As Tom Cruise says in Days of Thunder when driving through smoke, "Put the pedal down and hope for the best". I am guessing the car that came to a complete stop on the bridge thought the bridge was out or needed a new rear bumper.
LOL! I drive this strech of highway all the time. I'm trying to imagine being the driver that stood on their brakes when they entered the smoke cloud. As others have said, the smoke MUST have been visible from some distance, at least enough to contemplate your next move. I suppouse you don't know for sure what's going to be on the other side of that smoke but to stand on your brakes on a highway where everyone is doing 100+km/h, and there is no room for you to pull over (on a bridge) is INSANE.
As many have said I see stupid driving ALL the time to and from work on hwy1.. from tailgating to dangerous lane changes. Mostly everyone following way too close. I too often have someone cut into the space I've left between myself and the car in front of me.