Broke down on smart motorway - awful !

[JLH]

In keeping with how this year is going had another disaster yesterday. We had booked to stay near New Forest after a stressful few weeks just to do something different . I stupidly didn’t realise my car MOT was due to expire whilst away so we took my youngest’s older clio . An hour into journey on M25 it keeps popping out of fifth gear which is scary enough on a motorway but when there’s no hard shoulder it was even more so! I managed to get it along to the nearest yellow bay probably annoying many lorry drivers in my lane as couldn’t go past 60 mph. We all got out of car and rang for help - I am with AA they sent someone to pick us then take us onto next service centre where we had to wait for repair man . There was no barrier to stand behind and there would have been no way myself on my own could have rejoined that motorway if I had to pull over for any reason then go back on. I was just thankful I could get to yellow lay-by or dread to think what would have happened .
After getting to services we waited a further hour and half for AA . He seemed to think it was ok to drive just hold it in top gear if needed and to take it to garage if my choice when home .He said carry on to new forest and if it happens again call them . Needless to say I took the A roads so didn’t have to use 5th gear really but it was so stressful I wish I just went home. We got to new forest at 4-15 after leaving at 8 - should have taken just over two hours ! Then to finish the day off had worst nights sleep I ever had at a premier inn - just want to get home now ! Not bothering going back into new forest ( though it was lovely when we did get there )

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Hope you are feeling a bit better now. It must have been a dreadful experience.

I can understand why they call them smart Motorways because of the technology being used. However they are death traps and only introduced to save having to purchase extra land and put in a proper lane whilst retaining the hard shoulder.

[Dinglebert]

sounds terrible and smart motorways sound a contradiction in terms. Wouldn't worry about the lorry drivers they weren't allowed to go over 60 either.

[wombat girl]

I hope you feel better today and have a nice time / better drive back.

We had a similar issue once had the car cut out on the M25 in roadworks. The road side assistance not to be named were useless. The car continued to cut out every 1.5 hours once cooled down started again.

Very long journey from London to the North East.

[maidmarian]

Oh no, so upsetting. This year seriously needs to do one.

[catherinesian]

Put yesterday behind you, have a little nap so you feel refreshed and head into the forest for a nice long walk and pub lunch. You'll feel much better if you do I am lucky to live on the doorstep of the New Forest and it's always a good de-stressor

Ps, I agree with everyone else re smart motorways, death traps. I am lucky in the one I drive on most (M3) isn't one yet.

[Loobylou_82]

How stressful for you all. But today is a new day, put it behind you and enjoy the day with a lovely lunch and enjoying yourself.

[Rac20]

I used to drive a couple of weeks on the smart motorway on the M62 when DS played football Barnsley way. What a nightmare it was sometimes. On some trips every display had a different speed on it ... 60... 40... 60... 50... 40... I felt like I was in some kind of platform video game. How are you supposed to concentrate on driving safely when you’re constantly having to adjust your speed to such varying degrees for what I could see was no reason at all?

OP.. hope you get the problem sorted before you have to head back home again. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[gl20]

I think smart motorways are going to cost lives (or already have?) that would otherwise be saved by a hard shoulder.

OP - must have been scary. One thing though. If it was jumping out of 5th, could you not have stayed in 4th to the next exit? So long as you’re doing over 50 you’re no slower than someone towing a caravan or whatever.

[Willeve]

A colleague of mine lost her husband on a smart motorway. Broke down, person in charge of closing the line remotely didn’t see him, hit by truck. Definitely death traps.