Motoring Discussion > 13 Hours of gridlock....	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: R.P.	Replies: 24

New Wed 1 Aug 12 23:02   13 Hours of gridlock.... - R.P.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19088567 Why does it take so long - no serious injury. 500 litres of leaking fuel oil. When I passed the scene tonight (westbound) the other carriageway was still closed. Total of six patrol cars parked there - why ? Gridloack on the one alternative route (a 40 mile diversion) - took us two hours to travel the 45 miles to collect the Maj. (luckily knowing some smart alternative routes of my own). Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 1 Aug 12 23:37   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Lygonos

How much diesel does it take on a damp road to unseat a biker? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 1 Aug 12 23:58   13 Hours of gridlock.... - rtj70

A lot less than 500 litres would be my guess. Considerably less. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 00:01   13 Hours of gridlock.... - BobbyG

Think yourself lucky . The Rest and Be thankful in Scotland has had yet another big landslide and the road is closed with a 58 mile diversion! Last time it happened I think they started transporting by boat!! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 00:06   13 Hours of gridlock.... - rtj70

Indeed be thankful. Isn't the A55 open again. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 00:06   13 Hours of gridlock.... - rtj70

And shouldn't this all be in motoring? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 06:48   13 Hours of gridlock.... - WillDeBeest

No, RP started with a web link. That makes it Computer Related. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 06:57   13 Hours of gridlock.... - L'escargot

For me, it was an interesting view of the trailer brake actuators, air reservoirs, and pipework, and the air suspension units. Last edited by: L'escargot on Thu 2 Aug 12 at 06:58 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 08:09   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Pat

For me, it's a stark reminder of how little we (lorry drivers) are thought of. Neither on here, or on the comments on the various news reports I've read, has anyone been concerned that the driver was injured......or of the cause of the accident. I know it's a dual carriageway with no roundabouts at that point but a couple of slip roads if my memory serves me right. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 08:27   13 Hours of gridlock.... - CGNorwich

To be fair the OP does state "no serious injury". Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 09:11   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Slidingpillar

Because that volume of fuel undoubtedly softened the road surface. Might recover after a wash with detergent but that or resurfacing is not going to be quick. And untreated the surface will be very slippery - bikers fall off, cars rotate etc. If a bit of elapsed time was the best answer, you will get a long period with nothing being done. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 11:02   13 Hours of gridlock.... - R.P.

Yes Pat of course I have concerns about the driver. Not a moan about the truck accident per se but about the monumental chaos that ensued in its wake - it could have been a car, bike or anything. What is unacceptable is the lack of capcity of the agencies involved to manage traffic after an incident like this. I'm sure the accident wasn't irrelelvent to the driver. The locatin was just past an off slip (no on slip) and the truck had taken out around 40 meters of crash barrier. The vehicle involved is irrelevent.(Could be me tomrrow of course) the managment of the incident left a lot to desire. If I was involved in an accident I would want the resultant chaos minimized. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 09:55   13 Hours of gridlock.... - TeeCee

>> a couple of slip roads That'll be the oil on the surface.....;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 10:58   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Pat

:) -> TC The point I'm trying to make is that lorries don't just fall over on a straight road for no reason at all. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 11:05   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Zero

>> For me, it's a stark reminder of how little we (lorry drivers) are thought of. >> They are reincarnated as cyclists, then they really get sone abuse. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 11:09   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Pat

I get your drift Z;) Pat * off to find a link to put another spanner in the works on that thread now! Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Aug 12 12:35   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Woodster

Actually it was my first thought Pat and that's what I was looking fr. Goes with 27 years of the job I suppose. Now get that dirty great lorry outta my way...jeeeez. Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 6 Aug 12 at 01:07 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Aug 12 12:51   13 Hours of gridlock.... - R.P.

Now get that dirty great lorry outta my way...jeeeez. That wasn't my gripe at all, the gripe was of the resultant chaos caused by lack of a contingency...as far as I'm concerned the truck could have waited until its load de-frosted or hell froze over. Not interested in the investigation or how long the repairs took. The complaint iss about the complete lack of a plan when this road gets blocked. End of. I'm getting cross now ! This is a multi-agency failure - Highway Authority and the Police et al. Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 6 Aug 12 at 01:07 Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Aug 12 13:53   13 Hours of gridlock.... - L'escargot

>> I'm getting cross now ! Dood, woh woh man chill, s'ight innit? You'll only raise your blood presure and pulse rate and that ain't good innit bruv? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 09:35   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Mapmaker

"The Environment Agency Wales officers worked with the emergency services to block drains and absorbent material was used to contain and clear the diesel to protect the Afon Aber which is nearby." That will have taken some time - working directly next to the road. And will cost the ins. co. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 2 Aug 12 22:52   13 Hours of gridlock.... - R.P.

Pat you have mail ! Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Aug 12 07:22   13 Hours of gridlock.... - L'escargot

>> www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-19088567 >> >> Why does it take so long - ............ It must have taken a considerable time to remove the lorry's load of 18 tonnes of meat. Reply to this message | Report message

New Fri 3 Aug 12 07:26   13 Hours of gridlock.... - R.P.

They closed that section of road a couple of years ago for re-surfacing - it was contraflowed and life went ln as normal, more slowly than usual, but we were able to get to work, go to the airport and visit relatives. They should have contraflowed it early on in the accident, I rode that way yesterday lane 2 has been closed off in both directions and it works fine. The local row is that they should have a plan B when something happens there. They didn't and it caused mayhem for an awful lot of people. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Fri 3 Aug 12 07:33   13 Hours of gridlock.... - L'escargot

I'm always philosophical about road accidents, and chill out and thank my lucky stars that I wasn't involved. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 4 Aug 12 01:20   13 Hours of gridlock.... - Harleyman

Hanging meat carcasses..... nearly as bad to carry as the living breathing cows. 18 tonnes of that swinging from the roof, if the driver had to swerve to avoid something the resultant pendulum effect could well have tipped him over. Reply to this message | Report message       1