I think I posted this before, so I'll try and make this the short version...............
November last year, I left the in-laws in Bucks at around 6pm one Saturday night. I had the family on board and the theory was that Boy would fall asleep somewhere up the M1. The route I was taking was M1, A50, M6, M74,, etc etc.
Upshot was he didn't fall asleep. Something to do with the M1 being predominantly lit.
So by the time we got to the M6 around 8 he was still awake, so I said to SWMBO if he isn't asleep by 8:30 I'll make a fuel stop to save waking him up later, ('cos I knew I'd have to!), should he actually nod off. Good idea she said.
So by 8:30 we were approaching Charnock Richard services and I thought, 'that'll do!'. I was however in lane three with about a mile to go and there was a not inconsiderable ammount of traffic in lanes 1 & 2, (for a change!!). In order to find a sizeable gap to change lanes gracefully and exit to the services I found it necessary to accelerate fairly aggressively and took the car, (briefly!), up to about 120 MPH. I signalled, changed l;anes and exited perfectly safely.
Now, it took about 30 seconds or so I guess to pull up in front of the services and open my door. When I did I heard two or more sirens going Southbound. Happy that they weren't after me, we went inside to imbibe ourselves with some Coffee etc.
Now to cut a long story short, the sirens I heard were Police cars pacing a car going south on the northbound carriageway, in lane 3!!!!! The lane we'd left not 30 seconds earlier!!
Now if Boy had fallen asleep, we'd've been in lane 3 and hit him!! AND! Had I not exceeded the speed limit so agressively in order to exit the motorway, we'd've been in lane 3 and hit him!!
For the record, he met his demise when he ploughed into a family in a car about a mile further south. They were fairly beat up but ultimately ok. He died at the scene.
It still sends shivers down my spine when I think about it!!