Where are the traffic police when you want them???

[Chris Thomas]

Dear Rumsters

After reading Marcus's story of the boy racers on the approach to the BlackwallTtunnel. It reminded me of something I regularly see on my journeys around the M25. European articulated trucks parked on the hard shoulder under road bridges. Especially where they have widened the road and now the hard shoulder runs to the left of the road bridge supports.

I noticed it the other night as I approached the Dartford crossing at 9.30 in the evening. Every road bridge over the motorway had a truck parked under it on both the Essex side and the Kent side going towards the Tunnel. I concluded that to save the cost of the Dartford Tunnel crossing, which is free after 10 o'clock at night, they had pulled over for a short rest.

A few years back one of these trucks had stopped under a road bridge at Leatherhead and had caught fire and seriously damaged the road bridge. It was not clear how long the truck had been parked there before it had caught fire. But the disruption to the motorway was total.

Now, my recollection is that stopping on the hard shoulder is for breakdowns and emergencies and for emergency vehicles. If the hard shoulder is blocked by a parked truck under a road bridge, surly this is a traffic offence and the drivers either charged or encouraged to move on to a service area.

But why do they park under a road bridge?. I can understand that in hot climates a bridge will provide some shade. But at night in the UK, Why?

Where are the traffic police when you want them?

Chris Thomas

[marcus]

I agree that priorities seem crazy. I walk, cycle or drive quite regularly, and the number of drivers now ignoring road rules and Highway Code is pandemic. It seems to be accepted practice that you have to show familiarity with law and HC to get a licence, but once you have your licence you must forget all the rules and HC to be cool.

Last year I was cycling in the pavement cycle lanes on Rotherhithe New Rd, where the pavement is about 7 meters wide. A group of pedestrians coming the other way were all in the cycle lanes. I rang my bell several times, then my horn, but none of them moved out of my way. I had to move out on to the pedestrian area to pass them, then straight back into the cycle lane, but already heard a police siren. The cop car, stopped and I was cautioned for not using the cycle lane!

I explained, and they agreed that the pedestrians were in the cycle lane, but cops said I should have dismounted, walked around them then back into the cycle lane. While chatting I pointed out that every time the nearby traffic lights went red, drivers stopped in the "Advanced Stop Lane" / junction boxes for cyclists, and that Transport for London told the Police to take action against motorists who block cycle lanes. The cops denied this, and denied it was their responsibility. Also while chatting (calmly and politely) I pointed out several vehicles jumping the red lights and using the wrong lane. They replied that they cannot do anything about it.

Odd how the slightest transgression by a cyclist DOES get their attention, even by a 4 year old girl !

[Garybond]

Do not start me on cyclists they are some of the rudest people on the roads they think it is alright to go the wrong way down a one way street and very few obey the lights around here my wife knocked one of his bike when he crossed on a red guess who got all the flack and ended paying on our insurance not the cyclist

[Michael]

I too suffer the M25 (Orpington) and see the same issues, with lorries and cars parked under the bridges.

I'd assume they think that they are protected by the barrier, but agree they are a hazard as the emergency services need to use that to get past blockages.

Then again it's usualy the Highway Maintenence get involved as when I broken down in my Locost at the M25/A3 turning the SOS phone was not working and eventually after calling breakdown via my mobile the Highway agency turned up and asked if I had run out of fuel and then just drove off.