Motorway delays

Billysboots

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Just on this.
Outside my house last Saturday a drunk driver hit a parked car.
It was like a bomb going off.
But when everything settled down some young clown driving past ,weaving around all the debris on his phone videoing it all.
The cops just let him do it? Why. There was seven of them tree cars.
The public that were there were more incensed by this little prick than the driver.
But the cops just watched him go past.

I know what I would have done.
 

clubchamp98

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I know what I would have done.
I was amazed no body challenged him .
The cops seemed quite suprized by the reaction of the people standing around.
One said “ he might be your next job ,but you had a chance to stop him here”
The officer just shrugged.
Pretty poor when you see the stats on phones.
My Dad was an ambulance driver and the things he seen really upset him sometimes.
So the Police on the whole do a great job, but had a golden opportunity to show the public how to deal with this cretin but didn’t take it.
Take care everyone .
 

upsidedown

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I used to get wound up by the comments. And don’t get me started on those who drive past scenes videoing on their phones.

By the time I retired I was so used to it that it was water off a duck’s back.
My 4BB partner is a retired Motorway officer and you have my upmost respect from the tales he tells me , suspect you may well be from same force
 

SammmeBee

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Narrowly avoided a 1 hour delay on the M42 yesterday..
I see today severe delays again on West Midlands motorways.
Unless you have no option will you stop using them?

Any problems on A and B roads are likely to just result in a diversion.

And what's the longest you've ever been held up?
3 hours for me on the M6.
A lorry driver I spoke to reported 14 hours in Kent.

Narrowly avoided a 1 hour delay on the M42 yesterday..
I see today severe delays again on West Midlands motorways.
Unless you have no option will you stop using them?

Any problems on A and B roads are likely to just result in a diversion.

And what's the longest you've ever been held up?
3 hours for me on the M6.
A lorry driver I spoke to reported 14 hours in Kent.

How often do you drive out of interest…..mostly Sundays?!!
 

stefanovic

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How often do you drive out of interest…..mostly Sundays?!!

Yep. Sunday is usually a lot quieter where I live so if I want to go for a drive of any distance using motorways I choose Sundays.
One advantage of being retired.
This is based on experience of living in an area surrounded by motorways.
When approaching a motorway I don't just drive on to it. If possible I will look if the traffic is moving on the carriageway.

Once upon a time I could drive out on to an open road.
Some people even went for leisure drives along the M6.
 

Tashyboy

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Never been stuck in a tailback for long, but have caused several. Sorry, ladies and gents.

People often complain that the cops close motorways unnecessarily for hours following fatal collisions. Yes, they’re closed for hours, but never unnecessarily.

The absolute worst one I can recall is some poor fella who decided to commit suicide about 4am on the motorway. He did it by leaping out of the driver’s seat of his car at 70mph in lane three, whereupon he was hit by at least half a dozen vehicles.

The scene was about half a mile long, and I had to photograph and survey all of it. Sparing you the graphic details, body recovery was an absolute nightmare. It took me seven hours to process the scene, in temperatures of minus 7 Celsius. The motorway was shut for nine hours. Did I want to be there are have the road shut for that length of time whilst I did my job? Absolutely not.

I know nobody here (so far) has moaned about being stuck in a tailback. But, trust me, those working at the front of it all would far rather be anywhere else other than causing you inconvenience. I genuinely and sincerely mean that.
Sadly daughter was telling me a similar story only yesterday.
Hit traffic on M 5 and detoured through weston super mare. Wish I had been stuck on the motorway with hindsight.
 

Billysboots

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Sadly daughter was telling me a similar story only yesterday.
Hit traffic on M 5 and detoured through weston super mare. Wish I had been stuck on the motorway with hindsight.

Thought I might have bumped into you at Bridgwater Services as we headed north this morning! The southbound traffic around Taunton was okay first thing, but certainly started backing up south of Bristol following a heavy downpour which slowed everything down, leading to an almost instantaneous tailback.

Northbound, in comparison, was a breeze, and much quieter than two weeks ago. I allowed six hours for my journey and did it in half the time.
 

Tashyboy

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Thought I might have bumped into you at Bridgwater Services as we headed north this morning! The southbound traffic around Taunton was okay first thing, but certainly started backing up south of Bristol following a heavy downpour which slowed everything down, leading to an almost instantaneous tailback.

Northbound, in comparison, was a breeze, and much quieter than two weeks ago. I allowed six hours for my journey and did it in half the time.
Me plans were to be in bed last night for 10 having took old man out for his 85th birthday. That quickly went tits up with FIL.
( see dementia thread), bed at 12 up at 5am for a lovely drive south and now a banging headache..?
 

SocketRocket

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Thought I might have bumped into you at Bridgwater Services as we headed north this morning! The southbound traffic around Taunton was okay first thing, but certainly started backing up south of Bristol following a heavy downpour which slowed everything down, leading to an almost instantaneous tailback.

Northbound, in comparison, was a breeze, and much quieter than two weeks ago. I allowed six hours for my journey and did it in half the time.
Simon and Garfunkel were held up on the M5 in Somerset for hours way back. They wrote a song while in the traffic queue which became very famous, they did decide to change the name before releasing it though. The original was called:

"Troubled over Bridgewater"
 

Imurg

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T
Simon and Garfunkel were held up on the M5 in Somerset for hours way back. They wrote a song while in the traffic queue which became very famous, they did decide to change the name before releasing it though. The original was called:

"Troubled over Bridgewater"
That should have gone in the Laughter thread.....


Then again....:unsure:
 

stefanovic

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Big delays on the M5 yesterday in the Bridgwater area.
Where are they all off to?

They have bypassed some of my favourite places.
Portishead (especially the new marina area).
Clevedon with its listed pier and poet's walk.
The coast path between Portishead and Clevedon.
The cliff tops to the north of Sand Bay, near Weston.
Brean Down and the fine sands extending down to Burnham on Sea.
Cheddar Gorge and the Mendips.
 

SocketRocket

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Big delays on the M5 yesterday in the Bridgwater area.
Where are they all off to?

They have bypassed some of my favourite places.
Portishead (especially the new marina area).
Clevedon with its listed pier and poet's walk.
The coast path between Portishead and Clevedon.
The cliff tops to the north of Sand Bay, near Weston.
Brean Down and the fine sands extending down to Burnham on Sea.
Cheddar Gorge and the Mendips.
Lived in Portishead, loved it especially the Lake Grounds.
 

Tashyboy

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Big delays on the M5 yesterday in the Bridgwater area.
Where are they all off to?


They have bypassed some of my favourite places.
Portishead (especially the new marina area).
Clevedon with its listed pier and poet's walk.
The coast path between Portishead and Clevedon.
The cliff tops to the north of Sand Bay, near Weston.
Brean Down and the fine sands extending down to Burnham on Sea.
Cheddar Gorge and the Mendips.

By the looks of it Watchet, where ave been today. Which was quite nice indeed. Back on the M5 goun North to Bristol tomorrow. May well pull in a few of your fave places in on the way back. ?
 
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