Ask a Highways England Traffic Officer anything

[BossHogg]

I spotted a load of these types of topics and jumped on the bandwagon. Whether I reply is another matter.

[bobbo89]

Are you up at this time for a grit too?

[BossHogg]

Nope, night duty.

[Al U]

As a frequent motorway user, there have been a few times when I have been in "pole position" behind one of your vehicles when you slow the traffic down to crawling pace for example due to an accident ahead. One of these times there was a car along side me who clearly thought "this could take a while, sod this!" and overtook the highways car and peeled off in to the distance. Do you report cars that do this?

[BossHogg]

We do, rolling road block breeches are reported to the police who take it further. We also tag the in vehicle CCTV and the footage handed to the police. The majority of ones that have breeched our blocks have received fines and penalty points on their licence.

[dfen5]

Do you get expenses for the motorway service station priced coffees etc?

[mickk]

Do you report drivers for other offences, like using mobile phone and dangerous driving?

[cootuk]

What's your opinion of smart motorways using the hard shoulder, and does it make your job a lot harder/dangerous?

[cootuk]

If you were patrolling the M6, would you have to turn round at Jn45?

[Pints]

Are permitted to assist a motorist (e.g. mother with a screaming kid) who is struggling to change a tyre?

[BossHogg]

dfen5 said:

Do you get expenses for the motorway service station priced coffees etc?

We don't get expenses to buy coffee, the company provides free hot drinks at the station. We do get discounted food and drink at some services on production of a union card. This is something the union has negotiated with the services and not HE.

[BossHogg]

mickk said:

Do you report drivers for other offences, like using mobile phone and dangerous driving?

We have no powers to report motorists for driving offences, however if we witnessed something that caused a serious incident, we would inform the police.

[BossHogg]

cootuk said:

What's your opinion of smart motorways using the hard shoulder, and does it make your job a lot harder/dangerous?

Personally, I prefer a hard shoulder, but I'm biased as there are no plans to introduce smart motorway in my area.

Edited by BossHogg on Friday 29th December 06:53

[BossHogg]

cootuk said:

If you were patrolling the M6, would you have to turn round at Jn45?

We do turn at 45, however, we have turned at Gretna services to perform rolling road blocks for incidents just south of 45.

Edited by BossHogg on Friday 29th December 20:20

[BossHogg]

Pints said:

Are permitted to assist a motorist (e.g. mother with a screaming kid) who is struggling to change a tyre?

We are not allowed to assist, however, we would occupy the kiddie and give verbal advice on how to change the tyre.

[ST_Nuts]

BossHogg said:

mickk said:

Do you report drivers for other offences, like using mobile phone and dangerous driving?

We have no powers to report motorists for driving offences, however if we witnessed something that caused a serious incident, we would inform the police.

So you cannot report me for overtaking you at 90+?

[john2443]

Do you have any exemptions to traffic laws? The only think I can think that I've ever seen is using the hard shoulder to get to an incident, but do you get any others?

Actually, are you officially allowed to use the HS, or just do it because it;s the more sensible thing to do?

[Fas1975]

BossHogg said:

We are not allowed to assist, however, we would occupy the kiddie and give verbal advice on how to change the tyre.

Why are you not allowed to help with the tyre? Is it a liability issue?

[sc0tt]

Why do you put a wink smiley after all your responses?

[SCEtoAUX]

What!!!!? You can't help a young lass with three kids change a tyre in the pissing rain on the hard shoulder in rush hour? That's ridiculous.