Self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström found himself stranded for 20 hours on Sweden’s E22 motorway due to snow, describing the experience as the worst weather he’s faced in his 30-year career.
Since launching his own road freight business in the 1990s, Nordström expected the traffic would be cleared before he took the E22 on Wednesday. He, along with about 1,000 other drivers, realized his error when they halted around Linderöd at approximately 1:45 PM.
“The traffic jam was caused earlier, so I assumed the police had already diverted cars to different routes,” the 58-year-old told The Local. “In hindsight, I didn’t think it through properly. With a bit more quick thinking, this wouldn’t have happened and we wouldn’t have seen such long queues.”
As a blizzard swept through the area, nearly 1,000 vehicles were immobilized on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces were called in to assist, evacuating stranded individuals from their cars and delivering essential supplies like food and water.
Though Nordström’s truck only features a day cab with no bed, forcing him to sleep upright, he still found his situation more comfortable compared to passengers in regular cars. However, he was traveling to Lund and then headed home to Olofström without food or medicine, relying on the generosity of others.
“I met a Dutch couple who were very helpful. I told them I was starving, and they graciously offered me coffee and a sandwich,” he recalled, sharing how he spent the night checking the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on the road reopening.
“The estimates kept getting pushed back. First it was 8 PM, then midnight, then 2 AM, and ultimately 2 PM the next day.” Eventually, around 10 AM, the Dutchman got assistance from a local farmer who cleared a three-meter-wide path through the snow, allowing them to escape the motorway.
“We drove out through that opening, going against traffic for a bit, but since there was no oncoming vehicles, it wasn’t dangerous. We only managed to get out due to our own initiative; otherwise, we would still be stuck,” Nordström said, noting that he has never faced such severe snow conditions in his years driving in southern Skåne and Blekinge. He remarked, “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my 30 years behind the wheel. The last time Skåne faced such intense weather was in 1979.”
