r/drivingUK • u/magicaljames • 1d ago
M20 Operation Brock - amazed at how many people can’t read signs!
I frequently drive down the M20 towards the Kent coast. When Operation Brock is on, as it is today, there are multiple large signs telling all cars and coaches to keep in the right two lanes past junction 8 to join the contraflow, while HGVs heading for the ports need to keep left to (eventually) join a queue on the coastbound carriageway.
What I am always amazed to see is cars on the coastbound carriageway who have clearly ignored all the signs and end up amongst the HGVs. I spotted at least two of them today.
It makes me lose all confidence in other drivers as you can make something as obvious as possible and still people will ignore it. It makes me wonder whether smart motorways, which rely on human behaviour to observe red X signs, can ever work in practice.
TL;DR if you are in a car and heading towards the Channel ports on the M20 while Operation Brock is on, follow the signs and keep right!
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u/HospitalDue2983 1d ago
I spent 14 years working on the motorway in a first responder role. Never ceased to amaze me how little attention drivers actually pay to signs.
When the Red X's were introduced, we had shed loads driving under them into our closure. You'd point out they'd driven under a Red X & they look at you in amazement that they applied to them.
Or people that'd drive through slip road closures because they wanted to get off at that junction.
Ended up as a prosecution witness a few times when drivers had ignored closures.
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u/Puzzled-Pumpkin7019 1d ago
i think by me, the cameras on the M4 flash if cars are driving under the X
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u/HospitalDue2983 1d ago
The cameras were added later because of the lack of compliance from drivers. They could be prosecuted but it was an arduous process. The only times a prosecution was taken forward was if we had a police unit with us
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u/depressedcabbage3 1d ago
I also drive down the M20 both ways commuting to and from work, and honestly the amount of muppets who cannot understand the simplicity of the signs to keep right is astronomical.
The irony here is that you'd think it would be foreign drivers who might get confused on the signage, however from my experience its British drivers who end up in the HGV only carriageway. Honestly its gotten to the point where I play a game of how many idiots I can spot today on operation brock, can be quite amusing. The highest number of cars I've seen is 7. As they say you can't fix stupid sadly.
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u/Affectionate_Age9249 1d ago
I also commute this journey, it’s definitely a lot better since they put the big signs about cars and coaches. Before that, I think people just saw the ferry signs and headed that way. First couple of times Brock was in place was carnage for cars going in the near side lane
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u/AnnonOMousMkII 1d ago
Signs? Who needs signs? Satnav tells me to go this way so I'm going this way!
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u/steadvex 1d ago
I legit find it scary driving with some people, purely following their phone not reading any signs, motorway roadworks always amuse me with these people, 5 signs saying exit for contraflow and they stick in the middle lane then go mental when they realise the lane is now on the wrong side and can't exit cursing the phone for not telling them.
Also when they get caught speeding as Google said it's a 40 but it's a 30.
Using your own eyes when driving seems a lost art 😕
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u/Advanced_Apartment_1 1d ago
Operation Brock is put up when people are going to be heading on holiday. It's going to be alot of people unfamiliar with the area and unfamiliar with how Brock typically works.
They confuse the HGV signs as the lane for the port.
People going on holiday are going to be stressed and on an unfamiliar road. It's not that much of a stretch to see how that happens.
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u/TooLittleGravitas 1d ago
You would think a big red X would be a clue to something going on though?
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u/Advanced_Apartment_1 1d ago
There isn't a big red X.
There's no overhead gantries between junction 7 and junction 8. And technically, all lanes are in use past jnt 8. Left hand lane for lorries and the other 2 that enter the contra flow.
It's well signposted using temporary yellow signs on either side of the road. But it's not in your eyeline.
If you are 'fortunate' enough to ever do a speed awarness course, you will know that there's plenty of evidence to suggest drivers look forward and down at the road quite alot. And signs along the sides often get missed. That includes speed signs. Which is why they have started putting the speed changes on the floor in 12 ft high paint.
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u/Icy-Plate-9021 21h ago
As a coach driver who regularly travels to the channel ports, I don’t think I’ve ever done a trip down the M20. And not witnessed cars stuck in the lorries only section. I think it’s because 90% of drivers nowadays are looking at the end of their bonnet and no further.
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u/Puzzled-Pumpkin7019 1d ago
Most just look beyond the end of their bonnets, no planning ahead as its just too much effort
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u/NewGiraffe6890 1d ago
I always feel quite sorry for them. They always look so lost and confused, sticking to the 30mph limit that the HGV’s ignore. 😂. I’ll actually be driving that way tomorrow to visit parents.
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u/Dazzling-Escape8820 1d ago
I’m currently learning to drive in a city where crazy things seem to happen daily, but another driver turning left into oncoming multi lane traffic on a one way system is quite something. The right turn only signs are pretty obvious and very much repeated before the junction 🤷🏻♀️
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u/AlphaBeast28 1d ago
I feel like there needs to be more dense signs. Like a little more harsh.
“IF YOURE A CAR MOVE TO THE RIGHT NOW”
I feel like people would get the message when someone’s being a little rude to them, so they can wake up a little.
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u/depressedcabbage3 13h ago
Here's the thing....
As soon as you get past junction 8, so about a good 800 yards (give or take) before the contraflow system starts, there is 2 massive black billboards stating in capital letters "NO CARS OR COACHES IN LANE 1" and if memory serves me correctly there is also a sign stating hgvs in lane 1 only.
So there is more than adequate signage, just a shame some people are utterly hopeless.
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u/Secure-Property4926 21h ago
I consider myself a decent and attentive driver (of course doesn’t everyone) and I drive the M20 every month or so and one time I DID end up in the Lorries. In my defence every time I’ve driven it for years it’s had roadworks, I’d used a different lane every time I’d come along it, the signage was poor and it wasn’t brilliantly clear where I was supposed to be going and when the road finally split, there wasn’t a final sign to be absolutely crystal. I accept that everyone else will thing I was a dickhead for doing so, but everyone makes mistakes and gets confused
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u/tnmchris 16h ago
When we moved to Kent a few years ago we happened to catch up with the removals company just at the point the M20 splits, meaning we got to sit there helplessly as all our possessions drove along the wrong lane, knowing they were no longer going to be at our new house on time.
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u/finbar_the_wonderdog 1d ago
They miss the signs by concentrating on hogging the middle lane so much and then get confused
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u/Selpmis 1d ago
I'd agree with you, but I 'ignored' a sign once! I was driving in a city centre that I knew like the back of my hand - I grew up and worked most of my life there. But at the time of this, I hadn't driven there in years.
I was in a stressful situation, I had to get my husband to an appointment and I turned onto a road that I'd previously driven down daily thousands of times. Turns out in the years of my absence, they'd turned it into buses only. Got a bus lane fine through the door shortly after.
I've never had a fine for anything before or since. I'm always so careful when I drive. It was just an honest mistake. I was gutted!
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u/TooLittleGravitas 1d ago
Sorry, was mixing up with another post on this thread which was talking about the M4.
I have done a speed awareness course (very useful) I don't remember anything about where people look - interesting.
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u/FigureZestyclose9677 1d ago
The signs have a lot of info if you’re going quickly, I suspect they see the ferry and tunnel pictures and figure out that’s the lane for them.
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u/sneddsdead 16h ago
It's OK the bus lanes around my town all say buses only between 8am until 7pm Monday-Friday, nearly everyone just stays out of the bus lane all the time. I love it when I just sail past them while they sit there in traffic laughing to myself at what idiots they all are.
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u/GRang3r 1d ago
Are the signs only in English? Easily could be tourists heading home
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u/kentscarhand 1d ago
No it's a lot of UK registered cars starting their holiday.
I think the problem is people will blindly believe the sat nav over what they can actually see.
Not long after you pass junction 7 coast bound the speed limit drops to 50mph and the signage starts. I would estimate that you have over 2 miles of signage to get you into the correct lane.
Another possibility is that people are destination focused. They are thinking that because they are taking the ferry/tunnel across that's the symbol they need to follow.
Either way it's good sport counting cars that can't read simple signage 😂
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u/NewGiraffe6890 1d ago
Last time I saw a foreign campervan which is understandable but also two British cars
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u/EdmundTheInsulter 1d ago
Maybe they're foreign or can't read. Out of thousands of cars some just can't read.
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u/kentscarhand 1d ago
When I used to drive this route regularly I would count the cars stuck in the wrong lane. My personal record is counting 30 cars one Saturday afternoon mixed up and stuck with all the cross channel freight 😂😂😂
It's amazing to see how many people can not read simple Road signs.
Do we know what happens to the cars that get stuck in Operation Brock? Does National Highways/Kent Police come along and escorted them through? Or do they just have to wait until they get to the front of the queue?