to wonder how people cope when stuck in traffic for hours and hours

[Samcro]

seeing how long people have been stuck in traffic at dover made me wonder.
I live in dread as dd would scream(disability) and it would be HELL
so of course I avoid as much as I can.
but how the hell do people cope? people have been stuck for 12 hours plus.
really curious.

[museumum]

I couldn't do it. I'd have to stick ds in the sling and walk leaving Dh in the car. I reckon I could manage 8-10 miles with ds on my back, there's got to be a town or services in reach.

[MrsJayy]

We always keep the cool box in the car when we go on holiday dds laugh at the extra sandwhiches and drinks she wasnt laughing last week when she scoffed them and drank 2 bottles of water

[gillybeanz]

We don't queue tbh and stay away from places that are too busy to enjoy ourselves. None of us find sitting in traffic fun, so don't do it.

[LunaLoveg00d]

Have never been stuck for so long but you have to be prepared - unless you are very unlucky to be right behind an accident you will possibly have advance warning that there are traffic problems, giving you time to find an alternative route or stop at services to wait. We travelled back up from Somerset a few weeks ago and the M6 north was completely shut around Stafford, we had heard on the radio there were problems and no indication of how long it was going to take to clear, so we went to Bristol Zoo for the day and left once it had cleared. It's not always possible to avoid everything but on long journeys we use sat nav even if we know where we're going as it advises of delays, listen to traffic reports on local/national radio and pay attention to the overhead signs on the motorway.

We also have emergency things in the car - mainly for bad winter weather but they stay in the car all year. Bottle of water, blanket, torch.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I was stuck for a couple of hours on the M6 once with three small children on the way to the zoo. The lovely lorry driver in front of me came over with bottles of water, sweets and crisps because he was "worried about the kiddies". I produced the cool box from the boot packed full for our day out and we had a lovely picnic.

My eldest is 22 and only the other day they were talking about the "nice lorry driver".

[Babyroobs]

We once got stuck for about 5 hours on th M1 on new Years day. There was a fatal accident that had just happened in front of us. Eldest ds was about 2.5 and ds2 around 11months. we had no baby milk or food with us as was meant to just be a journey of a couple of hours. It was awful, freezing cold, dark etc . police eventually turned everyone round to go back the wrong way up the motorway to a slip road. Can't imagine how awful it is for people trapped in the heat in Dover, hope the situation is resolved soon.

[harderandharder2breathe]

She wees easier to use standing, you need the back bit to be kept higher than the funnel. But yes to practice as it feels really weird at first!

[Didiplanthis]

We were stuck for 4 hours on m25 last year then for 2 hours on A1 in same journey. A 4 hr drive took 10.5 hours. I had 3 yr old twins and a 5 year old with me. The children were amazing ! They argued less than on a 5 min trip into town. I had packed alot of spare food and drinks and they appeared to have bladders of steel which usually the younger ones wet themselves watching tv as standing up to go to toilet is too much trouble. It was awful but you kind of got in the zone !

[AlcoChocs]

I'm amazed that so many people still went. The advance warning of long delays in the heat would have made me cancel the holiday.

[ExtraHotLatteToGo]

I keep

First aid kit

water
sunscreen
blanket
cereal bars etc
plastic bags
tissues
wipes
coat
books
pens/paper
etc

in the boot, always.

In the winter a whole raft of other things.

My boot always looks pretty full and people take the mic, but I'd rather have less boot space & more 'in case' stuff.

It wouldn't bother me to take a wild wee on the Tarmac. Anything else I'd be able to do in the car if I absolutely couldnt wait a moment more (hence plastic bags, tissues, wipes).

So I'd be 'OK' with an 'open road' 'delay' in my own car, pretty much.

I would not be ok if told to stay in a vehicle, especially not my own. I don't do being locked in.

Tunnel would depend on if I could walk out if I wanted to and just how well I could control my fear of being trapped in.

I have seen emergency services taking vulnerable people out before, but I suppose the difficulty is often where to take them to, so only done in an extreme situation I guess. They have also brought water, formula etc to cars.

It would be bad enough alone/with other ok adults/children, I can't imagine the hell it would be with children (or some adults) with SN or otherwise fragile/vulnerable people. My heart really goes out to them.

[123therearenomoreusernames]

We should use the power of Mumsnet to do something about this!

It surely is a disaster waiting to happen.

Petition anyone?

[CaveMum]

A few years ago a work colleague of mine got stuck overnight on a A road due to snow. She spent about 13 hours stuck in her car with no food or drink. Now wherever she goes she has food, drink and blankets in the boot of her car just in case.

[Junosmum]

I was once stuck on the motorway for 4 hours. Luckily it was a stretch I did regularly and knew well so had blankets, drinks and a snack. I was desperate for the loo when I got home.

Now I dread to think. As well and IBS I'm also incontinent, so I'd wet myself in that situation now

[ABloodyDifficultWoman]

The thought of this brings me out in the hives! Seriously - what do people do if they need a wee? What when you reach the point where it's just not possible to hold on to it any longer? Do they just do it right there in the road? With everyone looking?

[Doyouthinktheysaurus]

I have had a few hellish journeys in my life but the queues on the way to Dover are the stuff of nightmares.

I was stuck for 2 hours once on the way home from a night shift! I was so tired and grumpy. Would have been a lot longer but they mercifully reopened the road.

Took us 9 hours to get back from Cromer to Worthing after our holiday, it's meant to be a 4 hour journey. The one and only time we've been to Norfolk from here!! There was a terrible accident on the M25. Ds2 was sick in the car. It was no fun at all....

We always get stuck on the M25 round heathrow way but we are so resigned to it now, it is what it is.

[Artandco]

This is why we never leave the house without basics in car. Our car always has 12 bottles of 500ml, some snacks and wet wipes.

When babies we used reusable nappies, but kept 10 disposable in car incase they were needed along with extra wipes and nappy bags. We also had 8 small milk cartons, they breastfed but could have been stuck in car with Dh alone if it wasnt that far away, or whatever.

Everything lasts in heat as non perishable, and we just take out and use water and food at home and swap for fresh items every 6 months. So we don't end up with food really old.

[Destinysdaughter]

I guess a funnel and a jam jar would be a good makeshift shewee?😱

[GoblinLittleOwl]

One copes.
I was stuck on the M5 for five hours, caused by someone threatening to jump from a motorway bridge, one of a spate of such incidents. I had plenty of food and drink with me for long journey, but didn't dare consume because of lack of toilet facilities. Complete absence of information or police until I left motorway, when there were at least twenty cars' worth, doing nothing.

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

Annandale
I'd want the transport police to set up some kind of relief diversion

Sounds strangely apt.

[lalalalyra]

Folks always laugh at my car boot, but after getting stuck for 9 hours behind an accident on the M6 10 years ago I've got a box of stuff that lives in the car.

I always have bottles of water, brunch bars, crisps, boiled sweets, wipes, nappy bags, colouring books & crayons, a pack of cards, 3 blankets and everyone has a coat/jacket that lives in the boot of the car in summer. Currently I also keep a spare set of underwear for the 8yo and the 2.5yo as well.

Then if we're going on a long drive I'll add a cool bag/box with sandwiches and the likes.

[MrsJayy]

I guess people wouldnt get a refund on their holiday/ferry so just going for it but god it sounds horrific

[Memoires]

We broke down in France once, and had to wait for nearly 12 hours for the breakdown rescue thing. We were stuck in very hot sun, very little shade and no food. Luckily there was a basic loo block nearby and we could get water there. We played mainly. It was a little used turn off from the main route between Paris and Blois so no big services or anything.

We caught grasshoppers, played a bit of cricket, sat under a tree and sang songs. All that sort of thing.

Mind you, by the time we were rescued, I would have given the guy as many bjs as he wanted and had his babies (I was lucky, he did not require any of that, and was also rather young, good looking and charming. He spoke pretty good English too.)