M40 Fatality and road closure

[All2Chewy]

Stationary broken down car in the middle lane was hit by a Porsche Cayenne, other car burst into flames, unfortunately with a women at the drivers seat. completely burnt out and the road closed whilst they removed the body etc. I would expect long tailbacks what with the problems on the M4 as well. This was near Junction 2/3 Beaconsfield junction area.

[John D.]

Bloody hell. Nasty.

[Sods Law]

I've not used that section since I have been back at work, since the M4 issues it's been bonkers.


Thought go to those involved and their families...

[knight]

I heard on the radio on the way into work this evening of a broken down car in the middle lane of a motorway and thought how helpless the occupants would be. Don't know if this was the same incident though.

[onyx39]

Terrible. RIP

[RichB]

Sad for all concerned. I've always told my wife if ever anything happens just get your left indicators on and coast onto the hard shoulder. Has to be done at all costs. You can't stop on the motorway.

[BrightYellowTVR]

Nightmare scenario really sorry to read about this, the porche driver may not have had a chance to avoid in the circumstances, feel for the guy as that could happen to anyone. Especially if a cars engine or gearbox seizes you don't get much warning.


Reminds me of when our Espace engine seized, in the fast lane m25 with the family on board, only just made the hard shoulder by moving the shifter to N.

RIP

[RedSpike66]

Read about this in the paper yesterday. Simply tragic. I would have thought that if you were in the middle lane you would try your utmost to get into the slow lane and onto the shoulder before coming to a halt. No idea whether the type of breakdown would have allowed her to do that tho. Tragic.

Spoke to my other half who now realises the absolute necessesity of getting to the left in any similar situation in future...

[MX-5 Lazza]

Many moons ago I used to have an old Rover 216SE with a dodgy fuel pump. It died completely in the fast lane on the M4 in rush hour once while approaching J8/9 from the West. I just put the hazards on and cut across the lanes. People just had to get out of my way as I was heading for the hard shoulder regardless.
The scariest bit was laying on the floor on the hard shoulder on the drivers side of the car, tapping the fuel pump with a screwdriver to get it to start running again with cars thundering past only 3 or 4 feet away from me.

[onyx39]

MX-5 Lazza said:

The scariest bit was laying on the floor on the hard shoulder on the drivers side of the car, tapping the fuel pump with a screwdriver to get it to start running again with cars thundering past only 3 or 4 feet away from me.