In Calais Now (1 Viewer)

[gus-lopez]

I realise lorries must be stacked, but why must the motorways be closed. In France they are stacked down the hard shoulder, then the inside lane while other traffic runs smoothly down the outside! Start nearest the tunnel then as it fills move back a junction. The lorries first to arrive were then first to leave, not like the chaos on M20 with police cars escorting lorries stacked J8-9 past later arrivals!

Because it comes under the same EU regulation as road works & which in the UK requires that moving traffic is separated from the " workforce" by a clear 2m buffer zone. By using the hard shoulder & the outside lane whoever invented the idea has ensured that under UK regulations , the whole Mway has to be shut.
If they did use the hard shoulder & inside lane you could then use the middle lane as the buffer & traffic could flow down the outside lane. This wouldn't happen though as obviously they would want to use the middle lane for the tea delivery & for the all the other wasters to ponce about up & down,

When you consider that it is costing the UK 250million a day you'd think that
they 'd come up with a way to ensure that the French strikers only ever did it once.

 

[Forestboy]

Why do we close a lane because a lorry is parked on the hard shoulder with a puncture bloody madness doesn't happen in any other country I know of. Stuck in a 10 mile traffic jam recently and the cause was a lorry on the hard shoulder having a tyre changed 2 lane motorway one lane closed.
Madness

 

[jockaneezer]

All the wagons we came across between Dunkirk and Calais were parked in the fast lane leaving the hard shoulder and slow lane for traffic flow and easy access to the junctions.

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[Deleted member 29692]

We were listening to Radio Kent the interviewer asked a Goverment Minister Why they chose this time to put Operation Stack in place when they knew the strike was happening

When else would it put put in place? Not much call for it when the channel crossings are operating normally

 

[Deleted member 29692]

If they did just stack them on the hard shoulder and lane 1 and keep the M20 open I wonder how long it would be , especially with disruption like last week, before they got back to the M25. It would start getting interesting then.

That's the big difference I think. There's a lot of motorway either side of Calais with no major intersections. Kent doesn't have that luxury.

Operation Stack has worked for years. They know what they are doing.

 

[gus-lopez]

If they did just stack them on the hard shoulder and lane 1 and keep the M20 open I wonder how long it would be , especially with disruption like last week, before they got back to the M25. It would start getting interesting then.

That's the big difference I think. There's a lot of motorway either side of Calais with no major intersections. Kent doesn't have that luxury.

Operation Stack has worked for years. They know what they are doing.

If they knew what they were doing we'd be able to travel at the same rate as we did 40 years ago, not take 5x as long on a normal day.None of the major roads are fit for purpose in the Uk; & that is when operating normally-

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[chaser]

Operation Stack has worked for years. They know what they are doing.

Who says

 

[Deleted member 29692]

If they knew what they were doing we'd be able to travel at the same rate as we did 40 years ago, not take 5x as long on a normal day.None of the major roads are fit for purpose in the Uk; & that is when operating normally-

You have a point but it's a whole different thread. I don't know for sure as I wasn't born 40 years ago but I'm guessing there's perhaps 5x the traffic now?

I agree that a lot of the major roads aren't big enough but can you imagine the screams of rage from the NIMBYS if it was announced that every motorway and A road that needs it was going to get an extra couple of lanes.

 

[Taran_Las]

He's a simple solution:

Let's start building things again for our own market place then we won't have so many trucks importing loads of goods. We could also employ our own countrymen in well paid jobs with proper contracts and offer decent prospects for our young.

Cheers, Antony

Novel idea ...... somehow don't think it'll catch on​

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[GJH]

He's a simple solution:

Let's start building things again for our own market place then we won't have so many trucks importing loads of goods. We could also employ our own countrymen in well paid jobs with proper contracts and offer decent prospects for our young.

Cheers, Antony

Does that include us all owning motorhomes built in the UK? Please don't say Yes because we like our Burstner

Personally we've never been affected by Operation Stack. Perhaps it's because we spend our money on holidays in the UK rather than the offerings in foreign market places

 

[Judge Mental]

He's a simple solution:

Let's start building things again for our own market place then we won't have so many trucks importing loads of goods. We could also employ our own countrymen in well paid jobs with proper contracts and offer decent prospects for our young.

Cheers, Antony

Then we need more immigration... East European builders who now dominate the industry as we haven't been training or giving out apprentships in any meaningful numbers for many years..

UK - 30% doctors immigrants. Germany - 5%. Get real! Imigration drives the economy!

Oh the irony...

 

[gus-lopez]

Then we need more immigration... East European builders who now dominate the industry as we haven't been training or giving out apprentships in any meaningful numbers for many years..

UK - 30% doctors immigrants. Germany - 5%. Get real! Imigration drives the economy!

Oh the irony...

Quite correct , but that is controlled immigration , not the camel drivers queuing at Calais.

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[madgeD]

We have decided the same thing GJH enough is enough !! not sure we can afford 6 weeks on the trot though it will cost us a lot more here Im thinking!!

 

[Peter & Elaine]

Why do we close a lane because a lorry is parked on the hard shoulder with a puncture bloody madness doesn't happen in any other country I know of. Stuck in a 10 mile traffic jam recently and the cause was a lorry on the hard shoulder having a tyre changed 2 lane motorway one lane closed.
Madness

Would you like to be changing a offside wheel on a truck with lane 1 open
I have done and it's not nice infact bloody scary
When cranes had blow outs I used to put back outrigger legs out 3 foot before I would go anywhere near

 

[Forestboy]

Would you like to be changing a offside wheel on a truck with lane 1 open
I have done and it's not nice infact bloody scary
When cranes had blow outs I used to put back outrigger legs out 3 foot before I would go anywhere near

An unfortunate part of my business was owning and running a fleet of 10 trucks from 7.5 tonne to 44 tonne. In the early days I spent many years trucking around the country day and night. Every truck had a spare wheel jack and brace and you were expected to change your own it was part of your job.
Nobody batted an eyelid just got on with the job none of this namby pamby H&S crap we have today.
Can I do it today bloody right I can changed a rear on my 5 tonne tag a few months ago on the side of a dual carriageway no problem at all. Thats the difference some just get on and do it others come up with loads of reasons it cant be done.
Too dangerous too heavy too much traffic not insured breaking health and safety laws. Lets close the motorway and call a breakdown truck or I might break a finger nail and wont be able to work.
Your havin a larf.
No offence meant but sorry its typical of everything thats wrong with country today.

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[Peter & Elaine]

Tell that to these 2 and many more

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/61746.print/

 

[sdc77]

In fairness that link is a bit old.. But there is no doubt that.. Since the days of doing it yourself and spit and sawdust.. Things have moved on.
The hard shoulder is a very dangerous place and having precautions in place to save people's lives isn't a bad thing surely. I keep picturing that Motorhome with the dogs that was hit some time ago.

 

[scousebird]

Two of our own funsters were hit while on the hard shoulder recently

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum...-while-on-the-hard-shoulder-of-the-m6.109383/

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[namwaldog]

I think that the UK should very secretly and very quietly build a fork in the UK bound tunnel and continue the new branch in a slow U turn back to a remote place on the French coast and then employ a force of truck drivers with easily accessible trucks to drive slowly through Calais and then get the train to take the new fork in the tunnel and then not stop for about six hours until they reach a town in deepest France where saboteurs have erected signs saying 'Queue here for UK handouts'
Should confuse things for a while

 

[rosalan]

With great respect to Forestboy and his undoubted abilities but in recent years we have come to value peoples lives more than we were once inclined to do.
I am not being silly when I say that people in war time were once seen as canon fodder, now every precaution available to us is made to preserve life. It is the same in motor racing, the odd dead driver almost added to the thrill of the racing scene.
As and where we can protect people, are you suggesting that we should ignore their safety?
I confess to being a mamby pamby now and pay to have vehicle cover, so if I get a puncture, as I have, I will call out an agency to fix it. If the vehicle is in a vulnerable place I would hope they are equipped make the situation a lot safer than if I was to deal with it, when hopefully I will not break one of my precious nails.
I just hate having a chipped nail........ Alan

 

[Judge Mental]

Flat tyre on a motorway? Get out of van..climb over barrier. Get up hill before you make the call. Madness not to. Roads far more dangerous these days. And yes even if its raining....

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[ianandkath]

maybe its me, but im old.
just get out and fix it, that way your not there for hours waiting for a tow truck.
and just remember all roads are filled with idiots

 

[Judge Mental]

breakdown service response seems to have improved. my wife's flat tyre a few weeks ago was attended in 16 minutes and this for a cheapo £25 a year service