The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström endured a 20-hour ordeal trapped in snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway on Wednesday and Thursday, describing the conditions as the worst he’s faced in his 30-year career.
Having operated his own road freight business since the 1990s, Nordström was surprised to find the E22 blocked when he joined the road on Wednesday. He became aware of the situation along with approximately 1,000 other drivers when traffic came to a standstill near Linderöd around 1:45 PM.
“I assumed the police had already stopped traffic and diverted drivers to alternative routes, as the cause of the blockage occurred a while earlier,” the 58-year-old explained. “I realize now that I wasn’t thinking ahead. If more quick-thinking had occurred, the long queues could have been avoided.”
The blizzard left up to 1,000 vehicles stranded on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad, prompting the Armed Forces to assist in evacuating people and delivering essentials like food and water.
Nordström’s truck features only a day cab without a sleeping bed, forcing him to sleep upright in the driver’s seat. However, he felt better off compared to those in passenger cars. Despite being on his way to Lund in Skåne and then home to Olofström in Blekinge county, he found himself without food or medicine and had to rely on others for assistance.
During his time stuck, he met a Dutch couple who came to his aid the following day. “I mentioned how hungry I was, and they kindly invited me in for coffee and a sandwich,” Nordström shared.
He spent the night watching the Swedish Transport Administration’s website, anxiously waiting for updates on when the road would reopen. “The reopening time kept getting pushed back. First it was 8 PM, then midnight, followed by 2 AM, and eventually 2 PM the next day,” he recounted.
Finally, around 10 AM, with help from a local farmer, he and the Dutchman managed to carve a three-meter-wide path through the snow. They then drove in the opposite direction down the cleared lane until they reached a usable road. “We drove against traffic, but it was safe since there was no oncoming traffic. It was only through our initiative that we escaped; otherwise, we might still be there,” he remarked.
Nordström, who primarily drives in the southern counties of Skåne and Blekinge, noted that he had never experienced snow conditions like this in his long career. “I’ve never seen anything quite like this in 30 years of driving. The last time Skåne faced such severe weather was in 1979,” he concluded.
