SNOW!!!!

[Mr T]

Well as you have probably gathered us here in the UK have had a bit of snow, so the country grinds to a halt...

And I know a lot of you will scoff with such lines as 'we get that all the time' (Canada and North US states)and 'we cope' etc... etc...

So henceforth, I have had to take the day off work due to not being able to move my car , being a small island we are densely over populated so have so many vehicles, when snow falls the lunatics are guaranteed to hit you, snow chains are illegal or certainly frowned upon so I am at home...

Plus the buses are running, but are generally so sloooooow, it would take me at least 2hrs to get to work...

And if I did get to work, the whole episode would be repeated trying to get home....

Yes and all the childers are of school as schools are all shut....

Yet again, this country seems poorly prepared (which I understand as this weather hasn't been the norm for the last 30 years) and badly managed (which I cannot understand)...

I will rant more later if any one is that bothered....

[evasive]

hahahaha bad management? that is the norm everywhere. last year we had a few disastrous days where the railways complerely collapsed, the material wasn't prepared for snow, just stopped working.

last monday after the first bit of snow, we had the worst evening rush hour ever with 900km of traffic jam. norm is 200km...

[Mr T]

Ah, glad to see UK is not the only laughing stock of northern Europe... Scandinavians will be laughing their socks off at us... Oddly never suffered all these issues when I lived in Germany, and that got real cold...

[Hardware Junkie]

Its actually raining here in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada...
All the snow and slush we did have is melted, and its a mild 7C...

[AmEv]

Wow. Last Tuesday (not yesterday), we had a blizzard; snow day for EVERYONE.

Unless it is absolutely necessary for you to be out of your house, please stay indoors.

Sad fact is? Monday, the buses couldn't get out. Kids were at least 2 hours late. Didn't stop school tho

[Karlsweldt]

Strange weather patterns all around, these past few years. Many weather patterns have reversed.. or lingered longer than normal. The Isles of the U.K. are fortunate to have the Gulf Stream effects moderate the weather year-round. Similar on the Western U.S. coast. Blame it on our "greenhouse gasses" effect, political misdeeds or whatever.. the true cause may be the infamous "El Niňo and La Niňa" siblings!

Here by me, we have had a few Winters with more than a yard of snow on the ground at one time.. other times less than six inches! But let Winter do its thing.. I am ready with an 18hp riding tractor with a 42" snow blower mounted!

[skippyboy]

I'll take the snow here Mr T. At least they shut things down and I'm fairly apt at driving in this white stuff. I just drive around the crazy's and keep going. Had to run my wife in to work to shut down a end run on a test. Jeez don't they teach winter driving here.
Now back in Iowa when they get this much here comes the wind which creates enormous drifts and white out conditions on the roads. They may shut down school there but you better get your butt to work. Not to mention the subzero temps around -30 F below zero.

I'll take this English winter over my passed ones.

[Mr T]

I'll take the snow here Mr T. At least they shut things down and I'm fairly apt at driving in this white stuff. I just drive around the crazy's and keep going. Had to run my wife in to work to shut down a end run on a test. Jeez don't they teach winter driving here.
Now back in Iowa when they get this much here comes the wind which creates enormous drifts and white out conditions on the roads. They may shut down school there but you better get your butt to work. Not to mention the subzero temps around -30 F below zero.

I'll take this English winter over my passed ones.

Driving in snow ain't rocket science, just drive slow and look at the road ahead, if you get stuck, don't rev the engine like an idiot, just be gentle ---- OH NO, we are in Britain, lets ignore everything around us and drive so fast for the road conditions, when it comes to stopping, a tree/hedge or parked vehicle is a suitable brake (you know who you are BMW drivers).. We don't get the snow properly in recent years that warrant snow chains or a tyre change unless you live rurally, but, BUT we should teach driving properly which is

a) drive with consideration for others and the road conditions..
b) be aware of all around you, stop yacking and control the kids, turn the music down..
c) if you are not confident driving DON'T drive - simple...
d) YOUR CAR IS NOT A COAT - scout motto 'BE PREPARED' .... So may are not...

[skippyboy]

Exactly right to the point Mr T.

May I also add buy a vehicle more suited to your climate and country. That's why we got the Volvo XC60 R Design AWD Diesel. All ways plan ahead I say. We weren't worried to much about snow but more towards the amount of rain here in the UK. I have been carrying a portable 1 and a half ton manual winch and tow straps with me when were out and about helping out those who are or can be fools in there sports cars.

[Roach412]

this is why i pack away the BMW for the winter - rear-wheel-drive is not a smart idea in wisconsin, unless you can pack a couple hundred pounds over the rear axle, have prior experience driving in snow/sleet/rain/slush, and are not an idiot!

i grew up with rear-wheel drive giant cars, parents wanted super-safe cars for when my sister and i were learning. basically, we'd just kill whatever we ran into, but would be fine ourselves.

still, with my years of experience i don't take chances with a sports car with non-winter (or high end all-season) tires. instead, i'll roll in my FWD mazda. reliable, safe, and capable of getting through the snow when needed.

we just got our first major snow this weekend - sad i have to wait another 4 months before the M3 comes back out.

-Roach