What happened on the M3 tonight?

[Kinky]

I got caught up in the jam on the M3 tonight. Spent about 45 minutes before I managed to get off, at the A322.

Having a beemer that had broken down (overheated) on lane 1, in the roadworks, did not help.

What caused it? I could see lots of blue lights just after the junction (towards the M25). But no mention of it on the radio (otherwise I'd have got off at Camberley)

[Kermit power]

Travel news on Absolute said it was a lorry that had crashed or broken down (can't remember which) in the roadworks.

I think I was lucky! I had a good run up to J4, and then heard it on the travel news as I was cutting over to the A31.

[shimmey69]

was a smash under the bridge of junstion 3, could really tell what was left as it was dark, flashy lights and was a bit of a mess!!!

[Tycho]

shimmey69 said:

was a smash under the bridge of junstion 3, could really tell what was left as it was dark, flashy lights and was a bit of a mess!!!

I was 2 cars back in the outside lane from the crash and would have been part of it had I not thrown out the anchor. This was at about 18:40 and it happened right next to a police car which had stopped on the hard shoulder to help out another motorist...

[Frik]

I heard two accidents. One northbound and then a second southbound in about the same place.

[Kermit power]

Tycho said:

shimmey69 said:

was a smash under the bridge of junstion 3, could really tell what was left as it was dark, flashy lights and was a bit of a mess!!!

I was 2 cars back in the outside lane from the crash and would have been part of it had I not thrown out the anchor. This was at about 18:40 and it happened right next to a police car which had stopped on the hard shoulder to help out another motorist...

Oh. It wasn't the one I'd heard on the radio then. That was a good 2 hours earlier. Sounds like the M3 has been general carnage today?

[Frik]

Not surprising there were so many accidents tbh. I wasn't aware beforehand but it appeared to be fkwit night on the roads.

[Kinky]

I've subsequently heard that there was a 17-car pile up

[kiwifraser]

Poor Smimmey got caught up in the mess, but I revived him with Stella. He survived, and is sure to attend a future days SAS drinking

[Tycho]

Frik said:

Not surprising there were so many accidents tbh. I wasn't aware beforehand but it appeared to be fkwit night on the roads.

You're not kidding! They were everywhere.

[SVTRick]

Why cant drivers learn to think well ahead.
Look at what's going on well in front instead of just looking for the brake lights from the vehicle in front.

A bit of forward thinking out of the bubble for a change is required.
Thats the great thing about driving something with the seat 7 feet off the
road you learn to read whats going on ahead and act on that feedback instead of being involved in it.
That also works for driving a smaller vehicle too, adapt to the conditions.

[Frik]

SVTRick said:

Why cant drivers learn to think well ahead.

Good question.

I followed a woman in a Lexus from Sunningdale to Chobham that was never more than 6 feet from the car in front of her. I turned off at first available opportunity and went another way as it was making me so tense!