I had to drive from London to Hull yesterday (well, someone had too!). The M18 was closed between the A1M and M62, so I diverted up the A1M to pick up the M62 direct. Having passed THREE articulated trucks on their sides on a two mile stretch west of Doncaster, I was travelling at the advisory speed limit of 40 mph when an articulated cutainsider truck/trailer rig passed me doing about 60 mph.
Just as his trailer wheels were along side my car, they lifted by about SIX feet, and the truck careened along on its offside wheels only (like some stunt driver-I referred to him as 'something like stunt driver'), only to topple over away from me and crash down onto the low metal central barrier, which it slid along, rapidly disintegrating the offside of the cab and trailer and spewing debris behind it in its wake.
Had this fool (1) observed the advisory speed limit, and (2) pinned his curtains of his EMPTY trailer back so tha the cross wind could pass THROUGH his trailer, this accident would never have happened.
After reaching Hull (safely), I decided to return to London via the Humber Bridge (that WAS scary!), down the A15, onto the M180, back onto the A15 to Lincoln, then onto the A46 and rejoin the A1 further south, then via the A14 and M11. I had expected a relative quiet journey. NO CHANCE.
Between Hull and Ilford I encountered 2 light vans, four 17 ton rigid trucks, eight 38 ton articulated trucks, the remains of two ball-hitch trailers 15 trees and an estate car wrecked on, or adjacent to, the route I travelled.
Bad weather does NOT normally bother me, rain, ice, snow, fog can all be SEEN, but you can't see wind!
The majority of these accidents could have been avoided had vehicles been travelling at a more appropriate speed. Coming home on the M180, I had just passed a road side advising of 'cross winds' (triangular sign with a windsock). An articulated truck came up behind me (in lane 1-nearside of three) and flashed me several times for travelling too-slowly! Ar$ehole!
I am happy to drive anywhere, anytime. It all the other lunatics on the road (some classing themself as 'professional' drivers) that frighten ther cr@p out of me!