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Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : A sad fact ............ Motorway/Freeway Mortality


j.m@talk
04-23-2007, 09:03 PM
Relatively recently a friend of mine was killed while attempting a roadside repair on the Hard Shoulder/Brakedown Lane.

It is unknown what it was that he was trying to repair/adjust, but at some point in proceedings a car .... A Ford somthing or other (Repmobile) left the motorway & struck the rear of his car (7 Series BMW) at a estimated 85 Miles Per hour..... launching it over the crash barrier & more importantly launching him directly into that path of a passing HGV in lane 1.

The coroner came to the conclusion .... I have no idea how...... That this was "Death By Misadventure" (As Against Being Caused By The Gross Incompitance Of The Other Driver) ...... Well I don't suppose there is much point in arguing the point any, as it isn't going to bring him back out of his grave.

Currently in the UK we are managing to Injure or kill 300 motorists a year on the Hard Shoulder/Brakedown Lane, quite a dramatic number when you factor in that the UK motorway network is all of 2,300 miles long ........... That & in the past 10 years gross motorway traffic has increased by 36%

Very little was made of the speed of impact, whilst it was a contributory factor. Plain & simple looking where ya were goin' would of been a absolute bonus (IMO). Had I been passing the location of the incident I would in all probability of been travelling at a similar speed, however in all likelyhood I would of been out in lane 2 or 3 watching out for bozos.......

The fact of the matter is, that the driver that collided with my friends car did not (imo) see his car...... Witnesses testimonies & after the fact forensic investigations portrayed that the offending vehicle did not brake harshly prior to the accident & the fact that BMW had its Hazard lights activated.

tantone
04-23-2007, 09:06 PM
Quick question. Sure, the driver of the car that hit your friend's car was completely at fault here. But, most rational people don't work on their car while stopped on the hard shoulder? Not because it would be their fault if they got hit, but because there are major idiots out there and it's always safer to get out of their way before they get there.

I've had a car break down years ago and I had to pull over. I got out of the car, grabbed my important belongings, and headed elsewhere to get help.

I say let the pros do that dangerous work. That's why I pay them. I lived to drive like an idiot another day.

j.m@talk
04-23-2007, 09:24 PM
Its a dangerous place to be .....

But yeah I'd hop out & fix it if it broke ...... A case of "I can so I will"

rockinup1231
04-23-2007, 09:27 PM
Where can you walk on a highway anyway :confused: (don't know how the architecture of ur highways are over there)

j.m@talk
04-23-2007, 09:29 PM
Could climb over the fence @ the boundry & hoof it I spose

http://www.astraltravels.co.uk/update-images/Motorway.m4.arp.750pix.jpg

tantone
04-23-2007, 09:29 PM
Where can you walk on a highway anyway :confused: (don't know how the architecture of ur highways are over there)
Preferably somewhere far down the line from your car, far off the shoulder. It's legal if you break down. If you just decide to take a nice Sunday stroll down the local interstate, you have bigger problems than being close to traffic.

rockinup1231
04-23-2007, 09:31 PM
Makes sense. Up here (northern michigan) most cops could care less lol

leprechaun_40
04-23-2007, 11:41 PM
Did they test the other driver for drugs and booze? I mean, from the looks of it your breakdown lane is rather wide, WTF was this sack of fecal material doing driving in it? You drive in the breakdown lane here and they'll write you a nice ticket, period. You should see what they do to other traffic offenders,

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v721/gargoyle1/SpeedEnforcement1.jpg

j.m@talk
04-23-2007, 11:55 PM
I dunno what was goin on really ....... The Hard shoulder isn't really a safe place to drive, as it has lots O' stuff littering it usually ..... Old bits a truck tyre etc etc..... Its the same deal here , ya gets written up fer driving on it ......

I dunno what the name for this stuff is ..... But if you try to switch from lane 1 to the hard shoulder the solid white line is painted on with lumpy paint ...... It vibrates like a mofo if ya gets a wheel or 2 on it .....

tantone
04-24-2007, 12:16 AM
That's supposed to avoid the tired driver from veering off the road and crashing. The loud noise it makes when your tires hit are supposed to snap you out of the daze and get you alert again.

richard_cocks
04-24-2007, 04:04 AM
More people die each year on the hard shoulder than they do on the rest of the motorway combined, it's a tragic fact.