People using the hard shoulder.... when they shouldn't?
Discussion
Never really experienced this before, but I am sure its not right.
Was on the M42 earlier this evening and there was an accident southbound at J11 and also one north at J10. My OH managed to glean from the Highways Agency app that on our side (north), both lanes were shut! Doh! So the plan was made to come off in a mile at J10 for the A5 and head across to the M69.
Sat in the queue (inside lane) a HA vehicle shot past, lights going, followed shortly by an AA van. Pretty standard fare. Then, about 10 minutes later, a huge stream of cars came flooding down the hard shoulder! People in front of me in both lanes decided they too needed to be in on this action and embarked on a frantic dash across to the hard shoulder, squeezing their cars in any gap they could. As a consequence, the queue actually started moving pretty nicely and I could see now that a queue was forming on the shoulder a bit further down the road.
Pretty sure they're doing it wrong here and so it was proved about 5 minutes later when a Q7 did a right-jink-and-emergency-stop right into the gap I had left in front of my car. Why? oh thats right the f
king pleb had emergency vehicles up his chuff and he was stopping them from using the hard shoulder for its more noble use of getting to the scene of the accident! Not long after that an unmarked car flew past at quite a speed and for a while no one dared use the shoulder. But gradually, it started again.
We started to move again. As we edged closer to the slip, it became apparent that we were now catching and overtaking those who decided they were far more important than the rest of us and had used the shoulder as their own personal evacuation plan. Yes, we were overtaking them quite nicely now. Why? Someone, who'd tried to escape and then got stuck in the queue formed on the shoulder had then broken down! blocking the shoulder and presumably, any other emergency vehicles down the road. Well done that man.
Now I am the sort of person who will leave gaps, let people merge etc. I think those who don't are pretty petty and stupid. I think allowing people to merge and move in makes the whole thing easier for everyone. Now, when those people who'd previously thundered down the shoulder en-route to freedom were now trying to un-wedge their cars from behind the stricken corsa (they'd all stopped about 2mm from each others bumpers) and force their way back into the queue, I can't say I was that disappointed in the people who decided deliberately not letting them in was a good idea.
its a bit stupid because it doesn't help with clearing the shoulder, but it serves the self absorbed pricks right for thinking they are above everyone else and that their journey is more important than the one thats just ended badly for the poor soles down the road.
I am right in thinking you can't just use the shoulder as personal evac route right? And that the people who do are utter utter fksticks of the highest order?
Was on the M42 earlier this evening and there was an accident southbound at J11 and also one north at J10. My OH managed to glean from the Highways Agency app that on our side (north), both lanes were shut! Doh! So the plan was made to come off in a mile at J10 for the A5 and head across to the M69.
Sat in the queue (inside lane) a HA vehicle shot past, lights going, followed shortly by an AA van. Pretty standard fare. Then, about 10 minutes later, a huge stream of cars came flooding down the hard shoulder! People in front of me in both lanes decided they too needed to be in on this action and embarked on a frantic dash across to the hard shoulder, squeezing their cars in any gap they could. As a consequence, the queue actually started moving pretty nicely and I could see now that a queue was forming on the shoulder a bit further down the road.
Pretty sure they're doing it wrong here and so it was proved about 5 minutes later when a Q7 did a right-jink-and-emergency-stop right into the gap I had left in front of my car. Why? oh thats right the f
king pleb had emergency vehicles up his chuff and he was stopping them from using the hard shoulder for its more noble use of getting to the scene of the accident! Not long after that an unmarked car flew past at quite a speed and for a while no one dared use the shoulder. But gradually, it started again.We started to move again. As we edged closer to the slip, it became apparent that we were now catching and overtaking those who decided they were far more important than the rest of us and had used the shoulder as their own personal evacuation plan. Yes, we were overtaking them quite nicely now. Why? Someone, who'd tried to escape and then got stuck in the queue formed on the shoulder had then broken down! blocking the shoulder and presumably, any other emergency vehicles down the road. Well done that man.
Now I am the sort of person who will leave gaps, let people merge etc. I think those who don't are pretty petty and stupid. I think allowing people to merge and move in makes the whole thing easier for everyone. Now, when those people who'd previously thundered down the shoulder en-route to freedom were now trying to un-wedge their cars from behind the stricken corsa (they'd all stopped about 2mm from each others bumpers) and force their way back into the queue, I can't say I was that disappointed in the people who decided deliberately not letting them in was a good idea.
its a bit stupid because it doesn't help with clearing the shoulder, but it serves the self absorbed pricks right for thinking they are above everyone else and that their journey is more important than the one thats just ended badly for the poor soles down the road.
I am right in thinking you can't just use the shoulder as personal evac route right? And that the people who do are utter utter f
ksticks of the highest order?Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Sunday 13th October 21:46
Otispunkmeyer said:
Never really experienced this before, but I am sure its not right.
Was on the M42 earlier this evening and there was an accident southbound at J11 and also one north at J10. My OH managed to glean from the Highways Agency app that on our side (north), both lanes were shut! Doh! So the plan was made to come off in a mile at J10 for the A5 and head across to the M69.
Sat in the queue (inside lane) a HA vehicle shot past, lights going, followed shortly by an AA van. Pretty standard fare. Then, about 10 minutes later, a huge stream of cars came flooding down the hard shoulder! People in front of me in both lanes decided they too needed to be in on this action and embarked on a frantic dash across to the hard shoulder, squeezing their cars in any gap they could. As a consequence, the queue actually started moving pretty nicely and I could see now that a queue was forming on the shoulder a bit further down the road.
Pretty sure they're doing it wrong here and so it was proved about 5 minutes later when a Q7 did a right-jink-and-emergency-stop right into the gap I had left in front of my car. Why? oh thats right the fking pleb had emergency vehicles up his chuff and he was stopping them from using the hard shoulder for its more noble use of getting to the scene of the accident! Not long after that an unmarked car flew past at quite a speed and for a while no one dared use the shoulder. But gradually, it started again.
We started to move again. As we edged closer to the slip, it became apparent that we were now catching and overtaking those who decided they were far more important than the rest of us and had used the shoulder as their own personal evacuation plan. Yes, we were overtaking them quite nicely now. Why? Someone, who'd tried to escape and then got stuck in the queue formed on the shoulder had then broken down! blocking the shoulder and presumably, any other emergency vehicles down the road. Well done that man.
Now I am the sort of person who will leave gaps, let people merge etc. I think those who don't are pretty petty and stupid. I think allowing people to merge and move in makes the whole thing easier for everyone. Now, when those people who'd previously thundered down the shoulder en-route to freedom were now trying to un-wedge their cars from behind the stricken corsa (they'd all stopped about 2mm from each others bumpers) and force their way back into the queue, I can't say I was that disappointed in the people who decided deliberately not letting them in was a good idea.
its a bit stupid because it doesn't help with clearing the shoulder, but it serves the self absorbed pricks right for thinking they are above everyone else and that their journey is more important than the one thats just ended badly for the poor soles down the road.
I am right in thinking you can't just use the shoulder as personal evac route right? And that the people who do are utter utter fksticks of the highest order?
How do you know that they broke down whilst driving on the hard shoulder, rather than broke down and so moved to the hard shoulder?Was on the M42 earlier this evening and there was an accident southbound at J11 and also one north at J10. My OH managed to glean from the Highways Agency app that on our side (north), both lanes were shut! Doh! So the plan was made to come off in a mile at J10 for the A5 and head across to the M69.
Sat in the queue (inside lane) a HA vehicle shot past, lights going, followed shortly by an AA van. Pretty standard fare. Then, about 10 minutes later, a huge stream of cars came flooding down the hard shoulder! People in front of me in both lanes decided they too needed to be in on this action and embarked on a frantic dash across to the hard shoulder, squeezing their cars in any gap they could. As a consequence, the queue actually started moving pretty nicely and I could see now that a queue was forming on the shoulder a bit further down the road.
Pretty sure they're doing it wrong here and so it was proved about 5 minutes later when a Q7 did a right-jink-and-emergency-stop right into the gap I had left in front of my car. Why? oh thats right the f
king pleb had emergency vehicles up his chuff and he was stopping them from using the hard shoulder for its more noble use of getting to the scene of the accident! Not long after that an unmarked car flew past at quite a speed and for a while no one dared use the shoulder. But gradually, it started again.We started to move again. As we edged closer to the slip, it became apparent that we were now catching and overtaking those who decided they were far more important than the rest of us and had used the shoulder as their own personal evacuation plan. Yes, we were overtaking them quite nicely now. Why? Someone, who'd tried to escape and then got stuck in the queue formed on the shoulder had then broken down! blocking the shoulder and presumably, any other emergency vehicles down the road. Well done that man.
Now I am the sort of person who will leave gaps, let people merge etc. I think those who don't are pretty petty and stupid. I think allowing people to merge and move in makes the whole thing easier for everyone. Now, when those people who'd previously thundered down the shoulder en-route to freedom were now trying to un-wedge their cars from behind the stricken corsa (they'd all stopped about 2mm from each others bumpers) and force their way back into the queue, I can't say I was that disappointed in the people who decided deliberately not letting them in was a good idea.
its a bit stupid because it doesn't help with clearing the shoulder, but it serves the self absorbed pricks right for thinking they are above everyone else and that their journey is more important than the one thats just ended badly for the poor soles down the road.
I am right in thinking you can't just use the shoulder as personal evac route right? And that the people who do are utter utter f
ksticks of the highest order?Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Sunday 13th October 21:46
I saw this on the M40 a while back, people using the hard shoulder as they CBAd to sit in the queue everyone else is in led to a HGV performing a vigilante blocking manoeuvre on the hard shoulder. cue beeping and eventual out of car handbags between HGV driver and bloke in an Evoque. Extremely amusing.
Highway Star said:
I saw this on the M40 a while back, people using the hard shoulder as they CBAd to sit in the queue everyone else is in led to a HGV performing a vigilante blocking manoeuvre on the hard shoulder. cue beeping and eventual out of car handbags between HGV driver and bloke in an Evoque. Extremely amusing.
But, but, but, the Evoque driver has a car styled by a celebrity and that entitles them to greater driving privileges than us mere mortals....This one winds me up. The hard shoulder is there for a reason and, when the M1 locked up from Northampton to the M6 junction on Friday, the shear number of builder's vans and then private cars that thought it all fine and well to use the hard shoulder as their personal lane because - somehow - they were more important than everyone else was simply astounding. I missed the meeting I had worked weeks to to set up, but so be it.
Eventually, the traffic came fully to a stop and I remembered that I had a camera in my car...
There were miles more than this before the traffic finally ground to a halt at the M6 junction itself - you can see the yard markers. The hard shoulder was more or less solid back to the 300 yard marker with these asshats. Anyway:
Also spotted (with photos) were:
AK11 EPU
BD13 YXK
BK12 VMC
BN57 VEP
LM12 FCY
WV13 UFT
So, the question, who do I pass these photos to, and how?
(If this achieves nothing, at least anyone googling these registration numbers will get to see what an asshat they are...)
Eventually, the traffic came fully to a stop and I remembered that I had a camera in my car...
There were miles more than this before the traffic finally ground to a halt at the M6 junction itself - you can see the yard markers. The hard shoulder was more or less solid back to the 300 yard marker with these asshats. Anyway:
Also spotted (with photos) were:
AK11 EPU
BD13 YXK
BK12 VMC
BN57 VEP
LM12 FCY
WV13 UFT
So, the question, who do I pass these photos to, and how?
(If this achieves nothing, at least anyone googling these registration numbers will get to see what an asshat they are...)
vikingaero said:
Highway Star said:
I saw this on the M40 a while back, people using the hard shoulder as they CBAd to sit in the queue everyone else is in led to a HGV performing a vigilante blocking manoeuvre on the hard shoulder. cue beeping and eventual out of car handbags between HGV driver and bloke in an Evoque. Extremely amusing.
But, but, but, the Evoque driver has a car styled by a celebrity and that entitles them to greater driving privileges than us mere mortals....Edited by dxg on Sunday 8th December 13:34
I've seen it a few times, although far more often recently. I'm guessing it's due to the active motorway management (or whatever it's called) allowing hard shoulder use sometimes, leading people to believe they can use it if they need to.
I remember sitting in some slow-moving traffic on the M4 a few months back with a buddy when he suffered a puncture, we moved across to the hard shoulder and a couple of cars followed us. They weren't best pleased when we stopped and put the hazards on
ETA - he drove about 50 yards up to a conveniently placed plod parking space as he figured it'd be safer to change the o/s wheel up there. Hence why we picked up some sheep.
I remember sitting in some slow-moving traffic on the M4 a few months back with a buddy when he suffered a puncture, we moved across to the hard shoulder and a couple of cars followed us. They weren't best pleased when we stopped and put the hazards on
ETA - he drove about 50 yards up to a conveniently placed plod parking space as he figured it'd be safer to change the o/s wheel up there. Hence why we picked up some sheep.
Seen it a few times. I have also seen the emergency services blocked off because they can't get through because numbnuts people are using the hard shoulder.
An accident was approx 500yds in front of me, people started using the hard shoulder getting nowhere as the motorway was closed. Ambulances and a fire engin couldn't get through,people in the hard shoulder looked up at me sat in the truck as though I could magically make space for them so they could get out of the hard shoulder and let the emergency services through. I couldn't.
Shame on them.
An accident was approx 500yds in front of me, people started using the hard shoulder getting nowhere as the motorway was closed. Ambulances and a fire engin couldn't get through,people in the hard shoulder looked up at me sat in the truck as though I could magically make space for them so they could get out of the hard shoulder and let the emergency services through. I couldn't.
Shame on them.
From a police site,recalling some of their more memorable moments.
Late on a Sunday afternoon we got sent to a car on fire at the top end of the A3(M). On our arrival we found a MK2 Ford Granada well alight with huge flames and smoke blowing directly across both the southbound lanes. The traffic had already been forced to a halt because of this and for some reason they were all stopped in lane 2 with nothing in lane 1. The first fire appliance had arrived at the same time we had and were now busily doing their bit to extinguish the fire. We had only been there about two minutes when to my horror I saw the third car in the traffic queue pop out from the line and do a U turn and start driving north up the southbound hard shoulder. Within seconds another eight cars did the same thing, with some driving up the hard shoulder whilst others drove up lane 1. My partner Barry and I screamed at them, waving our arms in an effort to stop them. Things got even worse as we saw the second fire appliance plus an ambulance all arriving on blues and twos to be confronted by this wave of stupidity, forcing them to swerve violently to avoid what seemed to be a certain collision. Thankfully a second patrol car was also arriving just behind the ambulance and he managed to stop seven of the cars from reaching the slip road they were aiming for, some 400 yards away from the fire. Barry and I had run after them and puffing and panting we lined them all up on the hard shoulder, took all their keys away from them and told them they could wait there until we had finished dealing with the car fire and only then would we come back to speak to them further. It took us well over an hour to deal with the remains of the Granada and get it recovered. We then went back to our now rather sheepish looking car drivers. They all got reported for dangerous driving, they all pleaded guilty and all got disqualified for 12 months and rightly so.
Late on a Sunday afternoon we got sent to a car on fire at the top end of the A3(M). On our arrival we found a MK2 Ford Granada well alight with huge flames and smoke blowing directly across both the southbound lanes. The traffic had already been forced to a halt because of this and for some reason they were all stopped in lane 2 with nothing in lane 1. The first fire appliance had arrived at the same time we had and were now busily doing their bit to extinguish the fire. We had only been there about two minutes when to my horror I saw the third car in the traffic queue pop out from the line and do a U turn and start driving north up the southbound hard shoulder. Within seconds another eight cars did the same thing, with some driving up the hard shoulder whilst others drove up lane 1. My partner Barry and I screamed at them, waving our arms in an effort to stop them. Things got even worse as we saw the second fire appliance plus an ambulance all arriving on blues and twos to be confronted by this wave of stupidity, forcing them to swerve violently to avoid what seemed to be a certain collision. Thankfully a second patrol car was also arriving just behind the ambulance and he managed to stop seven of the cars from reaching the slip road they were aiming for, some 400 yards away from the fire. Barry and I had run after them and puffing and panting we lined them all up on the hard shoulder, took all their keys away from them and told them they could wait there until we had finished dealing with the car fire and only then would we come back to speak to them further. It took us well over an hour to deal with the remains of the Granada and get it recovered. We then went back to our now rather sheepish looking car drivers. They all got reported for dangerous driving, they all pleaded guilty and all got disqualified for 12 months and rightly so.
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