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.

A lot of very smug people on this thread.

I’d really struggle being stuck in traffic that long. I do always have water and a little pouch with medication in but I don’t have lots of water, food, anything to piss in, a sleeping bag or any other stuff people say they drive around with at all times. Especially not for what I expect to be a short journey.

There will be a lot of people really suffering in those cars and it doesn’t make anyone callous to point it out. Of course we have sympathy for the accident but the authorities also need to take responsibility for the people stuck with nowhere to go. If it’s not possible to move the traffic then some kind of welfare checks need to be made.

The road where my son died was closed for over 12 hours (busy road in London) I'm sure that inconvenienced a lot of people but I will say that the police did an excellent job of gathering all the evidence needed to give us as a family an answer at his inquest. I'm sorry about your daughter though I hope she is able to get moving soon and you all have a wonderful Christmas together

Is dd a new driver @GinForBreakfast ?

It's absolutely hammering it down too which probably isn't helping....

I go on the motorway for a junction or 2 all the time. I live in Manchester. It's what the ring road is meant for! I'd be stuffed if I was expected to keep my car stocked up with water snacks and toilet facilities. I have a tendency to overpack and over prepare so it's taken years to stop me keeping shit like that. I try not to keep bottles of microplastic water in the car, it's not nice when they get hot and release more microplastics.

I think the best thing to come out of this thread would be that people are better prepared in these circumstances.
Water
Snacks
Entertainment (book/game/phone charger)
Blankets

And may I even suggest an emergency stash of nappies. In a pinch sitting on one under a blanket will save a lot of stress. I learnt this from a mum who was stuck in traffic for hours.

It sucks but if we're prepared, at least it won't be more stressful than necessary

Sorry. I bet you dread posts like this 💗

Must be hard.

Are drivers not helping each other out? In a few of these jams I have known a couple of people going car to car to see if anyone can help with things like this.

And occasionally van drivers distribute edible goods!

Exactly! Same here. Most sensible, seasoned, experienced drivers will have extra supplies and essentials in the boot. And a first aid kit/meds.

Hopefully, despite a few silly, sarcastic, childish comments like 'ooh aren't you smug?' and 'aren't you a hero' for me and others having all this stuff, the sarcy people making the comments will lie in bed tonight and think 'actually I think I WILL put a bit of a first aid kit and survival pack in my car boot.'

PLEASE do it. This week. Even if you think I (and a few others) are snooty, smug fuckers. I will happily take the shitty comments if some of you do put these survival packs and first aid kits (and extra meds) in your car boot!

Good night all.

@GinForBreakfast Despite everything on this thread, I hope your daughter gets home soon. Genuinely.

Completely agree there’s a lot of smug people on this thread. I’m a non-driver and generally travel myself via train so I’ve never been in this kind of situation, although a few times as a teen may have got stuck on a bus for a couple of hours on the motorway going to school.

However I can see why people who are travelling short journeys may not have had a blanket, snacks and survival kit etc 🙄

It’s only natural for Op to be worrying about her daughter despite the tragedy that’s befallen another persons child.

As long as people are stupid enough to have accidents on motorways (where all you have to do is keep the car in a straight line) this kind of thing will keep happening.

Clearing the road after a jumper should take less time, not more. The forensic focus would presumably be on the bridge to answer ‘did she fall or was she pushed?’ rather than the tyre marks of drivers taking evasive action.
The time it takes to reopen roads seems to have increased massively since the 80s.

When you say escape routes, what exactly do you mean? I've not seen anything like that. French roads are incredibly dangerous overall - twice the number of fatalities compared to the UK.

Disgusting comment given it's a young girl who has apparently jumped from a bridge.

@losingweightandgainingconfidence

Yes, unfortunately she has. It'll be the last time she'll do it I assume. She was coming home from work to go to DSGS nativity.

The longest I've ever been in non-moving traffic was in France. Fortunately it was in late spring, so everyone got out of their cars and sat on the verge eating picnics. Because France.

The OP has a good point though. Nowhere else seems to have to close roads for such a long time. If they can deal with accidents more efficiently, why can’t we?

I am so sorry for your loss @DontBiteTheCat ❤️

I did have one of those experiences with a toddler and a 7 month old baby very late at night and it was a nightmare but post the young children years I don't tend to think about it now. I think some people are always prepared and other simply aren't.

The M5 is NOTORIOUS for very long delays and crashes.

I used to keep a horse years ago in a field that abutted the M5, and one would regularly see people at a standstill in their vehicles.

Have also been stuck on it myself...for hours, absolutely busting for a pee - it was sheer agony.

I hope the road clears soon, and no one has been badly hurt or worse.

Yeah, MN needs to close this thread, sharpish now.

I'm surprised that the emergency services aren't helping the people in cars, as I said previously, the Army distributed water and biscuits when we were stuck on the motorway a few years ago.

Im sure your daughter will be fine. Its amazing how other people in the same situation can rally round each other as well. After I got caught out due to a snow storm and stuck in the night 10 years back going from Kent to Nottingham. It was a valuble life lesson to always have some sort of supplies and layers so you can get warm when your engine isnt running.

Lone woman abandons car at night on M5. Yeah that’ll really help the situation.

Like what - a potty???