I know there has been some 'knocking' of these guys' purpose recently, but I've had a few collegues had a 'need' for them recently on the national motorway network.
One collegue punctured on the M56 and was 'supported' by a traffic officer within minutes - minor incident.
One other colleague had a major blow out on the M5 last weekend, in the morning, in a new Focus at 70 mph in the outside lane , shredded his tyre, snapped the rear axel, and by the time he had reduced speed, he span into the central reservation (superficial damage to front) but rear severly damaged, as wheel had dug into the tarmac and caused the spin.
Traffic officers arrived within about a minute, stopped the traffic, got family away from motorway, cleared car within minutes.
Colleague waited with car and officers, police turned up after 40 mins, breathalised him, left scene as car was new (no need for checks).
RAC turned up within hour, but get this,........ the traffic guys had got McD's breakfasts for everyone to eat whilst in the RAC truck home (to Cheshire).
How good is that.... this lad is well impressed with these guys. So a big thumbs up for them !
Fortunately, all ended well - his car is bordering a write off - sobering thought for a new car from a blow out !
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I work for the RAC and the calls we are getting from Traffic Officers are increasing day by day.
They do a good job - they patrol localsed motorway networks and deal with all hard shoulder (and other) incidents. Even if this means sitting with someone who has had a breakdown, ringing us, making sure someone is on the way, this can only be a benefit to the general public.
It just makes me laugh when cars slam on their brakes when they see a Highways Agency patrol doing it;s job at 60mph in lane 1 checking for incidents, debris etc. There is a difference to the HA patrols and police that is quite obvious but not to your average motorway driver.......
jdc
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Just one question though- have noticed that the HA patrols when parked on the hard shoulder tend to be pointing towards lane 1 with wheels turned into the traffic? Have not seen any parked otherwise- so is this instruction- as seems potentially dangerous.
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Is the McDonald's breakfast compulsory?
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Just one question though- have noticed that the HA patrols when parked on the hard shoulder tend to be pointing towards lane 1 with wheels turned into the traffic? Have not seen any parked otherwise- so is this instruction- as seems potentially dangerous.
My opinion is that this is the safer way to have the vehicle pointed.
1. if a vehicle drifts onto the white line and hits the patrol, then it will be a glancing blow to the front corner, this will just knock the front of the patrol around a little. If the vehicle is pointing to the hard sholder and gets a glancing blow then it gets pushed to the hard sholder (where the ocupants may well be).
2. If a vehicle drifts right into the hard sholder and hits the patrol, well lets face it, it makes no difference at all which way it's pointing, it's going to be one very big mess either way.
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Hi AR- one of the thoughts I'd had was that by the patrol car being parked at an angle across the hard shoulder, visually it 'pushes' drivers away from the parked vehicle- ie like a big crash barrier moving traffic away from itself (if you see what I'm getting at).
Always presumed that if hit, with wheels not pointing away from traffic, if hit hard enough could go into other traffic (although would have to be an almighty collision- and as you say would also be one almighty mess anyway).
Had never thought about vehicle being pushed into persons on side of hard shoulder, although now you've said it is seems quite obvious. Assume RAC and AA park with wheels pointing to kerb as would prefer van to go off road rather than in to (broken down) vehicle they're stood in front of.
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