God knows what will happen if it snows!

[robp]

Well it came as advertised (ish). But I've never seen so many jams and road blocks caused by people sitting and staring with their mouths open at an inch of snow! Has everyone forgotten how to get home in the snow, or is this the generation that never learnt in the first place? Southampton and Bournemouth airports closed....

It's sweeping and illuminated arrival was exciting though! Lowest I saw was -5.5 but no gritters.

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[Laurin]

Gritters out from 1:30pmish yesterday to 6am this morning in essex. My boyfriend sends them out and they are doing a great job for which they get little or no thanks! Most of the time traffic problems are caused by people driving like idiots or over cautiously meaning the gritters can't get round as quickly as they would like. Funny how we complain about lack of gritting where as when I was in Alaska last year the roads were covered in ice. I hired a car with no studded tyres and no 4 wheel drive and was fine! Everybody just drove sensibly and gave other road users space.

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[robp]

No gritting would be absolutely fine in my book too! Just as long as the road leading to my house is not completely blocked by those just waiting for it. I've no problem with the guys doing the job either, just like to know yes or no?

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[jamesjermain]

I have to say, tha talthough we only had half an inch of snow, it first of all melted then very quickly froze, even on treated roads, creating absolutely appaling driving conditions.

On the other hand, my wife drove home from work at the worst of it and got through all right. The problem was people just giving up when their cars were perfectly drivable, thus blocking the roads and preventing sensible drivers and gritting lorries getting through. My wife is a good, but not brave driver, but she was shocked at the gutless behaviour of some men who just left their cars in the middle of the road and sat down on the verge to cry.


<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[robp]

Re: Exactly. nm

~

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[jimbouy]

Couldn't agree more. NW London to Aylesbury took 3.5 hours last night all because of 1/2 inch of snow. Cars and motor bikes abandoned, (why do rich people buy 4x4's and never learn to use them properly)

The main A41 was not gritted over night so getting back to work this am took 2 hours.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[doris]

Grown men crying

But don't forget James, your missus is used to red-blooded, macho hunk!!

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[jamesjermain]

I sympathise with the bikers riding on wet roads is no fun, Riding on snow and ice is a no-no.

<hr width=100% size=1>JJ

 

[jimbouy]

Yes Ok. But would you just leave your bike locked but "in the gutter" of a main road. In the four cases i saw last night there was pavement and then wide grass verge where the bikes would have been out of the way.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[rwoofer]

I rode home (21 miles) on my bike yesterday and it was indeed treacherous. Also passed lots of bikes parked on the side. The reason they are on the road and not on the verges is that you cannot get them up there. This is the same reason I struggled to get my bike in my garage - with no grip you can't push 250kgs of metal over even the smallest hump.

RB

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[jimi]

19 hours from Schipol to Heathrow ... 'cos Heathrow was closed even though there was at least twice as nuch snow at Schipol

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..

 

[doris]

Bikes in the snow

As regarding motor bikes that got caught last night......I had to go about 3/4 of a mile home in the snow. Do I walk, leave the bike and probably have it nicked or do I ride it? Foolishly I chose to ride it. Walking pace, both feet down and I still dropped it once. Nothing I could do but fortunately no damage. With the inaccuracies of the forecasters this week leaving bikes at home all the time, just in case, is a no no.

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[robp]

Re: Bikes in the snow

I sympathise. I don't even take mine out in the rain!!

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[jimbouy]

Ok. I see the point, still annoying. Equally must be a hell of a worry for those who felt they had to leave their machines out all night in the cold.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[cgull]

a bit like sx

Snow is like sex,you never know when you are going to get it or how long its going to last!

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[cgull]

I have chartered a yacht this weekend,will be out there regardless. Never seen gritters in the Solent......

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[jimbouy]

If only.

Come on if we knew it would snow for 5mins every Saturday night all would be Ok.

Mind you the rest of the week might be a bit frosty.

<hr width=100% size=1> "It is a pleasure to give advice, humiliating to need it, normal to ignore it"

 

[mnm]

Out here in sunny Germany we have winter tyres. These enable the locals to hammer along the autobahns at 250K´s regardless of the weather....

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[Gunfleet]

destination Freidhof? NM

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[robp]

I remember years ago, I was literally making a semi controlled slide in my Ford Granada down a mountain in Switzerland. On one side was sheer rock down to the road and on the other side was a thousand or so feet drop. (With a crash barrier of course). I could only control my descent by scrubbing from lock to lock, (with a loud inward breath in between each). An Audi came past at a rate of knots with chains on. "Flash git" I said. Just around the next bend I managed to find a pull in and scrubbed to a halt in deep snow. Just as well - the Audi was buried in the rock face, with most of it's front end smashed in! The driver walked back to me and said "Eet is veeery schlippery"! No shit I said...

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by robp on 29/01/2004 16:25 (server time).</FONT></P>