Go left !!!

[LordBob]

I've noticed there are a vast number of radio ads telling us to go left if we break down on a motorway I remember we were once told to stop on the hard shoulder and summon help via the emergency phones or more recently by using your mobile phone. Our elected experts in their wisdom have decided to get rid of the hard shoulders and call them SMART motorways, they are anything but smart there have already been some terrible accidents and more disasters waiting to happen. I'm putting this out there on this forum hopefully I'll get your views I don't know who you are but I think there will be a considered response. In the past I would have discussed this and other items with friends at the match or in the pub or even the barbers but not now lots of things happen I don't discuss.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Opinion on smart motorways?

Potentially it was a good idea, but as usual badly implemented but it's the UK so not really a shock.

I do a lot of driving and the standard of driving on our motorways isn't that good, not to merit smart motorways and getting rid of hard shoulders.
Also the amount of people who refuse to get their cars regularly serviced are part of the problem, as this inevitably leads to cars breaking down more often.

[evensteadiereddie]

It's like anything else, the SMART motorways are a brilliant idea. However, once the cost-cutters got their mitts on the plan, those absolutely vital safety refuges, lay -bys, were spaced further apart and cameras or sensors that were planned to close a potentially blocked lane immediately were shelved.
Result ?
Motorways that are only partially SMART and are death traps but at least they are less expensive. What's a few lives when you can save all that money ?

[LordBob]

2 excellent replies so far and as I hoped considered, thanks.

[LordBob]

2 excellent replies so far and as I hoped considered, thanks.

[Hipper]

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/car ... -safe.html

[LordBob]

Wow!! well Hipper is this a case of 'watch this space' seems we are being told it won't be that bad if you look at the big picture as Evensteadieraddie said 'what's a few lives'. I don't like it.

[Firthy]

Smart motorways will never work while you have cars breaking down and british weather. You break down with an electrical fault so you can't even activate your hazard warning lights and stop on the inside lane of a motorway when the visibility is poor because there's no hard shoulder, no amount of electronic gadgetry will stop a truck or car driving at 50mph from ploughing into the back of you.

You have to have somewhere that's literally physically out of the way like the hard shoulder where you can stop in relative safety. It's impossible to cover every few yards of a motorway with smart technology and be able to warn other drivers in time.

[DCWat]

A smart motorway will only be smart when either all of the drivers or all of the vehicles themselves, are smart. It will be the latter!

Isn’t there another review being carried out on smart motorways? I’m sure I’ve heard that any further work is on hold pending a review, but I could be mistaken.

[Zlatan]

SMART Motorways are in theory a fantastic idea, however near me the implementation has been poor and causes many incidents that cause the M1 to close for recovery of a RTC. If memory serves, there was meant to be a safe area every 500m, but that proved too costly for implementation so they changed that to every 2000m (2km). Now, anyone with a brain can see that the 500m range would suffice for someone wanting to coast from 70mph down to a stop, but the 2000m range makes that almost impossible. Couple that with poor servicing as mentioned above and you have a recipe for disaster.

My other gripe is that they have implemented speed cameras on every gantry to compliment the variable speed limits - which is fine in principle, however when they change the limit from 70 to 50 (because of something ahead) it causes a mass panic and various people braking suddenly which in turn creates congestion. The lie about having some grace period to slow down is also a frustration - I had to argue using dashcam footage that the speed changed as I passed under the gantry and I obviously had no chance to slow to 50 for my speeding ticket.

[Chobulous]

In Nov 18 I had the clutch changed on my car by a local garage. 2 days later I was travelling to work at about 6:30 in the morning. I was in the left hand lane doing 70 when, just before J4 where it goes to 3 lanes because a new lane feeds in from the left, my engine cut out completely so I was then in the middle lane with no power at all. Anyway I put on my hazards and managed to coast across 2 lanes to the hard shoulder. If that had been a smart motorway I would probably not be here now. Turns out the local garage where the clutch had been changed had got grease on the earth strip and that caused the engine to cut out.

[EricaJacko]

If you break down there's no go left or go west - you go where the remaining 300 yards takes you.

[yorkyclaret]

Should be a 20MPH limit when using the hard shoulder, other than in an emergency, or accelerating to a suitable speed to rejoin main carriageway. No undertaking. As said 2 KM is way too far between safe refuge.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

In Nov 18 I had the clutch changed on my car by a local garage. 2 days later I was travelling to work at about 6:30 in the morning. I was in the left hand lane doing 70 when, just before J4 where it goes to 3 lanes because a new lane feeds in from the left, my engine cut out completely so I was then in the middle lane with no power at all. Anyway I put on my hazards and managed to coast across 2 lanes to the hard shoulder. If that had been a smart motorway I would probably not be here now. Turns out the local garage where the clutch had been changed had got grease on the earth strip and that caused the engine to cut out.

Grease on the earth strip wouldn't cause the engine to cut out...
Plenty of garages chuck grease on the earth points on cars, they tend to corrode otherwise.

Leaving the earth strip loose however...

[Zlatan]

Should be a 20MPH limit when using the hard shoulder, other than in an emergency, or accelerating to a suitable speed to rejoin main carriageway. As said 2 KM is way too far between safe refuge.

I think you're missing the point in that there is no hard shoulder on a smart motorway, only safe refuge areas which are like bus stops

[yorkyclaret]

Yes, the ones I meant have 3 running lanes and a hard shoulder, the later becomes a 4th lane at busy times.

[bfcjg]

Smart motorways should have a hard shoulder if people stick to the advised speed, keep a safe distance and drive sensibly the tail backs wouldn't be as bad. With the year on year growth of car owners we have to accept delays

[Jakubclaret]

Generally speaking motorways are as safe as houses, I witnessed a tailback the other day near Walton summit between the M65 & picking the M61 up to the M6, I drive on nearly every motorway in the country or have done previously, the amount of police presence leads to accidents in my view because it’s impossible for some motorists to feel relaxed, going up the A1 towards the Hexham junction from the scotch corner, I must have counted at least 10 waiting passing time even when the traffic was relatively quiet.

[ClaretDiver]

, going up the A1 towards the Hexham junction from the scotch corner, I must have counted at least 10 waiting passing time even when the traffic was relatively quiet.

Quite often that may be due to ease of deployment to accidents etc...

[TheFamilyCat]

Generally speaking motorways are as safe as houses, I witnessed a tailback the other day near Walton summit between the M65 & picking the M61 up to the M6, I drive on nearly every motorway in the country or have done previously, the amount of police presence leads to accidents in my view because it’s impossible for some motorists to feel relaxed, going up the A1 towards the Hexham junction from the scotch corner, I must have counted at least 10 waiting passing time even when the traffic was relatively quiet.

More absolute ******** from the board's resident crank

[Jakubclaret]

Quite often that may be due to ease of deployment to accidents etc...

No idea, I’m just assuming crime doesn’t happen anywhere else apart from the roads due to the excessive numbers I see & I don’t see when I’m off the roads.

[claret2018]

I used to think the standard of driving was poor in the U.K. until I started driving regularly in mainland Europe.

In Italy lanes seem to be optional, in Benelux they all drive 2 inches from each other, Paris is one big race in traffic

[superdimitri]

Opinion on smart motorways?

Potentially it was a good idea, but as usual badly implemented but it's the UK so not really a shock.

I do a lot of driving and the standard of driving on our motorways isn't that good, not to merit smart motorways and getting rid of hard shoulders.
Also the amount of people who refuse to get their cars regularly serviced are part of the problem, as this inevitably leads to cars breaking down more often.

I think the UK is one of the leading countries when it comes to requiring cars to be serviced. The MOT system works very well. In some countries they don't have that system at all, and people can drive round in whatever they like despite it clearly not being road legal.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I think the UK is one of the leading countries when it comes to requiring cars to be serviced. The MOT system works very well. In some countries they don't have that system at all, and people can drive round in whatever they like despite it clearly not being road legal.

Nope.
We do well with Mot's, but servicing isn't enforced or required if the owner can't be bothered.
The amount of people who don't service a car and then whinge when it fails an mot will be high.

Same when people just get used to a car becoming less effective with something like brakes.
I picked up a car last year when the mot pandemic rule came in.
The owner of the car had just gotten used to the brake pedal getting worse to the point it just went to the floor.
There was a leaking caliper, but they ignored the red light on the dash and gotten used to the pedal...
It was classed as dangerous on the mot and we had to sign a waiver when we collected it.

It's my biggest gripe with car owners, they'd rather spend their money on better TVs, holidays, haircuts clothes etc at silly prices but they recoil at the thought of maintaining something that weights a couple of tonnes and can kill them/others if poorly maintained.

[Devils_Advocate]

Should be 25 years old before you can legally drive on one and at 60 you should be banned. This way we can keep the use of motorways restricted to both sensible (25+) and competent (under 60) drivers and also reduce the congestion at the same time.

Its not Smart motorways you need but smart people like me making the rules.......problem solved, piece of p*ss

[EricaJacko]

Should be 25 years old before you can legally drive on one and at 60 you should be banned. This way we can keep the use of motorways restricted to both sensible (25+) and competent (under 60) drivers and also reduce the congestion at the same time.

Its not Smart motorways you need but smart people like me making the rules.......problem solved, piece of p*ss

Love you pal. You don't hold back!

[evensteadiereddie]

Should be 25 years old before you can legally drive on one and at 60 you should be banned. This way we can keep the use of motorways restricted to both sensible (25+) and competent (under 60) drivers and also reduce the congestion at the same time.

Its not Smart motorways you need but smart people like me making the rules.......problem solved, piece of p*ss

All well and good, DA, except.....


https://www.statista.com/statistics/324 ... t-britain/

[Targetman]

What's this new word that I keep reading on here?.....
"Gotten"

Why are some people putting "ten" on the end of "got"?

[cbx750]

Should be 25 years old before you can legally drive on one and at 60 you should be banned. This way we can keep the use of motorways restricted to both sensible (25+) and competent (under 60) drivers and also reduce the congestion at the same time.

Its not Smart motorways you need but smart people like me making the rules.......problem solved, piece of p*ss

Come back and tell us that when you are 59 and 11 months.

[Devils_Advocate]

Come back and tell us that when you are 59 and 11 months.

I'll probably have lost most of my faculties by the time I get to that old age so dont hold your breadth I'll be in any state to share such lucid and forward thinking ideas as I can currently in my prime

[TheFamilyCat]

What's this new word that I keep reading on here?.....
"Gotten"

Why are some people putting "ten" on the end of "got"?

Big Gene Pitney fans

[Zlatan]

Nope.
We do well with Mot's, but servicing isn't enforced or required if the owner can't be bothered.
The amount of people who don't service a car and then whinge when it fails an mot will be high.

Same when people just get used to a car becoming less effective with something like brakes.
I picked up a car last year when the mot pandemic rule came in.
The owner of the car had just gotten used to the brake pedal getting worse to the point it just went to the floor.
There was a leaking caliper, but they ignored the red light on the dash and gotten used to the pedal...
It was classed as dangerous on the mot and we had to sign a waiver when we collected it.

It's my biggest gripe with car owners, they'd rather spend their money on better TVs, holidays, haircuts clothes etc at silly prices but they recoil at the thought of maintaining something that weights a couple of tonnes and can kill them/others if poorly maintained.

Always amazes me how many people I see with posh cars (Mercedes, Beemers etc) who are at kwik fit asking for budget tyres to save £30/corner - I don’t work there but with 2 cars in the household and about 40k (out of lockdown) miles/year driven between us we go through some tyres

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Always amazes me how many people I see with posh cars (Mercedes, Beemers etc) who are at kwik fit asking for budget tyres to save £30/corner - I don’t work there but with 2 cars in the household and about 40k (out of lockdown) miles/year driven between us we go through some tyres

They'll be the people who get upset about the cost of runflat tyres, then they'll fit a non runflat tyre without realising they're making their insurance invalid technically as it's classed as a modification from factory standard

Kwik fit do have stupid prices though, so if someone is going there for their work then they deserve to have their money taken off them.

"Can't get thicker than a kiwk fit fitter " is the saying in the industry

[Zlatan]

They'll be the people who get upset about the cost of runflat tyres, then they'll fit a non runflat tyre without realising they're making their insurance invalid technically as it's classed as a modification from factory standard

Kwik fit do have stupid prices though, so if someone is going there for their work then they deserve to have their money taken off them.

"Can't get thicker than a kiwk fit fitter " is the saying in the industry

I always get good deals (got 4 for price of 3 on Michelin cross climates) and I know the lads at my local kwik fit which helps - but I know what you mean about most kwik fitters I didn’t take it personally

[superdimitri]

Nope.
We do well with Mot's, but servicing isn't enforced or required if the owner can't be bothered.
The amount of people who don't service a car and then whinge when it fails an mot will be high.

Same when people just get used to a car becoming less effective with something like brakes.
I picked up a car last year when the mot pandemic rule came in.
The owner of the car had just gotten used to the brake pedal getting worse to the point it just went to the floor.
There was a leaking caliper, but they ignored the red light on the dash and gotten used to the pedal...
It was classed as dangerous on the mot and we had to sign a waiver when we collected it.

It's my biggest gripe with car owners, they'd rather spend their money on better TVs, holidays, haircuts clothes etc at silly prices but they recoil at the thought of maintaining something that weights a couple of tonnes and can kill them/others if poorly maintained.

Eh?
Have you traveled outside of the UK? Most countries are a lot worse in every respect.

I agree people need to service there cars better, but you should see the state of some cars in other countries. The UK is not at all bad in the respect of breakdowns or accidents if you look at statistics.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Yep.
Have you traveled outside of the UK? Most countries are a lot worse in every respect.

Yeah I couldn't believe the state of the cars in the USA for example.
It still doesn't detract from the complete lack of desire or interest a lot of people have for keeping their cars in a roadworthy condition.

I usually see at least half a dozen cars a day with illegal tyres.

[superdimitri]

Yeah I couldn't believe the state of the cars in the USA for example.
It still doesn't detract from the complete lack of desire or interest a lot of people have for keeping their cars in a roadworthy condition.

I usually see at least half a dozen cars a day with illegal tyres.

I live in the US and its terrible here, but I really don't think the UK is as bad as other countries. Even in Europe.
Maybe somewhere like Germany they look after their cars better, but the statistics for safety are actually pretty good in the UK.

[Claret]

Smart motorways have reduced the number of deaths overall, I think, but have introduced a new risk with broken down vehicles stopping on the carriageway. There have been deaths caused by this. They really need to put in a hard shoulder or at least more stopping places.
Better still, get more trains and buses, make them reliable and subsidise the fares.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

I live in the US and its terrible here, but I really don't think the UK is as bad as other countries. Even in Europe.
Maybe somewhere like Germany they look after their cars better, but the statistics for safety are actually pretty good in the UK.

I’ve seen cars here with their passenger doors duct taped shut, no bumpers and the deployed airbags still flapping around in the front seat

[superdimitri]

I’ve seen cars here with their passenger doors duct taped shut, no bumpers and the deployed airbags still flapping around in the front seat

A regular occurrence here in Michigan too. I've seen cars with missing doors and bumpers dragging on the road. It's actually very common to see bodywork missing from cars. If those cars ever hit a pedestrian they'd be mangled.

There's no requirement to look after your car. In the UK it's in your own interest because otherwise it may not pass it's MOT. Take that away and it's a whole lot worse.

But certainly the UK is not a market leader in road safety but it's only a few countries ahead in the world. Safety cameras and MOT's have a lot to do with that.

But just like the weather and football we need something to moan and complain about... The grass ain't always greener and all that... There's always room from improvement I guess.

[Firthy]

Should be 25 years old before you can legally drive on one and at 60 you should be banned. This way we can keep the use of motorways restricted to both sensible (25+) and competent (under 60) drivers and also reduce the congestion at the same time.

Its not Smart motorways you need but smart people like me making the rules.......problem solved, piece of p*ss

That's a pretty dangerous statement on here with the age of a lot of the posters

Seriously though, the worst drivers over here are middle aged women in their 4x4's. Anyway, you're not allowed to be ageist, that's worse than racism, especially on here

[Zlatan]

Should be 25 years old before you can legally drive on one and at 60 you should be banned. This way we can keep the use of motorways restricted to both sensible (25+) and competent (under 60) drivers and also reduce the congestion at the same time.

Its not Smart motorways you need but smart people like me making the rules.......problem solved, piece of p*ss

Don't forget to include foreigners and women, and whilst you're at it anyone who drives BMWs, Audis or Mercs because they're German cars; or any car thats over 10 years old for that matter because its unreliable; ...and then cars that have stuff hanging from the mirror - so irritating. Thinking about it, as someone who's done loads of motorway driving, I think we should also ban HGVs - far too many of them. Oh, and anyone else who irritates me with "bad" driving, so I can drive where I want without any problems.





...or you could just trust our current system which, while occasionally flawed, is proving to be quite good at keeping the standards up on the roads. Improvements I would personally like to see are periodic (5 years perhaps) retesting anyone of pensionable age, and also an actual test to be motorway proficient (haven't they already done this or have considered this recently?).

[Targetman]

Big Gene Pitney fans

Of course, I should have realised that!

[Devils_Advocate]

That's a pretty dangerous statement on here with the age of a lot of the posters

Im sure i'll be able to outrun them if they come after me

[Devils_Advocate]

Don't forget to include foreigners and women, and whilst you're at it anyone who drives BMWs, Audis or Mercs because they're German cars; or any car thats over 10 years old for that matter because its unreliable; ...and then cars that have stuff hanging from the mirror - so irritating. Thinking about it, as someone who's done loads of motorway driving, I think we should also ban HGVs - far too many of them. Oh, and anyone else who irritates me with "bad" driving, so I can drive where I want without any problems.





...or you could just trust our current system which, while occasionally flawed, is proving to be quite good at keeping the standards up on the roads. Improvements I would personally like to see are periodic (5 years perhaps) retesting anyone of pensionable age, and also an actual test to be motorway proficient (haven't they already done this or have considered this recently?).

Some good ideas in there but you're overthinking it. Implement my simple plan and we all reap the rewards

[Firthy]

Im sure i'll be able to outrun them if they come after me

Not when you get tripped by their walking sticks

[Rileybobs]

I do think it’s crazy that you pass your test without driving on a motorway. I know of a couple of people who won’t drive on motorways at all and I often pass people doing less than 60mph in the inside lane who look terrified.

[Jakubclaret]

Subscribing to the statistics, I believe statistically motorways are safer than normal roads so shouldn’t it be the other way around, motorways you don’t have to think until you get the junction it’s all in 1 straight line.

[evensteadiereddie]

You drive along a motorway, in a straight line, without thinking until you get to your junction ?
Nice cast, Jakub.


If, by some small chance, you really are being serious, you need to read your posts back to yourself before pressing "Submit"....

[Jakubclaret]

You drive along a motorway, in a straight line, without thinking until you get to your junction ?
Nice cast, Jakub.


If, by some small chance, you really are being serious, you need to read your posts back to yourself before pressing "Submit"....

Regarding driving edster, the only qualification you can validly claim is the ability to drive people around the bend.