Using hard shoulder as an extra traffic lane., is it a bad Idea.?

Question

Being at one time a HGV driver I have seen numerous Incidents where there was only one escape when the traffic ahead was at a standstill, that escape from full impact collision at maximum motorway speed being the hard shoulder. I dread to think of the consequences of not having that escape. What do you think?

Answer 1

I used the M42 about a week ago and the hard shoulder was being used (legally) I would be very reluctant to use it in any event unless I was due to leave at the next exit. I take the view the this new procedure is a multi-vehicle pile up waiting to happen, all I can say is God help the injured and the police and emergency services trying to get to them

Answer 2

Aren't they going to use the hard shoulder as the extra lane when they widen motorways? I've seen some horrofic crashes on tv.

Answer 3

I agree with you. Here in Spain they hard shoulder is used as an extra lane two weekends a year, the getaway and going home weekends for the summer holiday. During these two weekends there is a huge police presence and very strict speed limits are in place. Because of the volume of traffic and the number of police it works, but I can't imagine, or don't want to imagine, what would happen if this was an everyday situation that wasn't closely monitored.

Answer 4

not so long ago a story was run in the national newspapers where a family of six broke down and pulled over on too the hard shoulder to stop and request help . the car was immediately hit by a speeding car using the hard shoulder as a quick escape route luckily no one was killed.but it could have been a lot worse. the idea of people using the hard shoulder is ridiculous what they should be doing is spending some of the taxes us motorists pay on everything to build extra lanes rather than fobbing us off with cheap alternatives

Answer 5

Please don't try to find out false ways and loop holes on a safe fast track called Motorway. I'm from overseas and use a bicycle and going back in Dec, I must say motorway is one of the best networks I've seen. If you find a standstill traffic you can blame the people who dont even deserve to drive buying cheap cars.

Drive safe and in-lane

Answer 6

In most states it's against the law ...and try slowing down

Answer 7

No it is vital the escape route of the hard shoulder is mainained.  Also where would a broken down  vehicle  go.?

Answer 8

Using the hard shoulder actually reduces the road from a motorway to an ordinary dual carriageway. Therefore at these times learner drivers and animals should be allowed to use the road. Typical of the Labour government use a dangerous and shortsighted method to deal with a problem that they have made.

Answer 9

I heard this on the news the other day. They have had a trial over the last year in a stretch of some motorway in England[not sure which one]  during busy peak times and reckon its has been a success.

My worry is where do you go now if you break down, how will the traffic get by you

Answer 10

We live not far from the M42 and use that motorway often to go to Lichfield, the NEC, etc.

The experiment has been in use for some time and it appears to work well.

Lit notices tell you when to use the hard shoulder and there is a variable speed limit in force - again notified by overhead lit messages.  In the main, motorists stick to it - not a lot of option when all three/four lanes are stacked with vehicles all travelling at 40 or 50 mph

There is a potential for problems - but that holds true for all motorway driving.

Provision has been built in to cater for the shoulder being blocked by breakdowns and there is a constant police presence (not always in marked cars!)

The lanes are monitored by manned cameras all the time.

Answer 11

to the best of my knowledge that is what it is used for in addition to disabled vehicles, and emergency vehicles.

at no time should it be used as an extra lane unless you have to use it to avoid causing an accident.

Answer 12

i read it about a week ago and i think it is really stupid cos police will have no were to go in emergency's and if there is traffic people will just drive in that lane and cut everyone up and make even more traffic.

Answer 13

do like they do in Bangkok use the opposite carriage way at peak times

Answer 14

It does seem a waste to have the hard shoulder empty during busy periods and using it is certainly worth a try. My only concern would relate to broken down vehicles and how that would be dealt with by the police and rescue vehicles.