Snail slime blamed for traffic accident
Police in Germany claim a 'caravan of snails' caused driver to lose control - and other tall tales

Our pick of the strange stories from around the world.
Danger: snail slime ahead
Police in Germany have blamed "a whole caravan of snails" for an accident on the autobahn. Officers say the creatures left a patch of slime on the road, causing a young driver to lose control of his vehicle, which crashed and flipped over. The slime patch dried up shortly after the accident and no longer posed any danger to drivers, they added.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Man flees police on go-kart
A man driving a go-kart has led police on a high-speed chase along a California highway. Video footage of the pursuit, uploaded to Twitter by user @Tonka_Boy_Dre, shows the man speeding away from an unmarked police vehicle with its lights and sirens going. It is unclear whether the man was arrested or managed to escape. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"96726","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
Dog sets new world record
Twinkie the jack russell terrier has set a new world record by popping 100 balloons in 39.08secs, beating the previous record of 41.67secs set in 2015 by Cally the Wonderdog on Britain's Got Talent. Trainer Doree Sitterly also owned Twinkie's mother, Anastacia, who twice set the record for popping balloons between 2005 and 2008. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"96727","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The end of Weight Watchers
Talking Point The diet brand has filed for bankruptcy in the US as it struggles to survive in era of weight-loss jabs
-
Trump vs. China: another tariff U-turn?
Today's Big Question Washington and Beijing make huge tariff cuts, as both sides seek 'exit ramp' from escalating trade war
-
Syria's Druze sect: caught in the middle of Israeli tensions
The Explainer Israel has used attacks on religious minority by forces loyal to Syria's new government to justify strikes across the border
-
Home Office worker accused of spiking mistress’s drink with abortion drug
Speed Read Darren Burke had failed to convince his girlfriend to terminate pregnancy
-
In hock to Moscow: exploring Germany’s woeful energy policy
Speed Read Don’t expect Berlin to wean itself off Russian gas any time soon
-
Were Covid restrictions dropped too soon?
Speed Read ‘Living with Covid’ is already proving problematic – just look at the travel chaos this week
-
Inclusive Britain: a new strategy for tackling racism in the UK
Speed Read Government has revealed action plan setting out 74 steps that ministers will take
-
Sandy Hook families vs. Remington: a small victory over the gunmakers
Speed Read Last week the families settled a lawsuit for $73m against the manufacturer
-
Farmers vs. walkers: the battle over ‘Britain’s green and pleasant land’
Speed Read Updated Countryside Code tells farmers: ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’
-
Motherhood: why are we putting it off?
Speed Read Stats show around 50% of women in England and Wales now don’t have children by 30
-
Anti-Semitism in America: a case of double standards?
Speed Read Officials were strikingly reluctant to link Texas synagogue attack to anti-Semitism