Drivers fined for using hard shoulder

[TUS373]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2333k4983o

More regretful decline in driving standards. Drivers who are hard of understanding, inappropriately using the hard shoulder....have found hard luck.

[miniman]

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn’t it?

[LosingGrip]

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

Isnt that why they can close lanes if they need to? Along with an extra lane to ease traffic?

[paul_c123]

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

If an incident occurs, as well as showing reduced speed limits, one of the first things to happen is to ditch "All Lanes Running" and close the hard shoulder to all but emergency use so that police/fire/ambulance have it available to make progress through potential congestion.

[SydneyBridge]

Seeing as hardly anyone uses the inside lane, it will not be a problem (see M3..)

[TorqueVR]

I think a more appropriate title is "Drivers Fined For ABUSING Hard Shoulder"

[vikingaero]

I think it's incredible that a UK Police Force has actually booked people for this.

Hard shoulders, especially near airports are "priority VIP/Instagram lanes" and things like Red X's are totally optional these days.

[havoc]

paul_c123 said:

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

If an incident occurs, as well as showing reduced speed limits, one of the first things to happen is to ditch "All Lanes Running" and close the hard shoulder to all but emergency use so that police/fire/ambulance have it available to make progress through potential congestion.

If an incident occurs it'll almost certainly cause an immediate traffic back-up so even IF (when?) the HA close the hard shoulder there'll be dozens/hundreds of cars stuck on it going nowhere because of the incident the emergency services are trying to get to.

[donkmeister]

SydneyBridge said:

Seeing as hardly anyone uses the inside lane, it will not be a problem (see M3..)

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

[SydneyBridge]

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

[98elise]

havoc said:

paul_c123 said:

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

If an incident occurs, as well as showing reduced speed limits, one of the first things to happen is to ditch "All Lanes Running" and close the hard shoulder to all but emergency use so that police/fire/ambulance have it available to make progress through potential congestion.

If an incident occurs it'll almost certainly cause an immediate traffic back-up so even IF (when?) the HA close the hard shoulder there'll be dozens/hundreds of cars stuck on it going nowhere because of the incident the emergency services are trying to get to.

I used to do 40k miles a year, and that wasn't my experience. When a lane got closed there was normally plenty of time and space to cross into the other lanes.

Plenty of drivers ignore it though and then cause a jam nearer the accident.

I've seen fire engines and ambulances blocked by the VIP's who feel the red X doesn't apply. I'd be happy to see big fines for anyone using a hard shoulder or closed lane when they shouldn't.

[donkmeister]

SydneyBridge said:

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

I have mulled this one and the only logical reason is that they believe the lane is made of molten lava.

[oyster]

SydneyBridge said:

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

Lorry lane

[2020vision]

miniman said:

Inexcusable, but if it is so critical that the hard shoulder is there for emergency services, the smart motorway model is pretty st isn t it?

The motorway at M5 J12 is as dumb as the drivers that use it.

[Gareth79]

donkmeister said:

SydneyBridge said:

Seeing as hardly anyone uses the inside lane, it will not be a problem (see M3..)

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes! I live in the area and the inside lane is definitely the fastest way to make progress, especially when taking the Bracknell exit because you can just get on at Farnborough and steam straight up without ever changing lanes.

[AlexRS2782]

Gareth79 said:

donkmeister said:

SydneyBridge said:

Seeing as hardly anyone uses the inside lane, it will not be a problem (see M3..)

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes! I live in the area and the inside lane is definitely the fastest way to make progress, especially when taking the Bracknell exit because you can just get on at Farnborough and steam straight up without ever changing lanes.

I regularly go between J4a / 4 & 3 on the M3 - unless there's lane or speed restrictions in place most of the time i can just sit at 65-70 all the way in the left lane without any traffic in front of me as everyone seems to move straight into lane 2 or 3 when they join.

Edited by AlexRS2782 on Wednesday 15th July 00:12

[over_the_hill]

oyster said:

SydneyBridge said:

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

Lorry lane

Exactly this. Not helped by the fact that TV and the media still insist on using terms like "fast lane" and "slow lane".
The mentality of these people is that I'm not a boy racer or lunatic in a BMW (other marques available) so I don't use the fast lane.
I'm not a truck or other slow vehicle so I don't use the slow lane. I will just sit in the middle.
Perhaps they should rename it the Goldilocks lane.

[Pica-Pica]

over_the_hill said:

oyster said:

SydneyBridge said:

donkmeister said:

Assuming you are talking about the stretch around Farnborough/Fleet that's the express lane, I'll have you know.

Yes, I often wizz along this... to/from theM25
Drives me insane though, why people will not use this lane, even with the gantries saying "keep left unless overtaking"

Lorry lane

Exactly this. Not helped by the fact that TV and the media still insist on using terms like "fast lane" and "slow lane".
The mentality of these people is that I'm not a boy racer or lunatic in a BMW (other marques available) so I don't use the fast lane.
I'm not a truck or other slow vehicle so I don't use the slow lane. I will just sit in the middle.
Perhaps they should rename it the Goldilocks lane.

Oh dear.

[Steve-B]

TUS373 said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2333k4983o

More regretful decline in driving standards. Drivers who are hard of understanding, inappropriately using the hard shoulder....have found hard luck.

Just use Lane 1 of the M40, no one else uses it! Has to be the worst motorway for steeringwheel clutching exactly positvely not going over 70 in Lanes 2-3 I've ever been on! When you undertake them, they look utterly shocked!