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.

@DontBiteTheCat has already explained the problem in connection with the sad loss of their sibling. A little feeling for those involved in the accident is appropriate. No-one wants to shut the M5 for 6 hours, but it is in no way an unreasonable time if there has been a fatality (perhaps more than one). OP's DD should book a hotel to go to rather than continuing her journey. Do it now - lots of people may want to do this. Also, make sure you have drinks,snacks and blankets etc. in your car when on a long journey.

You're absolutely right.

Not helpful in this situation and I hope
A those involved in the accident are OK
B Those delayed aren't kept much longer.

But it's sensible to keep a small bag in your car - water, food, foil blanket, spare phone charger leads (they often break at a time of need) etc.

As inconvenient as it is for you daughter, just imagine how traumatic it could have been for her if she'd closer to the incident.

It's horrifying to look at a bridge and realise there's someone on the wrong side. I was terrified realising the person could fall at anytime.

I have sympathy for your daughter as I've been caught on that stretch several times. It's just about patience and gratitude that your not actually directly involved.

I was once stuck on a French motorway for 6+ hours. They eventually dismantled the central reservation barrier so that everybody could do a u-turn and go back the other way.

Why does it take 6 hours to decide to turn the traffic around?? That's the frustrating part. Should have been turned around much much earlier.

Thank you @BobbleHatsRule btw.

Because there are other priorities before that starts to happen?

Its a mild night as well

Yup.

It's not always possible to move the traffic but there should be welfare checks after a certain time.

There are people asking on Facebook when they will move as they've got young babies and children without food etc or people who need medication. I'd be fine on my own, I'd just have a nap and sit it out but I imagine it's pretty stressful with a toddler.

It happens far too frequently on the M5 but I can assure you in other countries it happens too. A girl was taken to Bristol children's hospital so obviously a serious incident, think about the poor family.

Only last week it was 3 hours on the M5 due to an accident

People mentioning being stuck with very young babies. I think that would be preferable to being stuck with the likes of a toddler.

Babies will sleep away in their car seat, will have their nappies changed as required and milk is there for them. They can lie down on the passenger seat with Mum/Dad there to stretch out a bit and are generally so easy to entertain. The engine will give heat and if required, along with blankets.

Toddlers on the other hand. I know mine would never sleep in the car seat, would want to go for a walk up the motorway, would need entertainment, would demand food I didn’t have access to…gah!

Sure there should be some dealing with the incident and some other emergency services helping those blocked?

Luckily I've never been in this situation. I'm so thankful because in four, five, six hours I'm guaranteed to need the loo at least twice. How do people manage?

Squat on the road.

Babies will sleep away in their car seat, will have their nappies changed as required and milk is there for them.

How is the milk there for them @Kibble29 only if you're breast feeding 🤔

I agree that these things are not handled well here. If the delay is unavoidable so be it, but there should be clear and up to date information about the situation accessible from an official source, which is usually not the case.

It's an awful situation for daughter. There really is no answer though unless she leaves her car. But then she would be putting herself in danger.

Genuinely op what do you think can and should happen?

Good god. They don’t keep the road closed for 6 hours for fun. A PP has explained the complexity of setting up an operation to get the traffic released and it will take ages because there will be a long tail back. Of course people will be uncomfortable, bored, hungry, tired but it is a temporary state and they should be on their way soon enough.

Before your DD was inconvenienced you probably never gave a second thought to elderly, very young, pregnant, disabled, ill etc. caught up in these types of incidents.

I agree with you, OP. I know that France won't allow private recovery companies on their motorways - I don't know whether that improves these things but I imagine it gets people towed off the motorway a lot more efficiently.

If your DD had been left by the AA on the road for this long, people would be climbing over themselves to say how outrageous it was. It's a ridiculous amount of time to wait in the cold with no toilet facilities for a healthy person.

I've worked in breakdowns myself and I've personally been on the phone to the police trying to persuade them to even attend a breakdown to relieve traffic in the first place. I've explained a vehicle is in a dangerous position and blocking entire lanes to complete apathy more than once.

In front of the people next to you?

Might start taking a she wee

@EasterIssland our emergency services are underfunded and overworked as it is.

As horrible as it sounds, the people in their cars are safe. They have a roof over their heads keeping them dry and the police can do their jobs. It's likely that it wasn't just one person involved - cars who stopped are likely to also be involved.

Yes it's a long wait, but in the morning the people who were stuck will wake up safe and warm. A family faces waking up without their daughter.

When I used to drive for work this was a reasonably regular occurrence - maybe every few months.

I do find it odd that a mother of a young woman is stressed about her DD being stuck in traffic on a mild night in the UK.