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Original poster

To think smart motorways were never a good idea?

107 replies

bluebottle23 · 16/04/2023 09:42

I've just been watching a news segment about smart motorways and can't fathom how they ever got approved. Literally an accident waiting to happen and sadly many did. I hate driving on a smart motorway, especially with my daughter and just seeing aerial footage of one there is literally nowhere safe for you to get out stand and wait. I'd rather be stuck in slow moving traffic than risk my family's life on one of these motorways.

OP posts:
Grimeduster · 16/04/2023 10:39

So how does it work if you break down? You just sit in the left lane and pray no one rear ends you? I broke down on the m25 on Boxing day, freezing rain outside, a toddler and baby plus 2 dogs (was escaping dv). We sat on the hard shoulder with lorries whizzing by us and it was terrifying! How would that work with no hard shoulder?

NoMoreAgeJokes · 16/04/2023 10:39

Totally agree

HelpMeGetThrough · 16/04/2023 10:42

I'm constantly driving motorways, so have no choice but to be on them. They were never a good idea, I cannot see how anyone thought they were.

I'm just relieved I had a hard shoulder I could get to when my tyres blew on the M5. Even in a fairly safe place for 3 hours, it's not a place to ever be.

rwalker · 16/04/2023 10:43

I use them when all 4 lanes open variable speed limit tends to be right down and speed cameras everywhere I find them ok
but it’s normally very busy and low speed

Rainbowshit · 16/04/2023 10:45

They're terrifying. I cannot understand how the idea even saw the light of day.

Cattunnel · 16/04/2023 10:45

I drive on motorways frequently, they are a bad idea, especially when it is dark.

EmmaEmerald · 16/04/2023 10:48

Agree

I was thinking that the PM has done something useful - finally.

Although his two predecessors didn't do anything useful....

RichardHeed · 16/04/2023 10:52

Grimeduster · 16/04/2023 10:39

So how does it work if you break down? You just sit in the left lane and pray no one rear ends you? I broke down on the m25 on Boxing day, freezing rain outside, a toddler and baby plus 2 dogs (was escaping dv). We sat on the hard shoulder with lorries whizzing by us and it was terrifying! How would that work with no hard shoulder?

You stayed in the car? It’s the most dangerous place to be!!! You’re supposed to get out and stand behind the crash barrier even on the hard shoulder. I appreciate you had a lot to deal with but for next time, please don’t stay in the car.

In theory the smart motorway would “close” a lane by indicating on the electronic signs it was closed and effectively turning it into a hard shoulder. Sounds good on paper but reality is the signs don’t update quickly enough or at all, they’re not shut down quickly enough for them to be effective afterwards and people just ignore them.

Ithoughtsummerwascoming · 16/04/2023 10:53

As chief aa man said today " so many things have to work for a driver to be safe eg the tech has to work then it has to do the x, then millions of drivers have to obey that x."

Horrific that there wasn't proper discussions first. I've been on a dual carriage way with the belt suddenly go and immediate loss of power. I had a hard time shoulder.

Tessisme · 16/04/2023 10:54

I drove on a couple of stretches of them when visiting from NI and was very, very uncomfortable. Even my eldest DS (11 at the time) said 'Where do we go if we break down?' I had no answer as I didn't even know they existed until I was driving on one. DP was busy googling as I drove, to find the answer😬 Seemed like utter madness.

VioletladyGrantham · 16/04/2023 10:54

icanneverthinkofnc · 16/04/2023 09:48

I avoid driving on the inside lane, I still treat them like a hard shoulder! Ludicrous idea.

Very sensible! I wish everyone would do this. Driving down the M6 last week, l saw quite a few drivers in the 'hard shoulder'. All male. No idea if that was just a coincidence.

HisOliveTree · 16/04/2023 10:55

icanneverthinkofnc · 16/04/2023 09:48

I avoid driving on the inside lane, I still treat them like a hard shoulder! Ludicrous idea.

I really hope you're making this up. It's idiotic - and desperately poor driving - to drive in the middle or outside lanes unless you are actively overtaking.

Vinvertebrate · 16/04/2023 10:58

You stayed in the car? It’s the most dangerous place to be!!! You’re supposed to get out and stand behind the crash barrier even on the hard shoulder. I appreciate you had a lot to deal with but for next time, please don’t stay in the car

FYI - Those of us with autistic children have no choice but to stay in the car. DS went into sensory overload when broke down and dragged him out the car and he tried to run in the direction of traffic. Police said it was fine to stay, but keep foot on brake.

But yes OP smart motorways are prime idiocy.

FawnFrenchieMum · 16/04/2023 11:07

HisOliveTree · 16/04/2023 10:55

I really hope you're making this up. It's idiotic - and desperately poor driving - to drive in the middle or outside lanes unless you are actively overtaking.

Show quote history

On a smart motorway though it wouldn’t be the middle lane, it would be the original inside lane, with the hard shoulder becoming the inside lane when it’s open.

Munchyseeds2 · 16/04/2023 11:20

Really stupid idea!

Hate them and feel really unsafe when we have to use one

Had a quick look and Seems like we are just about the only country who thought it was the way to go

Doverdeal · 16/04/2023 11:21

Never driven on one but agree not a good idea. There have been a few fatalities because of them.

A34 · 16/04/2023 11:23

Grimeduster · 16/04/2023 10:39

So how does it work if you break down? You just sit in the left lane and pray no one rear ends you? I broke down on the m25 on Boxing day, freezing rain outside, a toddler and baby plus 2 dogs (was escaping dv). We sat on the hard shoulder with lorries whizzing by us and it was terrifying! How would that work with no hard shoulder?

In lala land, a smart motorway is continuously monitored with cameras. Your broken down car would have been noted and this would have triggered the overhead gantries to flash 'lane closed'. Of course, in an ideal world you would have been able to make your way to one of the regularly spaced refuges.

In practice - the system has experienced numerous failures - cameras and signs not working (eeek...). Staff shortages. Cost cuts mean the refuges are spaced much further apart than was originally intended.

Catspyjamas17 · 16/04/2023 11:25

The lack of hard shoulder is surely stupid but the warnings of approaching queues and managed speed limits seem a better idea. Really notice when fast roads don't have those now.

Ponoka7 · 16/04/2023 11:31

"Yes it’s a classic case of a policy thing that lots of people in govt seemed to want but it was never really clear why."

Because it meant that less money was spent. Some of these things look ok (they never looked good) on paper, but as said you need good services/monitoring to make them anywhere near safe. Our mobile coverage is really poor, which adds in another issue.

FatOaf · 16/04/2023 11:34

I think the damage has been done now. Stupid, dangerous drivers (probably over 50% of all drivers) now consider themselves entitled to drive on hard shoulders, regardless of what the signs say or even whether it's a "smart" motorway at all. There are often signs saying "hard shoulder for emergency use only" but there are still loads of people driving on the hard shoulder and overtaking other traffic on the wrong side.

Easterfunbun · 16/04/2023 11:36

Do satnavs enable you to avoid them? I don’t think they do? There definitely needs to be that option I never want to drive on one in my life. I broke down many years ago on a busy motorway on my own and it’s up there with one of the worst days of my life.

TooOldForThisNonsense · 16/04/2023 11:38

YANBU

IloveJudgeJudy · 16/04/2023 11:38

Those mentioning A roads. They don't have hard shoulders but they don't have fences right up to the left hand edge of the lane, either, which is the case on the smart motorway near me. I believe that the A1 has a grassy verge?

This thread has just reminded me that I need to make a plan for escape if I break down.

Knullrufs · 16/04/2023 11:39

I never thought they were the most terrible thing tbh. It's not the smart motorway's fault that most people don't realise you're supposed to get out of your car and stand well clear of it if you break down on a motorway, even on a hard shoulder.

But I think the issue now is that public perception is so much against them that they can't really be seen to continue. It's an example of the old politician's syllogism; we must do something, this is something, therefore we must do this.

OliviaPark · 16/04/2023 11:40

A family member broke down on a smart motorway, in the few minutes it took them to update the lane signs (which aren’t foolproof anyway as people just ignore them), someone had smashed into the back of their car and was quite seriously injured. Whilst this was going on, other cars were swerving to avoid it and another accident happened in the next lane over.

Fortunately my relative had got out of the car and was standing way back from it on the grass verge.

They are so dangerous.

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