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On Monday I had to do the yearly run around some of our major customers, to give them presents and to discuss any current projects.

I had to drive to Wednesbury, Oswestry, Stockport and finally Wigan. I was supposed to go to the Wirral too, but I knew I wouldn't have enough time.

Anyhoo, after a longer meeting than I thought at Stockport I was in two minds whether to just post the presents to Wigan and go home. I decided that it would be best to go, even if it meant I'd get home an hour or two later than usual. How wrong I was....

I finished the meeting in Wiagn at 4:30 and went straight onto the M6 then suddenly, after not much travelling, we started to slow right down. I put the traffic report on the stereo and was informed of a major crash between junctions 18 and 17 (if my memory serves me well), so bad was this crash that the police were stopping traffic getting on the motorway at 18.

Of course you've guessed it by now, I was stuck between these two juntions already so I had to sit there for two straight hours without moving a single inch. To make matters worst, there had been another crash by Walsall which was causing even more traffic further down the M6. Once we got started again I witnessed yet another crash as a big lorry spun round a little Saxo and I had to put my anchors on just to stop in time! I didn't see the news last night so I haven't heard if there were any lives lost on this day of pure motorway hell, I sure hope not.

Needless to say all this fuss made the journey home totally hellish and what would normally take around one and a half hours took me five long scary hours.

When I got in at 9:30, I've never been so thankful to get home in one piece. I got stripped out of my suit in record time and then ate for England cus we'd skipped lunch to get all the visits in.

Next year I'm leaving the Xmas customer visits to someone else......

told ya xmas sucks

I hate to sound unsympathetic and miss the tragedy of your story... but is Wednesbury pronounced 'Wensbury'? Just curious.

Oh, er, and yeah, tough day. Harsh.

Hmmmm, sounds like a typical trip on the M6 to me....

I've been stuck behind an accident for 2 hours before..it sucks so much. I'm sorry mech..poor babe.

That does suck.

You should prepare to entertain yourself in jams like that.
I always have a bunch of CDs and a crossword puzzle book, and ofcourse a cell phone to chat with friends.
Makes the time fly.

christmas rock!

same law as in Norway

They want to implement the same law here in the US.
My Volvo, aka 'tractor'*looks at Finti* has a built in hands-free phone system.
I guess its illegal in Sweden as well.

Mech, you should keep 'Etch A Sketch' in your car, those thngs can keep you entertained for hours!!!
http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/2863/1d/www.randmcnally.com/images/products/full/0579607.jpg

In Romania it's the same law.....but who's respecting it ?!

Yeah, I have the hands free as well. Earlier this year one of our junior traffic ministers tried to suggest that hands free should be illegal as well...

Next thing they'll say you're not allowed to talk to anyone else in the car when you're driving!

Back on topic though, the motor ways and town/city roads are a nightmare now, especially with all the Christmas shoppers out and about as well.

i keep my cell phone in the glove compartment of my car, i never use it.

I absolutely hate driving.
People are extremely rude, and they think that just because they have a bigger car than yours, they have right of way no matter what!

thats true tex. i have a nice small car, and i drive very cautiously.

I hate all the stupid SUVs here. They do try to bullly you..

I now work on the principle that I have great insurance and if they hit me whilst trying to force me to give way when I don't legally have to, well it's their fault not mine.

Yup.
Those rude rich men who drive Hummers to make up for their little dicks are the worst!

I really feel that large SUV vechicles like Hummers and Excursions should be outlawed. They are dangerous to other drivers, they take up too much space on the road, they pollute and you can barely get out of your car if one of them parks next to you in the parking lot.

But ofcourse, I wouldn't mind if someone got me one for Christmas

Sure is Ush, I don't dare go there too often myslef........its yam-yam country out there.

My mate had a hands free kit and when he used it he didn't realise his phone automatically answered the call, he was quite happily singing along to his CD in the car (very badly I was informed) while some people were cracking up listening to him. That kinda put me off them cause I too have a good sing in the car.

It wasn't all that bad Dimmy, I was playing blackjack on my mobile mostly, and I've got a 6 CD multi-changer in my boot (trunk) which was full of some kewl stuff like The Strokes, The Music, The Doves, JJ72 etc.

I thought you said it was full ow "kewl" stuff mech

You'd only be happy if it was full of cheesy 80's rock Finti.

mostly 70`s man

How can you play blackjack on your mobile while you're driving??

he was stuck in traffic

or maybe he does it simultaneously

while driving on the left side of the road

Which is the right side...there.

And so on...

The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.
The Road goes ever on and on
Out from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
Let others follow it who can!
Let them a journey new begin,
But I at last with weary feet
Will turn towards the lighted inn,
My evening-rest and sleep to meet.
Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate;
And though I oft have passed them by,
A day will come at last when I
Shall take the hidden paths that run
West of the Moon, East of the Sun.

oohhhhh new avatar

Or LOTR poem. Got a bit sidetracked there.