Accident today - M4 eastbound about 3.30

SpottedCat

SpottedCat

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Just wanted to say if anyone knows the people involved in the accident today on the M4 eastbound between the M4/M5 interchange and the M32 at about 3.30pm, please let me know they and the horses are all ok?

It was a blue trailer being pulled by a green landrover and the horses I saw were grey and chestnut.

I really hope they are ok, I have been worrying about it all afternoon.

And if anyone wants to know why I did not stop and help, it is because I was travelling westbound and the eastbound carriageway was at a standstill (police etc all there when I saw them) so no way to really.
 
I would normally stop and offer a lift if I saw anyone broken down, but last but one Sunday coming back towards Exeter from Pontispool I passed a box and some forlorn looking people with the Police on the M5.
I wished I could have told them the reason I didn't offer a lift was because we had a stallion on board!
They really wouldn't have wanted to travel with him I guantantee..
 
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I would normally stop and offer a lift if I saw anyone broken down, but last but one Sunday coming back towards Exeter from Pontispool I passed a box and some forlorn looking people with the Police on the M5.
I wished I could have told them the reason I didn't offer a lift was because we had a stallion on board!
They really wouldn't have wanted to travel with him I guantantee..

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I have a sneaking suspicion that you are not allowed to transfer a horse on the motorway unless the new lorry is in some way authorised? I may be making this up, but I think there is something about being registered? I probably dreamt it!
 
Tis true, only police/highways authorised recovery agencies can rescue/recover from motorway. Even a haulier with their own vehicle has to have permission and an escort. By the way its usually a coppers friend that gets the job
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. Hope everyone involved is ok
 
It was my eventy friend who I used to work with so am slightly in shock as just heard from him - am shaking as I type this.

Sadly they lost one of the horses
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(shattered its leg) but other horse was fine hence the buggering off down the motorway - only superficial cuts and they're going to see how he is over next couple of days in case he stresses etc. Both horses were meant to be at West Wilts today for their first runs.

Eventy friend's got bad concussion but his boss (who was driving) is fine bar obviously being very shaken up. Both walked away from the landrover being upside down.

Count your blessings tonight guys
 
From what he told me, trailer started to sway/swerve/snake (as we all know they can do from time to time) - his boss drove through it like you're suppose to, but think it suddenly got incredibly worse. He wasn't too sure as it happened so damn quickly.

Trailer went one way and landrover went the other way into the central reservation. Both landed upside down - took the roof off of the trailer.
 
OMG! That's brought back some memories for me, the same thing happened to me on the M1 a few years ago, I was lucky, although both car and trailer were a right off, neither of the horses (or the people) were hurt badly.

My condolences to your friend, I felt really bad for weeks afterwards, having lost a horse I can't even to begin to imagine how he must be feeling.

xx
 
Thanks Serena.

Gutted would be an understatement - horse had Imp breeding and was looking to be a series prospect for him
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But like I said 3 of out 4 is not bad at all - could have been SO much worse. I spend most of my time worrying about him getting home safe after doing xc on wet ground and he ends up upside down on the M4 ~bloody men!~
 
Yep same thing happened to me a few years ago. Cows in the trailer not horses but just as scary. I haven't been in a car towing anything since but am starting to contemplate giving it a go... stories like this make me think I should listen to my trailer phobia and stick to the wagon.
 
Teapot please send them my huge condolences, that is awful news - I was really hoping that both horses were ok as I saw them both stood by the lorry. I did not realise one had got free. Thank god both people were ok though. One of those tragic accidents, poor, poor people.

Again, I am so sorry for your friends, it looked terrifying and presumably the hitting of the central reservation is why we were at a standstill in the other direction.
 
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Teapot please send them my huge condolences, that is awful news - I was really hoping that both horses were ok as I saw them both stood by the lorry. I did not realise one had got free. Thank god both people were ok though. One of those tragic accidents, poor, poor people.

Again, I am so sorry for your friends, it looked terrifying and presumably the hitting of the central reservation is why we were at a standstill in the other direction.

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Thanks hun - makes you stop dead in your tracks and seriously think.

From what I know - the one that they lost was standing at one point albeit on 3 legs but he sunk to the floor and eventually just shut his eyes before the vet got there
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When I see so many people towing (I compete endurance so trailers dominate) I think I must be being soft and that its about time I got over my phobia. But then you hear something like this and it all comes flooding back. The last time I ever attempted to get in a car towing a trailer was about three years ago. Even as a passenger I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Heart felt sympathies to the people involved in this accident
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Thanks hun - makes you stop dead in your tracks and seriously think.

From what I know - the one that they lost was standing at one point but he sunk to the floor and eventually just shut his eyes before the vet got there
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Doesn't it just - I must have seen them just before the vet got there then - I was looking for anyone who looked like a vet and had the police not been there I would have called the vets nearby, but thought they probably had it in hand. It was pretty horrible from the other carriageway - seeing a situation and being able to do sweet FA to help, but nothing compared to what they have gone through.

I am so so sorry, you must hold on to the thought that it could have been so much worse.
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When I see so many people towing (I compete endurance so trailers dominate) I think I must be being soft and that its about time I got over my phobia. But then you hear something like this and it all comes flooding back. The last time I ever attempted to get in a car towing a trailer was about three years ago. Even as a passenger I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Heart felt sympathies to the people involved in this accident
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I shudder especially when I see people towing with cars that are just not heavy enough, I have even seen people towing with an Astra
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people seem to think it is purely the size of the engine that counts - when my accident happened I was towing with a 4x4, if it can happen to a big car, just imagine what could happen with a family estate
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The accident I was in was caused by just that. My boyfriend at the time, plus his Dad and brother (all three farmers btw) decided to use an old BMW 3 series to tow a cattle trailer with a couple of heifers to the auction. These were heavy beef heifers ready for the market and the trailer was a heavy old thing too.

I had no clue back then about towing safety and assumed that the three of them must know what they were doing. We ended up sideways across a busy A-road with the front of the car hanging over a 10 foot drop. We all walked away from it (including the heifers though they eventually continued their journey to the auction and someone's plate) but it could have been so much worse. And it all happened in about 30 seconds. Trailer started wagging, driver tried to speed up to pull out of the wag, wag got worse and suddenly the trailer was overtaking the car. Not to be recommended
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Happened to me as a child too, parents towing a trailer tent, started snaking, ended up facing the wrong way in the fast lane of the Italian Autostrada - not nice. And I was only tiny and have no memories of my life before the age of 7, but I remember that...
 
I think the kerbweight of those is around 1500kg, so in theory they should be able to tow 1275kg safely. This should be fine for something like a Bateson at 700kg plus a pony at 400kg. There's plenty of endurance folk who tow with Volvo estates and similar.

However would I personally tow with a Mondeo or similar... even well within the limits? Nope. Not a chance.

I've recently bought a Hyundai Santa Fe 4x4 which is a big car but the kerbweight is only 1800kg. I've had a tow bar fitted (first step in curing the phobia) but whether I'll ever get as far as hitching up a trailer... who knows?! I'd certainly go for some lessons first even though legally I'm old enough to tow on my standard licence.

All I'd ever say to anyone is be VERY careful and make sure you know what you're doing before even contemplating towing.
 
my condolences to those involved with the accident, i hope they are all ok (or will be very soon).

But i just have to point out that when the trailer starts snakeing you do NOT try and pull it out of it, you ease off the accelerator and slow down slowly, you do not put your foot on the brake unless you have to (down a hill etc). Snakeing is caused by speed and an unstable load (all horses and livestock basicly) so remove the speed and you remove the problem.
If you do a trailer towing course you should be taught this.
just for proof as ive been accused of making this up before, here are some links
http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/stabilisers/stabilisers.htm
http://www.rmtrailers.co.uk/Manual.pdf
http://www.horsebox-rescue.co.uk/html/body_towing_tips.html
 
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