The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström was caught in snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway for an exhausting 20 hours on Wednesday and Thursday, describing the experience as the most severe weather he has faced in his 30-year career, according to The Local.
Nordström, who has been operating his own road freight business since the 1990s, mistakenly believed the blocked traffic would have been cleared when he took the E22 on Wednesday. He, along with approximately 1,000 other drivers, became stuck around Linderöd at about 1:45 p.m.
“The cause of the traffic jam occurred much earlier, so I assumed the police had already redirected vehicles onto alternative routes,” the 58-year-old shared with The Local. “I didn’t put much thought into it. If there had been a bit more quick thinking, this wouldn’t have happened, and the queues wouldn’t have gotten so long.”
Up to 1,000 vehicles were stranded on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad due to the blizzard, prompting the Armed Forces to assist with evacuations and deliver essential supplies like food and water to those trapped in their vehicles.
Nordström’s truck features a day cab without a bed, forcing him to sleep upright at the wheel, yet he felt fortunate compared to those in passenger cars. However, as he was en route to Lund in Skåne and then home to Olofström in Blekinge, he lacked any food or medication in the truck and had to depend on assistance from others.
“I met a couple from Holland who were very helpful. I mentioned I was extremely hungry, and they kindly invited me in for coffee and a sandwich,” he recounted. He spent the night refreshing the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on when the road would reopen.
“Each time I checked, the opening time kept getting pushed back. First it was 8 p.m., then midnight, followed by 2 a.m., and then 2 p.m. the next day,” he explained.
Eventually, around 10 a.m., the Dutch travelers received help from a local farmer who cleared a path through the snow. They drove against the flow of traffic, using their warning lights, until they could access a clear road.
“We both made it out through the opening. Although we were driving the wrong way, there was no traffic, so it wasn’t dangerous. We took the initiative to escape; otherwise, we might still be stuck,” Nordström said. Having primarily driven in southern counties like Skåne and Blekinge, he had never encountered such severe snow conditions. “I have never experienced anything like this in my 30 years of driving. Snow conditions this severe haven’t hit Skåne since 1979, when the region was completely buried in snow,” he concluded.
