Big shunt on the M40 yesterday

[adam.]

JP18 said:

There was a big tailback that evening after the same junction that I got caught in, so I assumed it was the same incident. Didn't realise it occurred in the afternoon

The barrier repairs took many hours, and were here (white dot):

https://goo.gl/maps/A3yFwzDJpYkiGKbi7

We were parked the other side of the hill crest (red dot), towards John Lewis.

[Sheepshanks]

unident said:

I wondered what happened, I drove back North from Surrey yesterday evening and the M25 matrices were warning of long delays and carriageway repairs. Seemed strange that as I approached it nobody was using the A404 exit and cutting parallel back to the next junction at Stokenchurch.

Where's the parallel path - do you mean go down to Marlow, then track towards Stokenchurch?

[glenmore3685]

I got stuck in this too coming southbound.

When I finally moved past the scene I saw a white M235i/M240 (not sure which) and what I think was a blue e93 convertible that had both suffered extensive damage.

[768]

At least the speed limit kept everyone safe.

[PurpleTurtle]

selym said:

Vickers_VC10 said:

Triple digit speeds on M40 seem to be the normal especially on the section from M25 right up to Stokenchurch.

The M40 is a free for all. Quite dangerous, as the OP's experience proves and there don't seem to ever be any plod in waiting until you get past the Oxford Services junction.

I've been travelling up and down it very regularly for the last 25 years, from my home in the Thames Valley to see family in the Midlands.

Back in the 90's you really had to be on your guard, traffic cops used to be a frequent sighting (radar gun on the run in to Warwick Services being a particular favourite) but in the last decade - see austerity and policing budgets - it has become a bit of a free-for-all racetrack.

My least favourite bit is southbound from the A43/Cherwell Valley Services to the A34 Oxford junction. People seem to drive absolutely nose to tail at 90mph at all times of day, especially Sunday evenings. It has got to the point where we have started our journey back south early, to avoid the worst of it.

One day there will be a huge multiple vehicle crash on that stretch, I just don't want to be an innocent victim in it.

[unident]

Sheepshanks said:

Where's the parallel path - do you mean go down to Marlow, then track towards Stokenchurch?

Right at the exit roundabout onto the A4010, then left onto the A40, pops you out one junction up and the A40 runs more or less parallel. Took around 10 - 15 minutes to do that trip compared to the predicted 45 min delay by joining the queue.

JP18 said:

Got caught in this, I was on it from the M25. 2 Bmws, an older 3 series and current 6 series flew past in the outside lane followed by a 991 a few minutes before I hit the back of the queue. Just remembered I have a dash cam so may be able to find some footage

Edit: There was a smaller crash earlier on from the main queue - two cars in the central reservation. It had been coned off but no police were there
Found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZjdoMvma1k&fe...
Apologies in advance for the shocking camera quality and not bothering to set the right date/time. For reference I was doing about 85 (kph obviously)

What time was that taken? If it was c9pm then that’s probably the 911 I mentioned in an earlier post. I know I’m being critical here, but your claimed speed (unless genuinely in kph) seems way off given the way all traffic is pacing / overtaking you. The cars you’ve mentioned as flying past don’t seem that quick compared to the surroundings, although I accept cameras and darkness can alter perceptions.

[JP18]

unident said:

What time was that taken? If it was c9pm then that’s probably the 911 I mentioned in an earlier post. I know I’m being critical here, but your claimed speed (unless genuinely in kph) seems way off given the way all traffic is pacing / overtaking you. The cars you’ve mentioned as flying past don’t seem that quick compared to the surroundings, although I accept cameras and darkness can alter perceptions.

Think it was around 8pm so possibly, rewatching the video I realised that and it all looks fairly slow so may have been 80 combined with the fact my car overheads more than you would expect. The other cars don't look they're really going for it in the video, looks a bit pathetic now but in person it was fairly clear to me and my passenger what was going on.

[JP18]

adam. said:

The barrier repairs took many hours, and were here (white dot):

https://goo.gl/maps/A3yFwzDJpYkiGKbi7

We were parked the other side of the hill crest (red dot), towards John Lewis.

That makes sense, I came off and bypassed the traffic through High Wycombe/Stokenchurch so never actually saw the scene.

[irocfan]

speedking31 said:

etting, for example, lower speed limits based on one or two rare detrimental incidents is just as logical as increasing the limit based on the fact that one or two cars travelled the motorway at 120 mph without incident (which probably happens more frequently). But we all know which way it's likely to end.

I must admit that this baffles me. Twunt travelling at 120 (for arguments sake) crashes badly and the nearly as stupid (equally?) people from the likes of 'brake' start shrieking about how we must lower the limit. Well if they didn't obey the higher limit what makes you think that they'll suddenly obey the lower one?

[Sheepshanks]

I drive the M40 a couple of times per month, usually coming off and on at J4, High Wycombe, and there's quite often camera vans, cunningly positioned so out drivers line of sight, on the section between Oxford and J4. One of my colleages got a ticket for 81 there.

Further up, past Oxford, it's not ususual to see unmarked cars stopping people (in either direction). I've also seen cops with hand held laser guns further up, Warwick ish area.

If you use it a lot, you're taking a bit of chance driving steadily at beyond the fixed penalty limit.

[motco]

irocfan said:

I must admit that this baffles me. Twunt travelling at 120 (for arguments sake) crashes badly and the nearly as stupid (equally?) people from the likes of 'brake' start shrieking about how we must lower the limit. Well if they didn't obey the higher limit what makes you think that they'll suddenly obey the lower one?

Exactly! LIkewise with drink-drive limits. Until there's a big illuminated bier stein on the roof that flashes when the driver is over the limit, there's always going to be chancers whatever the limit.