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Too much to hope we'd seen the last of it !
Anyway tales of woe, fun and snowy mayhem....
Last edited by: VxFan on Sun 19 Dec 10 at 17:46
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Scottish Parliament have had their pow-wow to discuss why things went wrong last week and plans for the future::
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11988076
the summary is:
Store extra salt and grit at key locations on the national trunk road network for quicker access.
Use traffic management resources to enable diversions where necessary.
Adapt vehicles, such as landscaping vehicles, for clearing snow.
Remove trunk road and motorway central barriers, allowing easy access to blocked or broken down vehicles if necessary.
Work with the police on holding, or "stacking" lorries on the roads, if conditions deteriorate, to keep traffic moving.
Provide blankets and other supplies to central Scotland's Trunk Road Incident Support Service.
Some sensible ideas there, some that you would have hoped would have been implemented anyway already. I like the ideas of removing crash barriers to allow traffic to disperse and certainly like the idea of stacking the lorries. However, how they achieve this, would be interesting to see.
Not sure what the full National forecast is but up in Scotland we are being told to prepare for the worse come Thurs /Fri. I think this will be a huge test and I wouldn't be surprised to see lorries being pulled off the main roads at the very first hint of snow.
However, after last week's escapades, I also believe that Joe Public will also be better prepared in that they may be more realistic about whether their journey is necessary, and if they do continue, they will be better prepared in the way of food, drink and clothing.
Last edited by: Pugugly on Tue 14 Dec 10 at 23:13
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It's all coming back at the end of the week. Temperatures expected to plunge as low a -10C.with heavy snow in the East on Saturday.
Last edited by: Pugugly on Tue 14 Dec 10 at 23:14
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Not looking good for Christmas travel.
I am fortunate that I do not have to travel anywhere over Christmas but I would like, if possible to do one 200 mile round trip ( all on on main roads/ Motorways) on Boxing day.
In spite of undoubted disappointments of staying at home, I do hope folk have learned to work out the risks of travelling.
I guess a good few would love the excuse to stay at home rather than the duty visit.
I will miss , other folks, little ones on their new bikes wobbling along the pavement outside.
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I think it's a good idea to park up lorries if it gets bad again.
It's always such a difficult decision to make for a lorry driver and one that always has repercussions.
If you ring the traffic office and say that the weather is getting too bad to carry on, you invariably get the remark that 'It's not snowing here'
Sitting in a heated traffic office, it's easy to say that, along with the 'fact' that 'so and so' made it just an hour earlier.
It's long been the mark of a good firm that when inclement weather happens the answer you get is 'Well mate, you're the captain of the ship, you do as you think best'
Sadly they are few and far between.
Taking that decision away from the driver has to be good.
Pat
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237 motorists trapped in snow outside London, rescued by police convoys, military helicopters and altruistic locals -
www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20101214/ontario-severe-weather-101214/
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Nice to see the Canadians aren't too bothered about this driving around with snow on your roof carp!
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It's arrived back here again (south central France) but the forecast for next week is better.
The authorities round here have been stopping or filtering lorries on the autoroute through here during snowy conditions for years. Seems to work but it doesn't impress the drivers much. There also seem to be arrangements for providing blankets, hot food and even emergency accommodation that work smoothly.
Mind you, Paris had a few cms last week - there was total chaos and there is now a new government-backed organisation on standby to deal with this week's expected showers. I read today they have tanks on standby to tow stranded vehicles...
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>> I read today they have tanks on standby to tow stranded vehicles...
>>
I think all ours are in Germany to fight off the Russian hordes flooding across the plains. Good to see our government is on the ball!
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snowing fairly heavily here in the East Midlands. Now starting to settle.
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Just started snowing here in South Cambridgeshire
So temperatures must have really dropped quickly.
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Whereabouts in the East Mids Zero?
Daughter is driving Northampton to Banbury & back later this evening and we're all on an early train to London tomorrow.
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Had some heavy snow before but it didn't stick and it is sunny now.
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Sunny an reasonably clear - according to the local BBC forecast which is generally good, we're really in for it later...
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Horrible wet sleet and increasing wind from north here in the Cambs fens... hovering just above freezing point now so these wet roads will be lethal tonight if they freeze.
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The temperatures have been between 0 and 1C here in the Edinburgh area all day, the main problem here is ice from the snow that has been melting over the last few days. Our road was gritted today, (bin lorry day), and is still difficult to walk on. The pavements are totally buried in snow shifted by a JCB, and there is still heavy snow cover. Clear blue skies most of the day though.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Thu 16 Dec 10 at 15:58
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>> the Russian
Russia - reminds me of this:
englishrussia.com/index.php/2007/06/10/real-russian-winter/
and
meetdallasberry.com/?p=132
Russian Winter… You Shouldn’t complain (43 Photos) - Click thumbnail for full-size image
p.s. that 2nd blog has "automotive" stuff too.
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Much snow here this morning, I headed out in the 120i, fun though it is pretty poor in the snow, the best of our current fleet is the old Clio with narrower tyres and most of its weight over the driven wheels, the Focus ST is also better than the 1 though not helped its wide tyres.
Anyway half an hour and seven miles later in the 120i and it started snowing heavily again so I turned back struggling to get up some of the hills on the way home.
Last edited by: Cheddar on Fri 17 Dec 10 at 11:04
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When I began mobile car engine tuning 1978, I drove a minuscule Honda Acty van,
79 was quite a bad Winter IIRC but that little van with its tiny wheels got me everywhere.
I swopped the Honda for a Suzuki van in the early 80's, which was even better due to a 'proper' engine.
Mid 80's I changed the Suzi for a Mitsubishi Colt L300 ... BIG mistake, terrible road manners in the wet, gawd knows what it would have bin like in the Winter o'79.
I've had Jaaaags, Merrrrrrrrrrrks, Disco's etc., etc., etc. but, my advice is to keep it low (weight) on ice n' snow.
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Which is why the original Panda 4x4 was so good at this. Our son sold his years ago to a farmer from Anglesey because his wife needed a 4x4 but didn't want a big car. They drove all the way to Manchester to collect it.
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Around 9 inches dropped down overnight - X1 came home in pretty horrendous conditions at 3.00am this morning and made it to the foot of the drive---well snowed in now. Half a tank of oil, secondary heating now available, loads of food frozen. So who cares really ? Bags of chocs and junk as well whoopee !
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Wish I'd put Vredestein Quatrac 3's on my Almera now, rather than the Falken Ziex's I bought :(
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Unable to get any 165/70 x 12s, I put 155/80 ditch-finders on. It seems to be paying off. ;>)
Last edited by: bathtub tom {p} on Fri 17 Dec 10 at 14:27
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>>Unable to get any 165/70 x 12s, I put 155/80 ditch-finders on. It seems to be paying off. ;>)<<
Is that on the Pride, Loo?
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I haven't an old Mini, Imp or a Figaro and I can't think of anything else that still takes 12" wheels. ;>)
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>>or a Figaro<<
Awe - that's a shame, it'd be ideal in this weather :}
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What, a twenty-year-old K10. Mines newer than that. ;>)
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>>What, a twenty-year-old K10.<< Mines newer than that. ;>)
Yep! ... and 'starting 2 rust' according to aitchie, so the salt roads would *well* finish them orf!
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I'm following the Met Office's rainfall radar map. Does this reflect snowfall if the temperature is low enough?
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No The rain front could also be an increase in temperature
Its just means something will fall from the sky
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 17 Dec 10 at 12:59
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Anyway, nothing falling form the sky in your neck of the woods all weekend
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I have a few tons of frozen dirty ice and snow in front of my house. It is free to anyone who wants to collect it.
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All of the roads in our wee place were just ice late last night. I don't think there was any tarmac protruding through at all. We've had a digger & big 15 ton lorry in for the past few days scooping everything up and leaving the roads flat. No gritting, so it's just turned to an ice rink.
There's not much grip obviously, but it's not the worst either, definitely possible to drive and walk on if careful.
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An extract from my local council's Snow Plan:
Salt Bins
Salt bins are a self-help facility and are generally considered to be beneficial at locations
where difficulties are likely to be experienced and which are not covered by Primary or
Secondary salting routes. However their use by untrained people could lead to back injuries.
Furthermore, members of the public would generally not wear Personal Protective Equipment,
so would be in further risk of harm. Therefore they will be fitted with padlocks and will be
available for use by authorised personnel only.
I don't think any comment by me is needed.
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Unbelievable - the padlocks would have come off here I think - plenty of trained (but uncertified) artisans in rural areas.
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I wonder how long it is before the council is complaining about the cost of replacing padlocks, and removes the bins.
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>> Unbelievable - the padlocks would have come off here I think - plenty of trained
>> (but uncertified) artisans in rural areas.
>>
Trouble is, they took that approach over in Brighton. Next thing? Local paper reports that scrotes are half-inching the salt out of the bins and selling it.
Humans, eh?
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>> >> Unbelievable - the padlocks would have come off here I think - plenty of
>> trained
>> >> (but uncertified) artisans in rural areas.
>> >>
>>
>> Trouble is, they took that approach over in Brighton. Next thing? Local paper reports that
>> scrotes are half-inching the salt out of the bins and selling it.
>>
Doing it round here as well...
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I've spent the day at my brother in law's in their new house, putting up Ikea furniture for the useless goon. Their garden is huge. Just as I was leaving I thought I'd leave a work of art for when he got home. By keeping my feet together and shuffling along in the fresh, deep snow, I drew an erection that must have been ten metres long. Meat, veg and hair (which I did with a long stick). You can see it from the street, the surrounding houses, you can probably see it from a helicopter. Tony Hart would have been proud.
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Whenever it was recorded it is still used from time to time. Usually travel progs ISTR.
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Just had a lot of snow in here the past half an hour. I am quiet glad I decided not to punk it up tonight. I am in a nice warm bedroom. I am tempted by the cans in the fridge though.
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Good old BB Dave..... setting a low standard then failing to achieve it! ;-)
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Still coming down in South Cottonopolis. Not snowing hard but there's no traffic now so the road is covered. I guess there's about an inch and a half so far.
Tried to get some more rocksalt but they'd run out. i've got enough for the danger zone, the two back steps off the patio.
Got to go out tomorrow, I've got a new oven to collect....buying it for eldest daughter who hasn't had a working one for months.....then off to Argos for SWMBO's pressie, again reserved. I'll have to take the 4WD anyway, to get the oven in.
Another pigging winter flaming wonderland ! Who needs it ??
Broken hip, pneumonia then funeral......Ah well, got to look on the bright side !
Ted
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Snow on snow here at least 10" on the roof of the MX5 - must take it off tomorrow...!
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3 days of humidity & torrential rain here in NZ - think I'd rather have your snow at this time of the year..!
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OK - Key under the wheelie bin, keys to the car on the hook - I'm on the way !
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I've been getting pictures back from where my aunty lives in Conwy. Looks very impressive. I am glad I am not camping in the Red Wharf Bay tonight!
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>> Snow on snow here at least 10" on the roof of the MX5 - must
>> take it off tomorrow...!
>>
Taking the roof off?
Be a bit chilly wont it?
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Just been out to take some pictures, will upload them when my dads gets off the only PC in the house with a wording SD card reader - shameful I know!
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Not snowing here in west Herts, but 1" of snow did paralyse Hemel Hempstead earlier, seemingly striking terror into enough of the residents to congeal the traffic for about 5 hours. Had to take to the hills again to get home. It is now -7C though, not funny. To think I moved here for the climate...
Last edited by: Manatee on Fri 17 Dec 10 at 23:18
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Looking out it seems like we have had another few inches over night here with more on the way ...
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No snow here yet, but it's was -6 degrees when I got up at 3.30am.
I've just seen the news reports on TV of the snow on the A55 in North Wales saying a huge juggernaut had jacknifed and blocked the road.
Fact: None of the 3 normal sized lorries that couldn't get up the hill had jacknifed, in fact all but one were in a completely straight line and the other one was only a half a lane out of straight!
Pat
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Just about to set off on minor roads between Stamford and Melton. No lying snow, clear skies and -6C. Steady does it!
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Not the best or roads PP, watch the dips for ice and stay safe.
Pat
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Pda - Probably Rhuallt Hill...that. You've reminded me of a friend who used to refer to them as Juggernuggernauts !
Well snowed in here - at least a foot of snow.
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>>but 1" of snow did paralyse Hemel Hempstead earlier<<
I used to drive a Bedford TK in the 70's delivering reams of paper to the printing trade and I'll never forget some of the hills leading into HH, one chap who ran a small offset litho outfit was at the bottom of a hill which was sheet ice as I approached it, I just just slid down there, bashed the kerb a few times, but made it in the end!
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>> ......... a small offset litho outfit was at the bottom of a hill
>> which was sheet ice as I approached it, I just just slid down there, bashed
>> the kerb a few times, but made it in the end!
>>
You avoided getting into print!
;-)
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Probably the real reason for the padlocks is to stop people stealing the salt to put on their own drives, as happened in previous years.
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If you lot down south think its bad now, wait until it starts to thaw and then freezes.
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Have to say, having spent years and well over a million miles trotting about in 2wd cars I am so impressed with my 4wd Qashqai in this weather and the version of it we got last year. I see others slipping and sliding all over the shop while mine just grips and gets on with the job. The only evidence in the cabin being the dash lights telling me that all manner of electronic wizardry is being employed. No wheel spin, no sliding, nothing. Of course one has to pay due care to braking distances etc but it's just so easy by comparison even on its standard fit Bridgestone Duellers.
I was at my head office yesterday where there had been a substantial fall of snow and which has quite a steep approach to the car park. My car drove in without drama while many others simply couldn't get in.
Well impressed.
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Foot at least of snow here - laughed at a neighbour in his Insignia VXR - de-frosted it and then just drove off - quite impressive
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Oh I know, I've never really been badly stuck over the years except for a handful of very extreme situations but it is just easier with this car. Enough to generate a modicum of smugness anyway ! In real life it's actually better on snowy roads than my old Land Rover. that would get going alright but it could be a pig to stop.
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The Land Rover 88 is staying where it is while there's ice and snow around unless I have to lull one of the other cars out of a ditch! It's very easy to lock the back brakes and then the back wants to overtake the front. You have no option but to get off the brake instanter when that happens, and it's easy enough to get into that situation on damp road, never mind an icy one.
All the pub experts who say "these smart Alecs with the 4x4s are no better off than the rest of us when they have to stop" are right where old Landies are concerned.
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Good call by BA, early this morning, to cancel all flights til 1700
BAA crowing that the runways were clear etc.
It has long been predicted that the area would get 4" starting at 1000.
Weather forcast has been spot on so far.
Snow started on time as still building up.
Main roads were clear last night but side roads were very icy.
Very easy to get the ABS chattering away :-(
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>>>Land Rover 88 is staying where it is while there's ice and snow around unless I have to lull one of the other cars out of a ditch! It's very easy to lock the back brakes.
Never had that issue with all the different series Land Rovers I owned, perhaps your brakes need looking at? The other thing was on snow I hardly remember using the brakes anyway as engine braking and drivetrain drag would slow it down from most sensible speeds in snow.
I found a petrol series 2a the best snow vehicle I've ever used... better than a Defender, Discovery or Subaru Estate. The only thing that came anywhere near to that LR was an early Panda 4x4.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sat 18 Dec 10 at 11:18
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The brakes all work and are fine in that sense, but there's no doubt there's too much rear bias. They do actually improve a bit (as in become more progressive and usable) with use after it's been standing for a while, as the tendency to grab disappears. It's better with weight in it. I wouldn't lightly lend it to a young driver brought up on ABS though.
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Land Rover brakes on the old ones are something of a black art to get right. I've come across many with an element of snatch but they were OK after new drums/shoes/cylinders. Setting them up manually is a real fiddle compared with the *zero maintenance* systems of today.
Also we ran our s on very coarse pattern M&S tyres with deep tread (but perhaps you do to?) which helped loads in snow compared with the all-season types often found on 4x4's these days.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Sat 18 Dec 10 at 12:25
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I had a Princess/Ambassador (can't remember which one) that had terrible rear brake snatch.
Cold, damp days were the worst. Set off from home, within a few hundred yards I'd have to brake for a junction at the bottom of a hill. Gently apply the brakes, feel the front discs start to grip, gently apply a little more pressure and BANG the backs would grip and the rear suspension would dive. It'd be fine after a few applications.
I fitted new cylinders, shoes and chamfered the leading edges of the shoes without curing it. BL technical department blamed it on the removal of asbestos from the braking material.
The Ambassador used to warp its discs and needed new ones every couple of years. I never found out why.
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>>Also we ran our s on very coarse pattern M&S tyres
It had General Grabbers on horrible rusty too-dished 8 spokes when I acquired it; it came with some 'new' Kingpin remoulds (coarse X pattern) which I put on a set of Defender wheels so it looks a bit less like a dune buggy and I can now turn the steering wheel without bracing my knees on the dashboard.
Another reason not to lend it to cossetted drivers - as with cars of the 60s on crossplies, any sensation of grip is illusory compared with anything modern. I rarely exceed 30mph in it though, so I don't worry too much about that!
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Yes we used remoulds too for ours... on the standard rims. Agree about letting someone loose in one who'd only used a modern car.
I don't know why but our series 3 diesel was the worse and would go down these cambered bumpy fen foads in a series of sideways slews at anything over 50mph. It was on military Michelin mud tyres that were so hard they gripped more like plastic than rubber... ie hardly at all unless on mud.
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It would appear the snow has blurred the borders around the UK.
This taken from the Sky News website:
tinyurl.com/36zm98h
ENGLAND
- All Roads
A57 - closed between Bamford and Glossop
A1 - closed by Barnet by-pass
A470 - closed between Blaenau and Betws-Y-Coed
A470 - closed between Mallwyd and Cross Foxes
A4061 - closed between Nant-Y-Moel and Treorchy
A4061 - closed between Hirwaun and Treherbert
A4233 - closed between Maerdy and Aberdare
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Heard on the six o`clock news yesterday, that due to the combination of High buy-in prices, the Arctic weather, and road conditions, heating oil may have to be rationed.
On the days that deliveries can be made, even inc Sundays, the government is prepared to relax/ignore the "Drivers Hours" laws to help ensure that deliveries are made!
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Looks like tonight has been canceled due to the snow. Nobody can get into Manchester. Thankfully I live in Manchester so don't have the same problem. Usual rock night but have the hassle of getting to town or Peter Hook at my local Irsh Club?
Peter Hook is quite tempting but it is a bit too close to home to be there by myself and it is £10 in but then it would probably end up costing more than to get back home if the buses are not running.
The downside of being a punk/alternative/scruff is that all my friends live so many miles away.
I am not moaning as it is not really a problem. My dads tyres are though he was sliding all over the place on the way to work.
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Well
What a day.
Left Newark in sunshine, cold - very cold, but bright. The light snow started at the Hatfield tunnel on the A1, and it got worse and worse around the M25. The M25 was busy, really busy, but traffic flow was unable to keep the snow clear and at the section from 14 - 12 we ended up with no visible lanes and I was following the the lines of one truck that meandered across 4 lanes around the deeper of the drifts in the heavy snow. Well I could keep one set of wheels in a track anyway.
I was hoping that no-one had blocked us in front, for to stop was instant "stuck for the duration" scenario.
I managed to snake round a BMW hopelessly spinning its real wheels as it came slowly backwards down the uphill exit ramp at J11. 13 miles took an hour and I never fully stopped once.
Nicolle had gone shopping, and had to abandon the car in the car park when the snow hit. SO I had to drive her to work. A challenging journey tonight to bring her home if and when this lot freezes.
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It's been OK here this morning, got all the shopping done early, but the forecast was leaving a question mark as to how far north the snow would travel from the Sussex and Surrey area, but there was quite a strong southerly wind so I was waiting for the inevitable. We've got the answer now - around 1.30pm, heavy snow coming down and all settling, makes it look like the previous snow never melted. Hey ho, can't wait for it to freeze, like you say.
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Well, we had between seven and ten inches of snow overnight, up to a foot in places. I certainly can't remember it as bad as this in Southport. I was supposed to be in work today but I really didn't relish the thought of a 20 mile along drive along untreated rural A roads at 0630. We walked to our local big Tesco before (a round trip of c. 4 miles) and the amount of fools driving too fast, or with over a foot of snow on their car roofs was incredible.
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Those damn fools are the reason I am paying so much for insurance this year! Saw quiet a few cars today driving along with only a letterbox for view as there was so much snow on the windscreen. I hope the cops get them and taker them to court.
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Well done Zero! Sounds like a nightmare; good luck with the trip home. I came to Melton from Stamford this morning, cold but nothing on the roads and as at right now it hasn't snowed at all. Should be an easy trip home but have to repeat tomorrow and hope for the best.
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If you have not seen the BBC news this afternoon this unusual clip shows one of Virgins A340 aircraft stuck on a taxiway ( with a cheery wave from the crew.)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12027115
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Well, a good 4 inches fell in N. London within an hour. It's been a long time since i've had so much entertainment...just sat in the bay window of my house watching the outside world fail miserably driving in snow, as we're at the end of a side road and overlook an 'A' road.
The highlight, was my missus shouting "Oh My God, look at this, look at this" at a point i'd given up and retired to the armchair with the paper. I got there in time to see a 4-5 year old Nissan X Trail coming down the slight gradient on the main road, completely sideways, at speed, as part of a 360 degree pirouette, that had him mount the kerb backwards, just miss (and I mean 'just') a telegraph pole continue around to finish the 360...and gently stop in the middle of the carriageway. Chap calmly put in it gear and drove off as if nothing had happened.
There's various Mercs and Beemers abandoned on the world's most slight slope, along with a panel van.
'Clown of the day' undoubtedly goes to X Trail man who was driving ridiculously fast. 'Runner up' goes to the Honda Accord driver who came down my side road at a speed you'd normally consider in the dry, then braked at a distance you might normally in the dry...and wondered why he ABS'd straight across two carriageways of the main road, luckily nothing on it at that time. What a moron.
'Mentioned in despatches' are all those folk that think snow driving incorporates first gear and revving the nads off whatever you're driving...when bunging it in second as soon as you can and giving it as minimum throttle as you can get away with, would do the trick nicely.
Buses, various 4x4's and several cars with skinny tyres e.g. 'P' reg basic looking Golf all had no trouble at all.
Lastly, if I was a 'lights punching out type of fellow' the minicab driver in a Ford Galaxy who thought the constant pressing of his horn would miraculously clear the road in front of him...now he would get it.
It was better than the t.v.
Last edited by: Westpig on Sat 18 Dec 10 at 17:01
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>> >> 'Clown of the day' undoubtedly goes to X Trail man who was driving ridiculously
>> fast. 'Runner up' goes to the Honda Accord driver who came down my side road
>> at a speed you'd normally consider in the dry, then braked at a distance you
>> might normally in the dry...and wondered why he ABS'd straight across two carriageways of the
>> main road, luckily nothing on it at that time. What a moron.
'Where da yer think yer going city boy?'
(Quote from the film Deliverence)
It wasn't silver was it? Just saw an X Trail on the news with the side stove in after an accident. This is when 4x4 drivers found out they've got the same braking performance as a two wheel drive car.
Last edited by: corax on Sat 18 Dec 10 at 17:31
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>> It wasn't silver was it? Just saw an X Trail on the news with
>> the side stove in after an accident.
It was actually.
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Glad you made it then! Your post referred to a challenging journey home, the reverse of what you graphically described, (M25 etc), I assumed
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I had one uncontrolled (sort of ) moment, about 400 yards from home.
Complete understeer, brakes off at 10 mph it refused to turn right, I was heading for the kerb with right hand lock on, and a bent steering arm and suspension damage looming, so I straitened up the wheels and let it drive up over the kerb and corrected when on the pavement with a burst of throttle.
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 18 Dec 10 at 17:10
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>> I had one uncontrolled (sort of ) moment, about 400 yards from home.
Southerners...crickey O'Reilly....What you should have done is...oh never mind, lost cause. Carry on...
:-)
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>> Southerners...crickey O'Reilly....What you should have done is...oh never mind, lost cause. Carry on... :-)
>>
But we get a diffent sort of ice in the south :-)
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>> But we get a diffent sort of ice in the south :-)
>>
Aye right.
As they say around here. :-)
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>> I had one uncontrolled (sort of ) moment, about 400 yards from home.
>>
Not convinced you should be discussing your medical conditions on here, it's a motoring site...;-)
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>> Glad you made it then! Your post referred to a challenging journey home, the reverse
>> of what you graphically described, (M25 etc), I assumed
Noo Dont think so. It was Newark to Surrey. Home is Surrey.
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Well wherever you went to and back, from wherever, I am still glad that you made it! As you don't publish a profile one has to read between the lines to work out where you live and I can't read between lines.
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Just for you, I have updated my profile.
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Dad of the Year.
Just been watching the news. Brainy dad has the bright idea of towing his ten year old son on a sledge behind his car on main road. The sledge fishtails into the path of an oncoming bus which does it's best to avoid hitting the kid by swerving into a tree. Kid dead, bus has to be lifted back onto the road by a crane.
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Britain did it first - happily with less tragic consequences -
goo.gl/YY7h4
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No snow but it's -8 degrees here this morning do take care again Perky.
Pat
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Last day EVER that I have to go to work! -5C and not a flake of snow overnight so I am hopeful of a safe journey. Thanks pda!
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>> Last day EVER that I have to go to work! >>
Congrats PP, by the way it is only recently that I realised that you are actually AS from the other world. Retirement eh ...
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>> No snow but it's -8 degrees here this morning do take care again Perky.
>>
>> Pat
We have some spare down here, want me to bring it up for you?
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-13C all night in North Cheshire. Didn't really feel it when I went out to feed the birds but I wasn't out long.
I think we're getting some strangers in this cold weather. Had a moorhen turn up for a couple of days.
John
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>> I think we're getting some strangers in this cold weather. Had a moorhen turn up
>> for a couple of days.
Same here. It couldn't get to the bird seed because I've fabricated a cage to stop the larger birds hogging it all. Sparrows, dunnocks, robins e.t.c can get through the holes though. There's a wood pigeon going mad because it can't get in there, great fat thing. It's got plenty of fat reserves to live on for a while.
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Public transport permitting I'll be down your way for Xmas and New Year and I'll collect it! >:)
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Zero, you off for a set of snow tyres then?
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As soon as I have a worthwhile incident or get stuck I will consider it.
I haven't so I wont.
If they were that necessary, they would be fitted on new cars. They aint.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 19 Dec 10 at 12:13
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I saw two glimmers ahead coming towards me last night. Lazy / stupid 4 X 4 with dipped beams on but lights covered in snow.
I was driving daughter to the station when a large Waitrose truck emerged up the exit ramp at a higher rate than usual into the road I was on. I gave way to the guy and got GBH of the ear from offspring "@@@@@@ I will miss my train."
The guy obviously knew waht he was trying to do and I watched the tractor wheels spin and then bite.
Daughter had no idea what his challenge was.
Well done trucker - keeping us with food supplies.
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. I
>> gave way to the guy and got GBH of the ear from offspring "@@@@@@ I
>> will miss my train."
Well spotted and understood Henry. now if you could possibly educate the majority of others out there who don't have clue what they're doing let alone anyone else.
Had to do a similar can't stop out of a retail park at Telford yesterday, one of the lads who unloaded me kept an eye open so i could keep moving out onto the road though i still kept the horn on in case he hadn't spotted a pedestrian.
It's only in weather like this that you realise that nearly all delivery access points onto major roads are on an incline.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sun 19 Dec 10 at 12:39
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Respect for the people who work in the supply chain! The news give us the impression that the country is a gridlocked waste of snow and ice but there is still food on the shop shelves and my newspaper is in my village shop every morning at 7.30. Efforts much appreciated thank you!
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"If they were that necessary, they would be fitted on new cars. They aint."
No, you've certainly shown Europe how it's done. I've never been more proud.
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Most of northern europe have much harder winters than us, over here if we have a few days snow then its considered a hard winter... as you know!
With Zero on this one... saw a guy this morning with chains on... driving up a road which consisted of bare tarmac and some slush... won't that damage the road?
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"Most of northern europe have much harder winters than us, over here if we have a few days snow then its considered a hard winter... as you know!"
Yeah, carry on telling yourself that.
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Hard packed snow round here. -5C even now. Just been out in the car. No drama. However, a guy in front of me in a Merc C220 saloon was providing some entertainment with either his, or maybe his car's complete incompetence.
What I don't get though is that back along, when most cars of any substance were RWD, we just seemed to get on with it. Even allowing for wider tyres there has also been an advance in traction controls etc. which must compensate a bit.
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>> What I don't get though is that back along, when most cars of any substance
>> were RWD, we just seemed to get on with it.
Absolutely - we had 6" of snow on friday evening and the bloke across the road must have had over a dozen failed attempts the move his 1 series, all due to the lack of weight over the rear axle apparently, nothing to do with the manic revving that just compacts the snow and polishes the ice. He's spent about 4 hours today shovelling all the snow and ice off the road for about 30ft from his house, so at least he's had some exercise this weekend
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>> What I don't get though is that back along, when most cars of any substance
>> were RWD, we just seemed to get on with it. Even allowing for wider tyres
>> there has also been an advance in traction controls etc. which must compensate a bit.
>>
IMO its BECAUSE most cars were RWD.
Ive just been out in my Mondie....not nice.
Its an auto, which doesn't help, but I kept having to make a choice, do i want to keep moving forward, or do I want to steer?
Slight wheel slippage, which is fairly normal on ice, equals lack of steering control.
back off throttle, equals steering, but can result in total lack of traction when reapplying throttle....
AARRGGHH!!!!!!
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Do many drivers use studded tyres over in Prussia, Bad Dave?
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>> "If they were that necessary, they would be fitted on new cars. They aint."
>>
>> No, you've certainly shown Europe how it's done. I've never been more proud.
S'ok Dave, we are glad we got rid of you. Your a Polak now.
Last edited by: Zero on Sun 19 Dec 10 at 14:56
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Oh BTW dave, Have you checked our local press? Its full of stories of stuck drivers on the continent.
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Isn't the continent cut off, with all this snow?
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Our erstwhile adversaries in The Fatherland have coped no better than us, according to media reports.
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SNOW ! (Drift No 5) - BobbyG
