Ask a Highways England Traffic Officer anything
Discussion
I would actually fully support them being able to "advise" drivers of the normal rules of motorway driving such as lane discipline.
Not sure if that is feasible but boy it would be helpful. (Anyone going 70mph or less, obviously as they won't be allowed to exceed speed limits)
It is funny watching people jam brakes on however thinking it's the police, probably not a safe state of affairs tbh
Not sure if that is feasible but boy it would be helpful. (Anyone going 70mph or less, obviously as they won't be allowed to exceed speed limits)
It is funny watching people jam brakes on however thinking it's the police, probably not a safe state of affairs tbh
Never really given HETA a second thought before this thread.
I've just seen them out and about doing what I thought was not a important job but this thread is making me think.
I certainly hadn't thought of you as doing all this for just £27K!
I've never had issues with the livery as they are so clearly not plod that I treat them like any other car on the road.
As for calling them names or other abuse - how old are some people on here. Not old enough to drive, that's for sure.
So here is my questions.
How long is your shift, how many days/ hours do you work and what happens if near the end of your shift an incident occurs which means you work over?
I've just seen them out and about doing what I thought was not a important job but this thread is making me think.
I certainly hadn't thought of you as doing all this for just £27K!
I've never had issues with the livery as they are so clearly not plod that I treat them like any other car on the road.
As for calling them names or other abuse - how old are some people on here. Not old enough to drive, that's for sure.
So here is my questions.
How long is your shift, how many days/ hours do you work and what happens if near the end of your shift an incident occurs which means you work over?
Pistom said:
Never really given HETA a second thought before this
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/highways-traffic-officers-meet-people-behind-nicknamesThat's worth a quick read.
Pistom said:
I certainly hadn't thought of you as doing all this for just £27K!
Not great for 24/7 365 shift working in a dodgy environment, even worse since they brought in cover shifts and central rostering (nationally) to cover management incompetence.Pistom said:
I've never had issues with the livery as they are so clearly not plod that I treat them like any other car on the road.
Have a mooch through that http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/projects/traf...Evanivitch said:
What equipment do you carry?
I'm intrigued as so far you seem to have ruled out most things!
We carry, 20 cones, 9 flashing lights, 3 keep left signs, 3 keep right signs(these are interchangeable for full carriageway closure) shovel, 2 brushes, auxillary braking strap, 4 recovery straps and load cell, crow bar, first aid kit, rain capes and foil blankets, 6 bags of spagzorb spill kit, full spill mats hazwaste bags, box of rubber gloves, tub of handwipes and roll of paper towels and that's about it.I'm intrigued as so far you seem to have ruled out most things!
Pistom said:
Never really given HETA a second thought before this thread.
I've just seen them out and about doing what I thought was not a important job but this thread is making me think.
I certainly hadn't thought of you as doing all this for just £27K!
I've never had issues with the livery as they are so clearly not plod that I treat them like any other car on the road.
As for calling them names or other abuse - how old are some people on here. Not old enough to drive, that's for sure.
So here is my questions.
How long is your shift, how many days/ hours do you work and what happens if near the end of your shift an incident occurs which means you work over?
We work 6 8 hour shifts, normally, 3 earlies (6-2) 3 lates (2-10) 3 rest. 3 variable shifts (earlies, lates or nights) 3 nights (10-6) 3 rest then repeat. If a job comes in at the end, if an oncoming crew is in and ready, they'll go, if not, we'll go and get relieved by the oncoming crew once they're ready.I've just seen them out and about doing what I thought was not a important job but this thread is making me think.
I certainly hadn't thought of you as doing all this for just £27K!
I've never had issues with the livery as they are so clearly not plod that I treat them like any other car on the road.
As for calling them names or other abuse - how old are some people on here. Not old enough to drive, that's for sure.
So here is my questions.
How long is your shift, how many days/ hours do you work and what happens if near the end of your shift an incident occurs which means you work over?
BossHogg said:
Evanivitch said:
What equipment do you carry?
I'm intrigued as so far you seem to have ruled out most things!
We carry, 20 cones, 9 flashing lights, 3 keep left signs, 3 keep right signs(these are interchangeable for full carriageway closure) shovel, 2 brushes, auxillary braking strap, 4 recovery straps and load cell, crow bar, first aid kit, rain capes and foil blankets, 6 bags of spagzorb spill kit, full spill mats hazwaste bags, box of rubber gloves, tub of handwipes and roll of paper towels and that's about it.I'm intrigued as so far you seem to have ruled out most things!
Pah! Amateurs.
BossHogg said:
We carry, 20 cones, 9 flashing lights, 3 keep left signs, 3 keep right signs(these are interchangeable for full carriageway closure) shovel, 2 brushes, auxillary braking strap, 4 recovery straps and load cell, crow bar, first aid kit, rain capes and foil blankets, 6 bags of spagzorb spill kit, full spill mats hazwaste bags, box of rubber gloves, tub of handwipes and roll of paper towels and that's about it.
20 highways issue traffic cones must be quite a big to begin with!Do you get frustrated when people use their warning triangles on the hard shoulder?
Evanivitch said:
20 highways issue traffic cones must be quite a big to begin with!
Do you get frustrated when people use their warning triangles on the hard shoulder?
Our cones are smaller than the standard ones you see at roadworks, it's not a case of getting frustrated, more like educating the motorist when it's explained that they're not used on the motorway as they could get sucked into live lanes by passing LGVs.Do you get frustrated when people use their warning triangles on the hard shoulder?
BossHogg said:
Our cones are smaller than the standard ones you see at roadworks, it's not a case of getting frustrated, more like educating the motorist when it's explained that they're not used on the motorway as they could get sucked into live lanes by passing LGVs.
Best not to stand on the rumble strip then in case u get sucked off 
speedyguy said:
BossHogg said:
Our cones are smaller than the standard ones you see at roadworks, it's not a case of getting frustrated, more like educating the motorist when it's explained that they're not used on the motorway as they could get sucked into live lanes by passing LGVs.
Best not to stand on the rumble strip then in case u get sucked off yonex said:
Does your poor image with the general public bother you?
I think he answered that one earlier when he mentioned he had a wife. If anything like mine then what the public think is imaterial.
If people have a poor opinion of them, I suspect it's through ignorance or some misplaced belief that hey are failed wannabe Police traffic officers.
yonex said:
Does your poor image with the general public bother you?
To be perfectly honest, I've worked in a number of uniformed jobs interacting with the public. I've received far more abuse in those roles than my current one. I believe people think bad things of us due to misconceptions about our powers and responsibilities. Hopefully this topic will go some way to dispel those misconceptions. BossHogg said:
We're not allowed to exceed the speed limit, our vehicles are tracked in real time so the control centre knows our every move.
I suppose that is what I expected as the response. Do you ever do 70 though, most of the time I see you guys you're in lane 1 at around 60 odd?Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff