New advice for recovery on smart motorways

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goperson

Nissan Leaf breaks UK record for longest self-driving car journey. A self-navigating car has successfully driven itself for 230 miles, the longest and most complex journey undertaken so far on UK roads by an autonomous vehicle.4 hours ago
https://www.theguardian.com › feb

Glad I wasn’t the human chaperone.

JVB66

What make was the caravan on the hook,not that i would attempt that  amount of miles ,unless it was over a couple of days

JVB66

Its another ploy by the Chinese to get rid of us so they fit it in their cars

JVB66

So you are one of the "tailgaters" that the police want to "talk to"

davetommo

Does that mean that they want to talk to every wagon driver

JVB66

Given the opportunity probably yes

DavidSmithCandMClub

Hi ABM, and everyone.

Regarding this post, I would refer you to the official advice given by Highways England on how to drive safely and legally on smart motorways, accessible via the link below.

In particular, you'll note there is a section on what to do in an emergency or breakdown, which includes the general rule that, wherever it is possible and safe to do so, you should NOT remain in your vehicle in the event of a breakdown (see point 4 in particular).

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-drive-on-a-smart-motorway#in-an-emergency-or-breakdown

Dave

Takethedogalong

With respect DS fromCMC, that’s the whole point of the thread. There’s nowhere to go if you do manage to get out on a Smart Motorway. It’s not reference to a guideline really that we need, it’s this touring Club to lobby on our behalf! 😁

Wherenext

So, part of the "new" initiative from HM's Gov is to reduce emergency breakdown areas to ¾ Mile or 1 mile if the shorter distance not possible. Nothing said about unsuitability of the length of the breakdown area being unfit to large vehicles and a tow truck/repair vehicle. We may get a few more radar equipment to detect breakdowns and they want to ban the use of the hard shoulder in busy periods. A few other peripherals but nothing major.

Everyone happy with this? I'm not but having been on quite a few of these things in the last week found our drive on the A roads more relaxing.

DaveCyn

Drove up the so called SMART section of the M3 this morning. Out of curiosity I checked the distance between the refuge areas, 1.5 miles 😳Not happy at all!!

Going back on Monday via a different route. I don't care if it's further or takes longer. I know I'll feel a lot better sticking to A & B roads.

marchie1053

I believe that, as part of the stationary vehicle monitoring/recovery process for Smart Motorways, the nearside lane is closed to other traffic, including a sufficient period [?] for the repaired/restarted vehicle to reach sufficient speed to avoid being ploughed into by other vehicles traveling at motorway speeds.

There have been problems, and some fatalities, hence the decision to review the operating systems and to delay developing more Smart Motorways at present.

Steve

SteveL

Trouble is the radar monitoring system is only installed on a fraction of the smart motorway system, so spotting a broken down vehicle and closing the lane is dependant on it being spotted by CCTV. That often takes ages, plenty of time for something to plough into the stationary vehicle. I haven't seen the proposals, but unless it includes radar monitoring to be installed on all smart motorways immediately, not much is going to change. Delaying further development makes sense until the current lengths are made fit for purpose.

Wherenext

There wasn't any delaying going on when we travelled on them this week. Just think they mean brand new projects.

EasyT

wherever it is possible and safe to do so, you should NOT remain in your vehicle in the event of a breakdown

So imagine the scene: You are driving along the live nearside lane with no hard shoulder to pull onto. Front coil spring snaps and rips front tire in half, lane still live. When the vehicle behind ploughs into you would you prefer that you and nearest and dearest were in the car or mid way between car and barrier with reduced mobility trying to clear barrier? 

Answers on a postcard

Navigateur

I don't think you get that choice when the following vehicle is 0.9 seconds behind. However, 22 feet of caravan is a useful crumple zone.

EasyT

Exactly. OH has no regular mobility problem but is unable to raise one of her legs much and hence why, 7 or 8 years ago, when I redid the bathroom I installed a walk in shower instead of a bath. For her to exit the vehicle and cross a barrier before a likely impact would not happen. I, on the other hand would struggle to exit a vehicle on the nearside from a drivers door.

lornalou1

My OH has brain injury and uses a wheel chair, no chance of getting her on other side of barrier. 

ABM

Quite agree with both of you, ET and LornaLou ! If I'm tucked close to the Armco or whatever, how the 'ecky thump am I supposed to get out on the near-side ? The whole point of the instruction 'How to drive on a Smart Motorway / how to cope with an accident ' is to cover, in as few lines as possible, the whole series of  possibilities that will / might arise.

For that reason, short of breaking down adjacent to a Police Only ramp, I'd like the mid-vehicle toilet thank you very much 

P.E. / Edit  Could I arrange for a full four point seat belt I wonder