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Well, the beast from the east as it appears to now be described. What a lot of fuss. We’ve got an ‘amber’ warning, though nothing to be seen on the ground. Flurries in Twickenham, where I was today. The drive home was between minus 2 and minus 6, but the winter tyres fitted to the BMW still managed to achieve an operating temperature of at least 12 degrees. Heated seats toasty, and screenwash (BMW) worked fine :)
I’m local until Thursday, when I’m in London. Surely Southern can run a train mid day, regardless of the weather...? ;)
Friday however I’m currently scheulded to drive back from Liverpool... train up there from Euston. One £58 one way, first class. Booked today. That trip might need to be rescheduled...
Last edited by: VxFan on Thu 1 Mar 18 at 08:27
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What are you driving back from Liverpool - a new car?
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>> What are you driving back from Liverpool - a new car?
>>
That’s the plan.
The replacement for the A3 (which seldom had anyone other than a driver in it) is SEAT Ibiza FR DSG. The A3 wasn’t originally bought as a second car, and spending the same again to replace it seemed unnecessarily profligate. The SEAT has almost all of the spec of the e-tron (after ticking every option bar the body kit), is on the latest VAG small car platform and is half the price :)
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>> latest VAG small car platform
Nice one. Sounds fun. The small car platform is the A0 MQB, i.e. a shortened version of all the other MQB chassis.
Why not keep the A3 longer - or are you fed-up and wanting a change. Or worried the complexities will show up soon in repair costs out of warranty?
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>> Why not keep the A3 longer - or are you fed-up and wanting a change.
>> Or worried the complexities will show up soon in repair costs out of warranty?
Yes, the new Polo has just been launched on that platform, but it looks like a flabbier version of the previous model, and the A1 is still not available. Not that that was really a factor, I knew both would be more expensive and less well equipped. And with better interiors... but, it’s just a second car so I can live without soft touch plastics. If for no other reason than I won’t drive it much ;)
The rationale is that the A3 was out of warranty and had technology that would date. The reality is I just wanted to buy a new car ;) 2 years (to the day, though not planned that way) and 33,000 miles saw it depreciate by just over £250 a month from the £23,250 I paid for it. An outcome I’m pretty pleased with, when considered along side the ultra low fuel costs (partly offset by toppy servicing costs).
The most gallling cost has been that of windscreen excesses (it had three), diamond cut alloy refurbs (all 4 were done at some point) and ChipsAway repairs to the front and rear bumpers on multiple occasions. I reckon that lot alone added the best part of £100 a month to the cost, and whilst I don’t often drive it I do like it to look well looked after...
Last edited by: VxFan on Wed 28 Feb 18 at 02:03
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We had light snow showers and sunny spells in stockbroker belt today.
Me is off to wales Wednesday (just over the border) but the biggy is a wedding in Southampton on Friday am, where the forecasters are predicting Siberian blizzards, or light rain showers depending on your source.
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Gloriously sunny day here. A flutterette of snow this morning but nothing stuck. Sat out at lunchtime when the Sun had come round to the patio and had a cigar and a coffee.
I wonder if we'll get a pasting tomoz, we don't usually, I think the city is a bit warmer generally.
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>> he biggy is a wedding in Southampton on Friday am
Does the 540i x-Drive have winter tyres?
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>> >> he biggy is a wedding in Southampton on Friday am
>>
>> Does the 540i x-Drive have winter tyres?
Nope
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If it's bad then take the other car. All wheel drive might make a difference in low grip conditions but I don't need to say that wide tyres are poor in deep snow compared to narrower tyres nor do I need to say getting power down from the 540i will be harder than a front wheel drive lower powered car. And the other car is not the lovely 540i if it gets a bump :-)
In January 2010 when we had the poor weather, my wife's FIAT Seicento managed better than my Mazda6 diesel. The Mazda would pack up snow in front of tyres to affect breaking for example. I am hoping the weather is not as bad as early 2010 though.
Can you not go early for the wedding and make a longer break of it?
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 26 Feb 18 at 23:41
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Snow flurries here yesterday but nothing settled.
The V90 heated steering wheel and windscreen were very welcome though.
Birds water thawed out and extra sultanas and mealworms put down well before dusk to enable them to have a bath and feed before roosting.
Hedgehog food put out as it has been for the last 2 weeks because the wildlife cam shows we have two visiting nightly again despite freezing temperatures most nights......they must be hungry.
Greenhouse re-arranged with delicate stuff all down the warmer end and covered in fleece with the heater underneath but Begonia corms with 2'' shoots have been brought into the utility room where they are toastie warm.
The wildlife here gives me so much pleasure all year round, it's the least I can do to make an effort to make it's life easier for a week or so during this cold spell.
Pat
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Good morning Pat. What do you feed the Hedgehogs?
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Morning MD
I buy hedgehog food like this tinyurl.com/y7jng4g2 but they also love mealworms and cat/dog food as long as it's not a fishy one.
The most important thing though is to see they have fresh unfrozen water each day.
Our cats love the hedgehog pellets and I bet your dogs will so watch them!
Currently -4 degrees here.
Pat
Last edited by: Pat on Tue 27 Feb 18 at 06:23
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Snowmegeddon?
Nothing here in leafy Surrey.
Zilch.
Nowt.
SFA.
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S'no snow 'ere, cold tho, my external temp gauge [thermo meter] is reading -3.5°
Left the external Grant oil broiler on all night, and put a heater in the outowse where my borehole water comes into and is stored in a cylinder/vessel thingy.
=All good.
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Only a light dusting so far but it's settling - it's -2.5 outside. If we're dumped on big time later in day then snowmageddon it might well be.
The one to watch is the weekend when an Atlantic weather system hits the cold air currently stationary over UK. But the outcome could be anything or nothing depending on how the respective air masses move, that's why our weather's so difficult to forecast.
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My old 2cv on 135s could get thro' deep snow where 4wd were stuck.
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Couple of inches here this morning. A consistent coating everywhere. If temperatures remain low and it freezes then it could get slippery on pavements etc. Roads already clearing.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 27 Feb 18 at 09:12
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>> Couple of inches here this morning.
>>
Where is 'here'?
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You think you’ve got it bad...we’ve light drizzle here in Moraira.
Seriously considering catching the train to Valencia and having a museum day.
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>>we've light drizzle here in Moraira
Shoulda gorn down sowf, mate: www.weathercast.co.uk/world-weather/spain/spain.html
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No bueno senor, might as well 'ave stayed at 'ome and put the Morso on!
www.weathercast.co.uk/world-weather/spain/spain.html
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Ignoring the odd 2 minute flurry yesterday daytime, we've had none on Surrey Hants border, but it is bitterly cold with a biting wind. Car was reading -4.5°C when I started it this morning, and dropped to -6.0°C when I got out into the lanes.
I have a bet with SWMBO that it will be like every other time we get these forecasts, and we will see no snow at all. Every time, the outcome is very underwhelming. She thinks this time will be different.
Loser pays for a meal out. :-)
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Flurries of quite large snow flakes fairly frequently yesterday in Wokingham but nothing settled. Haven't looked out of the window yet today :-)
EDIT: Sunny but v cold outside. Quite good solar power generating weather, I'll get the car on charge :-)
Last edited by: smokie on Tue 27 Feb 18 at 09:39
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>> Flurries of quite large snow flakes fairly frequently yesterday in Wokingham but nothing
>> settled. Haven't looked out of the window yet today :-)
We're 10 miles up the road. I'll save you the trouble. No snow :-)
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>> We're 10 miles up the road
Interesting terminology "UP" when used in a geographical or spatial sense.
You are in fact SSW of Wokingham, which in a cartographic scenario puts you "Down" the road.
As far as trains go you would also of course be on the "Down" not the "UP".
Unless of course you are traveling to Smokies place, then you would be on or going "UP"
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>>My old 2cv on 135s could get thro' deep snow where 4wd were stuck.
Same with mine on deeply-rutted estate roads in the tropics. However my pre-war Austin 7 was better than the 2CV or the company-provided Landrover. The virtues of light cars seem to be overlooked these days.
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MD
I used to sell Spikes Dinner.... available as both a wet & dry food for hodgehegs
Last edited by: legacylad on Tue 27 Feb 18 at 09:32
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I use that one too LL and they love it.....the cats as well:)
Pat
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Here in leafy Hemel Hempstead there's just the dusting of snow that fell yesterday.
Just got back from taking SWMBO to work in sunny Luton and it's all much the same.
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Couple of inches fell overnight in Horsham then we had sun and after a bit of melting there are grey clouds gathering to the north which promise more falls sooner rather than later.
Just about to venture out and clear the paths, might be a futile exercise....
Last edited by: helicopter on Tue 27 Feb 18 at 10:39
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Light (very) snow overnight. A thin layer over all.
Later.
A flurry of larger flakes accompanied by an immediate rise in temperature, as all existing and recent snow disappeared from the roads, pavements and a large part of our rear grass.(I can't say lawn as it's weedy and mossy, although it's now undergoing treatment from Green Thumb once more).
Sunny as I type this at 12.03 hrs.
Location - North Notts, but nearly South Yorks.
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More a Pest From The West than a Beast From The East in these parts so far. Thursday looks to be the dodgy one.
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Here in Cumbria tis cold but sunny with blue skies! - no Beast from the East, Pest from the west, nuisance from the North or Sod of the South!- The Daffs and Snowdrops may be out, but I'm sticking by the fire all the same!
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About two inches of lying snow here in in Norfolk. Tomorrow is going to be the bad one.
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Alternating sunshine and light snow showers here now. Just around freezing outside but feels colder. Likely to freeze all day tomorrow.
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Had an inch or two here in bomber county overnight. Cleared by noon. Then we had several snow flurries but they didn't last long, bright sunshine in between.
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A winter wonderland here this morning...not far from RTJ. About 1 to 2 inches everywhere. Went to the chemist and nearly fell twice on ice left where cars parking on the pavement had compacted the snow.
SWM was complaining that the outside temp warning panel obscured the fuel gauge on the Micra.. Showing 1 degree, it only goes off over 3. There is a way of getting rid of it but the handbook is as much use as a jelly hammer and no posts on tinterweb. I'll brim it up in the morning, no idea how much is in ! What a daft idea, speshly if you live in Greenland or similar.
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Jist bin out with the dawgs. Trapper hat on AND a scarf wrapped around me 'ead. Ole woman LOL at me.
:-D
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>> Me is off to wales Wednesday (just over the border) but the biggy is a
>> wedding in Southampton on Friday am, where the forecasters are predicting Siberian blizzards, or light
>> rain showers depending on your source.
>>
Based on today, the snow got progressively less as I drove from Arundel to Chichester; by Emsworth it had disappeared. Perhaps there was some further north than Portsmouth / Southampton, but it wasnt immediately obvious! It was however perishingly cold!
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Some more snow came down half an hour ago here. It has cleared in the sun throughout the day. It is now white again. At least an inch came down. It might have started a bit earlier but I did not notice until I turned to use the phone and looked out the office window.
Of course if the forecast is true, the real snow is due in a few days time.
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>> Based on today, the snow got progressively less as I drove from Arundel to Chichester;
>> by Emsworth it had disappeared. Perhaps there was some further north than Portsmouth / Southampton,
>> but it wasnt immediately obvious! It was however perishingly cold!
There is supposed to be a big chunk of precipitation moving up from France hitting the south coast on Thursday/Friday.
Lots is a given, precisely when is variable, therefore type is unknown.
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Our snow has been pretty much on forecast here. Was due to hit about 4pm and snow on and off which it has been doing. Probably about 2-3 cm lying just now.
However we have an amber warning for tomorrow and several Councils have already said all schools will be closed. All gantry signs on the motorway had the message "DO NOT TRAVEL TOMORROW".
Part of me thinks its scaremongering and part of me says this scaremongering makes sense. Ploughs cannot clear roads if they are full of stationery vehicles.
This is in Lanarkshire by the way. Snow is forecast to fall pretty much every hour until Saturday afternoon!
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White over and -5 degrees this morning.
Pat
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It turned white here in N. devon last evening. Nothing at 6, but put dawgs out for a pee at 7.45 and we had about half an inch. Bitterly cold too.
Depending on ones preferred forecaster today we are either getting SFA or we are going to die in our homes. Some consistency would be nice.
Thanks to Pat and LL for Spikes dinner info. As for fresh water in these temps?
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Had to chip frozen snow off the windscreen in Farnborough station car park yesterday evening, and then slither home. M140i on Super Sports in -8°C alternates between fun and terrifying.
Woken up this morning to a fresh covering of white stuff, although it has warmed up to a balmy -6°C. I should have been on the way to Bristol by now, but am sitting here with a mug of hot tea, setting up a couple of Skype meetings instead.
Forecast for these parts still suggests tomorrow evening and overnight into Friday is when we are really going to cop it.
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>> in Farnborough
Coldest place in the country yesterday, or something.
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It was -5°C in Farnborough. The temperature dropped to -8.0°C briefly on the A30 between Camberley and Blackbushe.
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Although apparently, Farnborough was the coldest last night at -8.9°C!
www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/observation
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Bit of snow here yesterday. Different to the pre Christmas stuff that saw us stuck for 3 days. Work was optional, but seemed fine when I left at 1115am - Office was closed at 5pm so an early dart. Seems to have been quite cold overnight sun's out now.
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currently -4 here. A covering of snow - around half an inch, sun out very bright, very pretty.
Taking car out in it later. Had the thing less than 4 months and its already seen snow twice.
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I should have realised this - LED headlamps do not melt snow/ice build up..!
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Snowing heavily when I first looked out at 07:30. By 08:00 bright sunshine but weather station tells me it's -4.5 outside. Snow on car brushed off.
Mrs B had been at a seminar in London yesterday with post session drinks so had left her car at station and come home by taxi. I dropped her off to pick car up on my way to work. Having been in bright sun for an hour or so it was completely snow/frost free.
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Set off an hour earlier to get into work (hospital), -12 on the car temp up in Biggin Hill, seems I just got here before gridlock hit Croydon, funny how I can get in coming from up on the top of the North Downs (720 ft) and yet other staff from just around the corner can't get here!
Hopefully I'll get home before the next lot comes down tonight.
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Well, we now have proper snow!
A good two to three inches and still showering, with occasional heavier flakes.
We are supposed to be taking our granddaughter, (from her school in the countryside nearer to York), to the dentist in Harrogate this coming Friday. She has very sensitive teeth and we wanted family there, rather than school transport.
Unless there's a sudden thaw, I think we may well stay at home and request a new appointment.
There were earlier reports of closures on the A1/A1M, but possibly further north.
We'll keep an eye on the road reports.
By foresight we are well stocked with comestibles!
Last edited by: Roger. on Wed 28 Feb 18 at 10:35
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>> Well, we now have proper snow!
In South Oxfordshire:-
Currently bright sunshine, with a light dusting of the white stuff late last night. Seen more frosting on a cake to be honest.
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Well, we now have proper snow!
A good two to three inches
That's not proper snow.
Six inches of the stuff here in Norfolk
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It started snowing sometime in the middle of night. Hasn't stopped since a fair few inches down now. Quite a lot of the roads are shut, the A1 is bad around Grantham. As are the few hills around here.
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Maidstone- about 6 inches on Monday night and 2 more last night. Car was showing -10c on the way to work at 8.30 this morning. Love it!
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Very light dusting here this morning! - All schools in area closed! - I can remember struggling through knee-deep snow to get to school when I was a kid! - Wimps!! ;-)
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>> Six inches of the stuff here in Norfolk
Some people are reporting seeing two feet of snow
tinyurl.com/k9df6jk
(sorry, old gag that I've used before)
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Bad snow drifts around here already the wind is really coming up on the edge of the wolds. Had to pop out this afternoon, just seen a pick up truck on its roof at the side of the road.
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Most roads around here were clear by 2pm because of traffic... now it's started again in the last hour and everything white again including at least an inch on the cars. Sky looks like there's a lot more snow to come down. And the worst isn't due until tomorrow night!
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Working today right in centre of Northampton. Alternating sunshine and heavy snow showers. During flurries snow is covering road and visibly causing loss od rear wheel traction on buses.
We're being let off early with possibility of sooner if it looks like Stagecoach will suspend operations (apparently being considered). Last 3/4 mile home is not gritted so could be fun!!.
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So we now have a red weather warning for snow - no flights or public transport available.
Drove home from work and it got pretty nervy especially as the wipers were just compacting the snow at the side of the screen and wipers were juddering their way back.
And of course my son, aged 20, who got sent home from work is now away out in his car to have fun in the snow!
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The last 3 miles of a very snowy 30 mile journey once took me over 8 hours. Good luck!!
Another good generation day here on the solar panels despite more or less continual snow, varying between light and heavy but hardly settling. 7.4kWh so far, not quiet up [to Sunday's 12.8 but not too shabby. (Best ever day over 5 years is only around 18kWh so Sunday's 12.8 was impressive!)
Forecast seems a bit less severe for tomorrow than it was, but nevertheless heavier snow expected than today, but a degree or two warmer.
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Bin comparing the XC Weather forecasts to BBC Weather forecasts over the last few days.
I'll never waste my eyesight or time on XCWeather again.
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I apologise in advance if I happen to be a bit tetchy but spare a thought for those, like Ian, out there since 2 am today and won't be home before 17.30, driving an artic in this weather.
TIC warning!
I have to add that it's much worse when you've done it yourself for so many years and you just know, absolutely know, that he's not doing it right, not as well as I would have done!
I've spent the day checking his route on Highways Agency and AA traffic maps only for him to get sent for a load out of Corkers crisps on the way home which is deep in the darkest Fen, miles from anywhere.
Being a day man, he doesn't have bedding or facilities in his cab so I have consoled myself with packing him a bag of emergency rations for tomorrow, which he will bring back eaten whether he gets stuck out overnight or not!
Pat
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I kid you not - Glasgow subway is closing early due to the adverse weather conditions......
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I think the reason for all the rail/ bus and school closures and cancellations are just down to the compensation claim culture we seem to have got into these days.
They will tell you they have a duty of care to their passengers!
Pat
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So as I said, here we had a red warning - no one should travel unless essential. I am very critical of the SNP but they have been warning about this snow for last two days and have been full on, every channel, every medium warning of the severity.
As a result many, many staff sent home, places closed, all schools off etc.
Just watched our Transport Minister being interviewed live from the traffic control room and was pleased to see him have a go at the HGV drivers. No offence Pat & Co, but the message was clear no travel after 3. But he advised he had watched home furniture lorries amongst others, getting stuck on inclines and as a result has ground one of the main motorways to a halt.
They have now announced that they have pulled the HGVs to the side and they are not being allowed to move until all the cars and other vehicles have been able to get going and road is cleared.
I understand these drivers will be under pressure from their bosses but it also can't be good for the firms to see their vehicles emblazoned across news articles as immobile roadblocks?
I wouldnt be surprised if we see some sort of move towards a motion in our parliament to make there legal consequences against employers / drivers. Our parliament has a habit of kneejerk reactions at times.
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>>Just watched our Transport Minister being interviewed live from the traffic control room and was pleased to see him have a go at the HGV drivers. No offence Pat & Co, but the message was clear no travel after 3. But he advised he had watched home furniture lorries amongst others, getting stuck on inclines and as a result has ground one of the main motorways to a halt.<<
Your transport minister is very astute.
I note he didn't mention the lorries delivering to the supermarket RDC's with food for Scotland.
We have just seen how quickly KFC shut down with a transport delay.
I would suggest your parliament looks at the practice of fining haulage firms for late (30 minutes) and 'no show' deliveries. Bad weather is no excuse, it's written into the contracts and the fines can be anything up to £500 per supplier on the vehicle. With us consolidating loads from various suppliers that can mean an average of 6 suppliers per 26 pallet load.
Ian left here at 01.30, it's snowing but if he is late getting to Tesco at Crick for 5am that will incur just such a fine.
Incidentally, Toys R Us were one of the worse with their fines starting at £1000, so we and a lot of other suppliers stopped picking up backloads to deliver to them.
Pat
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Missed the Edit: That should read worst not worse for the pedants:)
and it's -6 degrees here this morning so it's not too cold to snow as we're often told!
Pat
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Bright and sunny here today, but bitingly cold. I had to drive half a mile this morning before I could light my cigarette as the window would not open till then and I hate a smokey car. Came across a mate trying in vain to start his Vivaro with a reluctant battery. The guy next door had come out with jump leads but could not open the door on his Land Rover and had to get a kettle of hot water to deice it.
Heavy stuff on the cards here tomorrow.
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Its coming in waves here, not sure if it's actually snowing or just the really strong winds blowing it all about. Every 30 mins or so the visibility drops by quite a bit and you can hear the wind whistling loudly.
Due to have 45+mph winds for the next couple of days as well as well as more snow in the night.
I can't remember worse weather around here the 5 or 6 years I've lived around here.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Wed 28 Feb 18 at 17:30
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Bury St Edmunds: 5" snow and -6.1 degrees at 17:30. Had to cancel my wife's earlier hospital appointment; we wouldn't have minded walking the 2.5 miles each way, but weren't sure how she'd feel about walking back after gastroscopy.
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We now have about 10cm. of powdery stuff. (Worksop).
All my path clearing this morning has been in vain, except where I used the last of our 3 or 4 year old salt and grit mixture.
Now the sun has gone, it's crisping up, even on the cleared bits and there are still flurries of snow.
I think driving on untreated, quieter roads will be very tricky.
@Pat. I hope Ian arrives home safe and sound: I'm sure he will. I bet, after his last little episode, you are on tenterhooks, though.
Keep calm and drink tea - or better a nice soothing hot toddy.
Last edited by: Roger. on Wed 28 Feb 18 at 17:53
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One of our paper boys came in this morning in his usual attire - Shorts and trainers with no socks and just a light jacket!
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I saw not one but two postmen wearing shorts in Berkhamsted this morning.
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I'm still wearing shorts, knee-length tho, no big deal is it?
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>> I'm still wearing shorts, knee-length tho, no big deal is it?
It would be for me.
About -10 here with wind chill (currently -14 with the 20mph easterly wind).
Not much snow however. But this would be a bad time for a central heating breakdown. The jackdaws have infested the chimney again and I would have to get the rods and brush out to hoof them out before I could light a fire.
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-5° here @ 10:00pm. Mucho snow down the Lizard today but just a bit of confetti here.
I've worn long shorts for two years now, wearing trousers seems strange now.
(*_*)
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>> I'm still wearing shorts, knee-length tho, no big deal is it?
Depends on what you've got to lose, I guess.
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Seen two people in shorts this week. Some people were born in a field ;)
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Well, he's just walked in tonight but has a 5 am Crick in the morning, then back to Guyhirn for a Shoeburyness so that's 10 driving in good weather:(
I only drink coffee:)
Pat
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Can they do that with climate control in cars too?
If it's on 21C on a cold morning YOU DON'T NEED TO TURN IT UP TO 28C. Just saying.
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Glad he's back safe Pat. Worry over.
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Just seen this on local Facebook page
"Please help! 07957508943
Earlier on today (about 12:30) I was a driving via Clapperhow Road in Motherwell. Had to stop at one point because a lady who was in front of me in a silver BMW 3
M-power, struggled with moving her car up the hill. I parked behind her, left my car switched on and managed to drive that lady’s car up the hill. Unfortunately, I believe, I left my cars smart key inside her car. I was able to drive my car home and after I switched off my car i was unable to switch it back on, then I realised that I left my car key inside her car. Could you please share I need my car keys 🔑
Oh dear!!
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Ho Ho HO, gonna be expensive.
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Only 10C in Valencia today. Locals wearing full Arctic warfare kit. Low cloud and mist driving S towards Alicante on the AP7 this evening. It really is grim up North.
Warmed up with a hot Lamb Rogan Josh so finally got some feeling back in the extremities. At one point I thought we might be into single figures Centigrade.
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>> Only 10C in Valencia today. Locals wearing full Arctic warfare kit.
Snow in barcelona yesterday and overnight
Ah the AP7! Google maps lady always insists on calling it the "App 7"
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 28 Feb 18 at 22:53
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I’ve got the same Senorita in my phone. And almost ran out of petrol.... had to divert into Gandia. These 1.25 Fiestas aren’t that economical ( at 140 kph flat out)
Last edited by: legacylad on Wed 28 Feb 18 at 23:17
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How does a 1.25 Fiesta compare to say a Porsche Macan GTS for mpg?
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Seriously, three up, cruising at 130/140 kph, up gradients on the AP7 dropping from 5th to 4th foot to the floor, there is very little between their consumption figures.
Given the poor weather, low cloud and approaching darkness, I actually decided to show some mechanical sympathy and eased off the gas to cruise at an indicated 120kph. Literally overtaking just one vehicle on the AP7 in 40 minutes....being overtaken by everything else, including quite a few exceeding the 120 kph posted limit by a considerable margin.
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>> >> Only 10C in Valencia today. Locals wearing full Arctic warfare kit.
>>
>> Snow in barcelona yesterday and overnight
I remember going to Barcelona on business during November a few years ago. It was a beautiful, sunny day around 18°C and with a crystal clear, blue sky, so I opted to forego a taxi or tram, and walk the mile or so from my hotel to the meeting in shirt sleeves. I couldn't have stood out more if I'd been stark naked and had a traffic cone on my head. The locals were wrapped up like they were in the Arctic and staring as I walked past.
It's what you are used to, I guess. When you live in a country where the sun only shines about 30% of the time, you make the most of it, and when you live in a city where the average temperature is in the 20s and 30s for 6 months of the year, 18° is pretty chilly.
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Reminds me of when I was sitting on a bench next to the winkle outside The Neptune (fish & chips) in Rock a'Nore (Hastings) one summers day, got talking to a couple on holiday (in Hastings??) from Queensland who, obviously, found it quite a chilly day compared to what they are used to downunder.
Still -5° here, and starting to snow. Blizzards on the way, we hear.
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Had an inch or so overnight, and then another inch since we got up, and it's still coming down.
It's the first real snow our 9 month old working cocker spaniel has seen. He was confused as hell for a couple of minutes, then seemed to decide it was all very exciting, and was bouncing around the garden in a series of Bambi leaps. Old collie just looked at him with a mix of contempt and disinterest (if a dog could roll its eyes!)
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Snowmegeddon - rtj70
