Convertibles & the Hard Shoulder?
Discussion
You are pottering along the motor way top down and it unexpectedly begins to rain. (It’s England OK so it’s not that uncommon)
Choice – carry on till the next services or use the hard shoulder to get the top up ASAP?
Can see arguments for both sides on the ground of safety but unsure what the official word is.
The hard shoulder is for emergencies only and anyone who has had to stop on one knows they can be lethal.
But the alternative is to carry on with impaired visibility - no matter what anyone says about the rain going over you at a ‘certain speed’, I have never been able to find that ‘certain speed’ and it comes in thick and fast and stings like hell – not the best conditions to be driving on a motorway and you are probably driving without DC&A.
Anyone any comments – insight – examples - case law?
Winter is on its way so can see this will happen to a few of us (Z4 owners included even if it’s a bit quicker than an Elise).
Choice – carry on till the next services or use the hard shoulder to get the top up ASAP?
Can see arguments for both sides on the ground of safety but unsure what the official word is.
The hard shoulder is for emergencies only and anyone who has had to stop on one knows they can be lethal.
But the alternative is to carry on with impaired visibility - no matter what anyone says about the rain going over you at a ‘certain speed’, I have never been able to find that ‘certain speed’ and it comes in thick and fast and stings like hell – not the best conditions to be driving on a motorway and you are probably driving without DC&A.
Anyone any comments – insight – examples - case law?
Winter is on its way so can see this will happen to a few of us (Z4 owners included even if it’s a bit quicker than an Elise).
chrisgr31 said:
I seem to recall this was discussed a few weeks ago and TonyRec (I think it was) said he would stop and put his roof up as at the end of the day it is safety related
Sensible way of looking at it but is anyone aware of what case law/statute to quote should a copper with a different approach pull up behind you on the hard shoulder.
DAZ
chrisgr31 said:
I seem to recall this was discussed a few weeks ago and TonyRec (I think it was) said he would stop and put his roof up as at the end of the day it is safety related
Yes you are correct.......i wouldnt hesitate to stop.
But please bear in mind that statistically, the Hard Shoulder is the most dangerous place to be on the Motorway.
Tony thanks for this info
(and sorry for the repeat but I missed it first time around).
I agree its a devil and deep blue situation - just my concern was what classes as 'an emergency'.
I think it depends on how hard its raining - I can survive a bit of damp but full on down-pore is just not feasable to drive on.
Sure I could make a good argument in court!
>> Edited by Gfun on Friday 12th September 12:29
(and sorry for the repeat but I missed it first time around).
I agree its a devil and deep blue situation - just my concern was what classes as 'an emergency'.
I think it depends on how hard its raining - I can survive a bit of damp but full on down-pore is just not feasable to drive on.
Sure I could make a good argument in court!
>> Edited by Gfun on Friday 12th September 12:29
tonyrec said:
Yes you are correct.......i wouldnt hesitate to stop.
But please bear in mind that statistically, the Hard Shoulder is the most dangerous place to be on the Motorway.
Whereas the safest place to be is right behind me because if anyone is going to get attacked by a numpty it'll be me!!!
Phil
You could always pull into one of those really useful raised platforms on the side of the motorways that the police are supposed to use to hide (badly). If it's empty I would, I'm sure it would be deemed a sensible safe option and you would only be there a minute.
Actually where do the BiB stand on the use of those in such a circumstance, they are certainly safer places to be than the hard shoulder.
Provided of course the exit part isn't blocked with motorway repairing rubble as a few I've seen have been.
Actually where do the BiB stand on the use of those in such a circumstance, they are certainly safer places to be than the hard shoulder.
Provided of course the exit part isn't blocked with motorway repairing rubble as a few I've seen have been.
FourWheelDrift said:
Provided of course the exit part isn't blocked with motorway repairing rubble as a few I've seen have been.
The only parts I have seen full of rubble are the bits leading up to the raised area, what would in other circumstances be the off slip from the motorway. I assume this was done for safety reasons. Presumably to either stop picnickers driving up on to them, or to stop idiots crashing up them into the police car stationary at the top.
However these days I rarely see any police cars on them.
edited to change pin nickers to picnickers!
>> Edited by chrisgr31 on Friday 12th September 14:11
tonyrec said:
I seem to recall this was discussed a few weeks ago and TonyRec (I think it was) said he would stop and put his roof up as at the end of the day it is safety related
Yes you are correct.......i wouldnt hesitate to stop.
But please bear in mind that statistically, the Hard Shoulder is the most dangerous place to be on the Motorway.
bloody right i wouldent stop on it even if the bibs wanted me too.
They would just have to wait till, the next juntion.
I aint standing there for no one.
Bonce said:
I've often wondered if anyone's hit one of those police parking ramps whilst having an accident/moment and jumped off the motorway Dukes of Hazzard stylee?
Funny you should say that. About 10 or 15 years ago I was being driven by my old man out of London on the M3. I saw a car pass us and drive onto one of these raised mounts and back onto the carriageway. I thought this guy was absolutely crazy as he didn't exactly potter across it. Fortunately for him there was no Dukes of Hazard stylee jumps.
If you have to stop in this situation then (heavy rain causing Danger etc)...Hazard lights on, only one person out of the car (if its not one of the newer Convertibles), hood up and away, all withing 30 secs.
Dont forget to build up your speed to about 50mph then pull safely back onto the Mway then away you go....no drama, no harm done.
Dont forget to build up your speed to about 50mph then pull safely back onto the Mway then away you go....no drama, no harm done.
I haven't needed to stop on motorway with the Chimaera - but to be honest if it looks dodgy and its motorway travel we put the roof on before joining.
In the Boxster I was caught out big time on a dual carriageway and had to drive three miles prior to there being a layby. I'd wished it was the motorway as I got absolutely peed on and all that "just go faster it goes over the top" doesn't hold true once you are in a real cloudburst.
So I pull over and press the button - the roof goes up and I spend thenext ten minutes wiping the poor car out....whilst the lorry driver sharing the layby practically pees himself laughing - thanks, mate!
I can see the funny side of it now......just.
Not as funny as the time in Ireland we were caught out in the Chimaera...but that's another story..
In the Boxster I was caught out big time on a dual carriageway and had to drive three miles prior to there being a layby. I'd wished it was the motorway as I got absolutely peed on and all that "just go faster it goes over the top" doesn't hold true once you are in a real cloudburst.
So I pull over and press the button - the roof goes up and I spend thenext ten minutes wiping the poor car out....whilst the lorry driver sharing the layby practically pees himself laughing - thanks, mate!
I can see the funny side of it now......just.
Not as funny as the time in Ireland we were caught out in the Chimaera...but that's another story..
Strangely enough....I was driving my Caterham up to a sprint at Aintree just a couple of weeks ago. The roof was folded behind one of the seats and would have taken approximately 7 or 8 minutes to extract and pop on.
It was raining some of the way which is not a problem until we hit a downpour on the M57 which was stinging our faces but worse the INSIDE of the screen was soaking rendering visibility to about a blurry 15 metres! Traffic was light fortunately so I put my hazards on and pulled beneath a bridge, my son and I climbed out behind the barrier to wait for the worst of it to pass.
Once I'd quickly dried the inside of the screen and the rain had eased we carried on (using the hard shoulder for acceleration Tonycec) again roofless but with proper visibility for the remaining short trip.
I'm sure there was no other course of action open to me.
The joys of Caterham motoring
It was raining some of the way which is not a problem until we hit a downpour on the M57 which was stinging our faces but worse the INSIDE of the screen was soaking rendering visibility to about a blurry 15 metres! Traffic was light fortunately so I put my hazards on and pulled beneath a bridge, my son and I climbed out behind the barrier to wait for the worst of it to pass.
Once I'd quickly dried the inside of the screen and the rain had eased we carried on (using the hard shoulder for acceleration Tonycec) again roofless but with proper visibility for the remaining short trip.
I'm sure there was no other course of action open to me.
The joys of Caterham motoring
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