incident support vehicles

[audi doodey]

evenin all

whilst driving in and around Cleveland i notice a fair few vans carrying the livery of the Highways Authority, and are called incident support vehicles does anyone have an insight into what they do i.e ANPR, revenue (car tax),speed cameras. or are they surveying after an accident or incident.

cheers chaps and chapesses

 

[David280585]

see to breakdowns lol and crashes, cut grass and litter pick,pick debris up from the road lol honestly i do traffic management there a joke to be fair though 30k a year 4 on 4 off, what a joke they are there as amusing as h.a.t.os highway agency traffic officer they do the same,

 

[A3Tom]

They rock up with a spade and broom once the parties over

 

[Andy_S3]

Theyre there to keep the roads clear and prevent congestion, but whenever I pass one theyre doing 50mph, causing HGVs to take up the middle/outside lane to overtake! Very annoying!

 

[quattrojames]

Theyre there to keep the roads clear and prevent congestion, but whenever I pass one theyre doing 50mph, causing HGVs to take up the middle/outside lane to overtake! Very annoying!

I think you mean Highways Officers rather than Incident Support Vehicles?

 

[A3Tom]

I think you mean Highways Officers rather than Incident Support Vehicles?

Yep, HATO's or Wombles!.

Bless them, they sorted out my missus with a hot drink and a nice shogun to sit in when her car died on the M40 at 22.00hrs in the peeing rain.

The problem is idiots slamming their brakes on when they see them because they think they're plod...and they're driving to quick anyway.

 

[quattrojames]

I seem to remember there was talk of giving them some powers to deal with low level motoring offence's such as speeding, through issuing Fixed Penalties?

 

[A3Tom]

I seem to remember there was talk of giving them some powers to deal with low level motoring offence's such as speeding, through issuing Fixed Penalties?

Nope, it was more VOSA related stuff and things like dangerous loading etc etc I think.

 

[jojo]

The problem is idiots slamming their brakes on when they see them because they think they're plod...and they're driving to quick anyway.

They do look like cop cars from afar though, it's funny to see everyone slow down and signal to move into the left or middle lane.... I usually just blast by in the fast lane, then everyone follows suit!

 

[Andy_S3]

I think you mean Highways Officers rather than Incident Support Vehicles?

Nope this was an incident support vehicle, a VW van of some description. But yes those Highways Officers are just as guilty!

 

[ianysm]

Incident support are just a clear up team after accidents etc. Highways agency are, i agree, abit traffic cop wannabe's but their role is to take those mundane jobs away from the real traffic cops, who can spend their time dealing with real crime (or sitting on perfectly clear dual carriageways with a speed gun!). They get about £20-25k, have no extra driver training and are told to drive at 55-65mph everywhere! They're not allowed above 70mph either, no matter how serious the incident! Not a bad job and they're very helpful guys. I've twice needed their assistance. Once by towing a hire van that broke down and the other when my own car broke down (they stopped to check i was ok!)

I do hate it when brakes get slammed on thinking they're police though. To a policeman its obvious if you slam on that you're doing something wrong so better to just lift. Too many people seem to hit brake pedal immediately after lifting from accellerator pedal as an automatic function rather than assessing the road ahead!