Do you think it is acceptable to be left stranded on a motorway for over 15 hours?

Question

I hear that many motorists were stranded for over 15 hours on the M5 due to flooding of the motorway. Shouldn't the police have tried to turn the traffic round some how. They were able to use the hard shoulder to "police" the situation. I just wonder whether they do enough? Please give me your views. I spoke to someone about this recently and they said "it wasn't exactly an emergency". To me it would be as I would not be able to cope for that long. What do you think?

Answer 1

Not acceptable but frankly under the circumstances it was inevitable. It was not an emergency, that was elsewhere r you. It was very inconvenient, but you would have coped because you would have had to. I do not know what the flooding was in that particular area but just let us sat that the police had turned traffic back and you been directed into a flooded area the screams of people inconvenienced then  would have been something to behold. I thin k that rightly clearing a motor way was pretty low down on priorities

Answer 2

Unfortunately it isn't always possible to "magic" traffic away, much though we'd all like it. With hundreds, perhaps thousands of vehicles caught up and more joining blindly every minute there just isn't anywhere for them to go.  

The hard shoulder was used for emergency vehicles, fire, police and ambulance, as well as urgently needed boats and rescue equipment. I hope no-one is going to be so arrogant as to suggest it should have been used instead for the convenience of motorists.

Answer 3

DemonicaB pretty much sums up the answer of the situation.

Answer 4

That sounds like a bad situation.  I think the police could have escorted the people in the other direction.

Answer 5

No, definitely not acceptable.

What would someone do who needed medication?(eg:diabetic, asthma, etc)

Or a baby needing it's feed?

On local(ish) drives someone wouldn't take an emergency supply of things.

What about women travelling during 'the wrong week'

Or when people need the loo, would police turn a blind eye while people squatted in the gutter, or is there a lot of people with 'indecent exposure' charges.

I'm with you, more should have been done.

Answer 6

Oh no 15 whole hours! The horror!  Try queuing up 15 hours for your bread and water ...

Answer 7

This is why I ride a motorcycle to work - I can drive right around through and past all of this mess.

Answer 8

Yeah I heard about that, I was just wondering why there was so much traffic of that time of night, that is the reason they do the roadworks late because it is less busy, how comes it got extra busy?

Answer 9

Hi dear,

Nobody wishes to be stranded like this for so long,

not even for short period of time,

but it so happens sometimes and there is really

no choice.

Police does just enough whatever they can,

but they are also humans without any super-natural

powers but the public expects much more from them

specially under these circumstances.

If someone is stuck under such circumstances and

there is no choice, one has to cope up with that.

Such circumstances can occur and they do occur

because of many different reasons, not only because

of flooding and I wish you never face such a situation.

All the best friend.

Answer 10

Its not acceptable but it is sometimes not easy to avoid, once the traffic cue is too long no one can move there cars.... its gridlock there isn't much the police can do as there it's always clear ways off the motorway for police to move folk... Once your stuck your stuck...But the police could stop the gridlock getting any larger by re-routing traffic further back from joining the cue.

Answer 11

i would have never sat any where that long either i would have drove back the way i came or cut across some way or i would have walked the that was dumb on everyone to sit there that long of a time

Answer 12

Sorry my first answer was a bit harsh! no its not good but its just one of those things my friend! they cant really turn everyone around it just would not work and for every ones saftey they have to wait!!

Answer 13

NO its not. acceptable but that's what happens in modern Britain,

Answer 14

waiting 15 hrs on a motorway is unacceptable. what about your basic needs- food, water, toilet. as the police wont let you turn around on the motorway, they where keeping you prisoners and therefore, not letting you have your freedom- as far as i know, we still do have the right of freedom in England

Answer 15

Hiya

As someone who was stuck around the M5 and Gloucester during the floods I feel qualified enough to answer!

Unfortunately there wasn't really anything that could be done. The jams went back miles and miles, there was no way people could be turned back. I was lucky and although I live about 1.5 hours away I managed to navigate ourselves through tiny country lanes and after 9 hours got home safely.

The hard shoulder was needed by the emergency services. I saw numerous boats and other vehicles being brought down that way. I think in the long run it is more important to rescue those drowning than those who might have to sleep sitting up for the night.

Provisions such as nappies, baby milk, medicine and water should have been made. I don't know if this happened but most people seemed to muck in and help each other.

When you think of the awful earthquakes, volcanoes etc that devastate countries and kill thousands I don't think you can call a few hours in the car an emergency :o)

Answer 16

It was awful,,,people should have complained,,,someone could have been taken ill or worse,,,,,,,