Went to Brimingham yesterday, an early start to get to my destination by 9 am: did it with 20 minutes to spare. On the opposite carriageway of the M40 as I was wending my way, there was the remnants of an accident: between junctions 12 and 13. That accident had blocked the nearside lane and was causing a blockage of around 5 miles: traffic queuing, at a standstill, for up to five miles. I heard on the radio that this accident had happened at least at 7 am. As I started back they announced on the radio that the problem had gone so I wended my way back and went down the M40 happily. However, I came to join a 4.5 mile slow moving and sometimes stopping queue FOUR HOURS AFTER THE ORIGINAL ACCIDENT. As I got to the place where the accident had happened, I saw that the lorry/ies invovled were then off the carriageway but we we had still been slowed right down. I estimated that I lost 30 minutes of my time. This set me thinking that relatively simple problems such as a motor accident can snarl up an entire motorway for upwards of four hours. By the time I got there the problem was poor but not horrific. Just imagine the people who were trapped by the accident just after it happened ... how many deliveries were delayed, how many people were late for work or dropping off the kids? What were the real costs and knock on effects as a result of what was probably caused by bad driving and/or poor mechanical maintenance. Answers on a postcard please! DW