Madness on the M5
September 3, 2009 –
So I decided to pop away for a nice break – somewhere the bard might feel at home :)
‘Is that a dagger I see before me?’ ‘Yeah gimme your trainers’ – no it wasn’t Liverpool (sorry Liverpool) hehehe
Anyway on a bank holiday friday I find myself trundling up the M5, singing away to Madame Butterfly when lo and behold a queue is forming up ahead. Yes a queue on the motorway. Can you believe that? I had to check that I hadn’t wandered willy nilly onto that nefarious M25. No, I was in Somerset or Zomerset if you happen to have been born there. So to cut a very long story short. I found myself sat in a car park motorway for 8 hours. 8 – WHOLE – HOURS!!!
Why oh why? I hear you cry. Well, someone had decided to try and throw themselves off a bridge and the police had then decided to shut the M5 – on an August Bank Holiday. Yes an August Bank Holiday. The tailback was 20 miles long.
Poor soul, I hear the tender hearted readers out there sob. Yes, and indeed we shall never know what makes someone decide to cause chaos in an attention seeking manner on a hideously busy bloomin’ BANK HOLIDAY!!! Seriously though, people were stuck in their cars, kids in tow for hours and hours with no water, no toilets, no champagne. Couldnt the police have talked, wrestled the guy down in half an hour? What were they doing for 8 hours??? Teaching him macrame? It was pretty bad but do you know what? If that is the worst thing that ever happens to me, well, I shall consider myself lucky. And the fella? Well, I dont know what happened to him but I hope he somehow finds a way through his troubles.
If you were stuck on the M5 last Friday, there is a survivor’s group where you can get counselling. It’s called the Rhia Rehabilitation Project and you can join by emailing rhiacharles@yahoo.co.uk and arranging a session ;) x



