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UPDATED: Crash sparks A338 road closure

5:20pm Thursday 9th February 2012 in Latest By Andy Martin

AN accident involving a lorry and Land Rover Discovery sparked a road closure on the A338 on Thursday morning.

Police are appealing for witnesses after the incident was apparently caused by a motorist who was reported to have carried out a series of dangerous ovetaking maneouvres while travelling northbound at the notorious Bickton Bends.

The motorist who drove off from the scene, forced numerous other vehicles to swerve and take evasive action. A section of the carriageway between Ringwood and Fordingbridge was closed just before 7am, with a large quantity of oil on the road.

The road was closed until Thursday evening as resurfacing work had to be carried out.

Pc Martin Vine of Hampshire Police said the lorry had had its fuel tank ripped off and around 80 gallons of diesel spilling onto the road.

"We have no description of the offending vehicle and I would like any witnesses to come forward."

He praised the actions of the lorry and Land Rover drivers and added: "Fortunately no-one was hurt. This could have been so much worse."

Due to large fuel spillage, part of the road may have to be resurfaced and could be closed for the rest of the day.

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Anyone with information is asked to contact Totton Road Policing Unit on 0845 0454545 or 101.

Comments(21)

Huey says...
9:11am Thu 9 Feb 12

Unbelievable.
There are some real nutters out there on the road.

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uvox44 says...
9:29am Thu 9 Feb 12

that's why we need more marked and unmarked traffic cars on the roads-oh no sorry that would be victimising the poor motorist and diverting police resources from "real" crime!

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Francis16 says...
10:40am Thu 9 Feb 12

I would be interested to know whether it was a Seat car that was the one that was being an idiot. On Saturday morning i was coming back from Salisbury towards Ringwood. A Seat overtook me near the park and ride, after being so close that i couldn't see his lights just because i was obeying the speed limit. It then harassed the car in front of me and i watched him overtake several vehicles at dangerous places. I wish that i had taken his reg number. I was really expecting an accident to happen ahead of me. Why are people always in such a hurry that they need to take risks? I hope they catch him before he causes someone to be badly injured or even lose their life.

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AKennedy says...
12:56pm Thu 9 Feb 12

I work in Downton just outside Salisbury and was diverted with the rest of the traffic this morning because of this accident. Anyone who uses this road will know how dangerous it is due to the idiots that insist on overtaking whatever the cost. This road should be patrolled regularly by the Police as the idiots they catch would surely pay for the patrol. Instead they would rather let innocent drivers pay the price - some with their lives. I am sick of hearing of accidents on this road and would like something done.

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Repo says...
1:50pm Thu 9 Feb 12

Maybe the accident was caused by a chain of slow drivers (10-20mph below the spped limit) , who get jealous when a faster car tries a LEGAL overtaking manoeuvre, and all bunch up so as not to let the overtaking driver pull back in - forcing him into the oncoming traffic. I see this happening all the time. All drivers fast and SLOW are responsible for considerate behaviour on the roads.

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pm1976 says...
2:14pm Thu 9 Feb 12

Repo wrote:
Maybe the accident was caused by a chain of slow drivers (10-20mph below the spped limit) , who get jealous when a faster car tries a LEGAL overtaking manoeuvre, and all bunch up so as not to let the overtaking driver pull back in - forcing him into the oncoming traffic. I see this happening all the time. All drivers fast and SLOW are responsible for considerate behaviour on the roads.
That wouldn't be a very safe manoeuvre then. When you overtake you are on the wrong side of the road. It is your responsibility and no one else.

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Repo says...
3:04pm Thu 9 Feb 12

pm1976 wrote:
Repo wrote:
Maybe the accident was caused by a chain of slow drivers (10-20mph below the spped limit) , who get jealous when a faster car tries a LEGAL overtaking manoeuvre, and all bunch up so as not to let the overtaking driver pull back in - forcing him into the oncoming traffic. I see this happening all the time. All drivers fast and SLOW are responsible for considerate behaviour on the roads.
That wouldn't be a very safe manoeuvre then. When you overtake you are on the wrong side of the road. It is your responsibility and no one else.
I guess you're one of these "you're not getting passed me, so I'll accelerate right up to the car in front" brigade then. Do you also straddle your car across 2 lanes of queuing traffic when there's a merging point up ahead ?

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Sgt McNutt says...
3:46pm Thu 9 Feb 12

PM1976.... is that you Piers? Are you down here again, upsetting the locals? I would have thought Heather Mills would be keeping you busy at the mo'.

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B.A.T.A.G. says...
4:21pm Thu 9 Feb 12

Repo wrote:
Maybe the accident was caused by a chain of slow drivers (10-20mph below the spped limit) , who get jealous when a faster car tries a LEGAL overtaking manoeuvre, and all bunch up so as not to let the overtaking driver pull back in - forcing him into the oncoming traffic. I see this happening all the time. All drivers fast and SLOW are responsible for considerate behaviour on the roads.
Why dont you go back to bed, get up again and smell the coffee and live in a real world and read the story above. I wont go on BUT THE STORY ABOVE TELLS YOU QUITE CLEARLY WHAT HAPPENED. With car drivers on the road thank god I don't drive now and I hope they soon catch this ideot and the courts trows the book at him (But I doubt it.)

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B.A.T.A.G. says...
4:25pm Thu 9 Feb 12

B.A.T.A.G. wrote:
Repo wrote:
Maybe the accident was caused by a chain of slow drivers (10-20mph below the spped limit) , who get jealous when a faster car tries a LEGAL overtaking manoeuvre, and all bunch up so as not to let the overtaking driver pull back in - forcing him into the oncoming traffic. I see this happening all the time. All drivers fast and SLOW are responsible for considerate behaviour on the roads.
Why dont you go back to bed, get up again and smell the coffee and live in a real world and read the story above. I wont go on BUT THE STORY ABOVE TELLS YOU QUITE CLEARLY WHAT HAPPENED. With car drivers on the road thank god I don't drive now and I hope they soon catch this ideot and the courts trows the book at him (But I doubt it.)
I meant to say WITH CAR DRIVERS LIKE THIS ON THE ROADS THANK GOD I DON@T DRIVE.

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TinyLegacy says...
4:35pm Thu 9 Feb 12

It's all relative... Just because someone deems another's driving standards as 'dangerous' doesn't mean it's so. I hope there were statements from a number of people claiming the 'facts' in this article.

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Finbarr Finkelstein says...
8:05pm Thu 9 Feb 12

This article implies a pattern of bad driving. It therefore follows that several people witnessed this pattern of behaviour.
Implications are not evidence.
All of the comments above are correct to a degree, however, unless the police give more details who is to know what happened.

Dear Echo, please report more fully in future.

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Hickery says...
9:03pm Thu 9 Feb 12

Not sure what the answer is to dangerous driving on this road. I regularly drive it - in fact I was northbound this morning, but about 30 minutes before this accident thankfully. I am not a slow driver and yet I often find people too close behind & overtaking when junctions or bends are looming, just so that they can drive at 65mph instead of my lowly 60mph! I too get frustrated when following drivers at 40/45mph in the 60mph zones, but overtaking is pointless because you simply catch-up with the next 'slow' car, or a lorry, a bit sooner. My suggestion to these idiots might be to leave home a few minutes earlier so that you don't feel pressure to arrive so quickly!

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585 says...
9:39pm Thu 9 Feb 12

Just where are the 'notorious Bickton Bends'
they don't appear on Google maps or on the map with this article? A Google search doesn't bring up any references to them.

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B.A.T.A.G. says...
10:09pm Thu 9 Feb 12

Google do not tell you where bends are in the roads. All you have to do is drive down this road from Ringwood to Fordingbridge to find out where thy are to. When I used to drive I found it was safer to take these bends at 30 mph to be on the safe side. My father when he was alive 'boy it is better to be 30 minutes late in this world than 30 years to early in the next'.

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Mudefordman says...
10:55pm Thu 9 Feb 12

B.A.T.A.G. wrote:
Google do not tell you where bends are in the roads. All you have to do is drive down this road from Ringwood to Fordingbridge to find out where thy are to. When I used to drive I found it was safer to take these bends at 30 mph to be on the safe side. My father when he was alive 'boy it is better to be 30 minutes late in this world than 30 years to early in the next'.
exactly

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MandinVerwood says...
7:56am Fri 10 Feb 12

Repo wrote:
Maybe the accident was caused by a chain of slow drivers (10-20mph below the spped limit) , who get jealous when a faster car tries a LEGAL overtaking manoeuvre, and all bunch up so as not to let the overtaking driver pull back in - forcing him into the oncoming traffic. I see this happening all the time. All drivers fast and SLOW are responsible for considerate behaviour on the roads.
It's a LIMIT - not a target!
.
Just because the road limit is 60, does not mean you should be traveling at 60 all the time. If you think differently then may I suggest you go back and read the highway code.
.
If the car in front is dong 50mph then the car behind has to accelerate to 60mph (no more) overtake and pull back in front safely. Work out how long a piece of road or time to do that? (remember both cars are moving, acceleration of the 2nd car, gaps between cars etc and it is actually longer than you might think!). Manoeuvrings should not force the others drivers to take evasive actions - which sadly sounds like the issues above.
.
It is NOT caused by the slower drivers who are perfectly within the law and driving sensibly.

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bisadave says...
8:05am Fri 10 Feb 12

Saw a Bentley Turbo (SSY 203)on the Spur Rd the other day hogging the outside lane and when a BMW had the audacity to try to pass him on the inside, the Bentley driver swerved across the carriageway to try and force him off the road. I could swear the BMW had two wheels on the grass while trying to keep control. This was all at 70-80mph. When I passed the Bentley and looked across, the smug git just grinned.

There are some absolute nutters on the road who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a vehicle.

And yes, I did try to report it to a police officer who was parked up, but he wasn't interested.

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Finbarr Finkelstein says...
1:14pm Fri 10 Feb 12

bisadave wrote:
Saw a Bentley Turbo (SSY 203)on the Spur Rd the other day hogging the outside lane and when a BMW had the audacity to try to pass him on the inside, the Bentley driver swerved across the carriageway to try and force him off the road. I could swear the BMW had two wheels on the grass while trying to keep control. This was all at 70-80mph. When I passed the Bentley and looked across, the smug git just grinned.

There are some absolute nutters on the road who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a vehicle.

And yes, I did try to report it to a police officer who was parked up, but he wasn't interested.
If SSY is his registration number give the police a call

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stevobath says...
6:11pm Fri 10 Feb 12

If there were so many people witnessing this drivers behaviour & were so concerned, why didnt anyone think of taking his reg. & reporting him/her to the police?
Car drivers are some of the biggest idiots around.

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Finbarr Finkelstein says...
8:43pm Fri 10 Feb 12

stevobath wrote:
If there were so many people witnessing this drivers behaviour & were so concerned, why didnt anyone think of taking his reg. & reporting him/her to the police?
Car drivers are some of the biggest idiots around.
cyclist are we Stevo?

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