Hard shoulder breakdown common sense ? (1 Viewer)

[Itsmcb]

We all probably see this regularly but I decided to post this after driving just 20 miles on the M4 yesterday to go to work. Three different breakdowns and in each case the occupants had got out of their vehicles and were standing behind the barriers. All good? No, they were all standing just ahead of their cars, do they not realise where that car (or at least chunks of it) will go if it gets hit by a truck at 60 mph?? Please everyone stand behind your vehicle not in front.

End of public safety message.

 

[glenn2926]

We all probably see this regularly but I decided to post this after driving just 20 miles on the M4 yesterday to go to work. Three different breakdowns and in each case the occupants had got out of their vehicles and were standing behind the barriers. All good? No, they were all standing just ahead of their cars, do they not realise where that car (or at least chunks of it) will go if it gets hit by a truck at 60 mph?? Please everyone stand behind your vehicle not in front.

End of public safety message.

I went to a RTA (as they were then) where the occupant was stood at the rear and had been crushed between his own van and the one that hit it. Standing behind your broken down vehicles is very, very, dangerous. Get over the barrier and off the road.

 

[Figaro]

Get over the barrier and off the road.

I believe thats what the OP was suggesting but to rear of vehicle rather that in front if it.

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[Revolvor]

I went to a RTA (as they were then) where the occupant was stood at the rear and had been crushed between his own van and the one that hit it. Standing behind your broken down vehicles is very, very, dangerous. Get over the barrier and off the road.

I think the OP suggests standing behind the barrier, but also behind the vehicle.

Edit - Figaro - Snap!!

 

[Itsmcb]

Apologies if I wasn't clear, yes definitely behind the barrier but also to the rear of the vehicle, not in front in the flight path !

 

[glenn2926]

I believe thats what the OP was suggesting but to rear of vehicle rather that in front if it.

That’s where the driver was headed in my post he got out walked around the back and was instantly crushed against his own vehicle . If he had walked around the front of his vehicle he would have been unharmed. Instead we used a hose a shovel and a body bag. Behind is and always will be a very, very dangerous place to be. This why we place the fire engine behind and in fend off. To protect the crew. The safest place is behind the barrier and as far away from the carriageway as possible.

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[SpeedyDux]

Another piece of common sense - do NOT put a warning triangle out on a motorway hard shoulder.

 

[Stealaway]

Another piece of common sense - do NOT put a warning triangle out on a motorway hard shoulder.

Do not try to change a punctured tyre yourself on the hard shoulder

 

[pappajohn]

Another piece of common sense - do NOT put a warning triangle out on a motorway hard shoulder.

As well as being illegal to walk on a motorway to place the triangle.
The motorway extends to the boundary hedge or fence well behind the barrier... Not just the tarmac bit.
The only exception is walking to an emergency phone.

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[Abgs]

One very sensible road traffic law in France and some other EU countries is - if you breakdown on the autoroute every individual stood on the hard shoulder should be wearing a hi-vz vest.

It really should be encouraged in the UK.

 

[ambulancekidd]

I went to a RTA (as they were then) where the occupant was stood at the rear and had been crushed between his own van and the one that hit it. Standing behind your broken down vehicles is very, very, dangerous. Get over the barrier and off the road.

People just don't seem to use common sense.
I went to a similar RTC where a broken down car was being pushed along an A road in the dark where they'd obscured the tail lights of the car they were pushing, result....two double amputee's instantly.

The ability of the human race to do completely daft things never ceases to surprise me & motorways are always a classic example, I've driver hundreds of thousands of motorway miles & every long journey produced some space cadet with a death wish.

Perhaps if we weren't so mollycoddled & footage of what the results of a serious RTC were shown on tv, it'd give folks a jolt & to hell with the pc nonsense of blocking images which might shock.

 

[glenn2926]

One very sensible road traffic law in France and some other EU countries is - if you breakdown on the autoroute every individual stood on the hard shoulder should be wearing a hi-vz vest.

View attachment 470711
It really should be encouraged in the UK.

Nobody should be stood on the hard shoulder. Get over the barrier and as far away from the carriageway as possible. That way you cannot be stuck by vehicles still on the road.

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[grumps147]

Another tip, do not climb over a metal fence even if it is behind the barrier, more than likely it’s a bridge over something. It was done by someone on the Thelwall Viaduct many years ago.

 

[SuperMike]

Nobody should be stood on the hard shoulder. Get over the barrier and as far away from the carriageway as possible. That way you cannot be stuck by vehicles still on the road.

Whilst I agree with getting over the barrier, the word nobody unfortunately cannot include some disabled people.

 

[Beltie]

Another tip, do not climb over a metal fence even if it is behind the barrier, more than likely it’s a bridge over something. It was done by someone on the Thelwall Viaduct many years ago.

Yes,I remember that one. It was very foggy and the poor individual jumped over what he thought was a boundary fence, only to discover that it was the bridge parapet.

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[Spriddler]

Yes,I remember that one. It was very foggy and the poor individual jumped over what he thought was a boundary fence, only to discover that it was the bridge parapet.

I was thinking that surely no-one would daft enough to do that when I recalled being a nipper and dropping down feet first from a garden fence in an alleyway one dark night to scrump apples and ended up waist deep in a stinking water butt.

 

[POH]

Perhaps if we weren't so mollycoddled & footage of what the results of a serious RTC were shown on tv, it'd give folks a jolt & to hell with the pc nonsense of blocking images which might shock.

Couldn't have said that better always been in favour of showing/shocking some of the idiots out there, only exception would be not to show kids .

 

[Nigel P]

The Discovery was parked on an observation platform four or feet above the carriageway level but still got whacked!

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[Nigel P]

For those who think their 4x4 is bullet proof, don't get squashed between two trucks.

 

[Nigel P]

Common-sense is at a premium for some!