Driver Location Signs - Whats the point?
Discussion
I had to phone up today to report something that had happened whilst I was driving, it warranted a 999 call as it was dangerous. I got straight on the phone and noted the next marker sign. I told the 999 lady I was driving a car and had seen X happening and was very dangerous. She agreed, and asked where it was happening and I told them just before XXX marker sign.
The 999 lady didn't have a clue and started asking where am I by which point in a few miles down an unfamiliar area of motorway. Again, told her the sign I saw it at and the sign I was at and she didn't get it. 'I'm sorry but I don't know what that is and I can't see that on my database. Where was it again?'
In the end I told her I'm driving a car down the MXX, just passed JX but what I'm reporting is miles behind me now as she was wasting time. I then got a little annoyed and said what's the point in having the damn signs if the operators didn't have a clue what they were or how to use them? She said she didn't know so I said she needs to do some homework but I need to get back to driving and then hung up
I was properly annoyed by this point and couldn't help but think there was somebody who needed assistance which they couldn't get because the 999 operator didn't know what a mile marker or driver location sign was or know how to find out where it was on her 'database'.
What is the point in having them if the emergency services don't have access to them?
Sorry for rant. Just annoyed me.
The 999 lady didn't have a clue and started asking where am I by which point in a few miles down an unfamiliar area of motorway. Again, told her the sign I saw it at and the sign I was at and she didn't get it. 'I'm sorry but I don't know what that is and I can't see that on my database. Where was it again?'
In the end I told her I'm driving a car down the MXX, just passed JX but what I'm reporting is miles behind me now as she was wasting time. I then got a little annoyed and said what's the point in having the damn signs if the operators didn't have a clue what they were or how to use them? She said she didn't know so I said she needs to do some homework but I need to get back to driving and then hung up
I was properly annoyed by this point and couldn't help but think there was somebody who needed assistance which they couldn't get because the 999 operator didn't know what a mile marker or driver location sign was or know how to find out where it was on her 'database'.
What is the point in having them if the emergency services don't have access to them?
Sorry for rant. Just annoyed me.
scenario8 said:
Maybe for a 999 operator "clockwise just before junction 13 of the M25" is enough to give him/her enough information to inform the emergency services or the Highways Agency "appropriately". Perhaps your additional information would be useful to XXX but for their purposes J13 M25 is enough to get the ball rolling.
I would agree but at the time I didn't know where I was. I had to wait until I saw a sign or something that wasn't just M25 clockwise.Seeing these 2 men grappling at the side of the road with lorries and cars passing in L1 at speed looked dangerous. If one of them was to slip or fall or get pushed into oncoming traffic they'd be dead, severely injured and the occupants of any vehicle would also be injured. Regardless of who was at fault, the reason for the fight, it didn't matter. It shouldn't be happening at the side of a motorway, that's why I called up.
It's not up to me to know the individual telephone numbers of each different agency working on our roads. If we're always told from a young age, 999 is the emergency number, then who do 'they' think we will phone when there is an emergency?
As for the SOS phones... Why would I stop on what may or may not be the hard shoulder, depending on wether the hard shoulder is a live lane or not depending on which bit of which motorway you are on. I have a phone inside my car, which means I can avoid becoming a hazard by stopping on the shoulder. I can use what should be an emergency number to phone the emergency services who should be able to take basic information such as location information from a sign that is put there to determine position.
This is the whole point of the thread. If the SOS phones are that great then why do we have these Driver Location signs installed if nobody knows how to use them?
As I get older and experience more of this countries facilities and services, without even trying to pick flaws in the systems it does stand out how incompetent and over-complicated they all seem to be. Although that's probably another topic for another day.
It's not up to me to know the individual telephone numbers of each different agency working on our roads. If we're always told from a young age, 999 is the emergency number, then who do 'they' think we will phone when there is an emergency?
As for the SOS phones... Why would I stop on what may or may not be the hard shoulder, depending on wether the hard shoulder is a live lane or not depending on which bit of which motorway you are on. I have a phone inside my car, which means I can avoid becoming a hazard by stopping on the shoulder. I can use what should be an emergency number to phone the emergency services who should be able to take basic information such as location information from a sign that is put there to determine position.
This is the whole point of the thread. If the SOS phones are that great then why do we have these Driver Location signs installed if nobody knows how to use them?
As I get older and experience more of this countries facilities and services, without even trying to pick flaws in the systems it does stand out how incompetent and over-complicated they all seem to be. Although that's probably another topic for another day.
Edited by ashleyman on Thursday 27th July 17:37
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