Page 7 | Stuck in Dover

XmasGridlock · 2020-12-23T10:15:45+00:00

No AIBU. Just stuck in my car in gridlocked Dover with a two year old. Only about two minutes from home. Been here half an hour now. Lots of traffic building up behind me. Plenty of people turning around. Anyone fancy keeping me company?

callmeadoctor · 23/12/2020 12:52

Is it possible to pull on someones drive and ask to leave car there temporarily?

LillianGish · 23/12/2020 12:52

In case you hadn't noticed, the situation in Dover at the moment has nothing whatever to do with Brexit - no, but it is a taste of what the people in Dover are in for after December 31.

Peregrina · 23/12/2020 12:53

( our non European imports always flow freely )

Not so, our container ports are also jammed.

neithernor · 23/12/2020 12:54

[quote exLtEveDallas]**@neithernor* We were stuck for 8 hours once while the police talked a suicide off a bridge* ooh me too, wonder if it was the same one? (M42)

OP, MN kept me sane when stuck in a horrendous jam. If you can see the turning of your road is there anyone that you could call (Neighbour as DH working) to collect DC? Although sounds like he is being an angel for you.[/quote]
Sounds like the same one, yes. I've run into a number of people over the years who were also there, so welcome to the club!

For as long as it was, I don't recall it being too terrible (except for the guy on the bridge). There were impromptu ball games and picnics.

Melroses · 23/12/2020 12:56

Facilities for HGV drivers in this country are shocking.

I live near a major HGV route. There is a service station with a cafe/restaurant/showers/toilets for HGVs and a big lorry park. Since this country seems to rely on HGV drivers to keep things moving, why are there not many more of these. Why are they stuck with laybys for rests and overnight.

Pieceofpurplesky · 23/12/2020 13:00

Hope you get home soon. I was once stuck on a bridge for 7 hours as there had been a horrible accident - all that water underneath didn't help with the need to wee

CherryValanc · 23/12/2020 13:00

@Unsure33

What I don’t quite understand is all those extra lorry drivers knew that france had closed . Could they not have stopped somewhere on the way ? Why keep going ? What on earth would happen if we did not have the lateral flow tests ? I feel sorry for the police and everyone having to organise the tests especially as now the new mutation has already been found in Europe as well .

Hope you get home soon .

What is happening about emergency services and ambulances in the gridlock ? It all sounds very scary .

I'd imagine they head to Dover so that they are there when the border reopens (Which it has supposedly done - for drivers who test negative.)

This situation is not due to either just the pandemic or just Brexit. It's a combination of both. Amount of lorries = Brexit; lorries not being able to leave = pandemic.

The saddest thing about it is one of the claimed reasons for Brexit was control of Britain's borders, yet this is caused by individual EU countries making the independent choice to close their own borders to whoever they chose.

RedToothBrush · 23/12/2020 13:03

@Melroses

Facilities for HGV drivers in this country are shocking.

I live near a major HGV route. There is a service station with a cafe/restaurant/showers/toilets for HGVs and a big lorry park. Since this country seems to rely on HGV drivers to keep things moving, why are there not many more of these. Why are they stuck with laybys for rests and overnight.

This had always surprised me. Why not more?

Until I realised its all about planning and no one wanting a truck stop near them. Even the existing ones struggle to get planning to expand / put in new facilities.

Original poster

XmasGridlock · 23/12/2020 13:04

Dreading January. Really wish we didn't live in Dover. Spitting distance from the turn off now so hopefully won't be too much longer. My next door neighbours have just driven past me. I did try shouting and waving at them from the window to warn them to go back. They'll be stuck too now!

OP posts:

Original poster

XmasGridlock · 23/12/2020 13:05

That's over three hours now.

OP posts:

Original poster

XmasGridlock · 23/12/2020 13:06

0.7 miles from home, according to google, when I got stuck. 8 minutes usually has turned into over three hours.

OP posts:

chomalungma · 23/12/2020 13:08

@XmasGridlock

0.7 miles from home, according to google, when I got stuck. 8 minutes usually has turned into over three hours.

Wow...

MaskingForIt · 23/12/2020 13:09

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MindatWork · 23/12/2020 13:10

Op, if you can see the turning to your road could you not get out and knock on the windows of the cars further up, let them know that you’re going to pull out and go round them and then they can reverse back to let you go past and into your turning? Obv not ideal and only safe if it’s a straight road and good visibility...

ReallySpicyCurry · 23/12/2020 13:13

Big glass of for you tonight OP

How is DS holding up?

January is going to be a shit show

chomalungma · 23/12/2020 13:14

But on Mumsnet that law obviously doesn’t apply if you’re a mummy

And if the engine is turned off?

LindaEllen · 23/12/2020 13:14

I really hope you can get home soon, I'm so sorry that you've had to go through this (and equally sorry that you've had to put up with some people going on about mobile phone laws. For goodness sake.)

LindaEllen · 23/12/2020 13:15

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LemmysAceCard · 23/12/2020 13:15

@Melroses

Facilities for HGV drivers in this country are shocking.

I live near a major HGV route. There is a service station with a cafe/restaurant/showers/toilets for HGVs and a big lorry park. Since this country seems to rely on HGV drivers to keep things moving, why are there not many more of these. Why are they stuck with laybys for rests and overnight.

I work for a logistics company and we have a few trucks. There are more HGV truck and rest stops than you realise. However, nearly all have to be paid for. Our company reimburses the cost but many do not.

That is why laybys are so busy and always have trucks in them, they are free.

MedwaymumofMany · 23/12/2020 13:17

I was planning to see my mum today as a mercy dash as she has been ill. This has triple reminded me to check the M20 before I set off. Mind you she is the other side of Kent.

I thought if you was stationary with your handbrake on, engine off you could use a mobile?

Anyway common sense, surely. I got stick on a slip road once and drivers was laying in the bonnets sunbathing. The police turned us off the slip road thank god as I pg and going in for a scan. They didn’t run over and taser the sunbathers first

Unsure33 · 23/12/2020 13:18

@CherryValanc

When we had the first wave of covid freight was allowed to continue though wasn’t it ?

Why can’t they just let the drivers through and warn them they may have a virulent strain and get tested immediately when they get home . Like boris said they were unlikely to mix with lots of people due to the nature of the job.

Unfortunately even the French in the queues are feeling this is political.

LadyLazaruss · 23/12/2020 13:18

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RedToothBrush · 23/12/2020 13:18

But on Mumsnet that law obviously doesn’t apply if you’re a mummy.

Still a Jobsworth.

No police officer is going to say shit if you've been stuck in a traffic jam for three hours. Especially with a 2 year old.

I once got stuck for 8 hours on the M5 bridge near Cribbs Causeway. That was fun.

I am a harden vet of the Thelwall Viaduct too. Many a 3 hour jam.

Its mental torture.

Unsure33 · 23/12/2020 13:19

Thanks@LemmysAceCard

That explains a lot .

Lcats · 23/12/2020 13:26

@MaskingForIt

Aren’t you a 🍑. And have a special nickname for these kind of comments too. You must be a very special person.

Sending a virtual piece of crap towards you 😷.