M5 crash

If, and not for the first time, this is the central reservation or barrier being ploughed through, can they not make them stronger?
If it's not insanely priced, I'd happily pay for that....

looking at lorry -- why would it be in fast lane

In the main it is due to cuts in spending on infrastructure. All the old Armco type barriers should be replaced with the concrete type. As far as I'm aware, no vehicle has ever penetrated the concrete type and crossed carriageways. The design, construction,(it has several steel cables running throughout the length of the barrier) make it so.

Another lorry driver falling asleep at the wheel maybe?

It was in the original reports that the cause was a tyre blowout, causing the lorry to swerve across the motorway before crossing the central reservation and into the oncoming traffic, finally coming to rest on the grass embankment.

Witnesses traveling in the opposite direction also confirmed this.



Isn't the internet great for being able to find out the facts...

Burst tyre? Eye witness reports? Lorry driver fit to answer questions?
Why has the motorway been shut for thirty hours and counting?

Perhaps the road crew like the idea of milking double time to resurface the road and replace the barriers?

UB the whole scene is a crime scene & everything has to be worked out from the evidence that is there at the time & sometimes the scene is reconstructed using the casualty vehicles.  Some poor person is going to get a knock on the door & I dare say the first question anyone would ask is: What happened?  Then as Petraco says all the repairs to make everything roadworthy again.  Recovery won't take place until all life saving or victims pronounced dead & (usually) are if possibble removed, also the heavy (lorry) recovery would obviously take more time than the cars. Those vehicles are now evidence so it is not a quick job.

Second fatal incident involving a lorry going through the central reservation in a week on a British motorway.  Same thing happened near Newport Pagnell on the M1 early in the week, killing two octogenarians travelling in the opposite direction in a car.

Agree about the length of time the motorway was closed.  Dreadful incident, but surely the effect on hundreds of thousands of people using the motorway is of some significance?

Came through the area yesterday and still lanes closed apparently.

Well yes of course JH but not more important than the investigation side of things as there maybe evidence gathering pending possible prosecutions.  Unlikely it is still closed for this but may well be for further repair/maintenance, agree very frustrating for those delayed.

I am always personally annoyed by speed restrictions for road workers (That I strongly agree with as in my industry there have been numerous deaths) when there are no roadworks taking place and nobody in any of the carriageways. If I was in charge all repairs would involve 3 teams working 8 hours each around the clock so all roadworks were completed quickly & efficiently, this would help the road network enormously, alas I assume this in not done due to cost but wonder if it would actually be self funding if the roads ran with far fewer delays.

Mickey, having worked on the motorway network for several years I can understand your concern, but there are legitimate reasons for speed restrictions on motorways undergoing works. Resurfacing, for instance, usually takes place at night but the required signage, cones, diversions etc. must be put in place much earlier to facilitate the works commencing at the required times. The info is usually available from the Highways Agency website, so a bit of forward planning could help with your journey. All the restrictions come under what is known as 'Chapter 8' and woe betide any contractor that does not adhere to the regulations. Sometimes it's due to the proximity of housing or animals that restricts the hours of working. Sorry, it's not as simple as it seems.

The process seems unintelligent, a prescription that the police follow in every such case. I don't accept that every tragic accident is a crime and God alone knows how small the evidence was that the forensic team were searching for in this case - noses to the tarmac, six abreast across the motorway, a day after the accident.
As a whole, the police are better people, slightly, than the rest of us and Lord knows they see sights the rest of us never should but as a body they are not above imposing their will from time to time on the greater public, just to remind them who is really in charge of the roads.

Micky - alas I assume this in not done due to cost but wonder if it would actually be self funding if the roads ran with far fewer delays.

Sadly I doubt if the relevant bodies talk to each other. They all have seperate budgets. Rarely would they look at the overrall picture of the countrywide economy.

Of course you're correct, fewer delays benefit the economy but individual authorities are not encouraged to look at the wider picture.

Rather sadly, I have just found out that the family involved live just opposite me

That must be very upsetting for you, Gin

Local police spokesman saying police are "at a financial tipping point" and citing the "M5 crime scene effort" as evidence for for more funding.He did not say, "Give is your PIN number and we'll turn on the alarm," but you get his point.

Yes MD, Although I didn't know them very well - I've taken their parcels in a couple of times but other than that we never had anything to do with each other. Still, it seems worse when you find out that it is somebody so close.

73 Kings Drive, Bristol?

No - but that's not far away (I would guess about a mile). What makes you say that address?

Unless you are talking about Kings Drive in Stoke Gifford which is miles away.

It's relatively easy to find people, given some basic info.

We know that the man who died in the Seat Leon and is from Bristol.

A quick search of the BT directory brings up....A Beaumont 73 Kings Dv, Bishopston, Bristol, BS7 8JQ

Of course there may be many others of the same name who are ex directory!

The only reason I bothered to look, is with you saying you live opposite, so I found it on street view......

STALKER!

Yes Gin, probably correct....

I just get bored sitting here and I'm easily amused....

It's actually really easy to find people in the US, because the don't seem to be as protective with info, which is strange!