Funkii Munkii

We were discussing this role in the pub the other day, do you have to be ex Police/AA/Ambo/Forces etc or is it something that gets advertised down at the local job centre ?

IWatkins

I remember a while back, when they first introduced them, it was advertised on those advertising hoardings over the urinals at motorway service stations. Sounded like a fair job.

We call them "wombles" because they are always cleaning up after motorway prangs.

I would just get onto the Highways Agency website and have a trawl.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Seems like a cushy job...trundle along in a 4x4 for most of the day without any real major responsibility, other than the power to close the motorway and cause traffic chaos.

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

IIRC They are all on the verge of being sacked.. another cost the contry can't afford.....

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

They once closed the southbound M1 because my car broke down, leaked some oil onto the exhaust manifold, so naturally smoked a bit.

Around 25 minutes shut in morning rush hour.

nick172sport

iTrader: (6)

wages are poor

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I have often questioned the cost of them all running 4x4s all day everyday. Not exactly cheap to buy/lease nor the most fuel efficient vehicle to be used on the motorways, are they?

I understand they need a vehicle that can carry cones and stuff, but is a 4x4 really needed? I heard somewhere they carry over 500kg of equipment...WTF? Seriously what do they need other than cones, torch, jacket, a straight bar, a first aid kit and a few fire extiginusihers that can account to half a ton?

In Spain the motorway patrols in Valencia use Peugeot Partner vans.

borderlinechris

iTrader: (5)

nice pun btw!

TelBoy

If it meant more real Police patrols on our roads, i'd be all for their disbandment.

JGlanzaV

iTrader: (3)

What so the pigs can sit in the layby drinking coffee all day doing nothing useful what so ever and get paid for it instead?

They are just as much of a waste of time as the wombles

super_ted

iTrader: (30)

Probably so they can tow things out of the way? to safety?

An0n0m0us

Getting rid of them at least would stop all the idiots who see them and panic thinking they are police and hitting their brakes.

nyscooby

iTrader: (12)

my **** pal is an ex copper. he got knocked back for a job.... he is bald.

TelBoy

But it's a damn good opportunity to get past a few cars who pull in to "behave" as they pass the womble chariot at 69mph

TelBoy

I can't work out what the **** stands for

nyscooby

iTrader: (12)

shjt....

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Its a tenuous excuse; We coped without them before!

And even then a 4x4 isn't needed for most stuff; Even our old 200,000mile Astramax 1.7d (no turbo) could tow laden LWB Sprinter (we filled it with scrap metal and towed it to the scrap yard :lo1l: ), and it regularly towed above its weight with a laden twin axle trailer. So if a Astramax can pull that, then pretty much anything with a tow hitch and straight bar can pull another vehicle to the hard shoulder.

The exception is HGVs and even 4x4s shouldn't be used for such a task.

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

So how much do these highway officers get paid anyway?

tattoosi

iTrader: (5)

3 dunkin donuts and a luke warm costa coffee from the services

BOB.T

They don't even tow stuff!!

An0n0m0us

And then watch those who have pulled in look on in horror as you hoon past and not get knicked for it

Richy P1984

Its quite funny watching them walk about in their yellow and orange high vis. Been 'stopped' a few times by them - 'Pedestrians in the road' was the warning on variable message signs' - Really, how many fecking pedestrians do you see walking down the hard shoulder / verge in full yellow high vis with clip boards?

Used to get the odd look when we went flying past in the Prius, whilst everyone else was doing 65 thinking they were the cops.

scoobeenut

Never seen them tow anything, all they do is shut down lanes with cones and call the recovery vehicles. They then just stand there like numptys watching the traffic build up.

IWatkins

.. Civil servants too = crap wage.

Bean1984

iTrader: (3)

Afaik £25,000 they get paid. Not worth the money. Waste of time being on the road with the wombles we managed before so why not now

m18use

I cant slag them off ,had a puncture in a sprinter van it was dark and tipping down with rain and rather than wait for hrs for AA ,they came along helped me change it.
I was on way in 10 mins after another crap day I was well pleased

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

Muppets the lot of them!

When they first started , I was attending to a quite nasty accident , they stormed over and told me what I needed to do to more the smashed up cars.

I told the jumped up little hitler,
your high viz says highway, mine says recovery, you bugger off over there and sort your bit, and I will sort the recovery.

Since then they seem to leave me alone

Their 4x4 are crammed with gear that they both don't know how to use, and are not allowed to use, and they tow nothing, hence why there's always a damn lane closed just for something with a puncture

Ask a copper what they think about them !

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

'Pigs'? How constructive.

Had a run in with the law have we?

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

I don't get why they are there. A bit like PCSO's that have no power to arrest.

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

They cost less on paper than a copper. That's the only reason.

I say on paper as if you are paying someone 75% of what you pay a police officer yet he can only do 50% of the job it doesn't work in the long run, but hey it's all about league tables and stats with governments these days!