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.

But on French motorways the regular junctions tend to be much further apart anyway. The population density is less and there isn't a town of 50,000 people every 10 miles. So the distance between "Points you can get off the road" probably isn't much different. And outside of the ring roads of major cities, French motorway traffic density is way less than the UK's.

Really? Do you have any experience of this? I do and it wasn't cleared any quicker than it would be in the UK.

The only tiny defence I can think of is that 2 months ago the OP's DD was still 16. So a very, very new driver. If indeed she is driving and not just a passenger

My prescription has changed several times since I got my most recent pair. I do have prescription sunglasses in my handbag though!! 🙄

That is the worst thing that can happen to a parent.
So sorry this happened to you.

Recently I thought of the four young lads who were killed in Wales, driving on a dangerous road, almost a year ago.

It is every parent's nightmare.

Did you quote the right person?

@Thegoatliesdownonbroadway what a horrible comment

It's not people being smug just pointing out why are peolel not prepared. It's the advice that's been around forever, even in the highway code which you are tusghf when you learn to drive.

And train companies are always telling people to always carry water when they travel, never know if there is a signal failure and you are stuck on the track.

So if you, knowing this, hearing the advice, choose to ignore it more fool you.

It's just common sense after all.

No matter what age they are, they're always your 'baby' and you will always be concerned about them.

Pooing in a bag is less messy 💩 clearly you have this pleasure to come 😂

I’m local and came to say this, no wonder it was shut for so long. Poor family just before Christmas.

Sorry to pick on your post as lots of people have said the same thing. However, the short journeys thing is just a red herring. Those of us who do have emergency stuff simply have it there all the time. I just have a bag with waterproofs and blankets and wellies etc. that lives in the boot. A first aid kit lives in the glove compartment as does a tin of sweets, tissues, phone charger, etc.

It's not smug. Most of us who carry this stuff do so because we've been caught out in the past. Perhaps of few of those apparently proud to be ill-prepared will get some useful info from this thread.

I hope your daughter gets home soon.

This is a serious police led incident, they will allow the road to be opened as soon as they can. National Highways are helping turn vehicles around from the back of the queue. Everyone will want the traffic moving asap.

Many years ago my car broke down on the M6 and I stupidly stayed in the vehicle with small DS because it was raining. I am now well prepared with supplies and waterproofs. This is a good reminder to check and restock.

Sorry, I thought someone had jumped off a bridge. Is that what has happened?

Yes and if you have prepared your car no matter how long your journey you are prepared. Since this is about a person doing a rhr journey thats why I only referenced long journeys.

@Ihopeithinkiknow so sorry for your loss. X

I was left on the hard shoulder for 6 hours after an awful accident. The RAC didn't ever rock up. Highway services who should have done a welfare check didn't bother and it took my son phoning them for them to get me

Being prepared is a red herring too though.
Yes it helps some.

But there are plenty of health conditions where all the preparation in the world isn't going to stop you getting pretty ill if stuck for that long. I wouldn't be safe to drive after 6 hours stuck in a non moving car. I would have to have my vehicle towed.

One can report nasty comments 👍

I'd be in a terrible state if I got stuck for six hours. I've got a fully kitted out boot but there's nothing I could bring that would compensate for the impact on my health conditions.

It really is reasonable to be concerned about those people. I've spoken to so many people who are utterly miserable and experiencing really terrible inconveniences due to being delayed on the road. I've heard some really sad stories from people over the years. (And no, they weren't all unprepared idiots. There are plenty of things that can happen on the road that no one can prepare for.)

I've been caught in a few tailbacks, not quite as long as this one but stuck for a fair while. After it's clear it's not moving people usually start getting out and chatting, exchanging food/water etc. I've had to get the dog out (on a lead) for a wee, nip to the bushes at the side for one myself, let the kids out to stretch their legs. Once me and my son sat on the roof of the car chatting to everyone milling around (tbf this was daytime in summer).

Tbh for one this long if I was alone I'd just put my seat back and have a nap, she's dry, not at the end of the tailback where she's going to be smashed in to, she's safe and she's presumably a fit and healthy adult, nothing to worry about

Yes it’s. I might have misunderstood your comment. Thought you didn’t like the suggestion of anti jumping barriers.

if you’re criticising those that try to commit suicide by jumping , I hope you never ever have someone close to you that tries this.

@GinForBreakfast Seems that people are still stuck on the motorway despite the young girl now being in hospital.
Twitter had reports from 6 minutes ago saying it was stationary.

If the M5 is closed because someone fell from a bridge, it will need an inquest to determine cause of death (was victim pushed, was it suicide, was it an accident?) and evidence must be collected. Article Two means that suicides must themselves be investigated because there's a possibility that a public official failed to act to prevent it.

So absolutely the evidence gathering will take a lot of time, because the police only have one chance to collect the evidence. It's not like the police can go back later after thousands of cars have driven through the site.

ETA: just seen that the victim is alive and in hospital. I hope that she makes a full recovery and I hope that it was an accident as being the least-worst of the three possibilities.

It's similar to people who commit suicide by jumping in front of trains. I am all in favour of measures that prevent people from jumping off bridges or in front of trains.