Witnessed an accident yesterday, so I pulled up at the next emergency phone a few hundred yards down the road. I understood they were the preferred method of reporting as the operator can identify your position. The phone didn't work! So I used my mobile, very poor reception and the operator still couldn't identify my position from the serial number on the emergency phone.
Does anyone keep a mental note of the last motorway junction they've passed? I could probably quote it if it's within twenty or so miles of my home, but beyond that - no chance.
Or does everyone else have a satnav or smartphone that can identify their position? I don't.
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>> Does anyone keep a mental note of the last motorway junction they've passed? I could
>> probably quote it if it's within twenty or so miles of my home, but beyond
>> that - no chance.
>> Or does everyone else have a satnav or smartphone that can identify their position? I
>> don't.
I'd probably have a good idea on M1 or M6 but that's 50 or so years of familiarity. Probably true of NE quadrant of M25 as well. If it was the A1M I'd probably not be so aware unless traffic flashes made me focus on it. And yes these days I have a smartphone.
The posts on the verge at 100 metre intervals should all have a reference number on them relating to distance (I think in km rather than miles) from a datum point at start of m/way. That's how you're supposed to determine position. Were you asked for that?
I got rather cross on two occasions with somebody at Green Flag in around 2005 when my Xantia broke down. First was on a major junction just outside Bakewell, even with the road numbers she was struggling. Second on a remote lane in East Northants. Again I could describe it as minor road from village a to village b and that it was close to Earls Barton. Kept insisting on the postcode as if I'd know what that was.
In both cases basic problem was lack of ability to quickly place the location of a named town or county on a map of the UK.
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I three nined a guy walking on the M6 in torrential rain on the M6 in Lancs a few years ago. I was a passenger and the operator specifically asked for the marker post number, which was an easy one to provide. Just confirmed my direction of travel and the last turn off by name rather than number.
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>> I three nined a guy walking on the M6 in torrential rain on the M6
>> in Lancs a few years ago.
I had same experience ringing from an emergency phone on M1 a few years ago - reporting a lorry tyre thathad shredded, taking the wheel arch out with and leaving debris all over road.
Mrs B reported the gantries on the M1 s/b in Beds on Saturday cautioning as to presence of a cyclist on the carriage way. She didn't see him though.
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>> >>
>>
>> In both cases basic problem was lack of ability to quickly place the location of
>> a named town or county on a map of the UK.
>>
I think that's general nowadays for most situations.
I once tried to report a high-voltage transmission pole that was loose because cows had pulled one of the stays out of the ground and were shaking the pole violently. The lines were twanging around like skipping ropes.
I rang the emergency number and gave the pole reference number, assuming they could instantly identify it. No, they didn't cross-reference the pole numbers to location, so I had to describe the location of a field in the middle of nowhere.
They never did fix it. The cows got bored and moved on.
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> I rang the emergency number and gave the pole reference number, assuming they could instantly
>> identify it. No, they didn't cross-reference the pole numbers to location, so I had to
>> describe the location of a field in the middle of nowhere.
I wonder why they bothered numbering it they wanted people to ring in? I guess in the case of bridge strikes they are identified by their id plates.
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In both cases basic problem was lack of ability to quickly place the location of
>> a named town or county on a map of the UK.
>>
>>
>>
I wonder how it works in breakdown company call centres? Do they use google maps to help pin point where a caller is or do they have some sort of specific software they have to use?
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>> I wonder how it works in breakdown company call centres? Do they use google maps to help >> pin point where a caller is or do they have some sort of specific software they have to use?
>>
Forget software used, do they have a brain
When I had a tyre problem a couple of years ago I called the lease company and was transferred to the AA, presumably centrally
I was stopped at the M40 services southbound just south of junction 13.
The young lady on the phone could not find me and wanted a post code or address for my location
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My BMW knows where it is when you press either the emergency button or the contact BMW assist option in the I-drive
Most recovery services apps for smartphones want the phones location services access enabled for assist calls.
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>> My BMW knows where it is when you press either the emergency button or the
>> contact BMW assist option in the I-drive
>>
>> Most recovery services apps for smartphones want the phones location services access enabled >> for assist calls.
>>
I have used these facilities before both to BMW and direct to the AA via their own app. However, when you involve a leasing company & their "breakdown partner" in the middle they cannot access these facilities.
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>> I have used these facilities before both to BMW and direct to the AA via
>> their own app. However, when you involve a leasing company & their "breakdown partner" in
>> the middle they cannot access these facilities.
I remember when a stone went through the Touran aircon condenser. The leasing company refused to accept it as a mechanical breakdown, claiming it was accident damage, the claims management company refused to accept it as an accident because I couldn't tell them when or where it happened.
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>> I was stopped at the M40 services southbound just south of junction 13.
>>
>> The young lady on the phone could not find me and wanted a post code
>> or address for my location
Pretty much identical to my experience. Told her I was east of Northampton and south of the A45 but finding a large town just off the M1 seemed too much of a leap. How she'd have managed if I'd said I was at Grimsiader or Geocrab (both on the Hebrides) is anybody's guess.
Not new though. Thirty five years ago I worked for the Lands Tribunal. When new files were made up the file cover included an 'area number' corresponding to the location of the subject land. Area 1 was bounded by the Humber, Pennine Chain, and the Scottish border, Area 2 was similar on west so border to Dee/Mersey - and so on. A large map on the wall showed where the areas all were.
We had one clerk who'd be forever asking what area is x town in. He was a youngster, first job and for a while people took pity on him.
Eventually we all took a line of telling him to look on the e***** map. Next thing you'd see him poring over Cornwall searching for Huddersfield.
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I had slow puncture in Betws y Coed a few years ago. AA wanted a Post Code so I googled the Cafe I was sitting in to find it ! ;-)
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> I was stopped at the M40 services southbound just south of junction 13.
>>
>> The young lady on the phone could not find me and wanted a post code
>> or address for my location
I guess there must be some sort of process, until they've ticked all the boxes they won't send anyone.
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>> I guess there must be some sort of process, until they've ticked all the boxes
>> they won't send anyone.
That tallies. I think I was told I might have a longer wait because I couldn't be precise as to my location.
At that time the recovery guys were locals, he knew exactly where I was by reference to Guides Camp I was picking my daughter up from when car started to run rough.
Might be more of a problem now when recovery seems to be a duopoly with Mansfield and Cowans/CMG.
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Reading back reminds me of a time when I had an accident with some wildlife on the A15. The car had not much of a front left, the coolant was all over the road and it was freezing cold. I was on the phone trying to convince the call centre that I needed recovering. But the voice on the other end insisted that a mechanic was sent first.
I assumed this was because they needed to get to me in xyz minutes. Anyway a mechanic in a small van turned up took one look and said 'you need a tow truck mate'
*sigh*
'I'll phone one for you'
Anyway I thought at least I could get in the van and wait until the truck turned, until I saw his gf was in the passenger seat. He saw me, shot me a look, mumbled some excuse about 'next job' and shot off.
Another 45 mins later and the low loader turns up. By this point I'm absolutely baltic. First thing that the bloke says (in a really cheery voice )
'Why did they send a mechanic, you need recovering '
*sigh*
It was a long journey back...
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On most motorways there is a blue sign every mile or so with the number of the nearest marker post on it. Something like:
M62
A
26.8
Where M62 is the name of the motorway, A is the carriageway (it's B going the other way, C/D/E etc to identify specific link/slip roads) and 26.8 is the distance in kilometres from the start of the motorway. They have a preferred verbal format, in this case "M62, carriageway Alpha, milepost 26 over 8". That's how they read it back to you for confirmation.
The distance (26.8 in this case) is printed on the small blue/white marker posts as well as an arrow showing the direction of the nearest emergency phone.
If you don't want to stop, call Highways England on 0300 123 5000, this connects you to the same call centre as the orange phones.
I have cause to call them around once a month, when I see something that's just happened that they need to be made aware of. The most recent one was a Clio at the very top of the M1, parked on the hard shoulder, occupants out, issuing quite a lot of smoke. I keep fairly close tabs on exactly where I am, which is easier when you drive around the UK motorway network all day every day.
EDIT: sooty123, I had the opposite experience on the M74. A dicky coil on my classic car saw me grind to a halt, they sent a low-loader which recovered me 3 miles to Hamilton services where a mechanic came out and rustled up a spare coil. Policy nowadays, get the customer off the motorway first and think later.
Last edited by: Dave_ on Wed 14 Mar 18 at 21:32
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Policy nowadays, get the customer off the motorway first and think later.
>>
This was only about 5 years ago. I guess they were just busy.
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If you you use a Sat Nav the “where am I†feature it will always tell you exactly where you are, both coordinates and actual address. At least my Garmin does and I assume Tom Tom and fitted SAt Navs have the same feature.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Wed 14 Mar 18 at 21:46
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Motorway emergency phones - Zero
