Drivers of ATS , Check This Craziness Out and Cringe

I am on and off a HGV (Truck) driver , I have seen many things on the road that have made me question some peoples sanity but this just beggars belief considering we are supposed to be professional drivers.
The driver of this 40-tonne truck took a wrong turn but rather than carrying on and getting back onto the motorway further up the road he decided to turn his truck around , drive the wrong way down the slip road and rejoin the motorway cutting two lanes in the process.


His punishment for this act of gross stupidity was a mere 15-week suspended prison and an 18-month driving ban which means absolutely nothing as he's from Lithuania.

Footage has been released showing a lorry driver attempting a U-turn on a motorway after driving the wrong way up an exit slip-road.
Leonid Papachin performed the manoeuvre in a 40-tonne truck on the M6 Toll in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

The 51-year-old received a 15-week suspended prison term at Cannock Magistrates' Court last month after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.
He was also given an 18-month driving ban and made to pay £85 costs.
The Lithuanian national had been working in the UK for two months when he committed the offence at around 17:30 BST on 23 October.
Motorway patrol manager Ch Insp Jed White said: "I hope that it serves as a deterrent to anyone who thinks they can put other motorists in jeopardy by ignoring motorway regulations."

a reply to: gortex

Out of curiosity...what would you do if you accidentally went the wrong way down a road like that? Just park and call the police? Dude #ed up and tried his best to safely correct it. I don't think this is some evil being we are looking at. His license was suspended and luckily no one was hurt...I feel that is about right.

a reply to: rockpaperhammock

I agree with you rph,, he goofed and rather than backing up possibly a difficult and dangerous maneuver, he found he could rectify his predicament by making the sweeping turn safely, which he did. Then got busted. Fair, I say.

He waited for traffic to clear and did his best to safely correct a stupid mistake.

Besides, you haven't seen crazy driving until you come to surface streets in Detroit. Or the Beltway around DC.

a reply to: rockpaperhammock

Dude #ed up and tried his best to safely correct it.

Safely correct it ? , he was driving the wrong way on a one way slip-road ! , he then cuts across the carriageway to return to the motorway.

Out of curiosity...what would you do if you accidentally went the wrong way down a road like that?

I would of done what anyone with a modicum of common sense would have done and carried on up the slip-road , around the traffic island at the end of the slip-road and reentered the motorway.

His license was suspended and luckily no one was hurt...I feel that is about right.

Let's hope other drivers who meet this idiot in the future are as lucky i, at the very least he should have been banned and forced to take his HGV test again.

a reply to: cmdrkeenkid

Thats what I thought man...there are places where people treat stop signs as recommendations instead of the law haha...l honestly thought the guy was trying to rectify it rather well...there isn't a person in this forum that hasn't #ed up on the road at least once...not to mention how confusing some signs can be by where they are placed...but that is only speculation in this case.

a reply to: gortex

I dont know what a slip road is...didn't that was an option...thats kind of a nice feature to have. I know in Germany they have emergency phones on the highway..another cool feature I wish the states would get.

May ask another question....have you ever accidentally gone the wrong way done a one way street? What penalty should you have received?

Is it any different because he's driving a scarier looking vehicle?

We all make mistakes...if anyone on this forum gave me full access to their life for 24hrs I could probably find a felony we have all committed with or without knowing it. We are so quick to judge and wish for people's death or a worse punishment when we are following laws that are confusing, unjust, or manipulated in whatever circumstance the powers that be want on a case by case situation. I only add this because you seem really upset by this guy and man I agree with crappy drivers really getting under my skin because I think its the most probable way innocent people die, but just remember my friend we are only human...and in the end...everyone was ok...

Really no craziness here.

The guy made a mistake, and seemed to correct it without causing a problem for anyone.

It's as if it never happened.

He has been reprimanded for his actions, yet you're calling for more? You weren't even there, and this doesn't affect you whatsoever.

This is the problem with people in this world.

I'm guessing he should have continued up the exit ramp and got back on the highway at the next entrance.

If you miss your turn do you just throw it in reverse and back up on a busy road or simply go around the block and have another go at it?