Yep, shocking if it's true they were in coach for 10mins, even on hard carriage way you get out, let alone on the carriageway in heavy fog.
M5 Coach crash arrest
- Thread starter Amp34
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Yep, shocking if it's true they were in coach for 10mins, even on hard carriage way you get out, let alone on the carriageway in heavy fog.
Soldato
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It would be foolhardy advice for anybody to stay within a starnded vehicle on the hard shoulder, this bus was broken down in lane 1 which was still "live".
Unforgivable if that "advice" is actually given out imo.
The hard shoulder is one of the most dangerous places you can be on a motorway.
No, they are not. Everyone should be familiar with this page:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069863
Soldato
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Yep, shocking if it's true they were in coach for 10mins, even on hard carriage way you get out, let alone on the carriageway in heavy fog.
Surely they would have to cross the rest of the carriageway, in fog and live traffic if they get out. I don't see how advising people to emulate frogger is any safer than staying in the vehicle.
They were in lane 1 - so no need to cross the carriageway - exit left and get off the motorway.
It should be in lane 1 anyway and door to the left. You wouldn't be crossing any live lanes. Even if in lane two I would get out. The crash was inevitable I those conditions, unless you where lucky enough for emergency services to get to you first.
Noooooo, otherwise things like this happen
you're advised to get yourselves as far away, over the armco as possible.I dont understand why it took until people had died for the police to take proper action, that lane should have been closed off as soon as they were told there is a bus stopped in lane 1. They had 10 minutes for heavens sake!
I know that the police couldnt travel a great speed in these conditions, but what is wrong with driving slowly in that lane with lights/sirens on, and a message on the matrices.
RIP for the unsuspecting passeneger. and especially for the lorrys driver for avoiding the loss of others!
What do you want them to do? Teleport? The motorway boards had been updated.
Why did it even stop in 1st lane, most breakdowns do not lock brakes on/totally seize vehicle up. Even if engine seizes, use clutch and roll over cones. Although would it have some sort of dead mans brakes so if engine cuts out, brakes are applied?
Soldato
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Oh i see, but i still don't see how its death by dangerous driving. The number of unlucky coincidences - The bus broke down, visibility was poor, there was a bridge involved and roadworks. Assigning blame in this extreme circumstance seems grossly unfair.
You have a duty as a driver and also responsibilities. But a lot of it, is also total guess work ATM, until we get proper facts.
As i said, they should coast on lane 1 with sirens to force people to slow and be VERY aware of the caution ahead.
And as for the bus, if there was a major engine fault/massive air pressure loss, the brakes would have been locked on automatically by the callipers themselves.
and how do they suddenly appear in the correct spot to do that?
10mins even if they happened to be on correct motorway in correct direction and correct place. You be looking at 6miles maximum traveling distance with the delay in phone calls and then radio calls.
And the chances are no police that perfectly placed.
two things come to mind, and I'm not placing blame, just points to think about.
1)
the police reacted when they received a call at 6:24 saying a goods vehicle had hit the coach. they had received a call 12 minutes earlier saying a coach is broken down on the motorway (presumably in lane 1, surely this info was relayed).
due to the heavy fog, any breakdown in lane 1 surely should have had the police dispatched when receiving that call, not once they receive the follow up, "yeah something hit it guys" call.
2) roadworks. Typical situation where the hard shoulder is cordoned off for miles due to roadworks. was anything actually being done at the time? this seems to be common place on motorways just now, cordon off a section for miles, even though only some work is being carried out at any given time on one smaller area.
1)
the police reacted when they received a call at 6:24 saying a goods vehicle had hit the coach. they had received a call 12 minutes earlier saying a coach is broken down on the motorway (presumably in lane 1, surely this info was relayed).
due to the heavy fog, any breakdown in lane 1 surely should have had the police dispatched when receiving that call, not once they receive the follow up, "yeah something hit it guys" call.
2) roadworks. Typical situation where the hard shoulder is cordoned off for miles due to roadworks. was anything actually being done at the time? this seems to be common place on motorways just now, cordon off a section for miles, even though only some work is being carried out at any given time on one smaller area.
The highways agency repsonds in the first instance unless there is a reported loss of life/injury in which case the emergency services become involved:
http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/11235.aspx
The first call would have mentioned a broken down coach in lane 1 - we should be questioning what actions the highways agency took.
This is a true point, but you can display lane closures on Matrix dsiplays.
but i admit that this was largely a complete accident, and unavoidable with very bad conditions and the fact that the bus would have suddenly stopped.
They did, well they updated the signs.
Let's be honest is there actually anyone who pays notice to those signs.
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You're welcome!