The UK weather or the Beast from the East!

[Lucky13]

How bad it is?
Well, we've just been told not to come in for work....you better stock up on the booze, shelves and pubs will be empty and dry!

 

[Lucky13]

First ever that I've been told not to come in to work and that includes Sweden, with our blasted snowstorms!

 

[Airframes]

For the UK, it's bad, as we haven't had much snow over recent years, or such a cold wind.
Four cars abandoned outside my place, due to the drivers lack of experience in snow - and the fact that they were stupid enough to attempt a 40 degree hill with a left turn at the bottom, in these conditions.
I'm going to attempt to go out to the shop later, if my mobility scooter can get traction on the snow over ice, and if I can stay upright when first stepping out of the door !
As it was said "I'm just stepping out, I may be gone some time ...."

 

[Lucky13]

Well, our drivers refused to go out this morning....I don't blame them (pantsies) as the downfall during the night was bl**dy horrendous!!
I got the evil eye from my colleagues, with the question....you're f*cking loving this, aren't you....well aye!

 

[Airframes]

I've just stuck my head out of the door - sod that for a game of soldiers, I'm staying indoors !!!

 

[Crimea_River]

Wimps....

 

[Airframes]

Ah, but I'm a warm wimp !

 

[pbehn]

Well, our drivers refused to go out this morning....I don't blame them (pantsies) as the downfall during the night was bl**dy horrendous!!
I got the evil eye from my colleagues, with the question....you're f*cking loving this, aren't you....well aye!

Thing is Lucky, snow tyres are not compulsory and few have them. Even fewer people know how to drive in the snow. In the 1970s this weather was pretty normal, I used to ride a motorbike in it, in the 1940s it was much, much worse. The other thing is that preparing for this weather costs money and for the last twenty years at least that money would be seen as wasted, it is actually cheaper for transport companies to cancel trains and buses than to make plans to keep them running. For schools, children live near their schools but frequently the teachers live a long way away, no problem travelling 70 miles on dry or even wet roads but a different thing when the snow hits, it is the same in many businesses. Basically we have gone so long without severe weather there is no way to cope when we have it. It is similar in Saudi Arabia which is a desert, just because it is a desert doesn't mean it doesn't rain, when it does there is chaos, the roads are covered in oil and rubber and many cars have bald tyres while there are no drains at all so the desert floods all over the place.

 

[Airframes]

I agree.
Even if the 'old' type competition studded snow tyres were allowed in the UK, there is still a whole generation that doesn't know how to drive in snow, purely because we haven't had much over the last 20+ years.
The last time there was a significant snowfall in the area where I now live, was in January and February 1995, when it was around 8 inches on the main roads, and a couple of feet just half a mile from where I then lived - I could have made a small fortune in rescue fees, having recovered a number of cars, some frozen to the ground, when driving my old Land Rover !
Took my two daughters, then 7 and 2 years old, sledging and skiing on the hills that year - great fun.
This used to be common in the 1960s and 1970s in the north east, and I well remember driving from Gateshead to the south of England, in heavy snow, on numerous occasions, without problems.
There is now a Rescue van stuck outside my house. He came to the assistance of one of the previously stuck cars, tried to turn around in the junction at the foot of the hill, and just couldn't get traction on the ice beneath the snow. At least he's done the sensible thing, ans rolled the van back onto the straighter, dead-end short section of road outside my front door - might even act as a crash barrier, saving my camper !

 

[pbehn]

When I say snow tyres I mean the ones with a rubber block tread, they make a huge difference when stopping and starting. I had never seen so many spinning wheels as I have in the last two days, a spinning or locked wheel is doing very little positive, its amazing how few know that and just keep flooring the throttle.

 

[Airframes]

Yep, I know the type you mean. Similar to an off-road AT or MT tyre, but narrower, and they do work.
Just advised a youngish chap how to get around the junction outside my place - he didn't have a clue, and was spinning the wheels and just going sideways.
Still amazed that such drivers, or any drivers, can think they can negotiate a steep, narrow road, with cars parked each side, and manage a 90 degree left turn, in such conditions, and with front wheel drive !

 

[rochie]

pretty fruity up here, good 10 - 12 cm of snow was fun going home last night down the steep bank in north ormsby, a driver abandoned their car half way up causing the 10 - 15 cars behind to stop and lose any momentum they had to get up the hill in slippery conditions, glad i was going down it !

was driving in about 3 foot visibility this morning going to work for quite a few miles then suddenly cleared up and i had to put my shades on !

as bad as i have seen it for a long time, where's the global warming i was promised ?

 

[pbehn]

Global warming will mean Teesside is flooded while the Scots throw pineapples and bananas at us.

 

[rochie]

My dog earlier today

 

[rochie]

just remembered, i am on breakfast tomorrow so up and out at 4.30am.

bugger......

 

[Airframes]

The dog is thinking "What the **** is this stuff, my goolies are freezing !"

 

[Airframes]

Might be an idea to stay at the hotel tomorrow night Karl, as the forecast for your area looks a tad interesting !

 

[rochie]

Might be an idea to stay at the hotel tomorrow night Karl, as the forecast for your area looks a tad interesting !

bugger that, if i am snowed in its going to be at home not at work !

 

[Airframes]

Good point. Stock up the hotel kitchen with tins of beans, can openers, and written instructions on how to open the tins - for the guests, that is !

 

[Lucky13]

For what I've heard, this will continue for the next two days or so!