The weekly commute

[NickFitz]

Then the useless Highways Agency plonkers came along and did nothing constructive other than point out we were not allowed back in the car and had to stand in the wind. And they kindly pointed out the camera pointing at us "So we'll know if you do". Pointless gits. Sack 'em all and save some tax money.

In all, 2 hours stood at the side of the motorway on -1C with a freezing wind. We were bitterly cold.

You don't have much luck with those HA people do you?

[FiveTimes]

Set off at 5.10 - got stuck in traffic for 30 mins on the M1.

Had to stop and get some oil as the oil light came on....

Still made it to clientco for 8.00

Quite tired this morning

[RichardCranium]

We bottled out this week and came up on Sunday.

[RSoles]

Monday mornings are a pain.
Up at 5:30.
Half hour drive to ferry terminal,
Half hour wait for ferry.
Two hour crossing.
Two hour drive the other side to client's site.

Oh we££.....

[BolshieBastard]

Originally Posted by RichardCranium View Post
Then the useless Highways Agency plonkers came along and did nothing constructive other than point out we were not allowed back in the car and had to stand in the wind.

There is no way they can legally prevent you getting back in your car. The Highway Code states its advisable to stand behind the barrier on the hard shoulder but its not illegal to get back in your car or even stay in it if you break down.

In fact, the advice to women who break down on the motorway and feel threatened by anyone who pulls up behind them is to get back in the car, lock the doors but keep a lookout for any traffic that may stray onto the hard shoulder.

I'd deffo say its better to stay out of your car though.

[RichardCranium]

I'd deffo say its better to stay out of your car though.

I'd like to see the statistics of how many people are seriously injured per annum while sitting in a car on the hard shoulder.

And then turn that into %age likelihood per hour.

[NorthWestPerm2Contr]

Started off commuting on a 45 min (+ 15 min walk) train from South Manchester (to arrive at 9pm daily), then decided to go in early by car (1 hour journey) so as to leave early from work. Commute is 35 miles each way. I had not filled car up for a while due to me taking train (and only parking car at train station). Then On the way back after switching to car, I went to fill my car up and saw £1.21/litre - thought **** this. Then as I was driving back got stuck on the M6 for 90 mins. I thought well and trully **** this. Petrol costs aprox £16/day. I decided I have to sort this out. Did some research and found a 15 min train from wilmslow to clientco. Train Ticket and parking at wilmslow train station comes to £11.80. Now I am chilling. leave home at 7:25 and arrive in work 8:10. Leave work at 5:15 and get home in the door for 6pm. Before I was losing an extra 2 hours of the day by doing a 9-6 and only leaving home 15 mins later.

[Paddy]

Started off commuting on a 45 min (+ 15 min walk) train from South Manchester (to arrive at 9pm daily), then decided to go in early by car (1 hour journey) so as to leave early from work. Commute is 35 miles each way. I had not filled car up for a while due to me taking train (and only parking car at train station). Then On the way back after switching to car, I went to fill my car up and saw £1.21/litre - thought **** this. Then as I was driving back got stuck on the M6 for 90 mins. I thought well and trully **** this. Petrol costs aprox £16/day. I decided I have to sort this out. Did some research and found a 15 min train from wilmslow to clientco. Train Ticket and parking at wilmslow train station comes to £11.80. Now I am chilling. leave home at 7:25 and arrive in work 8:10. Leave work at 5:15 and get home in the door for 6pm. Before I was losing an extra 2 hours of the day by doing a 9-6 and only leaving home 15 mins later.

What car do you have that uses so much fuel? On your figures; your car is doing 21 mpg. Using my car; it would do at worst 45mpg but I would expect 50 to 60 mpg. The same trip would cost me max £7.00 and that is in a large diesel.

I would not aim this at you but, I don’t understand why people buy gas guzzling flashy cars and then don’t run them because it is too expensive.

[TimberWolf]

I'd like to see the statistics of how many people are seriously injured per annum while sitting in a car on the hard shoulder.

And then turn that into %age likelihood per hour.

Research suggests that drivers who stay in their cars on the hard shoulder are seven times as likely to be killed as those who get out to a place of safety.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1333288.stm

Which begs the question how those that got out of their cars were killed.

2,058 men have been killed or injured on a motorway’s hard shoulder after the car has developed problems, compared to 768 women.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...accidents.html

(2058 + 768) people / 15 years = 188 killed / year, or 0.02 per hour. There's not enough info to provide a probability of being killed.

[Mich the Tester]

I got out of the car on the hard shoulder on Friday night to heave up. Sounds stupid, I know, but I had no other option than to chuck all over my lap. Saw the news on Saturday and it turns out someone was killed, sitting in the car on the hard shoulder, just a few kms back at around the same time. Scary.

Thing is, how f**king stupid do you have to be to hit someone on the hard shoulder? OK, I can understand if you’ve had a sudden tyre blow out and lost control; tulip happens. But come on, that’s not the case with many of these incidents. We’ve all seen people straying from their lane while pissing about with the mobile phone or changing a CD.