The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström found himself stranded by snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway for an exhausting 20 hours on Wednesday and Thursday, describing the conditions as the worst he has ever faced in his three-decade career.
Unexpected Traffic Jam
Since the 1990s, Nordström has operated his own road freight business. When he took the E22 on Wednesday, he mistakenly believed that the blocked traffic would have been resolved. At around 1:45 PM, he, along with approximately 1,000 other drivers, came to a halt near Linderöd.
Assumptions and Realizations
“I thought the police had already stopped and diverted traffic because the reason for the jam occurred much earlier,” the 58-year-old shared with The Local. “I should have thought more critically; if there had been a bit more quick-thinking, this chaos could have been avoided.”
Stranded Vehicles
Around 1,000 vehicles were left immobilized on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad due to a blizzard, prompting the Armed Forces to assist with evacuations and deliver food and water to those trapped.
Tough Conditions
His truck, equipped only with a day cab and no sleeping area, forced Nordström to sleep upright in the driver’s seat. However, he noted that his situation was better than those stuck in passenger cars. On his route to Lund in Skåne and then back home to Olofström in Blekinge County, he had no food or medicine and had to depend on the kindness of others for help.
Acts of Kindness
“I met a couple from Holland who offered me coffee and a sandwich after I mentioned I was extremely hungry,” he recounted. While stranded, he spent time checking the website of the Swedish Transport Administration for updates on the road’s reopening.
Long Wait for Help
The estimated reopening time kept changing – first it was set for 8 PM, then midnight, 2 AM, and finally 2 PM the next day. Eventually, at around 10 AM, a local farmer assisted the Dutch couple in clearing a three-meter-wide path in the snow, allowing them to escape the motorway.
Creative Escape
“We drove out through the opening, going against the traffic. Thankfully, there was no traffic, so it wasn’t hazardous. Our initiative was what allowed us to leave; otherwise, we might still be stranded,” Nordström explained. He noted that he had never witnessed such severe snow conditions in his 30 years of driving. “This kind of weather hasn’t hit Skåne since around 1979 when the entire region was blanketed in snow.”
