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[Raeturbo]

🤣🥊

[STEMO]

Able bodied couples walking towards me along a narrow pavement, holding hands as if their hands are glued together and refusing to separate to allow other people to walk past them. I refuse to step out on to the road to go around them (unless it’s an elderly couple supporting each other), choosing to stop dead in my tracks so they have to go single file around me, albeit still holding hands.
My wife chooses to barge straight through the middle of them but she’s martial arts trained, so a lot harder than me.

Breaking young lovers apart. Merry Christmas to you too 

[Varche]

Monday. Smart motorway. The M1 heading south. Serious accident 350 yards up from us.. Four lanes of stationary traffic.

No lane for emergency vehicles. The incident commander and someone from fire brigade came running between the vehicles. Smart motorways my 4rse.

[Doctor Gollum]

Monday. Smart motorway. The M1 heading south. Serious accident 350 yards up from us.. Four lanes of stationary traffic.

No lane for emergency vehicles. The incident commander and someone from fire brigade came running between the vehicles. Smart motorways my 4rse.

That's not exclusively a smart motorway problem, but no hard shoulder really doesn't help matters.
One day, they'll figure out that you can approach the scene from the other direction at the next junction.

[johnnydog]

Monday. Smart motorway. The M1 heading south. Serious accident 350 yards up from us.. Four lanes of stationary traffic.

No lane for emergency vehicles. The incident commander and someone from fire brigade came running between the vehicles. Smart motorways my 4rse.

That's not exclusively a smart motorway problem, but no hard shoulder really doesn't help matters.
One day, they'll figure out that you can approach the scene from the other direction at the next junction.

Rather a ridulous statement - the emergency services would NEVER approach the scene of accident by travelling against the direction of the traffic flow, even if 4 lanes were blocked due to collision. It is very rare that 4 lanes are actually totally blocked, and after the initial aftermath prior to the arrival of the emergency services, drivers that feel their presence at the scene to assist or give their details as a witness is no longer necessary, or a stricken vehicle is moved, they will manoeuvre past the scene and continue on their journey, only to be met by emergency vehicles travelling opposite direction? A big no no.
The other point that you haven't considered is any vehicles that may have previously stopped in an emergency refuge between the scene and the next junction for whatever reason who then continue on their journey only to be confronted by emergency service vehicles travelled towards them.
Travelling against the normal flow of traffic would only be considered once a police vehicle has travelled from the scene to the next junction to check for any potential.problems or previously stranded vehicles, and then and only then once they area is sterile, would any emergency or recovery vehicles be permitted access from the opposite direction, but that would only be as a last resort.
Use yer noddle.....

[johnnydog]

And before you even suggest it, approaching from the opposite direction on the opposite carriageway, stopping adjacent to the scene and hopping over the armco or concrete central reservation to the scene on foot is also another big no no....

[Mr Skrunts]

Rather a ridulous statement - the emergency services would NEVER approach the scene of accident by travelling against the direction of the traffic flow

Totally disagree there.

On the M1 few years ago all lanes where at a stand still and recovery services came up the wrong way directed by the polite to recover a broken down car.

In all fairness because there was no moving traffic at the time I dont see what the problem was - would have taken a lot longer coming the other way.

Plus I have seen the police reverse down the hard from an M1 exit to a car on the main part of the m1 to a car (probably 300/400 yards on the M1 its self as they passes all the countdown markers.

[Doctor Gollum]

Monday. Smart motorway. The M1 heading south. Serious accident 350 yards up from us.. Four lanes of stationary traffic.

No lane for emergency vehicles. The incident commander and someone from fire brigade came running between the vehicles. Smart motorways my 4rse.

That's not exclusively a smart motorway problem, but no hard shoulder really doesn't help matters.
One day, they'll figure out that you can approach the scene from the other direction at the next junction.

Rather a ridulous statement - the emergency services would NEVER approach the scene of accident by travelling against the direction of the traffic flow, even if 4 lanes were blocked due to collision. It is very rare that 4 lanes are actually totally blocked, and after the initial aftermath prior to the arrival of the emergency services, drivers that feel their presence at the scene to assist or give their details as a witness is no longer necessary, or a stricken vehicle is moved, they will manoeuvre past the scene and continue on their journey, only to be met by emergency vehicles travelling opposite direction? A big no no.
The other point that you haven't considered is any vehicles that may have previously stopped in an emergency refuge between the scene and the next junction for whatever reason who then continue on their journey only to be confronted by emergency service vehicles travelled towards them.
Travelling against the normal flow of traffic would only be considered once a police vehicle has travelled from the scene to the next junction to check for any potential.problems or previously stranded vehicles, and then and only then once they area is sterile, would any emergency or recovery vehicles be permitted access from the opposite direction, but that would only be as a last resort.
Use yer noddle.....

One thing smart motorways have in abundance, (and regular motorways for that matter), is the ability to close lanes. A focused advertising campaign and permanent signage warning of total/partial closure after the accident scene as far as the next junction to educate people to the concept is both feasible and reasonable.

Even on the M25 between 9 and 14, there's most of a hard shoulder, I often see a total closure one side following relatively minor bumps just so the Wombles can get out of their Volvos whilst the actual emergency services fly past in the opposite carriageway just to attend the scene from the back of the traffic.

You can close the inside 3/4 lanes from the scene to past the next junction to enable the emergency services to safely run at a controlled speed against the flow in lane 1. Surely uch more responsive than wasting time weaving through miles of stationary traffic.

[Varche]

Tuesday. A1 south from Calais closed ( presumably an accident) everything had to leave at jct11. Only a few minutes earlier I had commented on the truly vast number of lorries. Took us an hour twenty to get clear. The issue was mainly delays at the toll booths.Only three.

I am impressed with waze, google maps knowing there is congestion and how much. Obvious when you google . What we needed was to have been advised to come off at 10. I dare say there is an app for that!

[Varche]

Lorries . One doing 50 mph and a whole string overtaking doing 56 but seems like 50.1111 mph.

With modern vehicles surely they can all safely cruise at the same speed?

[YZ250]

Monday. Smart motorway. The M1 heading south. Serious accident 350 yards up from us.. Four lanes of stationary traffic.

No lane for emergency vehicles. The incident commander and someone from fire brigade came running between the vehicles. Smart motorways my 4rse.

That's not exclusively a smart motorway problem, but no hard shoulder really doesn't help matters.
One day, they'll figure out that you can approach the scene from the other direction at the next junction.

Rather a ridulous statement - the emergency services would NEVER approach the scene of accident by travelling against the direction of the traffic flow, even if 4 lanes were blocked due to collision. It is very rare that 4 lanes are actually totally blocked, and after the initial aftermath prior to the arrival of the emergency services, drivers that feel their presence at the scene to assist or give their details as a witness is no longer necessary, or a stricken vehicle is moved, they will manoeuvre past the scene and continue on their journey, only to be met by emergency vehicles travelling opposite direction? A big no no.
…………..
Use yer noddle.....

Err, what you describe is exactly what happens around here, after certain safety measures have been taken obviously. It’s called Tactical Rapid Access. It’s a common sight on the M40/A40, as it’s by far the quickest way to reach the incident. I’m not suggesting the decision is taken lightly with no prior thought. It obviously has to be a controlled set up for it to work. 

Police guidance :
Tactical Rapid Access:
Motorway/Bypass Blocked Traffic: A major accident completely stops traffic, making normal access impossible; driving the "wrong way" cuts down travel time significantly.

Strategic Access: Control rooms direct vehicles to rendezvous points (like slip roads) where they can safely enter the carriageway and travel against traffic flow to the incident.
Time is Critical: In emergencies, seconds matter, and this method allows for faster arrival to save lives or manage the scene.

[YZ250]

…………
the emergency services would NEVER approach the scene of accident by travelling against the direction of the traffic flow ……….

This is an example of Tactical Rapid Access Reverse Flow, carried out on live lanes until a complete stoppage can be organised. Obviously precautions have to be taken to slow everyone else down to a safe level. 

[Doctor Gollum]

Good example of the practical application of the signs and variable limits to good effect