AIBU to be shocked about so-called "smart" motorways?

[Bigfatchips]

Trust me, it takes a lot to shock me. Last time I was seriously shocked was when we had to go through an automated check-in for our luggage with Ryan Air last summer. No human contact whatsoever - just loaded our baggage onto the plane via an automated terminal - but that's another story.

Today I drove on the M3 for the first time for about 6 months. There have been roadworks and 50mph limits on the Surrey end of this motorway for at least 3 years, with signs up saying "creating a new smart motorway" at the roadside.

So, am on this new smart motorway today and I realise that what's changed is that it's gone from 3 lanes plus hard shoulder to 4 lanes with NO HARD SHOULDER for miles and miles.

AIBU to think this is completely fucking insane? Where are you supposed to go if you break down or have an emergency inside the car? What if your car literally grinds to a halt in the inside lane? How insanely dangerous is that?! Cars driving up behind you at 70mph - how are they supposed to avoid smashing in to the back of you?

If anyone can reassure me that this is all fine then I would be grateful. Otherwise I'm seriously considering avoiding the M3 altogether even though I need to use it fairly often.

I have to keep driving from Devon to Norfolk & back and forth - m25 is mainly smart motorway and the m5 through Bristol. Bits of the m11 seem short of a hard shoulder as well. I hate them. I agree.

YANBU OP

metro.co.uk/2018/01/20/parents-recall-terrifying-moment-when-lorry-crashed-into-them-on-motorway-7244983/

And how do emergency services move around if there's an accident?! I don't get it at all.

When the 4th lane is in use the speed limit is 50mph, and there are very frequent lay-bys. M42 has been smart for a decade - no increase in accidents as far as I’m aware and the traffic flows much better at rush hour (as long as speed limit obeyed)

Yes, seen the signs. What is smart about it?

Yep, it's horrible. Smart motorway with ever changing speed limits.

Genuine question but why are you so shocked about automatic check-in? Have used this plenty of times with other airlines, weigh the bag, scan your passport, print your bag sticker and go, saves a hideous queue

No they aren't safe. Or at least not as safe as a full hard shoulder. Didn't you hear that recording of a phone call made by a man who'd broken down on a smart motorway. As he was on the phone to the police a lorry went into the back of their car. Him, his wife and two little children survived fortunately.
There was stuff from motoring organisations saying a maximum gap of X between safe havens was the minimum acceptable but the government is letting the gap double to save money.

Mrscog - the speed limit was not reduced to 50mph on the M3 on the 4 lane sections today.

For a minute I thought you'd also been stuck for bloody hours on the M6 in their "smart" upgrade - I like my motorways like I like my men: fast and stupid

I think they are a great idea. Increasing road capacity

Fair enough - on M42 the fourth lane is only open if there’s a high volume of traffic which needs slowing. When the national speed limit is operational the extra lane is clearly closed and you get a fixed penalty for driving in it.

Seriously, google ‘Smart Motorways are dangerous’ .....accident after accident after accident.

Smart motorway near Sheffield exactly the same. 4 lanes no hard shoulder and apparantly automatic speed tickets if you break the speed limit. Limit was 70mph when I was on it the other day but changes depending on conditions I think and it knows what the limit is when you’re there so tickets accordingly.

YANBU. There has already been deaths.

I’m a hater too. I spend a lot of time on the M1 and have noticed that as many drivers are reluctant to use the HS, a significant number of twats use it as their own private “fast lane”. It terrifies me.

RNBrie if there's an accident they shut the left hand lane, and it becomes a hard shoulder again so the emergency services can get through quickly.

I like my motorways like I like my men: fast and stupid

This comment wins everything today!

mojito55 I get that's what is supposed to happen in theory but I don't see how it would work in practice. As soon as an accident happens and traffic builds up, it's going to be across all of the lanes? The lane might be closed for cars joining from the back but what about the ones already there?

They're only for short stretches at a time though. It's only a mile between junction 4a and 4 on the M3. You could just as easily grind to a halt in the other lanes. The biggest problem on the M3 is middle lane hoggers.

I am sure the M62 is smart in places. The very frequent overhead warnings tell you the speed limit at tha time and if it's safe to travel in the hard shoulder or not. I don't like change but I never had an issue with it.

I had a depressing conversation with someone from the Highways Agency about this.

Essentially, some bean counter did a cost/benefit/risk analysis and the smart motorways, including the increase in fatalities, won out over the cost of widening the motorway network.

That is depressing. Obviously people kill each other on motorways without this ( there being no such thing as a road accident, it is always someone making a stupid decision) - but those who break down and then get crashed into will be the innocent parties.

I suppose the only thing to do is get out of the car and up the embankment as quick as possible.

The M3 is so much quicker now though!

I fail to see how any camera or person watching a camera could stop a fatal accident if a car broke down in the inside lane and a car behind (at 70 or 50 mph, whatever) couldn't avoid smashing in to it. Sure, they could maybe manage the lanes after the accident, but not within seconds of it happening.

I just can't believe it's even legal.