Soldato
T
The issues for me are:
1. The hard shoulder isn't just for breakdowns. It's a (mostly) clear lane for emergency services to gain access through standing traffic.
When there's a collision at rush hour you can quickly build up 4-5 miles of standing traffic in all lanes prior to the lane closure signs being activated, say for instance lane 1.
You've then got emergency services trying to get through whilst those 5 miles of traffic in lane 1 try to merge into lane 2, impeding the emergency services.
With a hard shoulder there's no impedance of emergency services and seconds count.
2. The control rooms are populated by minimum wage dolts. The type that dribble in their cornflakes whilst eating them. They're mostly as thick as two short planks & have to monitor 50+ screens at one time.
They're so inept that they left a motorway with 20mph signs on for HOURS after the incident had been cleared.
A family friend works as a truck recovery Inc roadside tyre changes.
One job he attended was an offside tyre deflation. Truck managed to get into a refuge space but close to Lane 1. He had to BEG Highways to close Lane 1. In the end he told them the lane closes or the truck stays there and the haulage company would invoice HA for losses incurred.
Yep, "smart" motorways are about as stupid as "smart" energy meters. Complicated and expensive tech which just made a simple idea worse. OFC they are never going to admit it was a bad idea, because it would make it look like a waste of public money...
The issues for me are:
1. The hard shoulder isn't just for breakdowns. It's a (mostly) clear lane for emergency services to gain access through standing traffic.
When there's a collision at rush hour you can quickly build up 4-5 miles of standing traffic in all lanes prior to the lane closure signs being activated, say for instance lane 1.
You've then got emergency services trying to get through whilst those 5 miles of traffic in lane 1 try to merge into lane 2, impeding the emergency services.
With a hard shoulder there's no impedance of emergency services and seconds count.
2. The control rooms are populated by minimum wage dolts. The type that dribble in their cornflakes whilst eating them. They're mostly as thick as two short planks & have to monitor 50+ screens at one time.
They're so inept that they left a motorway with 20mph signs on for HOURS after the incident had been cleared.
A family friend works as a truck recovery Inc roadside tyre changes.
One job he attended was an offside tyre deflation. Truck managed to get into a refuge space but close to Lane 1. He had to BEG Highways to close Lane 1. In the end he told them the lane closes or the truck stays there and the haulage company would invoice HA for losses incurred.