Mobile motorway signs

[esselte]

Are there rules and regs for siting mobile matrix signs on M/ways?I ask this because on my trips up the M1 I've noticed that before the Wooley edge and Woodall services there are mobile signs advising people to "check your fuel".These are in both directions and about a mile prior to said service stations.The signs themselves aren't behind any armco and are just "protected" by a bunch of cones.Why are they there ?Aren't the big blue signs reminder enough that you may need fuel?And do you really need reminding to ckeck?

[Parrot of Doom]

I've seen these too, on the back of a small trailer. A bit patronising tbh.

[Vaux]

Parrot of Doom said:

I've seen these too, on the back of a small trailer. A bit patronising tbh.

"In the first six months of 2007 the Highways Agency dealt with 4,678 recorded incidents nationally where people had run out of fuel on the motorway."

http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/newsroom.aspx?news...

Maybe a bit patronizing for you, but there are a lot of people out there who need all the help they can get.

If I had a pound for every time I heard "well, the trip computer said I had 12 miles left...." I'd have a few quid now!

[esselte]

And is a little matrix sign more efficient than the huge blue ones ? Especially as they're only about 100 yds away from them? One of my questions was regarding siting/protection of mobile units on the m/way,can they just be placed anywhere without armco etc?

Edited by esselte on Friday 31st August 11:06

[Hooli]

if people are too retarded not to run out of fuel on motorways they shouldnt be on the road.

[Vaux]

esselte said:

And is a little matrix sign more efficient than the huge blue ones ? Especially as they're only about 100 yds away from them? One of my questions was regarding siting/protection of mobile units on the m/way,can they just be placed anywhere without armco etc?

Well obviously more efficient as it's got you asking questions!
Lots of people don't see the big blue signs - that's why they end up cutting across three lanes of traffic for an exit too......

Yet again the British public feels the need to complain about something.

Regarding siting. The two mobile VMS I've seen have been behind armco. You seeing then just on the hard shoulder?

If this is upsetting you, HA recently built special hard-standing for mobile VMS at a cost of many thousands of pounds. I'll try and get the actual number, but even to me it seemed extravagant!

[esselte]

Vaux said:

esselte said:

And is a little matrix sign more efficient than the huge blue ones ? Especially as they're only about 100 yds away from them? One of my questions was regarding siting/protection of mobile units on the m/way,can they just be placed anywhere without armco etc?

Well obviously more efficient as it's got you asking questions!
Lots of people don't see the big blue signs - that's why they end up cutting across three lanes of traffic for an exit too......

Yet again the British public feels the need to complain about something.

Regarding siting. The two mobile VMS I've seen have been behind armco. You seeing then just on the hard shoulder?

If this is upsetting you, HA recently built special hard-standing for mobile VMS at a cost of many thousands of pounds. I'll try and get the actual number, but even to me it seemed extravagant!

How does me asking questions mean that they are more efiicient?Since when has asking a question been "complaining" It doesn't upset me..if this is how HATOs react to questions I'm not surprised they get flak......The signs I'm talking about are on the grass verge just off the HS and have a few orange cones in front of them...no armco.

[Einion Yrth]

Hooli said:

if people are too retarded not to run out of fuel on motorways they shouldnt be on the road.

I believe it's a criminal offence in Germany.

[Timberwolf]

sigh - if only they used them to display "Keep left unless overtaking" and all would be well...

IIRC it's an offence in the UK to drive on a motorway knowing you don't have enough fuel to make it to the next junction/services, I got that off Top Gear though (the A8 long-distance trip) so might not be accurate.

I would be suprised if it's possible to get anywhere near a low-fuel condition in a modern numptmobile without being having a festival of lights and bongs march across the dashboard, anyway.

Edited by Timberwolf on Friday 31st August 11:54

[Vaux]

esselte said:

..if this is how HATOs react to questions I'm not surprised they get flak......

How am I "reacting"? You asked a question and I'm trying to answer it. I'm adding my personal view that no matter what anybody tries to do, someone will complain about something, that's all.

HA have tried to reduce the number of breakdowns due to running out of fuel (did you read the link?). It's easy to say "if they're that stupid to run out of fuel, let them suffer", but then you have families parked up on the hard shoulder, recovery services overstretched already dealing, and if no AA etc cover, an expensive duty garage call out........

I can see nothing negative in these VMS messages.

esselte said:

The signs I'm talking about are on the grass verge just off the HS and have a few orange cones in front of them...no armco.

Sounds fine then. I think they'll only be there temporarily anyway. I have no idea if this positioning is "legal", but I'm sure, knowing the HA, there'll have been several weeks of meetings to get approval.

[Vaux]

Timberwolf said:

IIRC it's an offence in the UK to drive on a motorway knowing you don't have enough fuel to make it to the next junction/services,

I'm pretty sure it isn't, or every time a HATO stopped with a breakdown due to no fuel, the Police would be involved?

Timberwolf said:

I would be suprised if it's possible to get anywhere near a low-fuel condition in a modern numptmobile without being having a festival of lights and bongs march across the dashboard, anyway.

So, your warnings come on just after you've past a MSA, do you have enough fuel to make the next exit and breakdown? Why risk it anyway.
Do I understand then that you think any of these matrix/VMS signs have any use, or should the HA just scrap the lot (and associated cost) and leave drivers to figure it out for themselves?

[esselte]

Vaux said:

esselte said:

..if this is how HATOs react to questions I'm not surprised they get flak......

How am I "reacting"? You asked a question and I'm trying to answer it. I'm adding my personal view that no matter what anybody tries to do, someone will complain about something, that's all.

HA have tried to reduce the number of breakdowns due to running out of fuel (did you read the link?). It's easy to say "if they're that stupid to run out of fuel, let them suffer", but then you have families parked up on the hard shoulder, recovery services overstretched already dealing, and if no AA etc cover, an expensive duty garage call out........

I can see nothing negative in these VMS messages.

esselte said:

The signs I'm talking about are on the grass verge just off the HS and have a few orange cones in front of them...no armco.

Sounds fine then. I think they'll only be there temporarily anyway. I have no idea if this positioning is "legal", but I'm sure, knowing the HA, there'll have been several weeks of meetings to get approval.

Your reaction was to say I was complaining when I was just asking a question.Yes I read the link.

[esselte]

Vaux said:

So, your warnings come on just after you've past a MSA, do you have enough fuel to make the next exit and breakdown? Why risk it anyway.

To be honest my low fuel light comes on with 50 miles left in the tank (at least),plenty of time to find a garage and fill up......although I don't usually let it get that low....

[GreenV8S]

Vaux said:

Timberwolf said:

IIRC it's an offence in the UK to drive on a motorway knowing you don't have enough fuel to make it to the next junction/services,

I'm pretty sure it isn't, or every time a HATO stopped with a breakdown due to no fuel, the Police would be involved?

I think it's along the lines that it is an offence to take a vehicle on the motorway knowing that it will break down there, because this means that you stopped deliberately in contravention of the 'no stopping' rule. I suspect the same argument could be made on any clearway. But it's entirely possible to run out of petrol on a motorway unexpectedly and I don't think that would constitute an offence.

[Vaux]

esselte said:

Your reaction was to say I was complaining when I was just asking a question.

OK - I apologize. It wasn't meant to be directly aimed at you, you were just the catalyst.

[esselte]

Vaux said:

esselte said:

Your reaction was to say I was complaining when I was just asking a question.

OK - I apologize. It wasn't meant to be directly aimed at you, you were just the catalyst.

[bigdods]

GreenV8S said:

But it's entirely possible to run out of petrol on a motorway unexpectedly and I don't think that would constitute an offence.

Happened to me once. Brand new ford orion (yes this was a few years back!) driving around the M25 in the outside lane engine cuts out. Managed to drift across to the hard shoulder without incident but car wouldnt start. AA come out 'ah yes sir these new Orions have a bit of a fuel guage problem. When it read 1/4 it actually means empty'

[Gafferjim]

I can tell you that over 50% of the breakdowns in our region on bank holiday mondays nightshift, were the results of running out of fuel, and at lease 50% of those didn't have any recovery membership, they expected either us or the police to take fuel to them.
They also became very upset when they found out the cost of their next gallon of fuel however. Maybe it might teach them a lesson (but I doubt it!)

Edited by Gafferjim on Friday 31st August 17:19