Car towing caravan driving the wrong way down M40

[StephandJohn]

Frightening
https://metro.co.uk/2018/10/16/car-...n-wrong-way-down-m40-before-crashing-8041990/

 

[Baldeagle7470]

Good god,what on earth happened there,surely even if realised the error could have reacted and tried to get on the hard shoulder,bizarre.

 

[Boringfrog]

Good job there was space next to the central reservation......

 

[Ambilkate]

OMG

 

[Gaston aires]

When we returned from Santander last week a car was travelling up our carriageway in the wrong direction in the fast lane. I couldn't believe my eyes. All the traffic stopped and waited until the traffic police arrived.
Bizarre.
Phil

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[jockaneezer]

 

[G-RMPS]

Subsequently crashed and closed both carriageways

 

[simsy56]

Reports state that three people died in the subsequent crash. The couple, in their 80's towing the caravan, and a person in their 30's in a Ford Mondeo they collided with. Shocking!

Craig

 

[DBK]

Three reported dead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-45878215

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Both in the car in their 80's and in a foreign country, but even then you would expect one of to notice all the cars and lorries coming the wrong way towards them.. Dementia comes to mind when this happens especially as to how hard it must have been to get onto a slip road the wrong way with a caravan on the back as well.

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[RogerThat]

Given the fact that they were foreign, there is every possibility that they saw this (badly placed?) sign at J7 and turned right immediately....

 

[pappajohn]

especially as to how hard it must have been to get onto a slip road the wrong way with a caravan on the back as well.

Even harder to get across three lanes of traffic coming towards you. Understandable if it was quiet but the road was busy.

 

[Paul an Jane MK]

They could have pulled onto wide grassed area by central barrier and waited for Police but plainly must not have noticed traffic travelling at a closing speed of approx 140mph.

That is SCARY

As said dementia, plus passenger asleep?

 

[Barclaybasher]

Sad

Satnav says take first exit?

Easily done at some locations

RIP to all

 

[Boringfrog]

They could have pulled onto wide grassed area by central barrier and waited for Police but plainly must not have noticed traffic travelling at a closing speed of approx 140mph.

That is SCARY

As said dementia, plus passenger asleep?

Agree, looked like they were doing "normal" speed.

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[Boringfrog]

Given the fact that they were foreign, there is every possibility that they saw this (badly placed?) sign at J7 and turned right immediately....

View attachment 261943

Picture makes that turn look like it could be an easy mistake, but you would be driving in the left hand land, crossing chevrons and going through a no entry sign.

 

[Minxy]

Awful incident. Having recently been abroad though there were a lot of times when, due to roadworks, diversions etc, where the traffic on one side of a motorway was split with part remaining on the correct side and part diverted from one side to the other thus travelling on the same side as the oncoming traffic with poles between, it was often confusing so if they were 'used' to this sort of diversion in their own country it may not have occurred to them immediately that they were in the wrong. Its no excuse I know but possibly one reason why they ended up where the did, along with what looks like a badly planned junction.

 

[joka250]

Picture makes that turn look like it could be an easy mistake, but you would be driving in the left hand land, crossing chevrons and going through a no entry sign.

It would certainly be an even easier mistake if driving on wrong side of A329. Like you picture makes it look easy enough even if in correct lane. Can't help feeling that for too long road design is carried out by desk bound part time drivers.

 

[Richard n Ann]

He/she must have been oblivious to all surrounding signs and vehicles. Almost unconscious.

 

[joka250]

He/she must have been oblivious to all surrounding signs and vehicles. Almost unconscious.

I'm sure you are absolutely right. If as reported the driver was in their 80s it's possibly no surprise. Perhaps another good case for 'retests at 75 or similar although how that would be implemented with foreign drivers goodness knows .
I'm sure a lot of us would resent or resist that but there's no question our faculties diminish with age and as in this case we might become the trigger of a lethal weapon.

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[airwave]

It is very easy to make that mistake at that junction , and also at 8a by the services . I don't think there are any no entry signs on either slip road , however once at the bottom it should have become clear that something was badly wrong . Actually they were extremely lucky to make the motorway itself , as heavy truck's leave the motorway at that junction , me included often still travelling at motorway speeds . The layout of the slip road is such that it's not possible to see what's coming the other way .
I have to admit , i didn't know they were foreign drivers , and that does go some way to explain to me what actually happened . I did something similar in france many years ago . Actually it was , the very first time i drove abroad , i had just left an autoroute and turned on to a single carriageway road , i hadn't gone more than a few yards , when my passenger questioned whether i was on the right side of the road . I stopped immediately . It turned out i wasn't , but luck would have it , it was a quiet road . I corrected after a second or two , and carried on without any further incident's .

 

[Dorwyn]

But for the grace .... Returning to Calais a few days ago along a motorway, I was approaching a roadworks section where you crossed over to the opposite lane. It was quite busy, 3 lanes into one, clearly marked with warning signs and sensible speed limits. I was travelling at the correct speed, and on the main stream, a few cars squeezed in front just before the pinch point. The last car overtook in a stupid way, it was extremely tight and there was no need, he could easily have pulled in behind. So I just tooted the horn once in mild protest. He was travelling fast, of course. He brake tested me at the very point where you crossed over the cleared central reservation which had a temporary surface. I was already braking, but, wow. It could easily have resulted in me pushing him into the busy opposite lane, and possibly us too! Drivers, huh! Oh yes, it was a small souped up hot hatch.

 

[TheBig1]

a couple of years ago there was a fatal crash in Poole where a German tourist left the ferry and got confused.

 

[scotjimland]

this is so sad..

there but for the grace of God go I .. and no doubt many others who have driven abroad.

Is the easiest thing in the world to do.. I came out of a site in France, on a quiet D road, turned right and drove on the left.. first thing in the morning, brain half asleep, scary.. it soon wakes you up when you see a car coming toward you ...

can't imagine what went through his head when he realised he was going against the flow.. if he ever did..

 

[two]

If something can happen, sooner or later it will (Murphy).

I was towing a big caravan in Holland and took the wrong exit out of a supermarket car park. As we approached the road we wanted, the slip road we thought we were on suddenly dipped down underneath it, through a bridge only about 2m high. We were on a cycle path! We'd seen someone wave but thought they were just being friendly.

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[boxerdog]

pure panic and confusion by elderly driver comes to mind

 

[two]

I think they would've stopped in their tracks if panicked or confused.
I think it more likely that they had no idea what they had done wrong, maybe expecting another sign very soon.

 

[Ivory55]

Looks like the car was involved in an accident 5 days before in high Wycombe. May be dementia or something involved.

 

[Minxy]

Looks like the car was involved in an accident 5 days before in high Wycombe. May be dementia or something involved.

https://metro.co.uk/2018/10/18/man-...-involved-in-crash-five-days-earlier-8050891/

 

[joka250]

Indeed car was involved in an earlier no injury accident. I understand it was reported to police but unsure whether they attended or not. They have referred themselves to the IOPC. This is somewhat similar to a recent fatality on the M1 when an elderly dementia sufferer drove wrong way, killing a young father and himself. I believe he had been previously reported but no action taken. 3 forces criticised by IOPC for various failings.

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