M40 on Saturday

[Troll]

Slightly off topic - but what are the panels perceptions of the Higways Agency staff.

They seem to spend a lot of time poncing around in their shiny new 4x4's but other than a fondness for closing great swathes of the motorway network for a minor shunt I can't see what value they add.
Worst case was the M25 - 2 car smash & both cars across 2 carriageways - I would have hooked up the 4x4 & towed them onto the hard shoulder. H.A coned off 2 lanes and sat there with their flashy light things going waiting for the breakdown truck Tailbacks were massive.

Also does anyone know why cars/lorries are so susceptible to spontaneous combustion around the Godstone are of the M25?

[dotnetter]

How does the updates work?
I have been considering this option.

You pair it via bluetooth with your mobile and it uses your phone line to recieve updates, works pretty well but make sure your phone can pair with the tom tom first.

Mine worked fine until I upgradef my phone and it stopped working

[Clippy]

Slightly off topic - but what are the panels perceptions of the Higways Agency staff.

They seem to spend a lot of time poncing around in their shiny new 4x4's but other than a fondness for closing great swathes of the motorway network for a minor shunt I can't see what value they add.
Worst case was the M25 - 2 car smash & both cars across 2 carriageways - I would have hooked up the 4x4 & towed them onto the hard shoulder. H.A coned off 2 lanes and sat there with their flashy light things going waiting for the breakdown truck Tailbacks were massive.

Also does anyone know why cars/lorries are so susceptible to spontaneous combustion around the Godstone are of the M25?

I think part of their role is to take the strain off the emergency svcs.
I'm sure you have seen the police on the motorway helping stranded motorists when they have broken down or run out of petrol - not a very good use of police time, I'm sure you'll agree.

Or, if you are a cynic, maybe it is an another example of how useless British drivers have become in that they need a nanny to help them manage a breakdown on a motorway.

[Chugnut]

Slightly off topic - but what are the panels perceptions of the Higways Agency staff.

They seem to spend a lot of time poncing around in their shiny new 4x4's but other than a fondness for closing great swathes of the motorway network for a minor shunt I can't see what value they add.
Worst case was the M25 - 2 car smash & both cars across 2 carriageways - I would have hooked up the 4x4 & towed them onto the hard shoulder. H.A coned off 2 lanes and sat there with their flashy light things going waiting for the breakdown truck Tailbacks were massive.

Also does anyone know why cars/lorries are so susceptible to spontaneous combustion around the Godstone are of the M25?

It's bound to be a case of "Not my job, mate. Tow trucks tow; we do the flashing lights and the sirens. Now push off, we're trying to eat our donuts here".

As for the combustion issue, it's either from the brakes as traffic flings itself on from the M23 and then plays lane-roulette before junction 6, or the car's passenger is reading a local rag about property prices in the area, and simply explodes from shock.

HTH

[Troll]

It's bound to be a case of "Not my job, mate. Tow trucks tow; we do the flashing lights and the sirens. Now push off, we're trying to eat our donuts here".

As for the combustion issue, it's either from the brakes as traffic flings itself on from the M23 and then plays lane-roulette before junction 6, or the car's passenger is reading a local rag about property prices in the area, and simply explodes from shock.

HTH

The M23 drivers (you know who you are) joining Westbound in the morning are much more entertaining - the expectation appears to be to maintain speed even when 2 lanes of slow moving artics would suggest otherwise.
More fun when one of those mobile crane jobbies is crawling along the inside lane

[Chugnut]

The M23 drivers (you know who you are) joining Westbound in the morning are much more entertaining - the expectation appears to be to maintain speed even when 2 lanes of slow moving artics would suggest otherwise.
More fun when one of those mobile crane jobbies is crawling along the inside lane

Pretty much every time I go up Reigate hill, I'm on the inside lane, matching my speed to the lorry w-a-y in the distance. The outside lane(s) are full, bumper to bumper. Thing is I'm not even speeding, 60-70ish, and I still get up the hill before them. Zombie w@nkers the lot of 'em.

It doesn't matter how many lanes they put on motorways; until lane discipline is sorted out with at least 3 points and a fine, the rush(huh!) hour experience will never improve.

[Troll]

Pretty much every time I go up Reigate hill, I'm on the inside lane, matching my speed to the lorry w-a-y in the distance. The outside lane(s) are full, bumper to bumper. Thing is I'm not even speeding, 60-70ish, and I still get up the hill before them. Zombie w@nkers the lot of 'em.

It doesn't matter how many lanes they put on motorways; until lane discipline is sorted out with at least 3 points and a fine, the rush(huh!) hour experience will never improve.

I do that as well - trouble is you are undertaking and there is always a risk one of them will pull in without checking

[nucastle]

I was 'parked' on the M40 for 3 hours.

Ended up taking a snooze in the back seat of the car while i waited for things to move.

The 3.5 hour trip to manchester ended up taking 7 hours. NICE!

[Chugnut]

I do that as well - trouble is you are undertaking and there is always a risk one of them will pull in without checking

I think the risk is worth it mainly because the next lane is usually quiet as well! It's the inverse of what it should be - the further to the right the lane; the busier it is!

To be honest, most of the people I undertake look like changing lanes does not occur to them except when joining and leaving.

I reckon the majority of a journey spent occasionally undertaking but mostly staying in the first and second lanes is much safer than the tailgating, wound-up drivers in the outside lane, mostly there to get past the fools not pulling over in lanes two and three. You can't maintain a safe distance between you and the car in front in the outer lanes because someone will pull into it!

[Troll]

I was 'parked' on the M40 for 3 hours.

Ended up taking a snooze in the back seat of the car while i waited for things to move.

The 3.5 hour trip to manchester ended up taking 7 hours. NICE!

I once did a 3 hour stint just after joining the M20 - as is their wont, a lorry decided to have a kip on its side across all 3 lanes... so we were all going nowhere. After 3 hours a Highways Agency vehicle slowly made its way up the traffic directing cars (not lorries) to turn around and proceed slowly back to the last junction... which was weird