A34 My good deed for the day
Discussion
Trundling down the A34 southbound in no rush at all, late lunchtime'ish I came across a very wandering truckcab (half a juggernought). It looked that the driver was in the process of nodding off 
So In no rush to get passed I followed for bit just to see what impending doom was about to happen. Sure enough up the kirb here there everywhere & funnily enough a can of Redbull gets lobbed out of the window!.
So I dialled 999 gave the location number on the pegs in the ground & hoped that someone might soon pull him over.......
5 mins later I arrive at the A303 junction where I turn off & sure enough there is Mr
in his battenburg X5 ready & waiting 
. I decided to follow the proceedings as he was pulled into the next service area a couple of miles down the road.
A quick nod from Mr Plod once he realised I was the one who phoned in, he asked what I'd seen etc then proceeded to breathalise the driver of the truck & "have a chat".
It turns out the truck had been purchased last week & was being driven to Southampton docks for export, the driver had only being driving since 5am! from west Wales. The truck being a cab unit only was somehow exempt from tacho hours & being exported exempted it from the usual inspection.
Mr Plod said thanks very much for calling it in, despite effectively being let off with a technicality but he did receive one severe bollocking & told to take a break.
Well done Plod for responding in such a timely & efficient manner
So In no rush to get passed I followed for bit just to see what impending doom was about to happen. Sure enough up the kirb here there everywhere & funnily enough a can of Redbull gets lobbed out of the window!.
So I dialled 999 gave the location number on the pegs in the ground & hoped that someone might soon pull him over.......
5 mins later I arrive at the A303 junction where I turn off & sure enough there is Mr
in his battenburg X5 ready & waiting . I decided to follow the proceedings as he was pulled into the next service area a couple of miles down the road. A quick nod from Mr Plod once he realised I was the one who phoned in, he asked what I'd seen etc then proceeded to breathalise the driver of the truck & "have a chat".
It turns out the truck had been purchased last week & was being driven to Southampton docks for export, the driver had only being driving since 5am! from west Wales.
The truck being a cab unit only was somehow exempt from tacho hours & being exported exempted it from the usual inspection. Mr Plod said thanks very much for calling it in, despite effectively being let off with a technicality but he did receive one severe bollocking & told to take a break.
Well done Plod for responding in such a timely & efficient manner
cpt Shame I didn`t have the same good fortune.
From another thread:
To expand briefly:
Approx 3.30 am (for those of you who dont know, the worst time of day for falling asleep)
I caught up with another truck at the top of Stokenchurch bank on the M40. Both of us running "flat out" at 56mph. He started slowly drifting over the edges of lane 1. I initially put this down to problems with the "tram lines". Once we had got past High Wycombe it got worse - he just missed a bridge parapet, pulling it back in time. Then we came through coned off roadworks,he demolished 20 metres of cones and got far too close to the barrier crew. He was obviously falling asleep. He had a double height trailer and when he pulled it back, I sware i saw the n/s wheels leave the ground. I knew where the truck was from, so dialled 999 giving full description of truck and probable route. Once we got to the lights on M25, things improved, but gradually declined again. Rang 999 again at M3 junction (30 minutes later). Just after I rang he pulled onto hard shoulder and I carried on, so unable to give eventual outcome.
I just wanted the guy stopped and spoken to. He only needed a five minute and a shot of "blue light adrenelin (sp)" to wake him up. I didnt want the guy nicked, I actually felt sorry for him - you are in danger of losing your job in you stop en route while carrying parcels, and I bet he had not been able to sleep much the day before because of the heat.
My point is that a motorway patrol would have spotted the problem and been able to deal with it. As for no resources, what if the guy had put it greasy side up - imagine the resources needed for a blocked motorway, with none spare for the early morning rush hour. Reducing patrolling trafpol is very shortsighted and will be costly in lives and aggravation in the long run.
And Breathe
Sorry - did I say briefly?! lol
Steve
From another thread:
To expand briefly:
Approx 3.30 am (for those of you who dont know, the worst time of day for falling asleep)
I caught up with another truck at the top of Stokenchurch bank on the M40. Both of us running "flat out" at 56mph. He started slowly drifting over the edges of lane 1. I initially put this down to problems with the "tram lines". Once we had got past High Wycombe it got worse - he just missed a bridge parapet, pulling it back in time. Then we came through coned off roadworks,he demolished 20 metres of cones and got far too close to the barrier crew. He was obviously falling asleep. He had a double height trailer and when he pulled it back, I sware i saw the n/s wheels leave the ground. I knew where the truck was from, so dialled 999 giving full description of truck and probable route. Once we got to the lights on M25, things improved, but gradually declined again. Rang 999 again at M3 junction (30 minutes later). Just after I rang he pulled onto hard shoulder and I carried on, so unable to give eventual outcome.
I just wanted the guy stopped and spoken to. He only needed a five minute and a shot of "blue light adrenelin (sp)" to wake him up. I didnt want the guy nicked, I actually felt sorry for him - you are in danger of losing your job in you stop en route while carrying parcels, and I bet he had not been able to sleep much the day before because of the heat.
My point is that a motorway patrol would have spotted the problem and been able to deal with it. As for no resources, what if the guy had put it greasy side up - imagine the resources needed for a blocked motorway, with none spare for the early morning rush hour. Reducing patrolling trafpol is very shortsighted and will be costly in lives and aggravation in the long run.
And Breathe
Sorry - did I say briefly?! lol
Steve
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