HATOs

[T5R+]

(Not sure of the correct term but the folks who travel our motorways in similarish 4x4's to the Police?)

Are they supposed to stop and check on motorists, if they see them parked on the hard shoulder with hazard lights ablaze?

Experienced an o/s/r puncture whilst in lane 3 of the M40. Safely stopped on the hard shoulder, parking my vehicle well over the left, given it was an o/s puncture. Donned my warm winter jacket and high-viz vest and set to work whilst keeping one eye on the lane 1 traffic.

During the course of approx 10 minutes TWO of the above vehicles separately passed me. Just looked at me, no stopping or visual "are you okay".

Does anyone know, if they are supposed to stop and check if everything is oaky okay?

Edited by T5R+ on Tuesday 25th December 22:11

[agent006]

I guess they just use their discretion. If there's a family of kids wandering around on the verge then they'll stop, but if it all looks under control then they'll carry on.

[Rick448]

I would have thought they would have stopped and given you some rearward protection, but to be honest I don't know what their procedures or protocols are. All i know is the hard shoulder is one nasty place to be!

[Vaux]

T5R+ said:

Are they supposed to stop and check on motorists, if they see them parked on the hard shoulder with hazard lights ablaze?

During the course of approx 10 minutes TWO of the above vehicles separately passed me. Just looked at me, no stopping or visual "are you okay".

Does anyone know, if they are supposed to stop and check if everything is oaky okay?

Yes, they are supposed to stop and make sure you're OK and have some sort of recovery arranged. If you decided to change a tyre they should stay behind you and offer some visual/physical protection with their vehicle.

They might have been going to another more important job (debris/RTC in live lane etc.) or it might have been near the end of a shift and they "didn't see you".

[Hooli]

i assume your a bloke?
then your alone, you appear to be dealing with it. they'll ignore you. its happened to me exactly the same a few times & when ive driven off ive seen them a few miles away changing the tyre for a bewildered looking woman.

only time they ever stopped for me was when my bike broke on the M40, just checked id had recovery on the way & left again. exactly what they are there for.

[Graebob]

Surely they should stop for ALL situations though? Why would they be able to tell you were able to sort the problem yourself from a cursory glance at speed? Either stop for all or none, don't pick and choose.

HATO's boil my p

[Vaux]

Graebob said:

Surely they should stop for ALL situations though?

They will stop, unless directed to something else, which is deemed more urgent, like a lone female.

Graebob said:

HATO's boil my p

That's a shame, but you'll get over it.

[T5R+]

Lane 1 cruising at their conventional ~60mph, not in tandem.

I was back on my way within ~15 minutes - did not pass any accidents or breakdowns for over approx 60miles, at my space saver restricted 80kph.

No significant events on the traffic nerws - so, can only assume

• they could not be bothered
• use discretion

[vonhosen]

T5R+ said:

Lane 1 cruising at their conventional ~60mph, not in tandem.

I was back on my way within ~15 minutes - did not pass any accidents or breakdowns for over approx 60miles, at my space saver restricted 80kph.

No significant events on the traffic nerws - so, can only assume

• they could not be bothered
• use discretion

They aren't allowed to exceed the limit & it may have been at a location off the road you were on.

[T5R+]

Nah VH "it is coz i iz black and woz in a Benz".

[Vaux]

T5R+ said:

No significant events on the traffic nerws - so, can only assume

• they could not be bothered
• use discretion

'cos it doesn't get mentioned on Sally Traffic doesn't count!
They might have been called to an incident that was later cancelled (live lane RTC/debris that was no-traced by another patrol or Police).
What time of day was your event? Around 13:45 or 21:45 or 05:45 patrols are heading back for shift change - the next shift will deal with you.
HATOs deal with around 1500 incidents a day.

[T5R+]

Vaux said:

They might have been called to an incident that was later cancelled (live lane RTC/debris that was no-traced by another patrol or Police).
What time of day was your event? Around 13:45 or 21:45 or 05:45 patrols are heading back for shift change - the next shift will deal with you.

Just after 14:30h - going to chalk it up as experience.

Hopefully will never need to call upon their services - appreciate that they will be contributing to keeping the traffic moving generally unseen by me.

TBH - just wanted to understand if they are supposed to stop and check but the caveat of discretion/prioritisation covers all manner of sins.

[Vaux]

T5R+ said:

Just after 14:30h - going to chalk it up as experience.

Last comment then as I'm sure no one else is interested by now!
Shift change is around 14:00, so it could either be two patrols coming back late and wanting to hand the vehicles over for the afternoon crews, or it could be (depending on the distance from the outstation they're from) two crews coming out for the afternoon patrol and heading for their own patch of motorway - they wouldn't stop with a routine breakdown as they know the patrol for that route will be along shortly anyway.

Bottom line is they should stop with everything during normal patrolling.