Long Traffic Delays (Dover For Example)

[stoofur]

I'm due to travel to Europe in a couple of weeks on the Eurotunnel. Obviously currently in the news there are reports of delays of six hours plus.

Hopefully this won't be as bad in a couple of weeks especially as I am traveling mid week.

I've never been stuck in traffic like this and I'd like to be as best prepared if possible. Does anyone have any advice or experience of being stuck in traffic like this?

What are the logistics (going to the loo for example). If stuck in traffic like this for so long, do you keep your engine running? It will only be me traveling so at least I won't need to keep my daughter entertained.

Thanks for your advice.

[Maydup]

I really hope your mid week journey goes smoothly.

To help things along, my advice is to cross the channel as early on the day as you can. If your booking is for the afternoon, change it to the morning if you can as the queues build up as the day goes on.

In addition to all the advice already given, I would also recommend having your phone plugged in and charging in the car during the drive there in order to have a full battery for any potential delay.

I was stuck in traffic on the M25 once and found it useful to listen to a radio play, it helped pass the time better than the regular radio stations. I sipped drinks little and often and managed not to need the loo urgently, thankfully. But I had stopped at a service station not long before, so maybe schedule a loo stop once you reach Kent and before you join the M20.

If you do get stuck for any length of time introduce yourself to your neighbours and explain that you need a nap, will they give you a knock if traffic starts to move.

Try to relax into it but fingers crossed you won't need any of these tips and you'll sail straight through with a car full of snacks!

[Canary42]

Longest hold-up I've experienced (several hours) was way back in the Seventies on the M4 when a car's bonnet flew open, the driver stopped and several cars collided and caught fire as a result (nobody badly hurt fortunately) so the entire motorway stopped. Lots of people got out of their cars but kept an eye/ear open for all the emergency vehicles charging past on the Hard Shoulder (that thing the Terrible Tories believe is unnecessary - God knows how bad the conflagration would have been in that case).

[Old_Geezer]

Best advice, find a route to Europe that avoids France.

[stoofur]

Talking to nearby motorists is a great idea I like that Maydup.
Old Geezer, I’m not sure I can avoid France when using the tunnel. Also driving in France is the best.
My I wanna say flight or whatever the tunnel equivalent is (descent?) is actually around 5:30 in the morning so hopefully it will be ok. Thanks to everyone’s input to this thread. Some great advice and some really interesting stories. I hope all fellow travellers have a smooth and quick journey wherever you are going.

[1ozzy]

Language warning!!!
Easily offended people and snowflakes should not tap the link.

[1ozzy]

Oh dear.
It wasn't a link :-(

[stoofur]

Just a quick update. I'm back from my trip and I am pleased to say there were no queues. I was actually so early I was able to get on an hour earlier train.