Forums Forums Wirral Information Law And Your Rights Driving wrong way down the motorway (apparently)

I dont want to be an idiot about this as technically the police were probably right as I'm not an almanac on Road Laws but what are my choices?

I was driving down to Bristol and I think it was the M5 was gridlocked jct 7-9 or whatever it's really irrelevant. I turned the corner on the motorway and I was parralel to the on and off ramps for junction 7 and right ahead of me I saw MILES of cars backed up to hell, bumper to bumper. The road dipped and it stretched for miles and I could actually see the jam for as far as I could see. What I also saw were people moving into the slow lane and turning 180 degrees and going up the on-ramp onto the roundabout and taking another route. It wasn't one or two people it was a steady stream of 40-50 cars.

I must stress no traffic could come down as it was blocked off at the slip road due to the jam, I'm not pathetic enough to weave in and out of oncoming traffic to avoid a few hours wait. As there were no cars coming down and faced with a potential 1-2 hour crawl over three junctions I turned around onto the hard shoulder and joined the queue to leave the M-way albeit on the wonrg side of the road - opposite direction.

When I got to the top I saw the police speaking to every car that reached him and thought 'he must be directing people on their way' I wound my window down and he said 'you'll be getting a ticket for driving the wrong way along the motorway MATE' (and this pisses me off, like I'm his mate who just lost a fier to him in a bet, I'm not your fckin mate okay) 'is that ok?' (well no it isn't ok but what can I do). Fine I said and sped off not very happy.

What I need to know that I dont is can I contest it on two counts -

1. Is it strictly the motorway? and with the road closed was I technically going the wrong way along it etc. I just got the feeling he had had a bad day and was giving out max. penalties to whoever he didnt like the look/tone of. He could have said don't do it again etc.

2. I'm obviously not from the Bristol area, would it be worth my while pleading some sort of non-local defence. Say the police were directing us up the slipway to reduce the jam? Or is that too far fetched.


I just dread to think what the points/fine will be and the ripple effect on insurance for years to come.

He sounds like a right ar*e (my opinion and i'm entitled to it )

It is an offence, but to be honest it's a hell of a lot of paperwork to do all of those cars.

At worst MW10 3 points and the apropriate fine

link:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/EndorsementsAndDisqualifications/DG_10022425

motorway or not u were still going the wrong way, going up the sliproad the wrong way is still illegal,and joining the roundabout from the wrong direction is also illegal.

I may have done the same thing in ur shoes, but i'd accept the consiquences of being caught, were any people reversing up the hard shoulder to get back to the "off" sliproad? still just as illegal bu u cud have slipped by the fuzz

The Motorway begins at the On Ramp, as soon as you
turn off the roundabout (Down Ramp) .



You could say you werent sure what was happeing infront of you
and thought a filter had been setup. As your were not car No 1
you could say you were no longer able after realising your mistake get out of the flow of traffic safely.

What's going to happen, if a ticket does show up.
Is a list of the offences.
And fine / points attatched to those.

Now even though plod was so smug to say "Expect a Ticket"
may not actually happen, just to get you worried for
a few weeks.

Just cross yu fingers mate,
wait and see and take it from there.

Unlucky fella, a warning to all the chancers out there.

I know i know, and I do regret doing it now. Sometimes you've gotta stay in the gridlock and grit your teeth, I was just annoyed with his attitude and belive me I will accept the consequences as long as I can't squirm out of it I dont dodge responsibility like that.

No no one reversed but that would be even more dangerous and highly amusing to watch lol!

What irks me is that the offence makes what I did sound a hundred times worse like I'm some idiot who did a u-turn because I missed my junction. I've gotta laugh though I tell my mates and when they hear the offence their jaws drop.

when i went to the ripspeed show with a few mates we got stuck in traffic on the motorway and we turned onto the hard shoulder and drove the wrong way up that onto the slip road. we actually drove past 3 police cars on the slip road and none of them did anything. from what you said it seems we were all just lucky

great now I just feel unlucky, no tickets in the post yet but I know these things take weeks/months to appear so I'll still be gutted if it does arrive

You could say you got stuck in a group of traffic and just 'went with the flow'. Either way, I'd try and put that to the judge if you want/have to go to court.
Judges aren't like the thick police officers, they're there to hear your side.
I can't see how you'd want to queue in 2 hours of traffic, the police should've been directing people off. Grrrs.