 Poster: A snowHead
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After 2 weeks in ADH & LDA I was about 60 miles from Calais at about 2.30 this afternoon on my way home. Weather had been been variable but nothing to be concerned about. A Risque de Neige sign came up and literally a few hundred metres later I suddenly saw a lot of red lights ahead. At the same time I also realised that it was suddenly snowing/hailing very heavily and there was in fact a good inch or two on the ground, I could also see that most of the cars in front were out of control hitting barriers, each other, etc. I put my foot on the brake and the ABS and other gubbins on my car was fantastic controlling and breaking the car in a straight line although the wreckage ahead seemed to be getting ever close I stopped well short. Now other out of control cars were going past outside me and I saw a small one skidding towards me from behind. I moved the car quickly forward/right and as it went past it seemed to hit me slightly and stop just in front of mine. Three guys got out of it pulled on Police jackets and started to sort things out in front including looking after a few injured. It was just my 12 year old daughter (now hysterical) and me in the car and as things now seemed to be coming under control I got her over the barrier on the side. The traffic from behind having slowed before the snow was now being directed through slowly, I looked at the back of my car and there was in fact no damage I think the Police car just passed by so close it seemed as if it hit me. I joined the traffic passing through and drove through the snowy patch which covered less than 1km to see that exactly the same was still happening on the other carriageway.
I can only think that there must have been a very violent/sudden snow/hail storm that dumped that down in seconds as it was only the cars immediately in front and behind me affected, a total of about 20 I guess. Mine was one of the very few out of them unscathed. Many were British returning to Calais at that time I hope none of the injuries were serious. Ironic really given drives up and down Alpe D'Huez and Les Deux Alpes that should happen so far from the mountains. After a pit stop only another 1km away (where my daughter got lots of attention from the contents of a British coach recognising the hysterical girl from the side of the road) I drove very sedately the rest of the way to Calais.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Colin B, scary! Glad you and your daughter managed to avoid injury.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Colin B, Glad to hear alls ok. Nothing like watching something uncontrolled in the rear view mirror to make the buttocks tighten 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Colin B, very glad to see that you and daughter are OK.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Wow - not nice. Good to hear you're both ok Colin B.
I was involved in a very minor accident when I was about 10 or 11 and it messed me up for a couple of months - I had nightmares and would freak out every time I was in the car. So do be mindful of the effect of the incident on your daughter and yourself.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Nice to hear you came out OK at the end.
What kind of car you got that braked in a straight line with ABS? Bet you got good tyres as well to survive that ordeal.
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saikee, Actually it's a much maligned 2007 Prius with standard UK non-Winter tyres. I was dead impressed, I was probably doing about 120 kph when I hit the breaks.
Thanks all for the thoughts. I'm just sitting here having a calming beer thanking myself that; the car performed so well; I reacted quickly enough to move the car those last few metres (and that with lunch in Arras a little before I had Amstel Alcohol Free rather than the Kronenberg I was temped by which may have vitally slowed me down) and that I was also dead lucky that none of the following cars ploughed into me.
PhillipStanton, She's not too bad thanks although already talking about not wanting to drive to skiing again (although I've pointed out that it was a freak situation that could have happened just as easily near to home).
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Very freudian slip in both my posts above substituting brakes with breaks. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Colin B, what a vile experience, thank goodness you're both OK.
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Glad to hear you survived intact!
I've experienced several interesting drives to\ from Calais down the A26. Feeezing fog, sheet ice on roads, torrential rain\sleet\snow and for some reason it's always been north of Troyes! So much so that once that leg is completed, i'm much happier!
It never ceases to amaze me how people at inapropriate speeds, everyone's in a hurry. I've been overtaken by cars on these trips that had be doing in excess of 100 mph when conditions were dire. I was just trying to get to the next juction to pull off the autoroute. You can have the most stable vehicle, with the best ABS and winter tyres but then being hit from behind is the real risk!
I've got one more drive down the A26 this year, hope by next week conditions have improved a bit.
Colin B, Again, glad to hear that both of you are in good health.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Colin B wrote: |
| ........... (although I've pointed out that it was a freak situation that could have happened just as easily near to home). |
But maybe more likely in France.
The last time I drove to the Alps was in January, quite a few years ago. I remember seeing some pretty dire driving - then coming across a nasty crash. I thought that would have a salutary effect on driving standards. Not a bit of it. Driving continued to be poor - and I came across 2 more accidents in the next few hours.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Colin B, Glad you're OK.
Probably Belgians caused it.
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Colin - we drove through that isolated snow storm at about midday yesterday (Sunday) about 25miles from Calais. It was about 5 miles of lying snow/slush and there was a spun BMW southbound. I was/am amazed by the chaos given that our outward journey weather 2 weeks ago was horrendous all the way down to the Grand Massif and the snowstorm on Sunday was so isolated. Really glad you are ok. Impressed with our SAT NAV which gave us a 16 mile warning.
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You know it makes sense.
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Just as a point of info there has been a snow alert since Sunday for the Calais/Somme region. Worth checking traffic reports if you can before heading off.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Colin B, We happened upon the accident yesterday on our way home from ADH, must have been a few minutes behind you, at least 12 vehicles Calais bound and another 8 on the opposite carriageway mostly with English plates. I thought at the time what a terrible end/start to several family holidays. Although there was lots of damage it didn't appear anyone was seriously hurt although the Gendarmes Subaru Impreza in front of us almost ploughed into a Porsche Cayenne already embedded in the barrier as it arrived!. Pleased to hear you escaped injury, did make me slow down for the rest of our journey.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Colin B, How horrid. I'm very glad that you and N are OK. She'll calm down before the next holiday for sure. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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easiski, Thanks, she seems to have got over it pretty well already today. First trip of next year is already booked by air so it's likely to be next easter before the problem arises. We're both extremely tired today though, 2 weeks skiing and the journey has really caught up with us.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Colin B, We must have passed through a few minutes after you. Fortunately the frenetic flashing from cars on the opposite carriageway and their use of the old fashioned slow down hand signal alerted us to the need to slow down. Glad to hear you came out unscathed and your daughter's OK. Interestingly I witnessed an almost identical"chute", I think in that same location 6 years ago.
Radio Autoroute 107.7 FM is quite a helpful resource in conditions like that, if you can put up with the MOR music.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi we came through this horrific storm too on Sunday, unfortunately an idiot in a Volvo just didn't slow down and spun and hit the central reservation and then hit a girl standing by her car on the hard shoulder throwing her over the barrier. People were already on the scene from previous spins so we did not add to the caos by stopping. Would really like to know if she was ok. She was in a British plated Renault. If any one knows anything would love to know. People really aught to heed the road signs and road conditions and drive accordingly to avoid this sort of situation. 
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Folks, Was this Sunday 23rd march 2014?
We experienced the same. I slowed down to what I thought was a safe speed around 50 MPH on the inside lane, I noticed a couple of cars rapidly approaching in the rear view mirror on the outside lane, a Range rover or discovery (a Large 4x4 anyway) aquaplaned and spun behind me, roll over and flipped onto the bank, the other cars behind stopped to help, I pray this wasn't a family.....
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Ahh - I see the date now I've registered.... 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Went through similar weather on saturday on the B6265 between Pateley Bridge and Grassington. No multi vehicle accidents though 
Scary, scary stuff Claude B, glad you were both ok and alert.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Few smartass comments (a good bit up). Sounds like genuine freak event due to freak weather not in anyone's control that could have killed someone, and could have happened anywhere; not necessarily more likely in France and there have been countless pile-ups on British roads caused entirely by bad driving
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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LittleRob, and here in Kent, Last Thursday night , 27th March at the entrance to Eurotunnel :- " M20 update: Earlier 8-car crash near J11a was caused by a "freak snow storm". https://twitter.com/kent_999s"
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Poster: A snowHead
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Similarish scenrio back in late 70s, driving a Group 4 Escort rally car on the way to compete in the Monte Carlo Rally, middle of the night & driving fast on racing tyres,
suddenly into a blizzard, the next 1/4 mile was interesting  Glad you & daughter are OK.
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FAQ
, arrived back in pboro late last night 
, less eventful trip back, still not so pleasant being back in the flatlands.