Smart Motorways. Good or Bad!?

[Dustydog]

In September 2018 a family car broke down and stopped in the NS Lane M1 near Woodall northbound,hazards on. The lady passenger was unable physically to climb over the barrier to alleged safety. No one reported the breakdown. The nearest phone was way off. 153 vehicles passed No one reported it . No new HWC regs then😉. A massive lorry hit her car . She died .
Where does this problem of smart motorways leave us caravanners? I know a lot of us have mobility issues which may hinder seeking refuge over the barrier 😢😢

 

[ProfJohnL]

The same advice/rules apply and thus the same difficulties will apply whether there's a caravan in tow or not.

 

[otherclive]

I don’t like them especially when running at 70 mph without any speed restrictions being shown. Solo or towing I tend to stay in the nearside lane whenever possible. Once again we have quietly abandoned what was a good specification for a cheapskate approach to refuges and monitoring systems.

 

[Dustydog]

The same advice/rules apply and thus the same difficulties will apply whether there's a caravan in tow or not.

Priceless Prof🤪My last two sentences merely point out a lot of caravanners these days are less mobile . We all know the rules but those less able? And this is a caravan Forum.👏

 

[Bluetonic]

Personally I think they are an absolute crazy idea and not fit for purpose. A danger to life weather you are able bodied or not.
Just doing things on the cheap as usual.

 

[Hutch]

I live near junctions 13 and 14 of the M1, probably one the streches of the M1 with the most serious Accidents.
We now have the Smart System, it is terrible, a real death trap, I take it that your only allowed to breakdown near one of these refuges.

 

[Parksy]

The same advice/rules apply and thus the same difficulties will apply whether there's a caravan in tow or not.

If a breakdown happens on the elevated section of the M6 between Great Barr and the Gravelly Hill Interchange (Spaghetti Junction) there's nowhere for drivers or passengers to take refuge unless they fancy a 40ft drop on the other side from the so called smart lane.
From memory, at least one person has been killed there.
Smart motorways are a terrible idea and should be scrapped.

 

[audiorob]

I always thought the hard shoulder was there in case of breakdown although as we recall sadly not necessarily a guaranteed place of safety, but also a lane that emergency vehicles used to bypass slow or standing traffic to reach incidents further ahead which must be impossible on smart sections in this event. I think the smart choice would be to oust them all.

 

[JTQ]

If you were tasked with making, what statistically where our somewhat safer major roads more dangerous, these so called "Smart motorways" would ideally fit the bill.