Tailbacks on M3Bbomb disposal units called in
Discussion
ian in lancs said:
Time to think about carrying a 'survival' / endurance pack in the car. Food, water, warm stuff, phone charger, football... what else would you carry?
I wouldn’t react based on this news, but a winter pack is generally a good idea depending on where you live. The same things though the football is probably optional.A paper road atlas, maybe. Battery radio (more for entertainment with the engine off). Foil survival blanket. A high vis tabard is also worth considering.
I’ve carried all in North Yorkshire winters and when in Switzerland.
picture from daily wail
That is utterly disgraceful. Keeping that many cars trapped on the carriageway is in itself a security nightmare.
Interesting posts here, with people thinking it's a dry run for terrorist activity. If so, the authorities are doing exactly as I would want, were I a terrorist. Literally thousands of cars, stationary and trapped. Few dozen nail bombs hidden along the carriageway in coke cans, trigger an emergency, stall the traffic and bang.
However, I don't think that is the intention. These have all the hallmarks of something a lot more sinister. Timing is about right, too. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
That is utterly disgraceful. Keeping that many cars trapped on the carriageway is in itself a security nightmare.
Interesting posts here, with people thinking it's a dry run for terrorist activity. If so, the authorities are doing exactly as I would want, were I a terrorist. Literally thousands of cars, stationary and trapped. Few dozen nail bombs hidden along the carriageway in coke cans, trigger an emergency, stall the traffic and bang.
However, I don't think that is the intention. These have all the hallmarks of something a lot more sinister. Timing is about right, too. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
Wiccan of Darkness said:
That is utterly disgraceful. Keeping that many cars trapped on the carriageway is in itself a security nightmare.
Interesting posts here, with people thinking it's a dry run for terrorist activity. If so, the authorities are doing exactly as I would want, were I a terrorist. Literally thousands of cars, stationary and trapped. Few dozen nail bombs hidden along the carriageway in coke cans, trigger an emergency, stall the traffic and bang.
However, I don't think that is the intention. These have all the hallmarks of something a lot more sinister. Timing is about right, too. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
A girl at work got stuck on the M1 last week. Traffic stopped at 08:30 and she finally got released at 16:30. Interesting posts here, with people thinking it's a dry run for terrorist activity. If so, the authorities are doing exactly as I would want, were I a terrorist. Literally thousands of cars, stationary and trapped. Few dozen nail bombs hidden along the carriageway in coke cans, trigger an emergency, stall the traffic and bang.
However, I don't think that is the intention. These have all the hallmarks of something a lot more sinister. Timing is about right, too. Hopefully, I'm wrong.
The helpful highways agency handed her one bottle of water during this time.....
I agree, the authorities have reacted very nervously towards what initially appears to be a black bag of rubbish.
Vaud said:
ian in lancs said:
Time to think about carrying a 'survival' / endurance pack in the car. Food, water, warm stuff, phone charger, football... what else would you carry?
I wouldn’t react based on this news, but a winter pack is generally a good idea depending on where you live. The same things though the football is probably optional.A paper road atlas, maybe. Battery radio (more for entertainment with the engine off). Foil survival blanket. A high vis tabard is also worth considering.
I’ve carried all in North Yorkshire winters and when in Switzerland.
ian in lancs said:
Not over reacting to the news! My point was a bit tongue in cheek but stuck for 12hrs anywhere is a right PITA so it got me thinking about what I'd wish I'd have in the cars in prep. for 'when' not 'if'.
Just pretend you are going camping for a night without a tent or hot food. Boredom would be the bigger issue.
head copy-cats?Vaud said:
ian in lancs said:
Not over reacting to the news! My point was a bit tongue in cheek but stuck for 12hrs anywhere is a right PITA so it got me thinking about what I'd wish I'd have in the cars in prep. for 'when' not 'if'.
Just pretend you are going camping for a night without a tent or hot food. Boredom would be the bigger issue.Vaud said:
Yipper said:
Was just reading the Daily Wail article on this incident, and it looks like only moderated comments from readers are being permitted today... The DM only moderates comments when something controversial is happening...
Coming days after the (very similar) M1 acid incident, this M3 thing does indeed look rather odd.
Speculation that these incidents are a dirty-b*mb dry run and testing the authorities' response.
Sadly I agree... they have been reacting very quickly to suspect packages... something may be about to happen. Coming days after the (very similar) M1 acid incident, this M3 thing does indeed look rather odd.
Speculation that these incidents are a dirty-b*mb dry run and testing the authorities' response.
50kg of radioactive waste on the m25...chaos...
50kg of radioactive waste isn't very exciting unless it is ILW or HLW; disruption for a little while but not going to really ruin your day.
llewop said:
The M1 'dirty bomb' being, probably, hydrochloride acid if reports are close to the truth, so actually chemical not radioactive- in fact less chemicals than kept in many labs.
50kg of radioactive waste isn't very exciting unless it is ILW or HLW; disruption for a little while but not going to really ruin your day.
Ruin your day in terms of delay... and how easily misinterpreted “radioactive” waste is, even if it is very low level.50kg of radioactive waste isn't very exciting unless it is ILW or HLW; disruption for a little while but not going to really ruin your day.
“Dirty radioactive bomb on m25” drives more fear than “acid bomb”
Vaud said:
“Dirty radioactive bomb on m25” drives more fear than “acid bomb”
I don't disagree, however that fear may be misplaced, misjudged and disproportionate. Somewhere I have a copy of an article that describes a dirty bomb as a 'weapon of mass disruption' .... could even have also been the DM.llewop said:
I don't disagree, however that fear may be misplaced, misjudged and disproportionate. Somewhere I have a copy of an article that describes a dirty bomb as a 'weapon of mass disruption' .... could even have also been the DM.
But fear is fear... terrorism seeks to exploit basal fears. The source is largely irrelevant?Vaud said:
But fear is fear... terrorism seeks to exploit basal fears. The source is largely irrelevant?
Also true. But it therefore follows that terrorism thrives on ignorance- lack of knowledge - so improving understanding has to be a good thing, as is having contingency plans and arrangements to protect the public from the terrorists. we don't know what they thought it was, yet. But mobilising the relevant resources inevitably takes time and a major motorway backs up amazingly quickly, so perhaps they need to look at improving traffic management around an incident whilst getting them there and resolving it.JPJPJP said:
Looks as though security services have wind of a credible threat to,the road network doesn't it?
Wonder when they will release details of what has been found at either of these incidents?
It could equally be they're simply hypersensitive and don't want to take any chances.Wonder when they will release details of what has been found at either of these incidents?
I used to work in retail in central Colchester in the late 80s/early 90s - Debenhams and M&S used to get evacuated several times a year because of suspect packages. They never found anything but always had to assume the worst because of the IRA.
If you're going to blow up a dirty bomb, why on earth would you pick some god forsaken stretch of the M3 or the M1? If you managed to blow it up, it would be reasonably easy to clean up and the exposure of people passing a day later would be less than the exposure they get from the vehicle exhausts. If you had a dirty bomb, you'd set it off in the City of London, or Oxford St.
I've always thought that motorway bridges would be good targets, but you need serious explosives and skill to take one of those down, not homemade stuff in a bucket. And if they were after bridges, surely they would plant the bomb and detonate it once they'd got a mile away, not leave it there.
This may be just a method of causing chaos. Honest guv, I just dropped a bin liner out of the window.
I've always thought that motorway bridges would be good targets, but you need serious explosives and skill to take one of those down, not homemade stuff in a bucket. And if they were after bridges, surely they would plant the bomb and detonate it once they'd got a mile away, not leave it there.
This may be just a method of causing chaos. Honest guv, I just dropped a bin liner out of the window.
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