Reply to: MP’s demand smart motorway rollout to be stopped

[chopper]

On the M60, they caused years of traffic jams to build a smart motorway where the end result was for the vast majority of the smart motorway section, there was no new road capacity (including no actual hard shoulder running). Quite a lot of money spent to basically put up new signs and resurface the road.

[Mordac]

Armadillo?

I was thinking more along the lines of "neither of them work properly" or "neither were designed to benefit the user/consumer".

[Zigenare]

Smart Motorways. Smart Meters. Anyone else spot the glaring similarity here?

Armadillo?

[Mordac]

Smart Motorways. Smart Meters. Anyone else spot the glaring similarity here?

[psychocandy]

Used to work on a project where "some" of the work was roadside (comms equipment etc). I never did (being more office server focused) but everyone had to do the training.

Sitting in your car on the hard shoulder whether smart motorway or not is the dullest thing you can do. Get out and get behind the barriers whether its pissing down or not.

In fact, unless you're in a proper area, it was a disciplinary offence if staff got caught spending more than 15 MINUTES stopped on the hard shoulder for any reason whatsoever.

[Yorkie62]

Undertaking is legal unless it is deemed careless.

About 10% of drivers are totally clueless and should not be on the roads. More regular testing is needed.

[QUOTE=original PM;2608570]The best general rule about undertaking is flash your lights at the pr*ck in front of you whilst giving the a hand signal of your choice. Then wind your drivers window down, boot it and undertake whilst waving the number of fingers of your choice at the driver of the other vehicle indicating just how many minutes they have been holding you up for. When in front of said vehicle , now test the reaction time of said driver to assess his alertness and suitability to be on the road, thus making them aware that they may need to take a break. Now boot it once more to close the gap to the car in front to a minimum and repeat.
QUOTE]

FTFY

[BlueSharp]

The M42 was one of the first motorways to go smart. Took 15 minutes off an hour commute, it's now considered a nightmare and acceptable reason for being late when the 4th lane is not open.

Yes there are idiots on the road but they are still idiots regardless of the motorway being smart. I'm sure I saw a stat that said that the smart motorways are actually safer.

A reference to the M42 study:

Smart motorways | Improvements and major road projects

[original PM]

The best general rule about undertaking is do not do it unless you are in 'slow' moving traffic and it is not really feasible to go round them.

Classic example of this is coming out of Manchester down the 62 - 50 miles an hour to pretty much the junction with the M6 all three lanes of traffic just move at the speed they move at.

Obviously you always get some prick desperate to get 200 yards further down the road by weaving in and out of traffic but there you go.

[Yorkie62]

Undertaking is legal unless it is deemed careless.

About 10% of drivers are totally clueless and should not be on the roads. More regular testing is needed.

Absolutely. Maybe I should have put this bit in bold in my original post

However, the onus and responsibility for completing the undertaking manoeuvre safely lies with the person performing the undertaking maneuverer.

[GreenMirror]

Undertaking is fine and legal - end of.
The status or speed of the traffic being undertaken is irrelevant. However, the onus and responsibility for completing the undertaking manoeuvre safely lies with the person performing the undertaking maneuverer.
Smart motorways do generally work in high traffic density situations as they bring all the traffic down to the speed of the lowest common denominator, i.e. articulated lorries, and therefore there should be no reason for anyone to change lanes, except when entering or leaving the motorway. Where the problems do occur is down to lack of forward planning by drivers who wait until the last possible moment to get into the correct lane to leave the motorway, causing either themselves to brake (having a knock-on effect) or the traffic lanes they are trying to enter to brake (having a knock-on effect). Simple planning, forward thinking, and an acknowledgement of the rule Mirror, Signal, maneuverer IF SAFE TO DO SO, would go a long way on UKJ motorways.

Undertaking is legal unless it is deemed careless.

About 10% of drivers are totally clueless and should not be on the roads. More regular testing is needed.

[GreenMirror]

I like that everyone hogs the outside 2 lanes. Leaves the others clear for me.

What I object to is doing so many junctions at once. M6 a joke at the moment.

[Yorkie62]

But as everyone is crawling along below 60 there is no reason not to drive in the first 2 as they are nice and clear and undertaking is fine in queuing traffic. The smart hard shoulder is great if your only jumping down one junction.

Undertaking is fine and legal - end of.
The status or speed of the traffic being undertaken is irrelevant. However, the onus and responsibility for completing the undertaking manoeuvre safely lies with the person performing the undertaking maneuverer.
Smart motorways do generally work in high traffic density situations as they bring all the traffic down to the speed of the lowest common denominator, i.e. articulated lorries, and therefore there should be no reason for anyone to change lanes, except when entering or leaving the motorway. Where the problems do occur is down to lack of forward planning by drivers who wait until the last possible moment to get into the correct lane to leave the motorway, causing either themselves to brake (having a knock-on effect) or the traffic lanes they are trying to enter to brake (having a knock-on effect). Simple planning, forward thinking, and an acknowledgement of the rule Mirror, Signal, maneuverer IF SAFE TO DO SO, would go a long way on UKJ motorways.

[BlueSharp]

4 lanes but everyone still hogs the outside 2 lanes

But as everyone is crawling along below 60 there is no reason not to drive in the first 2 as they are nice and clear and undertaking is fine in queuing traffic. The smart hard shoulder is great if your only jumping down one junction.

[Troll]

I hate the things, bl**dy speed cameras everywhere.

Soon to come with average speed checks and road pricing cameras

[Troll]

The problem with the motorways is that the left lane is full of slow-moving lorries and the next is full of lorries wanting to overtake their mate at 0.125 mph faster over the next five miles.

Leaving only one lane for everyone else.

Freight should go by rail.

As seen on a lorry bumper sticker heading sarrf on the M6

If you don't like lorries, don't buy stuff