DD has been stuck on the M5 for 6 hours

[GinForBreakfast]

I know there's been a serious incident but you can't leave people stuck on a motorway for 6 hours. That will include elderly people and tiny children. In other countries they manage to clear the roads far quicker.

No sign of anything moving and even once she does she's still 4 hours from home.

God that is absolutely horrendous, your poor DD. Totally agree in that we seem to be the only country in Europe that does this. It’s inhumane to just leave people stranded for that length of time with potentially no food or water and like you say, possibly elderly and children too. I wonder why they can’t even open one lane.

Well they leave elderly people with dementia sat in a&e on a mental chair for 36hrs+ so I don’t see why they can’t.

she’s in a car, safe, warm with a comfy seat. She might be a bit hungry or need a pee but there are people much worse off, like the people in the presumed accident that is holding her up!

But unfortunately if the road is closed and there are no other routes off the motorway, there aren't any other options.
Sorry that your DD is stuck, that sucks!

Why don't you book her a room at the nearest services hotel for the night.

I would have abandoned my car. Can you pick her up?

She can't move to get to a hotel!

What a bizarrre thread. Do you really think the emergency services are doing this on purpose?

I am 4 hours away and she's gridlocked on the motorway.

God that’s horrendous. Poor thing.

but no they don’t do it any better “in other countries”. And, since your dd is neither elderly or a tiny baby, just concentrate on her and keeping her company.

I hope she has water and something To eat. That’s tough. I’ve done it myself and it Sucks.

Hope she’s home safe soon.

I think they are less competent than e.g. France which manages to clear motorways far, far quicker.

Have you had an empathy bypass?

Who takes a long trip and dowsnt pack some snacks and a drink. It's called common sense! There has always been this guidance for long trips, always make sure you have blanket, foil blankets, food and water in the car.

And well if she needs to pee then go in the bushes and if there aren't any then open the front and back door and go.

Last year we were stuck 8 hours on a Danish motorway 23.12 - so it does happen outside UK.

We always have water in the car, dried snacks, blankets, books and games so we were fine - but of course bored.

I had packed food and Ipads/adapters for car because of the travelling. We catched up a lot of ITVX and Netflix.

We left a 8 am and arrived at 8 pm. The trip was planned to 4 hours.
An awful day but no one was to blame. I am sure emergency services did their best.

This happened to me on the M6 when I was heavily pregnant, I was in the middle lane so couldn't abandon the car the greatest services was a mile and a half away , I could've walked it but couldn't leave the car in the middle of the road in case things started moving. I needed to wee so desperately, I was pacing around my car, a very kindly lady with a camper van asked me if I needed the loo and let me use her campervan toilet!
It's hard but it's one of those things and if it's been that long it's likely a fatality. She probably is best booking a hotel if she can for when the traffic starts moving, if she's still got a long drive ahead she might be too tired.

That would add to the blockage on the motorway though? Just abandoning a vehicle. How would that help?

@GinForBreakfast Thats a massive generalisation! Im sure they are doing the best they can and my sympathies lie more with the people involved in the incident

You mean much like the op who has no empathy for the people causing the hold up

It is horrendous for her and I expect you’re worried but there’s nothing anyone can do.

I hope she’s able to move quickly x

metal?

Hmm let’s have a think. Maybe because they think it’s fun to keep it shut? Or maybe because they can’t be bothered to open it. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s not safe to do so.

And on what do you base your “no other country in Europe” does this assertion? Let me guess. The top of your head?

I've been in this situation before, leaving work at 5 and getting home at almost 11. It was a major incident; someone died, and they had to provide immediate aid, remove the body from the scene, photograph, measure, and investigate. They then needed to clear and eventually reopen the road and clear traffic (I'm sure there are many other steps). This is the very reason why I now have water, snacks, a blanket, spare socks, and a coat in my boot.

You can’t just “clear the road quicker” if there’s been a fatality. There is work that has to be done, and it can’t be re-done if the road is reopened and evidence lost.

The road on which my sibling died was closed for 13 hours, the surface had to be photographed in several different natural lights, crash investigators had to attend and carry out their work and then they had to clean up.

Just be thankful she’s only inconvenienced, and it won’t be your family getting that knock on the door tonight.

The OP is surely complaining about the piss poor traffic management not the people who had the accident.

I can't see how it doesn't go without saying that they should have been able to organise releasing the traffic in 6 hours

My OH was in this but towards the back (they are turning them around from the back). If you look at Gloucestershire police on Facebook they have updates.

I'm always so sad for the people that are the cause of accidents and feel for them/friends/family. It's very hard being in the traffic.

I remember doing a 3 hour journey and the most horrendous crash on the motorway. This was years as go. It was so difficult as my children were very young. Thankfully I always have a stock of food and drinks because it took just under 11 hours to get home 😢.

I hope your DD is home soon. They have posted CC the diversions online so may be worth a look.

Turning traffic around now
https://nationalhighways.co.uk/travel-updates/travel-alerts/m5-gloucestershire-southbound-police-led-incident-carriageway-closure-between-j11a-j12/