Terrific spirit of people caught in emergencies.

[PaulB]

I was caught in this bad crash on the M56 near Runcorn last night and despite it being a MAJOR inconvenience, the best thing about it was the fantastic spirit and cameraderie of all involved.

Within about ten minutes of the motorway grinding to a halt, vehicle doors were opening and people were beginning to walk around on the road on our side and more freely on the westbound side as that was completely empty. Impromptu friendships were being struck up as people's priorities co-incided.

News was being given by those of us with internet connection to those without and those nearer the front of the stoppage, were offering us further back the news they were hearing from rescue services at the scene as they all trudged to the services. They disappointingly told us (this would have been about 5pm) that the police had told them not to come back to their vehicles until around midnight!

We were slightly luckier where we were as it was 1/4 of a mile to the Chester services so no one was going hungry or thirsty. It was also a mild evening so no one was going to go too cold.

Despite the huge inconvenience we all felt, once the emergency was lifted, the driving behaviour shown after that was noticeably better. Much more courtesy was being shown as everyone accepted we were all in the same boat and no one was gaining any advantage by sneaking out of turn in front of anyone else.

I limped home after midnight after being caught up in this incident at 4pm and should have been back about half five!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I was seeing the updates on twitter lengthening the time, bad news but good that they were keeping you informed, knowing even that it bad is better than wondering if it'll start to shift in 5 minutes all the time.

Years ago I was stuck in a similar long stop on the M60 just out of Stockport, pre smartphone so not much news but everyone out and chatting and sharing water and sweets on a blazing hot afternoon.
The only downside was the bloke who claimed to have dynamite in his van worrying that if it got too hot it'd not be too happy.

 

[Beebo]

I was involved in a three car pile up on the M25 about 10 years ago.
I was shocked at the number of people who wound down their windows to shout at us for ruining their day. There are only so many times you can be called an effing wonka, before the novelty wears off.
It wasnt even my fault, i was at the front, and two other cars went into the back of me!

 

[summerdays]

I saw this peice on the news a while ago about a string quartet performing on the motorway

 

[Levo-Lon]

I had a motocycle crash in 89..car hit me on a roundabout..
yes commaradarie..my ass.. " why dont you move the bike" coz my arm is broken you c%=÷×

 

[Globalti]

So what was in the tanker that overturned?

 

[Drago]

My boot is always full of SAR gear, so i've always a days worth of food and water on board

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I do wonder, however, whether use of mobile technology led to the crash in the first place...

The eyewitness reports that the tanker was indicating and moving onto the hard shoulder but clipped a barrier causing it to roll would suggest the driver already had a problem with the vehicle or himself and knew about it but it got away from him as he was trying to get stopped off the carriageway.

 

[postman]

Be prepared for winter.A shovel.blanket,torch,water,woolly hat,gloves,good sturdy boots,overcoat.I looked a pillock on the 52 bus this morning.

 

[SD1]

I was caught in this bad crash on the M56 near Runcorn last night and despite it being a MAJOR inconvenience, the best thing about it was the fantastic spirit and cameraderie of all involved.

Within about ten minutes of the motorway grinding to a halt, vehicle doors were opening and people were beginning to walk around on the road on our side and more freely on the westbound side as that was completely empty. Impromptu friendships were being struck up as people's priorities co-incided.

News was being given by those of us with internet connection to those without and those nearer the front of the stoppage, were offering us further back the news they were hearing from rescue services at the scene as they all trudged to the services. They disappointingly told us (this would have been about 5pm) that the police had told them not to come back to their vehicles until around midnight!

We were slightly luckier where we were as it was 1/4 of a mile to the Chester services so no one was going hungry or thirsty. It was also a mild evening so no one was going to go too cold.

Despite the huge inconvenience we all felt, once the emergency was lifted, the driving behaviour shown after that was noticeably better. Much more courtesy was being shown as everyone accepted we were all in the same boat and no one was gaining any advantage by sneaking out of turn in front of anyone else.

I limped home after midnight after being caught up in this incident at 4pm and should have been back about half five!

And what would have happened in the US and in a lot of countries? Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Beep

 

[SD1]

That said, I do carry a shovel, torch, blanket, water, first aid kit, etc in the boot. I even rembered to change the hi-viz jacket from the lightweight summer one to the heavyweight winter one last week.

Must have big panniers on your bike.

 

[Inertia]

Must have big panniers on your bike.

reg's commute is particularly hazardous in Winter

 

[Levo-Lon]

^^^ brilliant

 

[jefmcg]

And what would have happened in the US and in a lot of countries? Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. Beep

In china, they might not have noticed anything different


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3kL6nMap2s

 

[PaulB]

I had a motocycle crash in 89..car hit me on a roundabout..
yes commaradarie..my ass.. " why dont you move the bike" coz my arm is broken you c%=÷×

A motorcyclist went up through the stationary traffic just after I'd arrived on the scene but about half an hour later, the same guy was walking his bike down the hard shoulder back towards us from the head of the queue. He wasn't allowed through but gave us all the info he'd obtained from the rescue people. One thing my new-found friend and I noticed straight away though was that this rider had three options but none had crossed his mind.
I went for 1) Lift the bike over the barrier and ride freely on the completely empty westbound carriageway.
Bryn, my new mate went for 2) His bike had knobbly tyres so he would have lifted it over the opposite barriers and ridden across the fields (dry) to Stanlow and got onto other roads from there. 3) Was to slowly ride the V short distance to the service station and utilise the service road from there to re-connect to the road network.
He was in a much worse position than us because we had warm cars with radios while he only had a motorcycle to sit on but none of these ideas had entered his mind and it was up to Bryn and I to point out the options available to him.
He told us he know no other way to get to his destination than on that motorway, had no GPS or map so would have been stuck if he'd chosen any other option but after we'd given him a page of the area from an AA atlas, he went for option 3.