M1 Junction 34 North bound closed today at around 7:45/8:00am this morning, Later on another accident on J36 South bound! Anyone know what's gone on?

Had a meeting of 60 delegates from all across the UK today, was set to start at 9:00 and but only 35 people actually arrived!

Regards
Deano

Time of year, clocks going back etc. Not insurance expert but for some reason end of Oct and November always sees more accidents.

Parkway was a nightmare going out of town this morning tailed back to the Little Chef turn off.

There was an accident on the M1 northbound just before the Meadowhall junction. I saw the aftermath as I travelled southbound at about 7:45 this morning. There was a 7.5 ton truck on the hard shoulder with a rear wheel missing and a car with its front smashed in.

Apparently, the lorry hit some debris on the road which knocked off one of its rear wheels. A car tried to avoid the wheel by swerving, which caused the car to roll and end up on its roof. The driver was reported to have been seriously injured.

The road between junction 33 and 34 was expected to be closed for two further hours. Cars were being diverted off J33 but the queue I saw was horrendous, going back to the M18. I think some cars were being diverted up the M18 and on to the A1 northbound.

According to local radio a lorry overtaking hit some debris which sheared one of its tyres. Car behind tried to avoid shred tyre and ended up on its roof. Driver taken to hospital with 'serious injuries'.

The tyre apparently bounced across the opposite carriageway, fortunately without hitting any other vehicle.

Whilst it can feel like the worst thing in the world being held up in traffic, methinks we should be grateful it wasn't us involved.

(As a bit of an aside, have you seen how bald some of these huge lorries' tyres actually are? But I'm not suggesting anything relating to the above incident.)

There is an accident on the M1 virtually everyday, if its not in the morning when I am travelling, its in the evening.

The Northbound exit for Parkway is normally the worst spot for accidents.

Originally posted by Skatiechik
There is an accident on the M1 virtually everyday, if its not in the morning when I am travelling, its in the evening.

The Northbound exit for Parkway is normally the worst spot for accidents.

I've never figured why when going south bound in rush hour the traffic always grinds to a halt between J31 and J30 about 2 miles before the services and then the same thing happens half way betwen J30 and J29. Never a reason, never an accident, it just stops. You queue for ages and then restart.

Usually because it's an uphill stretch and lorries decide to overtake each other going 1 mph faster than lorry in 1st lane!

a few weeks ago my sister had an accident on the M1. we travel southbound from 35A to 34, because it sometimes stops & starts down to J34, the car behind her speed right up & didnt realise that there was a long line of stood traffic infrount. he crashed into the back of her writing off her car. the policemen that came told her that from 6am that morning there had been 261 accidents between J34 & J35 SB & between J33 & J34 NB. she was told to complain to the highways dept, dept of transport as the accidents were been caused because they changed it from 3 to 2 lanes over the viaduct, which has caused a 75% rise in accident between these junctions.

the apparent random slowing and stopping of traffic when congested is caused by a phenomenon know as syncronised flow and by people driving too close and wanting to travel faster.
Basically someone breaks because they sped up when they shouldn't have. The car behind breaks, but being too close overreacts, this effect is multiplied down the line of traffic, each car slowing a little bit more, until eventually a car is stationary.

If you could watch it from above there would be 'ripples' of stationary traffic that move backwards against the flow of traffic. Spots where many vehicles join or leave the motorway are worse as people changing lanes aggravates this effect by causing more braking (and vehicles joining increase the general level of congestion). That's why you often have the queue leading upto a motorway exit, then a relatively free flowing stretch for a while afterwards....

You can spot syncronised flow, it's when all 3 lanes are moving at similar velocities, there is basically no free space (except peoples braking space) and very little manuevoring is taking place.

If people actually used the outside 2 lanes for JUST over-taking rather than for driving in (like the law states) im sure that there would be less accidents.

and if they actually stopped making cars that went faster and faster there would be less too!! The speed limit in england is 70mph- whats the point in making cars that can go 40-50Mph faster??

Originally posted by Scottandandy
The speed limit in england is 70mph- whats the point in making cars that can go 40-50Mph faster??

Trackdays :cool:

Originally posted by Skatiechik
Trackdays :cool:

haahaa- word!! :D :D

why don'tthey put restrictors on cars like they do on motorbikes?? you can take it off if you want but its at your own risk.

are you thinking of scooters, most motorbikes are not restricted to 70 mph.

you have to remember that not all countries are as unenlightened as ours, so why should companies that also sell cars in germany, not keep increasing the speed (many mercs and bmw's are restricted to 155mph anyway).

going back to syncronised traffic, you'll find that the amount of traffic on the motorway at that point is such that it wouldn't possibly all fit in the inside lane. Basically anyone in the outer two lanes has to keep overtaking and stay with the traffic in his lane.

The number of people who don't observe good lane discipline when they should is ridiculous though, i travel on the m6 toll on a regular basis and even when it's nearly empty, half the cars are happily driving down the centre lane.