I'm a rubbernecker!!

LSainsbury · 23-09-2006, 10:35

Right - I was going to post this yesterday as Lee's Friday rant, but was too tired!

Have you ever listened to traffic news on the radio and always heard that condescending git of a travel new presenter say something like "there's been an accident on zxy motorway and the traffic is crawling due to rubberneckers?"ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦

Well - on the M25 yesterday there was an "accident" between Staines and the M4 - traffic in 4 lanes crawlingÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦.until the "traffic management team" turned upÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦.and closed all four lanesÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦.traffic management my a*se!

What was involved? One motorcycle and a Punto type carÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦.and they closed 4 lanes for this???

Then Mr travel news presenter comes on the radio giving it the ohh traffic is slow due to rubberneckers speechÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦

What does he think we are supposed to do? Press the accelerator to the floor and bump cones out of the way?
Speed past the scene of the accident - cus that would be ohh soo intelligent - and I don't think PC plod would like that eitherÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦?

The next time I hear that git on the radio - I'm gonna phone him up and give him what for because I hate being deemed a "rubbernecker"ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â¦.

Rant over!

**Russ** · 23-09-2006, 10:40

I've always thought that rubberneckers were people who slowed down as they passed an accident in the hope of seeing a dead body or two - if that's what you were doing then he's right!

If not then I guess he was just being paid by the word

From experience, newsreaders and those who give traffic reports like to sound as dramatic as possible anyway.

Paul · 23-09-2006, 10:43

He would have been going from information given to him by either the numpties (traffic management people) or people on the phone assuming that they were not moving very fast because of people slowing down up front to have a gawk

**Russ** · 23-09-2006, 10:45

It depends which network he's part of - some (noteably The Wireless Group) get their info from a central database, others have online access to the traffic cams compile reports that way.

TheDaddy · 23-09-2006, 11:06

What's the excuse when traffic in the opposite lane has slowed to a standstill then, I suppose that they aren't gawking at potential tragedy like some sort of pervert.

bopdude · 23-09-2006, 11:22

Well on my travels ( +/- 2000 miles p/w ) I see this traffic slowing down or lanes / motorways at a complete standstill, cause, rubberneckers, on the opposite side of the motorway to the accident slowing RIGHT down to see what they can see, this has a knock on effect, the guy behind the rubbernecker has to slow down and slows a bit more than the rubbernecker, the guy behind him slows down even more and so on and so on, half a mile down the motorway its gridlock and getting worse.....

Rubberneckers..........hate them

LSainsbury · 23-09-2006, 11:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopdude

Well on my travels ( +/- 2000 miles p/w ) I see this traffic slowing down or lanes / motorways at a complete standstill, cause, rubberneckers, on the opposite side of the motorway to the accident slowing RIGHT down to see what they can see, this has a knock on effect, the guy behind the rubbernecker has to slow down and slows a bit more than the rubbernecker, the guy behind him slows down even more and so on and so on, half a mile down the motorway its gridlock and getting worse.....

Rubberneckers..........hate them

So - say theres an accident on the other side of the road - car hit the central reservation - everybody and his dog are there - i.e traffic management nuppties, police, ambulance, do you really think it's a good idea for the cars on the other side of the motorway - not 3 feet away to be doing 70+mph?

bopdude · 23-09-2006, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsainsbury

So - say theres an accident on the other side of the road - car hit the central reservation - everybody and his dog are there - i.e traffic management nuppties, police, ambulance, do you really think it's a good idea for the cars on the other side of the motorway - not 3 feet away to be doing 70+mph?

I do, and obviously so does the governing bodies who laid down the distances for safety when constructing the road, if there is an accident then you wouldn't be standing in the central reservation anyway.... would you ?? and if you where there you would be safe behind the barrier.

LSainsbury · 23-09-2006, 12:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by bopdude

I do, and obviously so does the governing bodies who laid down the distances for safety when constructing the road, if there is an accident then you wouldn't be standing in the central reservation anyway.... would you ?? and if you where there you would be safe behind the barrier.

Well the traffic officers didn't yesterday....they where out there flapping their arms around getting people to slow down...other other side of the road....

Which reminds me....been meaning to ask this one for a while but not got around to it....

These traffic officers you see going up and down motorways....what powers of enforcement do they have?

I mean - could they pull you over for speeding for example, of are they just there to keep the public safe by helping Mr's Smith with her flat tyre?

bopdude · 23-09-2006, 12:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsainsbury

Well the traffic officers didn't yesterday....they where out there flapping their arms around getting people to slow down...other other side of the road....

Which reminds me....been meaning to ask this one for a while but not got around to it....

These traffic officers you see going up and down motorways....what powers of enforcement do they have?

I mean - could they pull you over for speeding for example, of are they just there to keep the public safe by helping Mr's Smith with her flat tyre?

Well if they were doing that IMO they are endangering others and needlessly at that, of course not being there and seeing if they had a reason to I can't really comment, as for powers, they have no real powers and can't AFAIK pull you for speeding, I'm don't think they have any means of detection anyway, and to boot, I always go past them, yes I speed as and when / where I can when it's safe IMHO to do so

so as far as I gather, they're just there to help

with conjestion and accidents etc etc

Chimaera · 23-09-2006, 16:31

Yep, they have no powers of arrest, they are like PCSO's in flashy painted up cars.
Going back to the original post - if all 4 lanes of the motorway were closed, then that implies a fatal accident - the road has to be closed to take measurements, photos, gather evidence etc.

Kliro · 23-09-2006, 18:06

I thought it was like, if there was an accident on one side of the m'way, they'd complain the other side was slow aswell due to people slowing down to look at the accident on the other side?

marky · 23-09-2006, 19:22

If i was in a traffic jam for an hour i think its my right to see what was causing it

As for people slowing down to gawp at accidents its wrong and can cause more crashes.

greencreeper · 23-09-2006, 23:16

It's about dying and trying to understand it. I'm terrible for it

I think about the people who have died - their thoughts, if any.

Xaccers · 24-09-2006, 07:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by lsainsbury

These traffic officers you see going up and down motorways....what powers of enforcement do they have?

The only powers they have is to cause a traffic jam wherever possible.

They even manage it when its only a broken down car on the hard shoulder.
Red flashing lights, everyone thinks "ooo accident!" and slows down to gawp.

On the M3 one day I was stuck in traffic because one of these patrols had pulled up behind a broken down car causing a 10 mile jam.
Meanwhile on the other side of the road, another car was on the hard shoulder, no patrol present, traffic flowing freely.