AIBU to ask your motorway tips

[serenadippity]

I'm not based in the UK but will be driving from the South up towards Yorkshire next week. Last time I was on the M25 (think it was the M25 - it was a few weeks ago!) everything came to a standstill for hours due to emergency road repairs. Truck drivers were not happy and when eventually we got moving again, there was a near accident right beside me between two trucks, who I'm guessing were in a hurry to get to the Channel Tunnel. I was so delayed I missed my flight and it ended up costing me £hundreds. This sort of thing hasn't happened to me in other countries. I'd like to know if there's any special radio stations, apps, tips, etc, which could keep me informed about the roads, so I could plan better?

Waze is a good app

Thank you rightmovestalker - I've just downloaded it and hope this will help. The motorways in the UK seem so busy, and I really don't want to get stuck again for hours. Last time I was desperate for a wee; I don't know what other people do? I felt sorry for any parents with babies also stuck on the M25 when we couldn't move for hours.

Guarantee you it was the M25. It's just a circular carpark keeping the pesky Londoners in their own city.

I do a lot of motorway driving. Using the waze app saved me about an hour yesterday, when the M6 ground to a halt. Again. I always have 5Live on for the traffic updates.

I carry snacks and water in the backseat - not the boot, cos you can’t get into it in traffic. If it’s an important meeting and I have to go on M25, A14, M62, M6 - I always add 90 mins onto the journey. Last week I did this, and still managed to be 15 minutes late. Lorry fire and crash later. The motorways in the UK are appalling.

AA road watch is good. Most radio channels have regular road updates although that won’t be much use to you if you don’t even know what road you are on. Honestly, the best advise you will get will be route specific. So for example. If you are driving up the A1 you should avoid the black cat roundabout (and generally any road in Britain) during rush hour. It’s not as bad as it used to be but you are likely to end up in a que. there are also ongoing roadworks near Huntington. They are normally not to much of an issue but you may again end up in a que if you are unlucky. For the best advice I would suggest posting you starting location, where in Yorkshire you want to end up, what time you need to arrive there and, your proposed route.

Lot of car radios have a TA button which means "Traffic Alerts". It will switch quickly to other stations if a TA comes on them, so you can get lots of info.

Radio 5 Live does traffic updates every 15 minutes still, I think? In busy periods certainly: 6-9am & 4-7pm daily.

Thanks for the tips; I'll definitely allow more time and plan the route more carefully, keep stuff on the back seat, and tune into the things mentioned. Last time I tuned into different radio stations, but they just said things like "it's not a pretty picture out there" which was hardly useful.

The AA has a good traffic news map on their website which gives live traffic info and makes it possible to work out detours, but it isn't practical to use if you're driving alone.

I avoid the M25 where possible. I think that I've been stationary for hours on every section of it at least once since it opened. When we go on long journeys, I navigate and DP drives, and traffic problems have led to us discovering some lovely alternative routes.

Last time I was desperate for a wee; I don't know what other people do?

I open both doors on one side of the car, squat between them and widdle away. Unless we're in the motorhome, where we have our own loo! And we can make a cuppa and have a lie down. When we saw all the poor people stuck overnight in the snow, we felt quite smug about how we'd actually be quite comfortable.

I was on the M25 when it was completely blocked for 4-5 hours because a lorry had caught fire. It was a baking hot day, and I was so glad I had some water in the car. Then a man came along, very worried because his dog was getting distressed by the heat and I was able to give him half a litre of water and a bowl that I kept in the car for my dog. He was so grateful.

I carry two bottles of water now, in case it ever happens again.

Thanks everyone, I feel more prepared. Just hope there's no snow next week