Stopping on the hard shoulder

Outpost

asbokid wrote: »

...and then passing the bottle to dad for a swig as he drives..

Oh I bet you were a delight for your parents growing up!

Outpost

mikey72 wrote: »

Before seat belts, you could just stand up and go out of the window.

Depending on how well-endowed a person is maybe some can still do it despite seatbelts.

Happytohelp

On a serious note, if you do have to stop on the hard shoulder, please take care when rejoining the motorway. I recently witnessed an appalling piece of driving when a motorist attempted to drive from the hard shoulder into lane one of the motorway from a standing start.

When setting off, use the empty hard shoulder to gradually build up speed (in the same way you would use an entry sliproad) and when you are travelling at a reasonable speed, indicate and safely move into lane one to continue your journey.

Whilst I am on the subject, if you are joining the motorway from an entry sliproad and your access to lane one is blocked, do not brake and stop at the end of the slip road. If you run out of sliproad and it is safe to do so, maintain your speed and continue onto the hard shoulder. Join the motorway as soon as you are able to safely move into lane one.

jase1

Yes -- ensure you have plenty of space to get out if at all possible, good visibility front and back, and absolutely floor the car when preparing to get back on the carriageway -- aim for 50mph (in 3rd for better control) as an absolute minimum, but indicate from the start.

As for the sliproad, absolutely agree. I felt compelled to jump on the hard shoulder and accelerate up to speed when some bozo stopped on the slip-road -- let him get squashed by a lorry.

rev_henry

On motorway cops a few months ago I saw the police pulling someone over for some form of bad driving. They told him to continue to the next junction where they would sort it out and clearly said to build up speed before pulling into lane 1. He promptly pulled straight out in front of a lorry, almost causing it to jacknife. Needless to say they reported him for this as well when they spoke to him properly after - he still wouldn't accept what he had done wrong.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

ive had my kids beg and plead me to stop to have a wee on a MW, will i NO i value my kids life and my own and couldnt cope with a potential death of another drivers on my conciounce due to me stopping somewhere that was indeed dangerous to do so in the first place.

when i was a child my dad never ever stopped for me or my bro and sis to spend a penny, we had to hold it till we could get into the nearest service station, town public urinal, or even the town pub and he always aimed for the hump and bumps in the road but maybe because we were busting its seemed like he did but he always had a smile on his face as we went over one!!

Thomas_Crown

Happytohelp wrote: »

Whilst I am on the subject, if you are joining the motorway from an entry sliproad and your access to lane one is blocked, do not brake and stop at the end of the slip road. If you run out of sliproad and it is safe to do so, maintain your speed and continue onto the hard shoulder. Join the motorway as soon as you are able to safely move into lane one.

NO! NO! NO! It is illegal to drive on the hard shoulder of a motorway.

crispy_chris

Happytohelp wrote: »

Whilst I am on the subject, if you are joining the motorway from an entry sliproad and your access to lane one is blocked, do not brake and stop at the end of the slip road. If you run out of sliproad and it is safe to do so, maintain your speed and continue onto the hard shoulder. Join the motorway as soon as you are able to safely move into lane one.

:eek: please, nobody follow this awful piece of advice!

NeverAgain_2

Parents tend to hide their peeing child by the nearside of the car.

It wouldn't be quite so risky if they scampered up the embankment to do it.

But it would still be stupid and irresponsible.

System

Happytohelp wrote: »

Whilst I am on the subject, if you are joining the motorway from an entry sliproad and your access to lane one is blocked, do not brake and stop at the end of the slip road. If you run out of sliproad and it is safe to do so, maintain your speed and continue onto the hard shoulder. Join the motorway as soon as you are able to safely move into lane one.

crispy_chris wrote: »

:eek: please, nobody follow this awful piece of advice!

It is not awful advice, but the circumstances should not arise where it was necessary.

To stop at the end of an entry slip road because traffic was too heavy on lane one of the motorway, would be far more dangerous than using the hard shoulder if it was clear and safe to do so.

But, the idea is to match your speed with the traffic in lane one as you travel down the slip road, then indicate and move into a gap. If everyone did this, and drivers in lane one were using common sense and showing consideration for others, then problems would not occur.

If you are prevented from moving into a gap by an impatient driver in lane one, then using the hard shoulder could be the only other safe option.
Rule 244 of the highway code clearly states that you must not stop on the slip road (it is just like the main carriageway).