Self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström found himself stranded by snow for 20 hours on Sweden’s E22 motorway, experiencing what he called the worst weather conditions of his 30-year career.
Nordström, who has operated his own freight business since the 1990s, mistakenly believed that the traffic on the E22 would be cleared when he set off on Wednesday. He realized his error around 1:45 pm, along with approximately 1,000 other drivers, when they became stuck near Linderöd.
“I thought the police would have redirected the traffic after the initial blockage, but I didn’t think it through properly. If there had been a bit more quick thinking, this wouldn’t have happened, and we could have avoided such long lines,” the 58-year-old shared with The Local.
As a snowstorm hit the region, nearly 1,000 vehicles were left immobilized between Hörby and Kristianstad on the E22. The Armed Forces were deployed to assist in evacuating stranded motorists and delivering essentials like food and water to those still trapped.
Nordström’s truck is equipped with a day cab, lacking a bed, which forced him to sleep upright at the wheel. Fortunately, he was slightly better off than those in passenger cars. However, as he traveled to Lund and then home to Olofström, he found himself without food or medicine and had to depend on the kindness of others.
“I met a couple from Holland who helped me out the next day. I mentioned I was really hungry, so they invited me for coffee and a sandwich,” he recounted.
Throughout the night, he frequently checked the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on when the road would reopen. “The estimates kept changing—first it was 8 pm, then midnight, then 2 am, and finally 2 pm the next day,” he said.
Eventually, around 10 am, the Dutchman he met received assistance from a local farmer who created a three-meter-wide path through the snow. Together, they drove against traffic—with their warning lights flashing—until they reached a passable road. “Thanks to our own initiative, we got out. Otherwise, we might still be there,” Nordström concluded, noting he had never encountered such severe weather in his three decades of driving.
