Queueing on the M4 JCN 33 hard shoulder.

[jmorgan]

Wondering the pros and cons of using the hard shoulder west bound to queue on. And legality. Saw this this morning and also a few cars trying to pull off as normal and some very uncertain braking and pulling in, looks a recipe for trouble? Must admit I am not normally around this section this time in the mornings. Is this the norm?

[kwk]

It is normal, it's not legal but everyone seems to do it. If you can't get off you should drive to the next junction. If an accident blocked the exit, would you stop on the hard shoulder until it was cleared?

[jmorgan]

Just wondering. Having suffered a puncture not much further down the M4 and needing the hard shoulder quickly I wondered where this sits.

[kwk]

Thats fine, its an emergency.

[Allblackdup]

jmorgan said:

Just wondering. Having suffered a puncture not much further down the M4 and needing the hard shoulder quickly I wondered where this sits.

I think you're saying what happens then if the hard shoulder is busy with cars and then you or someone else needs it in an emergency?... In that case, its a big problem.


I'll admit with the roadworks at J34 i've done it once there going west bound, but as i saw everyone else up ahead pulling over to it, i kept saying to myself this is very wrong and could easily cause an accident. It also attracted a lot of other idiots who'd still do 70mph+ and then brake very late to shove themselves on infront of others at the bottom of the slip road. If i see the slip way is very busy now, 9 times out of 10, i'll carry on down to the next one.

[jmorgan]

Allblackdup said:

jmorgan said:

Just wondering. Having suffered a puncture not much further down the M4 and needing the hard shoulder quickly I wondered where this sits.

I think you're saying what happens then if the hard shoulder is busy with cars and then you or someone else needs it in an emergency?... In that case, its a big problem.


I'll admit with the roadworks at J34 i've done it once there going west bound, but as i saw everyone else up ahead pulling over to it, i kept saying to myself this is very wrong and could easily cause an accident. It also attracted a lot of other idiots who'd still do 70mph+ and then brake very late to shove themselves on infront of others at the bottom of the slip road. If i see the slip way is very busy now, 9 times out of 10, i'll carry on down to the next one.

Aye, what I was aiming at. About time they sorted that direction as well. Though thinking about it the east bound have refuges?

[Simon O]

I saw this happen at J38 when there was an event on at Margam park, the police came along and directed everyone back on and down to the next junction.