Professional Recovery 370

MYOPINION
That letter could have said
quite simply, “we won’t let
you use red lights because
you can’t be trusted with
them and, in any case, our
HATO’s don’t want you to use
them and, as you know, their
lives are more important to us
than yours are”
week before anyone noticed! We need to remember that, for many
years now, lots of operators have been using flashing red lights and, as
far as I am aware, nothing has been said against them and probably a
few accidents and one or two lives have been saved. I don’t know why
it is, but I have never heard of anything like this that has so many egos
involved in one topic. I can’t believe that the Highways Agency Traffic
Officer (HATO) gives a damn about whether a recovery operator has
flashing red lights; after all it is probably going to help his case. The bit
about recovery operators using red lights would “reduce the HATO’s
presence” is a bit far fetched as there are never many recovery
vehicles on a given stretch of motorway at any one time. We can’t tell
recovery operators to get on and use them regardless, like many do,
but we can remind people that they must make the maximum, effort
to make their workforce safe at all times. One good system I have
seen in use lately is operators using their white working lights to help
highlight the scene. This works particularly well in bad weather and
poor visibility. I am not sure whether this would add confusion if used
at night but it’s another weapon in the armoury of safety.
Our presence is diluted
Going back slightly, after reading those letters that Richard
published, these politicians have no idea about how to call a spade a
spade! That letter could have said quite simply, “we won’t let you use
red lights because you can’t be trusted with them and, in any case,
our HATO’s don’t want you to use them and, as you know, their lives
are more important to us than yours are”.
As I mentioned previously, the situation is probably not quite as bad
as it used to be because it is possible to get a very good presence
with LED. amber systems but these, of course, are also available to the
roadside workers so, once again, our presence is diluted.
Each Christmas as my contribution to the season of good will, I
spend quite a few nights towing a Santa sleigh around some of the
Durham estates so the children can place their order with the great
man. The program is run by Durham Rotary Club and each year they
raise about £5000 for numerous good causes. To prepare the sleigh
for this year I had a heart stopping moment when I realised that the
sleigh has a few twinkling rear red lights which might bring me into
dispute if I am spotted by any HATO’s. Hopefully I won’t be collecting
on the motorway and they shouldn’t be in any side streets. I suppose
if we could ask for one wish at Christmas it would be to have a whole
load of common sense dropped down the chimney and fall at the feet
of these ‘jobsworths’.
Fred Henderson
Breakdown Doctor
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PROFESSIONAL RECOVERY MAGAZINE 29
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