The Pending Snow

[DigiDiva]

Lets be honest, as soon as the 1st few flakes lie, the whole country will grind to a halt. We all know its coming, and have been pre-warned yet I have not seen one single gritter out and about. What is it about the British?

[pburness]

It's the cutbacks - can't afford a bad winter this year.

Mother Nature has no respect for financial matters obviously!

Maybe it's the start of a challenge - who can photograph the first gritter? Photograph must be taken after 12:46 on 24/11/2010

Phil

[chris-p]

We've had the gritters out for the past month... Obviously thats just down here though

[pburness]

I thought the snow was going to be in the North?

Maybe the gritter drivers don't like the North so they've gone to Hampshire instead

Gritter Navigator "Oh no! we've got to go to Grimsby!"
Gritter Driver "Stuff that, come on lets go to Hampshire, anybody asks, we're lost"


Phil

[amk1977]

Its astounding really that after all these years, this country still grinds to a halt whenever we have snow or leaves on the line. When we had a couple of inches of the white stuff last year and people "couldn't" get to work, my Canadian girlfriend just laughed and said "that's not snow".

In Winnipeg, Manitoba, they have already had 6" of snow, averaging 43"/110cm over the Winter period. The snow usually clears around april. It makes me laugh when the presenters get on TV to do the MET office broadcast, giving the exaggerated severe weather warnings, telling us to wrap up warm due to the "arctic conditions" hitting the UK??

In nothern Manitoba, where my girlfriend hails from, the winter temperatures dip below -40c and that's without the windchill. The snow generally arrives there in October and doesn't melt until May, yet the city still manages to function perfectly well. Maybe we need to learn something from them and prepare ourselves better?

[AndyStevens]

Know what you mean amk, a friend of mine used to live just outside Montreal - he sent me a photo of a white tunnel - it wasn't until I looked closely that I saw his mailbox at the end and realised it was his driveway!

And when I was in Norway, I loved watching the kids ski to school - about 3 years and up. And it's obligatory to have snow chains etc etc etc.

We're just useless really - an inch of snow and we skid into ditches, heavy rain and we turn on all our fog lights, hot weather and we... sorry, turning into a grumpy old man

Personally, I'm quite looking forward to some snow

And BTW, the East Dorset gritter depot is half a mile away so comp could be a little unfair on all others

[swan lover]

They keep telling us were a rich country we give our money away to third world despots and yet we cannot look after ourselfs? bring on the snow a photgraphers dream if you have 4 wheel drive and can get about.

[jinky]

Thins is whenever we compare ourselves to Canada and the like we have to remember that they are well used to coping with large amounts of snow and bitterly cold winters. I bet if they had inconsistent winters with snow at easter at times they would be just as unprepared as we are at times. To be honest I`ve not had any problems last couple of years and despite the cutbacks found the council where I live coped pretty well with what we got last year. I cannot wait for the snow myself. Not got a 4 wheel drive car but got my two feet and a pair of wellies

[amk1977]

True Paul, they consistently have heavy snowfall in Winter and cold temperatures but, they are prepared for it. If the UK citizen did likewise, by having a spare set of snow tires and other provisions, we'd have an easier time of it. Currently we get a sprinkling of 2" of snow on the ground and the kids eagerly listening to the local radio station for the news of their school being closed lol.

My girlfriend told me of how she would have to walk to school in REAL artic conditions and that recess was cancelled on one particular day because the temperature had dropped to -48c with a 5mph wind too lol. Now that's hardcore!

[DigiDiva]

Originally Posted by pburness

I thought the snow was going to be in the North?

Maybe the gritter drivers don't like the North so they've gone to Hampshire instead

Gritter Navigator "Oh no! we've got to go to Grimsby!"
Gritter Driver "Stuff that, come on lets go to Hampshire, anybody asks, we're lost"


Phil

Grimsby...north? lol..nah Im a REAL northerner, I can get to scotland in an hour or so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I say thinks like "whey aye man, like", and we normally have gritters out once snowarrives so maybe by tomorrow....and by the way, how many inches have you got? (snow.lol)