When can I use the hard shoulder?

Q. I got caught in a truly torrential downpour on the M69 the other day, so I was glad for once that I was in a car.

Through the gloom and spray I saw flashing lights up ahead that turned out to be the hazard warning lights of four police bikes.

They were all taking shelter under one of the motorway bridges, which I think was the most sensible thing to do, given the appalling road and weather conditions.

But it did make me wonder if it was actually an offence and would I get nicked as civilian doing the same thing?

Roger Barnes, Northampton
 
A. The hardshoulder is considered a 'place of refuge' in law, and if the weather was so severe that it was more dangerous to continue than to stop, you would be well within your rights to pull over, making sure you left your lights on to warn other road users and moved away from the vehicle so that similarly unsighted drivers didn't pile into you.

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