DH stuck on the M5... help!

[NannaNoodleman]

It turns out DH's breakdown cover isn't worth a Mars Bar!

He's broken down on the M4/M5 junction.

They're sending out a recovery truck but he has to tell them where to tow him to which has to be a local garage.

Any recommendations??

I need to get the kids packed into the car to go and pick him up... not quite how any of wanted to spend Friday night.

Glad it is sorted OP. I am also surprised at the number of people who wouldn't go and help partners and friends in this situation. We all make mistakes or have a bit of bad luck and a bit of kindness from others really helps in those situations.

The Highways Agency are with him because he's been there so long... they've given him a blanket.

This made me feel sorry for him, poor guy.

Crying at all the posters who saw him!

Cannot understand why some posters are angry that 1. he dared to inconvenience you with something outside of his control and 2. are angry that you dared to go out of your way to pick him up. Christ, he’s your husband obviously you’re going to be there for him in his time of need??

I love these stories and comments. You've all been great company while I've been awaiting news and mildly neglecting my children in favour of MN and googling garages/train stations/hotels/hire cars!!!

Flashbacks ... or a fetish!!

Awk, I'm glad he’s getting sorted, OP. As an aside, you should always have an emergency breakdown bag in your car, no matter the weather or distance you’re travelling. Maybe think of putting one in each car, OP, especially as the weather gets colder.

Flashbacks ... or a fetish!!

We’ll be seeing you again, over on the FWR boards if that happens. 🤣

What can I say... I do have grand illusions of planning and prepping but life always seems to get in the way and we end up winging it.

I will definitely throw some fleeces in the cars tomorrow.

Only just picked up on this. Another MNer here who knows that stretch of motorway (I drive it to work at least 3 days/week (wfh the other days).

That M4/M5 intersection is an awful part of the motorway. There are so many juggernauts thundering along there, I try to drive home outside the rush hour, as it's so scarey.. and when it's raining - OMG the spray is dreadful.

I had an incident earlier this year probably right where your DH is now, @NannaNoodleman. A massive great big lump of something heavy fell off the back of a lorry and smashed into my windscreen. I managed to swerve just in time so it just missed the driver's side (I.e. me!) and it ricocheted off the screen onto the roof, and hit the tailgate. £2K worth of damage to my car, and nobody to claim off. I doubt the lorry driver even knew anything had happened. At least this MNer is still alive to tell the tail, could have been curtains.

I hope your poor DH gets home safe and sound :-(

Ohhh! Can I help you make a list? I love lists! Yes, I know, I’m sad, but...

Jesus, daisychain01, that must have been terrifying!

I’m glad he is on his way home now. Poor bloke. He must be freezing.

I'm telling you @T0tallyFuckedUpFamily for the first time ever, my life flashed before my eyes, I thought I was a gonna! And what's worse I had to drive all the way home, to scared to stop, along the M4 over the Severn bridge and up 9 miles of windey country lanes,with only about a 6 inch square of unsmashed windscreen to see through. I must have made it home on pure adrenaline

Jeez, Daisy... that's so scary. I had an accident (their fault) with a lorry about 15 years ago and I still get a bit nervous when I'm in that blind spot!

Hope he’s home soon for you so you can both crack open the bottle of wine or maybe a hot toddy for him🍷

You’re incredibly lucky to be alive and I know you know that, but I just wanted you to know that I know that.

Seriously, I think it would have taken me a long time to have shaken that feeling, every time I’m on a motorway. The only consolation is, that I’m sure statistically you’re unlikely to have it happen again. 😁

Great news, glad he’s finally on his way home.

Now that it's nearly over I'm sure you'll both be crying with laughter in a little bit...I did have to laugh at all the other drivers going past and possibly making comments along the lines of, "Is that some kind of Black Friday turkey special or something?" That's not to detract from how blooming cold he must have been though.

And Gordano to East Devon is some hike - so yes, Taunton would have made a lot more sense for you than Avonmouth. (Got the wine glasses out yet?)

And @T0tallyFuckedUpFamily - eeeeeeek! I'm glad it was no worse for you, but grief, that's a horrid experience to have. As you say, it is such a thunderously busy part of the motorway for all the reasons mentioned above (Avonmouth, port, delivery lorries, high population density, Friday night holiday traffic, drivers changing lanes at speed with no warning....that's quite before you take the weather into account).

(And OP, here is something to hopefully make you smile now

Glad all is well and DH is on the move

I have full recovery and a new car but this thread has spurred me to put a small emergency bag in the boot. Thanks OP.

You've all been great company this evening.

I love how many people might've thought DH was some conspiracist alien abductee sitting on a grassy knoll!

Hope DH is home very soon OP!

I’m off to google breakdown cover, and write a list of stuff to stash in my boot for the winter. I’m another one who wings it most of the time.

Late to this and glad your DH is on his way home.

All the people that said you shouldn’t pick him up? If you’d said the opposite, that he wanted you to, and you didn’t want to - they’d have gone on about how they’d do it for their husbands. They just like being contrary here because they wouldn’t say boo to a goose in real life.