SMART MOTORWAY - M6 LANE 4 BREAKDOWN - FAILED DETECTION -

Hello!
Here we have a quick video where I came across a vehicle STRANDED vehicle in lane 4, there was NO WARNING of any incidents or breakdowns on the over head matrix.
Traffic was slow and I saw vehicles merging from lane 4 to 3 and boom there was the incident a RENAULT MEGANNE stuck in lane 4, obviously my initial reaction is to HELP where possible and if SAFE to do so.
The traffic was slow enough and I was able to indicate from lane 1, and straddle overs lanes 2/3/4 , the immediate vehicles knew what I was doing in my recovery vehicle and stopped.
I got out and helped get the vehicle from lane 4 to lane 1 ( no hard shoulder ) and traffic could then flow again,
The risk was then reduced massively for this young lady and her 2 very young children sitting in the back seat.
I dont even want to think what could of happened if a vehicle was doing 70mph in lane 4 and did not see the stranded vehicle with that family.
PLEASE get this SMART MOTORWAY DETECTION SYSTEM WORKING! ANOTHER ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Thanks YALL!
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[@NicholasRichmond-dn8qh]

These smart motorways have been a disaster, hard shoulders must be restored take great care in your job sir.

[@Dean256]

Found your channel through Ashley Neil. What a bloke you are. We need more people like you.

[@jamielee-hill449]

Same, and I second that.

[@blackdotkiller1]

They are anything but smart Motorways

[@williamdarcynassau9012]

Thank you for your warning about this new "policy" change. What the hell is their rational/reasoning behind this ? In my opinion too many people rejoining a live carriageway from an ERA would have the ability to accurately judge the risk and have the time to build to the correct speed to perform this dangerous manoeuvre safely.

[@prof2bobajob.klonded5]

The motorways are fine it's the idiots like you can't figure it out

[@connorclarke2134]

The idiots that use them are the real danger. People cannot look any further than the front of their bonnet. It’s ALWAYS user error

[@Spiretail]

@@connorclarke2134 Therefore we must build highways that take this into account, and smart motorways very much fail at this.

[@phill282011]

I’d love to here what highways bosses thought of this video. I think you should personally hand deliver a copy of it to their head office.. keep up the good work m8

[@khalidacosta7133]

It's like Post Office scandal... they don't care as long as they get their pay.

[@LukeCooper-n4x]

​@@khalidacosta7133 only, unlike the post office scandal, here there are lives at risk!

[@NightEagle256]

@@khalidacosta7133 Would've gone un-noticed and ignored if it wasn't for Alan Bates. The one man brave enough and determined enough to stand up to the bullies

[@SI-qb1yn]

well done Greg, pushing the car out of lane 4, you put your life at risk, to reduce a big accident waiting to happen, you were their at the right time, highways took their time!! Smart motorways are not safe. this video should go viral. well done mate.

[@CharlieT_PhotoG]

Travelled down the M1 this weekend just outside Northampton. One of the most ironic things I’ve ever seen. The “smart” motorway has been put to a temporary 50mph limit, so they can install more SOS spots every mile or so. If only there was something like a hard shoulder that would have saved all this time and money.

[@pbarnfield]

"I've got a small feeling Highways might be coming to this rather than police" - At this point Greg's heart sank!!! 'Friends at highways' was just icing on the cake. She turned out to be half decent for a change. Well done you for risking your own life to help others when it's no even your job. Your heart is deffo in the right place, and I'm sure the lady is eternally thankful for helping her get to safety!

[@grahamw6503]

2 kids and a mum sat in lane 4 . . . .. . Getting rear ended by a vehicle ar 70 would have been carnage

[@alsonberg]

What an absolute recipe for disaster. If the so called experts reviewed this then they would know there is nothing smart about this concept. What a dire performance by the authorities who are suppose to be running this operation. It's little wonder serious accidents are occurring on these stretches of motorway. It would have been even more lethal in bad weather conditions. Within a minute or two of the call the lane should be closed (RED X) and speed limit reduced to 30-40 MPH. Why wasn't this done? Who is accountable? Who is policing these people? What systems are being put in place to improve detection / reaction times? Well done Greg , excellent reaction from you, especially considering you were on the way to a job. It was that families lucky day.

[@jamielee-hill449]

Agree with most of that, although I probably wouldn't want the speed limit to go lower than 40mph. It's pretty horrible when you do comply with a temporary 40mph and you've still got idiots coming up behind doing 80mph.

[@PersonGamma]

Hard to tell if the red X are showing because everyone ignores anyway. Top man for helping them out, you may've saved their lives!

[@tomsixsix]

Need better enforcement. Should be 6 points/£200 fine for running a red 'X'. There's enough CCTV that they could catch people doing it. I see it all the time on the motorway, shocking.

[@PersonGamma]

@@tomsixsix agree enforcement is really poor

[@Jericson41]

Faith in humanity restored you are a diamond mate, I’ve used my HGV to stop traffic to get broken down vehicles onto the hard shoulder a couple of times in the past, it annoys me when so many people just drive past and ignore the problem

[@kay110]

Whoever decided this was a Smart idea, needs to be put in the same situation as this lady was. Then ask them if it was a Smart idea!

[@martinjames9250]

Absolutely.

[@itsnotforourconvenience2990]

What a super guy! Breaking down there would be anyone's worst nightmare, but to have your children on board as well doesn't bear thinking about! Progress!

[@drphil7024]

That highways officer was pretty good unlike the poor standards in the offices and other colleagues

[@rajdattani1507]

Greg, god bless you for taking the time to help this lady! I’m sure you not only helped her to safety but also helped bring her heart rate down a huge notch!! However, may I make a suggestion plz? Consider upgrading your emergency lighting to something brighter (LED’s). I know that you might be wanting to keep that retro American look on the Dodge but I fear that one day, that rotating incandescent beacon may not be enough to warn drivers of a hazard, especially if it’s raining or foggy. As you saw with the highways vehicle, you saw it coming from almost a mile away yet some vehicles barely noticed you from a few hundred feet. Either way, stay safe out there buddy and keep doing what you do.

[@JDFdoggo]

Greg you are an absolute savior mate, that was pure bravery. 👏

[@bozos2799]

Massive respect to you mate takes some balls to do that. Credit of a breakdown company 👏

[@Jonas-yg8ie]

You need some proper beacons there old as f..k bro cannot even see them on keep up the good work

[@ricksNZ]

I second that motion. The Highways' car emergency lights were way more visible than those on the MR GDB truck.

[@sharkeyist]

Add me to that vote! Retros cool n all but theres times the modern is best.

[@miketaylor1916]

@@sharkeyistbright sunlight… mr gDB are better than LEDS

[@illegalopinions4082]

Either that or they need to be really scrubbed up. They are incredibly hazy

[@ianmurray908]

Well done Greg remember not all Hero's wear capes

[@MickFleming34]

Well done on stopping and helping out that lady and her kids in lane 4 then waiting with them for highways to. You saved a young families life for sure. A real gentleman who's got respect and care for everyone on the roads and beyond ❤.. keep up the good work.

[@nigeltiernan1120]

The term Smart should be removed as they are only as smart as the people operating the surveillance system, or as smart as some of the drivers using them, it’s all down to how people react. Drivers, would you drive your vehicle into a brick wall at 70 mph? No! Then why don’t chance it and drive through a red X , the outcome is gonna be the same. You deserve an award for what you did, well done Greg. 15:40

[@burgesskab]

Wow, that could have been carnage... I had a fuel pump cut out in lane 4 of the m25 many years ago. It was only because I was travelling at speed that I managed to safely lose speed as change lanes back to the hard shoulder.

[@deancav715]

That was a really nice thing you done Greg lad need more people like you I bet other tow companies just drove past with not a care in the world that there was kids in the car everyone just thinks of themselves these days if that was my family in that car I would be in debted to you for the rest of my life for helping them out like that mate

[@XeonXR6]

Well done matey, thanks for being somebody's saviour.

[@maccomcandrew]

You are one of the very few Knights of The Road, this very rare today!!!

[@dave0smeg]

Another excellent video showing how "smart" motorways are just as, if not more, dangerous without a dedicated safe lane.

[@coletorrens1121]

Greg, you are a legend, and quite possibly averted a tragedy. As for Highways, words fail me!

[@allanharris9074]

Keep up the good work Greg, not all hereos wear capes. I am glad they hadn't set up the smart motorway in Wales after watching your videos.

[@sim6699]

Great to see you looking after the lady, pushing her car.

[@wayneprice6393]

Iv been following your hardship with the highways agency ….. as a lorry driver myself, we both know these are definitely NOT smart motorways 💯👍 People get killed on these networks for lack of attention….. Well done on this video Greg👍👊👏👏👏

[@PantsManUK]

My list of "motorways I flat refuse to use" is short - the M25 (the surface is no longer fit for purpose). Think I shall add the M6 (smart) to that list. As a minimum they need to go back to three lanes and hard shoulder (and keep the refuge areas), then they can come back and as Greg says, make the hard shoulder as wide as the current refuges.

[@glennj6465]

Absolutely DISGUSTING 🤬🤬🤬🤨well spotted and great response 👍🏻🤩

[@craigsmith4161]

Good effort but i defo wouldn't have relied on them retro lights....you need new kt on it mate you cant even tell there on you need proper bright kit if your going to do things like that.

[@ThePorkypete51]

Yes Greg needs to get some proper beacons fitted

[@legofan1987]

You're an absolute hero for helping her in that situation 👏

[@cf3031]

I thought it was a re-upload but remembered this was the live, massive respect for putting yourself in danger for a job that wasn't even yours I can only imagine the fear going through the lady about her kids. Congrats on 50k aswell, half way to a silver plaque

[@mitchellhurd9300]

Just came across your channel randomly 😅. You did an amazing job dealing with that not nice customer that p'd you about (the one that had the 23-plate Aldi car) 👏👏👏👏👏!!!

[@gitgit1995]

Doing it for free shows what a champ you are! And so scary and was so good of you to do it!

[@katierscott8771]

Beautifully done!! Running call, job done, everyone kept safe. Well done! Exactly what an emergency service should do.

[@robertstorey9178]

My faith in humanity has been restored. Shame others don't have your ethics. You sir are a 🌟

[@Layla462]

You were a gentleman for helping a woman and her kids in need

[@nickhill2223]

Motorway Awareness Courses, they are telling you if you break down in a Live Lane, Stay in Your vehicle, put handbrake on enough to just hold the vehicle, (fine unless you've an electric handbrake....), put hazards on and sit tight, Help will come to you. These roads are NOT safe and NOT fit for purpose. Greg, Top Man, you went over and above once again.

[@NilSatis1878]

Only recently came across your channel from the police vid, but just want to say you’re a brilliant person, need more people like you 👍🏼

[@christopherhand1092]

What a guy! We need more people on our roads like you stopping to make sure people are safe and out of danger

[@jamiedevotionblunden9229]

I can only congratulate you mate as i have seen someone pushing there car on the m25 near Heathrow this was way before the smart motorways and he was on the other side and was walking with his car broken down in the live lane which was very dangerous

[@ggnat]

Well done, a real professional and saviour to many in frightening positions.

[@hoppersmotorsportvlogs]

Well Done Greg doing what ya had to do and highways could really realise how dangerous motorways are even with smart motorways

[@phire2000]

Well done man, highways are unbelievable, should be helping you, and keeping you and every one else safe, these smart motorways are not the way forward

[@jamielee-hill449]

New subscriber here, thanks to Ashley Neal. I got emotional watching that. The poor woman and her kids, I can only imagine how terrifying that must have been. Great job! Smart Motorways are fine in theory, but that's if everyone drove perfectly, paying attention and keeping good stopping distances. They take no account of the reality of human behaviour, poor driving, speeding, tailgating, phone use etc. so they sadly result in too many tragedies. Madness that they won't close a lane for you to pull out of a rescue layby. As an aside, do you tell people to wait upstream of their car when they're behind the barrier? That way if their vehicle does get struck, they're upstream of the carnage.

[@waynec9950]

Smart motorways are an absolute disgrace-they have turned safe stretches of motorway into the most dangerous place to be

[@MatthewPye-en5nu]

That was a beautiful thing you did Greg. God Bless you my friend. 🙏❤️

[@DDanno]

You're such a good guy! Much respect

[@JulianBeddow]

Another great video creg..well done reaching 50.000 subs...😊

[@mikey3627]

Found your channel through KZbin shorts . It was the Famous Green Audi 😂😂😂... But great content so far . That Merge Arrow is going to cause a massive crash . So please stay safe m8 . Typical ehh change a policy . Dont tell anyone who works on the motorways . Expect everyone to know what is happening . That Man Truck nearly Ploughed into the Volvo Highways car . Anything but a smart motorway . 😮😮😮😮😮 .... Thats nothing but a fatality waiting to happen . Wouldnt even give their worker a red X . As we saw as she was inches away from being rear ended . And if you didnt stop a lane 4 crash with kids in the back would have been fatal . They were so slow at coming out the Grass grew an extra 5 inches waiting . Glad you stopped to help out . One thing that got my back up was the casual and slow way the lady walked around her car to get the kids over the barrier .😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮 ......... Dont know if that was relief from being helped but to me as a dad that took forever to get her kids out . Even then it was slow . Highways should be ashamed of themselfs as thats Bang out of order . And the idiots driving down to you almost then moving over out the way . Shows you people drive like Stevie Wonder .😮😮😮😂😂😂😂😂 .... Great videos though i love this stuff . I watch the american truck breakdown guys . On the border from usa to canada . Proper hardcore snow . And a mountain road . Cool likes . 😂 . But stay safe out there m8 . You got ureself a sub .

[@CarolWest-w2h]

proof they are anything BUT smart motorways!

[@MikeDailly]

You Sir, are an utter Gent. Wonderful thing to do, quite probably saving their lives.

[@griswald7156]

I hate it every time i drive into the Valley of M6 Death…

[@martinjames9250]

HAHAHA! ----- If she says, "Bear with me." one more time........ You are the hero here. No question. As for the 'SMART motorways' ........ Smart my R's. Keep on keeping on Matey!

[@michaelaustin4896]

They are absolute useless the traffic people

[@hojo9115]

I gotta admit id be pretty anxious if i broke down like that

[@adambridges1452]

Fair play saved the mother and kids from a potential faital accident great bloke 👏 👍 👌 Highways need to book their ideas up cause 1 day it could be them stranded on a smart motorway and I bet they will get the red X

[@buckobhoy]

Iove seen stuff like the free little help especially when there's kids..big credit mark

[@islasandjessicas]

You are an absolute superstar, well done Greg. Them so called smart motorways, are anything but smart, more like downright dangerous! xx

[@criztofe]

Chuffing legend mate. getting them to more safety even when its not your job. Top man x

[@ChrisHipkiss]

Paul Canell Greg, what's it going to take!!!

[@m1cxf]

I'said it soooo many times before and I will keep saying it. If anything has the word "smart" in its title it is anything but. Thanks for being a knight in high viz armour.

[@couldabin]

A true "Knight of the road".

[@NickyB62]

UK has gone from having the safest motorways to possibly some of the worst. They're currently putting in more emergency lay-bys on the M1 here in Derbyshire. What's really required is the restoration of the hard shoulder.

[@briocheman21]

Thats is a pretty cool truck, nice cummins engine

[@Jens.M]

Shouldn't you turn the steeringwheel of your truck to the left? So if someone rams into your truck it slams into the barrier instead of the traffic?

[@AndyJay15]

You potentially saved a few lives there. Those smart motorways are not smart they are just a cheaper way of adding another lane with the cost to risking lives. I'm glad any new ones have been cancelled.

[@stevenbarnett2497]

If it wasn’t for your quick thinking Greg who knows what could have happened that family was lucky you happened to be there and knows what to do. Some may not agree with what you do but you did the right thing deserve a medal

[@paulhornsby8588]

Well done Greg for helping that woman and her children, you are brilliant. I used to be a hgv driver before I retired and I was returning back to base one day up the m6 when I saw 3 vehicles crash in the outside lane in fast moving traffic, so I immediately put my hazard lights on and managed to pull into the outside lane to help protect the stranded vehicles. Luckily everyone started to slow down behind me . And in just a matter of a few minutes both north and south carriage ways slowed down to a crawl. Must have been picked up on camera, and a few minutes highways arrived on scene and I explained what I did to protect the damaged vehicles, and the highways officer thanked me for protecting the drivers from being hit a high speed. They said I can move on and drive away.

[@justincase6645]

Absolute shambles ! Thank you for helping Greg. If you hadn't stopped, and left [that lady in L4 How long would that family have lasted ? , and how many other injuries/fatalities ?

[@GunnaTopMysen]

marker posts are your best friend for situations like this, instead of giving a estimate from how far away from the junction it is you can give them an exact location within 100 meters A is away (numbers going up) B is back towards (going down)

[@dubvibes731]

Great job

[@sirenda926]

Fair play mate for going above and beyond, Highways need to give you a medal.

[@jomillie12]

There was some shocking driving in that clip, I’m sure on car didn’t even indicate to lane 2.

[@keith6400]

Whenever you get slowed traffic and a red X some drivers use it to undertake large numbers of vehicles.

[@imagseer]

That was the right thing to do. Respect. 50K subs well-deserved.

[@RichardArblaster]

Congrats on the 50k subs 🥳🥳🥳

[@bobmcdermott9535]

Smart thinking, thanks.

[@cpuuk]

Smart motorway [rolls eyes]

[@thehighwayband]

Common sense will say: bring back the hard shoulder. On the other hand there is something like Economy: in order to bring back the hard shoulder there must be chosen between either taking back the left lane and turn it into a hard shoulder or confiscate a portion of the land adjacent to the highway. The first option will take away about 20% to 25% of the traffic on that highway with a total constipation thereof. The second option will cost the government huge capitals (we are talking here about tens of billions of Pounds), money that will have to come out of taxes being raised. Any of these two options will be blocked by as well the House of Commons as the House of Lords. I know you are right 100% about these hard shoulders but it always comes down to the same: people want everything but are not willing to put down the money needed to install it. And yeah, it is what it is, unfortunately.

[@dannycrooks8462]

Them so called smart motorways is a deathtrap

[@james779tfc]

What an absolute lifesaver Greg , well done your a true hero

[@LoadingRetroGames]

Genuinly potentially saved all of their lives , well done.

[@miriamhandley5773]

Well Done Greg! Superb work and getting the family to safety. We all need to write to our MP's and stress how dangerous smart motorways are. We tend to avoid travelling on them because of how dangerous they are.

[@miriamhandley5773]

I have forwarded your video to Josh Newbury MP of Cannock.

[@m1pete]

Thanks for doing that Greg, you are a great man.

[@Just-Ross]

always give marker posts where possible. They're on all major motorway furniture as well as marker posts obviously. Makes a big difference when you're not on CCTV!

[@theangryviper]

As much as I like the retro lightbar it really doesn’t seem adequate! Need to get a newer LED bar on there

[@GDBRescueandrecovery]

Totally agree the trucks actually for sale!

[@theangryviper]

@@GDBRescueandrecovery oh! I thought you wanted to keep this one? Very unique truck!

[@andrewhotston983]

The modern equivalent of a Good Samaritan - I hope there's a guardian angel to look after you, because the Highways Agency won't do it.

[@turnbull321]

True gentleman

[@LeClaw]

all this money they're spending putting in new refuge areas could have saved millions just repainting Lane 1 as a hard shoulder and having it like on the M1 at Milton Keynes-Luton and M42 at Birmingham where they can use the hard shoulder if it's congested

[@bobbrown3141]

Whoever came up with this idea of smart motorways needs to be forced to sit in a car in lane 1 of speeding traffic whilst they wait to see which arrives first, Highways or the inevitable ambulance.

[@samstainer2288]

It’s not smart until all lanes and cars can be detected. It’s not smart if they can’t close the lane automatically. Bring back the hard shoulder it’s the best thing for a breakdown.

[@chrisward925]

HELL FIRE... that is one scary situation!

[@Georgiee.and.Dan.]

Congratulations on 50k pal top job 👍👍👍✔️

[@andywalters7300]

Legend Greg Thankyou for being you and helping that poor lady and them kiddies

[@mipamat5804]

I think breakdown vehicle need brighter/larger warning lights to the rear to wake drivers up. There seem to be a lot of idiots that ignore the red X's, and carry on regardless. The attached camera with the gantry sign should be active within one minute of activation and all offenders fined £1000 + 6 points.

[@gazwj]

As with anything, things should fail safely Lane 1 should be a hard shoulder unless specifically told otherwise and thats only when traffic is heavy enough so that if its converted to a live lane its a reduced speed That was always what i thought they were meant to be when introduced