My thoughts are with the deceased's family. This is a major accident and dozens more are injured. The photo on my Sky News app showed misty/foggy conditions so perhaps people weren't driving to the conditions. We will have to see what the police conclude in their investigation.

http://news.sky.com/story/1427453/fatal-mo...of-the-m40 LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Last edited by The Doctor on 14th Feb 2015 12:49 pm. Edited 1 time in total

It's pretty horrific, and the backing traffic up here trying to head southbound is quite horrendous. They are not anticipating it opening again until at least 14:30, so will only get worse. There has also been a smash on the M1, so anything trying to get to/from the Midlands and the South is going to struggle most of the day...forewarned is forearmed. Foraging near Gaydon....
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MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

Last edited by Badger1970 on 14th Feb 2015 11:04 am. Edited 1 time in total

Just checked BBC travel news and it says 42 vehicles involved and then more problems further north on the M40 due to a speed restriction in place after a dog was spotted on the carriageway.

A car and a coach have crashed on the M1 in Bedfordshire with tailbacks further north thanks to people rubbernecking  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Part of the problem both at J9 and further down at High Wycombe J4 on the M40, is that drivers simply don't look at the entry/ exit signs, advising that the slip-road becomes lane 1, and there is no need to move over into lane 2 from the entry slip, which is generally full of Audi's already doing 90+, thus forcing them over into lane 3 where there is a BMW or similar doing 100+.....result = regular and increasing smashes. It's a combination of ignorant drivers and inappropriate speed...this junction in particular is notorious, and carries a lot of traffic from the A34 on joining (mainly transporters from Gaydon carrying LR/RR's to Southampton Docks). Foraging near Gaydon....
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MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

This should not have been the problem in this case as it has happened on the Northbound. But junctions 9 and 10 and 10 and 9 are busy junctions, not up to the required standard for the amount of traffic, Junction 10 has been modified once whereas Junction 9 is currently undergoing it's third redesign.
Excessive speed for the conditions will no doubt be a major contribution th this today, when drivers realise that rear fog lights will not make them see better, only makes them be seen better. But as Badger has said, drivers do not use Lane 1 on the Southbound side at J9, normally staying in Lane 2 till the last possible moment even if it means driving over the hatches. j4 is not so bad as the junction seems to be able to cope with the volume of traffic. p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

3 dead in the coach and car crash on the M1 in Bedfordshire  LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

It's drivers attitudes that need redesigning not the roads,

42 vehicles in a pile up, that's somewhere around 40 drivers not driving correctly then ...

Just watched the video report on Sky News and the footage of the people rubbernecking infuriates me

Just carry on about your business! Sometimes there have been accidents caused by people being too nosy rather than concentrating on driving and police even use screens sometimes to block the view. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

42 vehicles in a pile up, that's somewhere around 40 drivers not driving correctly then ...
Not specifically true, could be as little as 2, one or two big trucks hitting the rear of a queue at speed could involve 40 vehicles sitting there innocently. Law of averages says probably at least half of them to blame. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

taztastic wrote:

It's drivers attitudes that need redesigning not the roads,

42 vehicles in a pile up, that's somewhere around 40 drivers not driving correctly then ...

Human nature means you will always look towards something going on, we are inquisitive animals. The blue lights are like a magnet, but of course under normal circumstances this is what's wanted.

Is this the section of the M40 the locals warned against due to the propensity for fog?
I seem to recall something from a colleague who lived in the area at the time.
I know it doesn't excuse poor driving, and my sympathy goes out to those affected, but with a bit of hindsight......... Andy
Freelander2 HSE (59 Plate, MY10 spec)

Driving my coach today up and down the motorways in foggy conditions and its amazing how many people were driving without their lights on, this is basic stuff. Also these DRLs are a pain, some think they are enough when it's foggy but there is no tail lights.

Rubber necking one of my biggest pet hates, causes more problems and delays than an incident itself. Then you've got those that actually post footage on social media. 21MY Defender 90 S 3.0 D200