Sponsored by
Five-hour journey home from Lewes
Hastings and Eastbourne web pictures
It’s a terrible feeling when you watch, in slow motion, some metal railings getting closer and closer as your car slides in completely the wrong direction towards them, writes Nikki Jeffery.
It happened to me again last night (Monday March 11) in Worthing as I made the long five-hour trek home from work in Lewes to Littlehampton.
Snow had been falling lightly all day but there really wasn’t anything to show for it in Lewes.
I got into the car at 5.30pm slightly worried about the A27 Falmer hill that proved a sticking point on a snowy day in January - another five-hour journey.
Having sped up there I thought my journey might be OK. How wrong I was.
The queue started not far west of the top of the hill, as the traffic came in from the slip roads.
I say slip roads - that was exactly what the journey was to be!
We edged along the road, sometimes slipping, but at least we were moving.
I don’t think I’ve ever been pleased to see Southwick Tunnel - but I was last night as it was a welcome break from the falling snow and the road conditions.
At Shoreham we started to go very slow.
Then came the Lancing traffic lights. It took ages to get there and I watched helpful people rush to push cars up the hill going in the opposite direction.
It’s not much of a hill but it was so slippery the cars couldn’t make it.
Getting to Lyons Farm traffic lights took two hours from there.
Then I decided it was best to avoid the steep and winding Crockhurst Hill part of the A27 so I headed south and then back north up Broadwater Road via Sompting Avenue.
It was turning right from Sompting Avenue into Broadwater Road where I had the close encounter with the railings, watched by some men in a white lorry.
I drove slowly through Thomas A’Beckett traffic lights and then we ground to a halt again at Durrington.
Is there anything more unnerving than watching the cars in front of you sliding about as they try to move?
And you suddenly realise roads you thought of as flat are actually a fair slope when you are scared of slipping!
Once I had negotiated the roundabout at Northbrook College the road suddenly cleared of traffic - but not snow.
Home just after 10pm and much in need of food and a loo!
Did you have a nightmare snow journey? Tell us about it at sussex.express@sussexnewspapers.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page- Lewes to Uckfield rail link is moving further down the track
- Bandit breaks back into Drusillas Zoo after three week ‘vacation’ in Alfriston area
- BREAKING NEWS: Polegate priest receives 10 year sentence for the “systematic” sexual assault of young boys and girls.
- Tomato ‘comes home’ to Plumpton after 70 year abscence
- UPDATE: A27 eastbound lane near Lewes now reopened
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Lewes
Wednesday 22 May 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: North west
