Oh deary me it's going to snow, so the country will grind to a halt again...

[Charlie Farley]

Well it seems the weather bod are suggesting it might get a tad chilly and we may get a dusting of snow again, so what's new, after all we are still in winter.....I mean really, why do we allways get this mass panic and chaos when it may snow and get cold....we live on an island which has seasonal period inc winter, which can include cold, wet and snow in any combination.

Just been to my local Sainsbury's to get some milk and biscuits and it was total chaos, people panic buying everything, all going on about how we will be covered in 10 foot of snow....what are they on.
So that means all the schools will be shut, deliveries will stop and the world will end again, why cant people just get a reality check and get on with things instead of making such a big deal out of it.

I was born in 63 which was one of the worst ever winters in the uk , my parents and grand parents managed to deal with daily life and get on with things, it wasn't easy but then it was bad, I've seen pics of my mums back doorstep having 3-4 foot of snow stackup against it....and that was in surrey, a lot worse in other parts of the country and it went on for months, not a few days.

I feel the weather men have a lot to answer for sometimes with there forecasting, really seems overkill now and leads to panic buying and chaos all over the place.

I think this country has become a nanny state now and too many are frightened by what they see in the media , too much information is killing us all ...
sorry chaps had to say it as its been chipping away at me for days so ranter over now, now where are my chocy digestives....

rob

 

[Ozmosis]

I completely agree with you Rob.

I do not live in the UK any more, moved away several years ago to a country that has actual winters! It's currently -10 degrees here today, snow on the ground and life is continuing as normal.

The UK really has a problem with any kind of snow/ice. You would think it was Egypt or somewhere like that with the way the whole place reacts to it, like it only happens once a century or something...

 

[Charlie Farley]

The UK has a problem with all weathers to be honest....why cant people just deal with it all and carry on , we get off very lightly really compared to a lot of other temperate countries.

 

[45bvtc]

I was born in 63 which was one of the worst ever winters in the uk , my parents and grand parents managed to deal with daily life and get on with things, it wasn't easy but then it was bad, I've seen pics of my mums back doorstep having 3-4 foot of snow stackup against it....and that was in surrey, a lot worse in other parts of the country and it went on for months, not a few days.

You missed 1947 then, Rob:

I remember it well....

 

[45bvtc]

The UK has a problem with all weathers to be honest....why cant people just deal with it all and carry on , we get off very lightly really compared to a lot of other temperate countries.

BLUEY says "bring it on":

 

[Charlie Farley]

exactly chap, so imagine how the uk would handle that then.......it wouldn't, it would be total mayhem..

1963

 

[Charlie Farley]

You missed 1947 then, Rob:

View attachment 149457

I remember it well....

Think about this aswell, that sort of winter weather and just after the WW2 , things were hard enough let alone having to deal with really crappy winter weather, they just got on with things , made of hard stuff those folks.....couldn't see people these days getting by.

 

[Ozmosis]

No one wants to "get on" with anything any more...

However, I do like to "get on" the snow when I have the chance

 

[Charlie Farley]

And that's just it chap, no one does....., it's like driving in snow or slippery surfaces, most drivers have no idea on how too, more car control skills can be learnt from driving in those conditions than any theory test etc, hands on practice is everything and if no snow is available then get on a skid pan for a few hours practice......drivers would soon get to grips with winter driving skills, sadly they are lacking over here and never learn the basics of proper car control.

 

[Ozmosis]

Yeah driving in snowy/icy car park at ridiculously low speeds would teach more than any theory test.

But as you said, the whole culture has changed with regards getting on with life... Everything must be risk assessed to death, any small element of doubt and it's a no-go.

 

[SteveMcB]

Wouldn't be so bad if the forecasters got it right once in a while, they're pretty good at telling us what the weather was like earlier on though!

 

[Charlie Farley]

Yeah driving in snowy/icy car park at ridiculously low speeds would teach more than any theory test.

But as you said, the whole culture has changed with regards getting on with life... Everything must be risk assessed to death, any small element of doubt and it's a no-go.

spot on, I better do a risk assessment in the morning then before I walk out the front door, just in case I slip on a frost covered leaf whilst getting in my car.

 

[QuattroCalum]

Could it be as simple as "it drives sales" as you've witnessed for yourself Rob? People even fill up the car that they're not going to drive

 

[joinerman]

Well said Rob, i was born in 51 & remember the winter of 63 very well, schools didn't close, we only had an open fire in the front room, ice on the inside of the windows & the lino was ****** cold, didn't hang about in the dunny either lol.

 

[QuattroCalum]

https://www.netweather.tv/live-weather/radar

Snow and rain coming in on the North East coast of Scotland as we speak on this handy weather app. The polar vortex last happened in 2013 it snowed then froze for weeks, I remember it being -13 one morning.

 

[Lord]

Must be snowing in London cause it has made the news.

 

[jdp1962]

I was born in 1962; 1963 was the winter my nappy froze.

 

[Charlie Farley]

a bit of fluffy in my location but nothing laying, cold and dry and no probs , and what a surprise the schools are closing early and public transport is in chaos....

 

[joinerman]

Been a lovely day here in the Chiltern hills, warmer outside than in my workshop.

 

[Lord]

Despite having the car for a few years this is the first time I’ve had a chance to try it in a decent amount of snow.

Got to say I was happy with the 4wd. Easy to get going when people all around we’re getting stuck on banks. Just got to remember that I can still only turn and stop the same as a 2wd.

 

[jdp1962]

4WD gets me moving; that's all. After that, I treat both pedals like unboiled eggs.

 

[Charlie Farley]

My old 2006 legacy estate was great in snow, being 4wd manual and with a low ratio gearbox , just pull the lever up in low ratio range and it leave it in one 2nd gear .......so much better than trying to control all the power through normal range gears.....never understood why it was'nt fitted to audi AWD cars.

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Prbz not the deepest in the uk but not bad for being a mile from the sea.

 

[45bvtc]

Life is to short and my safety too important for me not to use winter tyres.

I use 'em from November to March inclusive. Ok, November 1 may be a tad early to change to winters, and March 1 a tad early to change back to summers, but with a watchful eye on the ambient ºC, I'm confident to be on the appropriate tyre (on my RS3, TT, AND A1) for the conditions.

I don't care anymore how others do it but for me, anyone having an off in these conditions whilst on 'summer' tyres would be on 3rd party only insurance.

I can't believe we import all this sh1t just to put on our roads - and then into our water courses; surely it would be cheaper just to buy every car user a set of winter tyres and put the cost on National Insurance.

I'm retired, and so no longer pay National Insurance, so I'd vote for that...

Just back from Stafford in the (supercharged/turbocharged) A1 on winter rubber - over snow covered Cannock Chase roads...

Great FUN

 

[joinerman]

Yes i have two sets of wheels, one with summer tyres & one with winter, i put those on around mid to end of October, i don't like grovelling about in the cold lol. my mates all poo pooed me for using the winters but they are all regretting not doing the same,

 

[SteveMcB]

I put my first set of winters on about 2 months ago and today was glad I did. Had a 120 mile round trip for the SQs first service - essential journey IMO - trip up took about 90 mins but over 5 hours to get back. Central Scotland's roads were the worst I've seen in a while but the car coped effortlessly, not a hint of wheelspin except when I turned TC off and explored the grip level, braking and cornering noticeable better as well. After almost 40 years driving on summer tyres I'm now a 'winter' convert.
Just a pity some of the ill prepared, including Mercs & BMWs didn't stay at home, sitting smug in a quattro with winter tyres doesn't get you out of the gridlock unfortunately

 

[45bvtc]

Yes i have two sets of wheels, one with summer tyres & one with winter, i put those on around mid to end of October, i don't like grovelling about in the cold lol. my mates all poo pooed me for using the winters but they are all regretting not doing the same,

See if they can spot the difference:

 

[45bvtc]

I live high on Hednesford Hills. It's called 'Hills' 'cos it is. And ALL 3-roads run steeply away from my home and are just as steep on the way back.

From my driveway, on a clear day, I can see past the Wrekin toward Wales; so when the snow comes past the Wrekin, from Shrewsbury, then Hednesford Hills, being the next high point, gets it.

Here to day with 10/15cm snow on top of yesterday's ice. And NO Gritters - NO bus route so NO Gritters, ever!

But out at 08.00 this morning for an MOT with the A1; 3-miles on TOYO Snowprox and nooooo worries.

And back! And the number of stranded by the roadside...

Out again for a quick shop, and back, nooooo worries.

Now sat watching others on BBC news bemoaning the fact that nooooo one has cleared the roads, and they are S T U C K.
Oh deary me it's snowing, again ...

 

[Charlie Farley]

I have been out all morning on untreated and moderate depth snow covered roads, no probs at all, the old Quattro b7 bus was 100% , if you drive properly it's no big deal.

 

[QuattroCalum]

I get along just fine in my quattro on summer tyres just as well as I don’t have the budget for two sets of wheels and tyres. Saying that, I have to drive to find snow.
Beast from the east missed us, it’s cold but very little snow.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DrEskimo]

Signalling problems on my train out of London.
Should be fun getting home...

 

[Bristle Hound]

As long as its not the 'wrong' type of snow we should all be alright ...

 

[joinerman]

My last vehicle was a Toyota Landcruiser 80 series, i had it for ten years, paid £6000 for it & sold it for £6500, anyway i fitted all terrain tyres on it & it would go anywhere in snow mud whatever, i used my A4 quattro with winter tyres on this morning for the first time in real snow conditions, i had to take my daughter to work, left home at 5 15 am for her 5 30 start, it's only a couple of miles but does include quit a steep hill, anyway no one had already been down it so i was the first, no dramas & came back up no problems at all, quit impressed with the grip, only problems i have had for the rest of the day is following numptys that can't drive or doing 5 mph with hazards on.

 

[Charlie Farley]

And whats with this , all schools closed due to adverse wether.......It's only a few cm deep around my neck of the woods and everything is shut down, its bonkers.
Its fair enough if the conditions were really bad and the snow was several feet deep , but a few cm's , a heck of a lot of rural communities get by all winter long with a lot worse.
I can honestly say that in all my childhood years neither of my school's were ever closed due to snow or adverse wether, I had to get there whatever, none of this "oh its a little bit snowy so have the day off children " , why cant people just deal with it and get on with the day to day running......Its such a nanny state now it really get's right up my nose frankly.
I have no issues with those rural communities that are genuine victims of the wether , they manage the conditions very well , I just cant see why the rest of the population have such a problem.

sorry , winge over again.

 

[Ozmosis]

Just had a message from a friend showing all the shelves in a supermarket being empty! What in the hell has happened there?

Now the next scaremongering is the potential freezing rain... Seriously, time to get the roads cleared.

Here's a shot of the temperature here this morning in Poland:

Life is going on as normal, there is snow, it snowed most of yesterday afternoon but the councils actually get the roads cleared!

The UK is by far the most backward moving country in Europe at the minute. I cannot see it getting better after Brexit either...

 

[Charlie Farley]

I just feel its the whole culture now in the UK that is wrong, I live in a small village , not rural by any means, just on the edges of town really.
Both local schools were shut yesterday and today due to "adverse wether" its such a cop out phrase now.
I'm not kidding you chap, I was in the local butchers behind two parents , they said they were afraid to drive their children to school due to the horrendous conditions......they only live 500 yards away from the school gates.....and the snow is a few CM on the path and surrounding areas, that's is madness, and of course walking the life threathening 500 yards was out of the question.
some people need a foot up the backside, they really do , and the culture in then UK now is to blame......only getting worse aswell.

 

[joinerman]

Yes Rob my school years were from 1956 to 1966 so included the winter of 63, the school was NEVER closed.