Can HATO's Legally Break Speed Limits?
Discussion
Driving home one evening last week on a motorway a HATO was in lane 2 and I suspect doing well in excess of 70mph, and was indicating to overtake into lane 3 which I was already in.
I continued to drive past the HATO as I believe I should not be forced to slow down by the actions of other drivers, be it HATO or anyone else.
It just surprised me that a HATO was not in lane 1 doing 65mph as they are normally supposed to be doing?
Are HATO vehicles legally supposed to be breaking speed limits or were they just being bullies, trying to get people to slow down?
I continued to drive past the HATO as I believe I should not be forced to slow down by the actions of other drivers, be it HATO or anyone else.
It just surprised me that a HATO was not in lane 1 doing 65mph as they are normally supposed to be doing?
Are HATO vehicles legally supposed to be breaking speed limits or were they just being bullies, trying to get people to slow down?
shuvitupya said:
... I believe I should not be forced to slow down by the actions of other drivers ...
Now that's a statement worthy of discussion. Actually, it was a different word beginning with "d" and ending "sion", I thought of! shuvitupya said:
It just surprised me that a HATO was not in lane 1 doing 65mph as they are normally supposed to be doing?
And where is that law written down? Streaky
shuvitupya said:
was indicating to overtake into lane 3 which I was already in.
I continued to drive past the HATO as I believe I should not be forced to slow down by the actions of other drivers, be it HATO or anyone else.
I continued to drive past the HATO as I believe I should not be forced to slow down by the actions of other drivers, be it HATO or anyone else.
He shouldn't be forcing his way in front of you, but if you could let him out without undue inconvenience then surely you should do. If not out of common courtesy then to avoid the danger that he will try to barge his way out anyway and put you both at risk.
CommanderJameson said:
1. No, they have no dispensation to exceed the speed limit.
2. When on patrol, they travel at 50MPH.
2. When on patrol, they travel at 50MPH.
*ahem* I dont think so...I regularly come across them on the A34 and they are always doing 70, spot on the limit. Perhaps they are *supposed* to do 50 but thats not what actually happens. At least they have now started putting HIGHWAYS AGENCY in big red letters across the back to you can more easily distinguish them from BiB.
CommanderJameson said:
2. When on patrol, they travel at 50MPH.
Yes and they are a complete PITA. Why not 57 so they dont get in the way of the heavies? HATOs are the cause of the very congestion which they are supposedly there to help with.
Bin the lot of them and bring in a system of "minutemen".
streaky said:
towie said:
CommanderJameson said:
2. When on patrol, they travel at 50MPH.
- Streaky OR ALTERNATIVELY - Heinz could sponser them "At 57, we feel thing are moving safely,like our HATO "
towie said:
CommanderJameson said:
2. When on patrol, they travel at 50MPH.
Yes and they are a complete PITA. Why not 57 so they dont get in the way of the heavies? HATOs are the cause of the very congestion which they are supposedly there to help with.
Bin the lot of them and bring in a system of "minutemen".
OH towie, shut up! it's the same old crap from you. What's up? did you get turned down when you applied, too big a chip on your shoulder I expect!
If you think you can do better, then have another go at applying, there quite a few vacancies coming up around the country.
Minutemen have been suggested as well, but that'll put blokes like you out of a job, and the garages didn't like it!
And, no, they don't have to travel at 50 mph, but if patrolling, to run in lane 1 along with the traffic.
If they're looking for debris on the other hand, then they will travel at a speed whereby they can check out the c/ways.
If they are progressing to a live lane call, (RTC, debris, breakdown etc) they will travel at 70mph, they don't use their flashing beacons unless blocked by traffic, or are travelling on the hard shoulder past slow/standing traffic.
if you want to know what HATO's do, go and check out this article from a trucker that used to slag them off. http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopi
Edited by gafferjim on Sunday 25th February 23:28
gafferjim said:
OH towie, shut up! it's the same old crap from you. What's up? did you get turned down when you applied, too big a chip on your shoulder I expect!
Nice of you to make it personal.
I can see no benefit at all to the motorist from HATOs for the reasons I have stated before (or as you put it "the same old crap"
. Please explain how you are of any help (except to the tinfoil industry).
Why will minutemen put blokes like me out of a job? If it`s such a bad thing, why do they have them in the roadworks rather than chaps like yourself? I can assure you that most recovery operators will be more than happy to collect casualty vehicles from a place of safety rather than the hard shoulder.
I did apply for a supervisory post but it was not the job I thought it would/should be. And I wouldn`t want to work the shifts that you do and put my life on the line for the pittance they were offering.
gafferjim said:
if you want to know what HATO's do, go and check out this article from a trucker that used to slag them off. http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopi
Read more like a PR release. Consider that it was written by the Trucknet administrator rather than A.N.Othertruckdriver
truck driver said:
We can argue long and loud about whether they are policing on the cheap and are they just an excuse to cut the number of police officers on the motorways Anyone who feels that is the case, it is surely a matter to take up with the Government and I think it is unfair to blame the men and women doing the job of a HATO for the Government’s policies.
And that is exactly what we are doing on here!
And read the post a bit further down that link by "Krankee" - far more typical of my experiences.
Edited by towie on Monday 26th February 14:13
7db said:
CommanderJameson said:
1. No, they have no dispensation to exceed the speed limit.
2. When on patrol, they
should2. When on patrol, they
CommanderJameson said:
travel at 50MPH.
Should travel at 50 ?!?! Well, that'll help congestion then won't it. Seems like they're more a part of the problem than part of the solution. Anyone any idea why 50? I assume there is a sensible reason behind it?
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