LETTER: What happens if you fall ill on smart motorway?

Plan ahead if you're travelling on the M1 this afternoon.

I agree with the retired traffic officer. On a journey to Doncaster from M1, junction 28, I proceeded north.  I was ‘forced’ into lane two by the number of articulated lorries. Whilst travelling at 60mph an angina attack came to affect me. This I should treat with GTN spray. I needed to stop. My wife was travelling with me and she would take over driving.  I could not stop and gradually got over to lane one. It was pointless getting as far left as possible as barriers would prevent the passenger door opening. I did not see the refuges due to the line of lorries I had been overtaking and did not see any refuge toward junction 30, so I had to keep driving, ill as I was.  Some weeks later I relayed my story to a Highways Agency officer. He stated that I should have rang 999 and stopped where possible to await ‘rescue’. Lane one would have been closed whilst help arrived. In the meantime one would risk an inattentive driver hitting me. As I have a registered assistance dog who rides in the rear of the estate car, he is a hearing dog, the consequences of being hit in the rear do not bear thinking about. I now avoid that stretch of the motorway.

Donald B. Sharpe

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