortable.
Before anyone says about being rear ended I am aware of that possibility and if it happens with some force then the end result is going to be the same as standing outside.
The simple reason is it is better to be cold than dead end of.
I beleive the average car is hit by another vehicle within 10 minutes of being on the hard shoulder,so its simple you get the hell out and pretty quickly to.If you are out and behind the barrier or up the bank the vehicle wont hit you.
Edited by TPS on Tuesday 6th March 21:11
Ok I accept the arguments about being hit from the rear.
As the current wisdom is to get out of the car then why cannot each emergency phone have a bus stop style shelter around it. This would provide some protection against the elements for stranded people and get them behind the barrier. I'm not only thinking of the fully equipt motorist but also of families with young children who may not carry a full complement of suitable clothing all the time.
TPS said:
Its a good idea but i bet they would not do it as people would sue them if a car hit the shelter,we do live in a where there's blame there's a claim society now.
TPS I was thinking more in line with the shelter being behind the barrier not in front where the phones are currently situated, but I take your point about it being a "blame claim society we live in
) that started this conversation I reckon I should be in too 
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