Breaking down on the Motorway

[Mr_S]

Quite often you see people who have broken down on the Motorway that have got out to safely stand on the verge.

What the vast majority of people do is stand just behind or after the broken down vehicle and it's this that I don't get.

The reason they have got out must be because they know the car could be struck by another vehicle travelling at high speed yet they think the safest place is behind the car.

I saw a family doing just this today in the rain and I can’t imagine what is going through their minds.

[simoid]

muppets said:

"What did that advert say?"

"Don't stay in the car. Definitely."

Methinks.

[Mr_S]

I mean people stand behind the car as if it is going to protect them from oncoming traffic
The car I saw today was on a bit of the M25 where there was no verge and they were standing huddled up in the rain just after the car.
If a lorry had hit the car they would all be dead

[Silver]

Mr_S said:

I mean people stand behind the car as if it is going to protect them from oncoming traffic
The car I saw today was on a bit of the M25 where there was no verge and they were standing huddled up in the rain just after the car.
If a lorry had hit the car they would all be dead

I'm not sure I understand. If there was no verge, where are they supposed to stand?

[shuvitupya]

When my car broke down recently the people on the phone advised me to stand behind the car and behind the barrier if there is one.
In my case no safety barrier on this part of the motorway, so I climbed halfway up the steep embankment.

[TheEnd]

I think it's from the fact that people get out, stand on the verge, and position themselves exactly where the car would land if it was punted by a lorry.

[Mr_S]

Silver said:

I'm not sure I understand. If there was no verge, where are they supposed to stand?

I would have thought the safest place to stand would be just before the car.

Otherwise anything hitting the care would push it over the people sheltering behind it.

Obviously of there is a verge then get as far away from the road as possible.

[Mr_S]

TheEnd said:

I think it's from the fact that people get out, stand on the verge, and position themselves exactly where the car would land if it was punted by a lorry.

This ^

[davepoth]

Mr_S said:

I would have thought the safest place to stand would be just before the car.

Otherwise anything hitting the care would push it over the people sheltering behind it.

Obviously of there is a verge then get as far away from the road as possible.

If there's no verge, the answer is a few hundred metres behind the car. That'll give enough time for the truck driver to wake up and apply the brakes.

[sebhaque]

I've stopped to help a few people broken down on the side of the road, particularly on a lazy sunday afternoon when I'm driving back to Bristol - relatively empty roads and a relaxed 65 straight down the M4.

I've found a few people standing on the wrong side of the barriers - unfortunately it's usually women or younger drivers. Once I've parked up, turned my wheels to face the barrier, and got the car over, I've usually advised the drivers (who surprisingly generally haven't called for assistance yet) to call a recovery company, give the nearest marker post or board reference and wait a short distance behind the other side of the barrier. Not come across a situation where there's no verge but I'd assume the best course of action would be to leave the car with hazards and side/dipped lights on, and move a reasonable distance from the car (perhaps to the next marker post - 0.1 miles/150?metres) and get as far away from the live lanes as possible.

A question - if you're travelling in lane 3 and experience a breakdown, and there's an emergency lane to your right, should you use that to stop in or still travel to the traditional hard shoulder?

[littleredrooster]

sebhaque said:

A question - if you're travelling in lane 3 and experience a breakdown, and there's an emergency lane to your right, should you use that to stop in or still travel to the traditional hard shoulder?

I'm not aware of any Emergency Lanes beyond L3 in this country, but in any case, the Hard Shoulder is the place to be. Any kind of recovery into L3 would mean a temporary closure of the M'way.

[gareth.e]

I see some right idiots who have broken down.. A girl I know decided to post a Facebook status update saying she was sitting in her car broken down on the m25 and had been there 2 hours waiting for someone to rescue her

[Dyl]

littleredrooster said:

Any kind of recovery into L3 would mean a temporary closure of the M'way.

Not necessarily, driving along the M8 into Glasgow one morning a few weeks ago, a Police BMW 5er was parked a few hundred yards behind the broken down van in L3. Traffic in L1/2 continuing to barrel along at only a slightly reduced pace.

[littleredrooster]

Dyl said:

Not necessarily, driving along the M8 into Glasgow one morning a few weeks ago, a Police BMW 5er was parked a few hundred yards behind the broken down van in L3. Traffic in L1/2 continuing to barrel along at only a slightly reduced pace.

So pray tell how you would get the stricken vehicle out of L3 to rejoin the rest of the traffic which was 'barrelling along' once it was fixed?

That scenario, incidentally, is one of the most dangerous places for Police or HATOs to be in.

[wombat172a]

littleredrooster said:

sebhaque said:

A question - if you're travelling in lane 3 and experience a breakdown, and there's an emergency lane to your right, should you use that to stop in or still travel to the traditional hard shoulder?

I'm not aware of any Emergency Lanes beyond L3 in this country, but in any case, the Hard Shoulder is the place to be. Any kind of recovery into L3 would mean a temporary closure of the M'way.

Depends on the breakdown, but I would make every attempt to move to the hard shoulder. If there's no way that's an option then it is an emergency and I'd use the emergency lane and call the police first.

[littleredrooster]

wombat172a said:

Depends on the breakdown, but I would make every attempt to move to the hard shoulder. If there's no way that's an option then it is an emergency and I'd use the emergency lane and call the police first.

Can anyone point me to where these 'Emergency Lanes' are located? I've driven extensively all over the UK and can't recall seeing them?

[HellDiver]

littleredrooster said:

Can anyone point me to where these 'Emergency Lanes' are located? I've driven extensively all over the UK and can't recall seeing them?

That's because they don't exist. Just like 'the fast lane' which also doesn't exist.

[Dyl]

littleredrooster said:

Dyl said:

Not necessarily, driving along the M8 into Glasgow one morning a few weeks ago, a Police BMW 5er was parked a few hundred yards behind the broken down van in L3. Traffic in L1/2 continuing to barrel along at only a slightly reduced pace.

So pray tell how you would get the stricken vehicle out of L3 to rejoin the rest of the traffic which was 'barrelling along' once it was fixed?

That scenario, incidentally, is one of the most dangerous places for Police or HATOs to be in.

Apologies, it was late and I misunderstood the point.

Of course a temporary closure would be required to remove the vehicle. I initially read it as the situation requiring an immediate full closure, but the BMW in question must have been waiting for back up instead of attempting to close 3 lanes alone.

[TheEnd]

HellDiver said:

littleredrooster said:

Can anyone point me to where these 'Emergency Lanes' are located? I've driven extensively all over the UK and can't recall seeing them?

That's because they don't exist. Just like 'the fast lane' which also doesn't exist.

I've seen a fast lane on the M6.
It's by the middle lane, but on the opposite side to the slow lane.