Rant

[Somerford]

It's a bl**dy disgrace the fact that the local authorities are running out/run out of salt already. Lack of planning and foresight. Bl**dy Mr Benn trying to put a positive spin on it on the TV today too just got my blood boiling. Total and utter shambles and a disgrace. We are a total laughing stock to our European neighbours.

Went to Bath shopping today (well dragged out but that's another story) and the ice on the pavements etc was appalling. I almost wish I had slipped and broken something just to run it all over the papers but I still have my sense of balance unlike some poor OAPs I saw.

Side roads and hills untouched by gritters. A roads in the north totally cut off. What ever happened to snow blowers and JCBs ????

Someone with a bit of get up and go, drive and military organistion needs to take control. It wouldn't be the first time I have said this, nor will it be the last.

grrrrrrr.

regards

S

 

[BKF Admin]

The goverment have no weapons of mass destruction to clear snow..

Everytime I see a politician on the tv from any party all I can think of is the iraq information guy.

The country falls to pieces while we get this:

 

[RoofTops]

Why salt the roads?

When I lived in Germany the local Stadt (council) did not salt the roads at all in winter. This was in Detmold and was because of the problem of the salt running off into the rivers and killing the fish etc.

People got around with snow chains and were also allowed to use studded tyres.

Of course it snowed every year so they were ready for it - which is the real issue about all this.

 

[Heather]

I live on a side road well used by cars from nearby estates to cut through to town - steep incline that was ungritted etc - cars sliding back down into parked cars and lamp posts- I rang West Sussex highways and complained- and am pleased to say they did respond with instigating grit/salt within a few days. So not always useless, and they may put us on the gritting list permanently. Saw them out today - and thanked them - a bit of praise amongst the moans cannot hurt - they are out in b awful stuff down here.

And other countries are struggling too - we always put our lot down as rubbish - well- the best thing about France is the public dont put up with health and safety crap so much - and they protect their own culture!! We are too passive! Mutter amongst ourselves and then do nothing. - Rant over....

 

[hedgerow pete]

Big rant , the same as the others , but using evan more swear words and about 3 millons words, big rant over

when we lived in wales for 4 years we used to laugh at the pictures as we used to just get on with it, one one grited our roads to we used to go to the grit bin which was placed by the worst corners and we used spread our own grit, as for poland they dont evan do the word snow on the weather forcast unless its more than foot thick, in which case evan one changes to snow tyres and chains and carry on as normal

the biggest bug bear i have is the amount of people who are still driving like loonies the amount of smashes i have seen cycling to work is un real, very funny but unreal! as for any council that says they have been surprised realy do want shooting , years ago the gritter used to drive down the road and spread onto the pavement as well as the roads, it seams to me that they dont evan do the roads properly now

I love a good rant , now whos next

 

[tonybloke]

glad to see everyone is up for paying more staff to grit roads and pavements, and for their councils to purchase more grit!! are they also happy to pay higher council tax to pay for this??

 

[MJBee]

At least some of your roads are being gritted - the Dordogne does not have a single gritter even though we have snow everyyear, OK so it doesn't stay very long but while it is here the roads are lethal and people just stay at home.

When I spoke to my neighbour about this he said " look on the bright side your car will last much longer"

Stay safe everyone, I leave you with a picture of my road taken 10 mins ago

 

[oliver90owner]

Stop ranting. Things are not that bad. OK, the load of moron drivers on the roads who cannot leave enough space to stop. Only yesterday, when I signalled to turn right and the vehicle behind had to take to the pavement, by choice or otherwise! I had to carry on to the next turn and come back, so as to avoid him. Got an ear-bashing from the OH for missing my turn, would you believe!!

Previous day driver right on rear coming off dual but too damned close to stop if I needed to, around the next bend. Two or three car lengths is just not enough to even see the changing surface conditions. Around the bend was a fly-over crossing the dual carriageway. Guess what - covered in ice and snow. Some drivers are really clueless.

So far conditions are 'pussy-cat' compared with 46 years ago. Litigation is now a problem re clearing areas. Left alone and an accident - act of God; clear it and now it is YOUR responsibility!

Road gritting: we just assume they should do it, but we don't want to pay for it. How many people are carrying snow chains, a shovel, tow rope, hot drink? Not many. I have recovered the snow chains from under the pile of unused stuff in the garage, but not needed them yet.

I well remember '63. It was much worse then, and for a long time. Admittedly town and country tyres not so much traffic and steadier, more experienced drivers for these type of conditions.

OH did not even relish taking the car home from the repairer yesterday. We left it there. Safer option.

All things are relative.

Regards, RAB

 

[taff..]

aledgedly, one of our parish councilors had a bit of an accident the other day on an ungritted hill, he slid backwards on the ice into another car .

the ironic thing is, the parish council got rid of the road salt bin right where the accident happened because the home owner complained that it looked unsightly, over the last couple of weeks a good number of people have had minor prangs sliding into the bank.

I cant wait for the next parish council meeting, I might make a special effort to come home for it

 

[jezd]

OH did not even relish taking the car home from the repairer yesterday. We left it there

My OH has not driven for almost 3 weeks, in fact yesterday was the first time her car has been dug out of the snow in weeks. Looks like warmer air is pushing in now so finally I am off the school run

Yeh, and stop ranting its just snow, since when did the world get to the point that we expect every road to be cleared? all I want from my council is for them to do their best, and from what I can see they did just that.

If roads do not get cleared or they run out of grit so what! its just life, ppl expect far too much.

 

[Repwoc]

so finally I am off the school run

Both the schools that my kids attend have been closed since Tuesday. It's always the case - as soon as there is so much as a snowflake in the area the schools are closed and the kids sent home. Same old excuses - not safe, teachers can't get in etc etc..

I can't remember ever having a day off school because of snow. It was a while ago so maybe it's my failing memory ...

 

[sahtlinurk]

Hi all,

i am from Estonia, winters there are long and snowy. Gritted and salted are only major road, all the others are just cleaned from the snow. yes we have winter tyres and you can use studs on tyres form the 1 of dec to the end of feb. One thing you normally do when the snow comes is to change your way of driving.
Our cars won't last long because of the salt. lots of rust even on newer cars. in Spring most of the cities need cleaning from the grit spread over the winter. I remember one winter there was a case where one town council decided to use some new approach to keep the roads gritted and used some really fine sand like grit... half the spring people had use face masks outside because of the dust.

You have here beautiful winter and an occasion having enough snow to call the season really " winter". Drive reasonably and enjoy the snow. It will be gone soon anyway.

Lauri

 

[Tom Bick]

So we double the gritting lorries and salt have them sitting idle for 10 months of the year maintain them and keep them in good order for one bad weather period in 10 years I dont think so

Lets just enjoy it its nature at work the ice is 1 inch thick on the canal at the moment and its beautiful

 

[taff..]

So we double the gritting lorries and salt have them sitting idle for 10 months of the year maintain them and keep them in good order for one bad weather period in 10 years I dont think so

there are other solutions.

farmers have tractors that already have the ability to spread salt and take a snow plough, buy these and contract the farmers to store the kit and keep his local minor roads clear, a network like this will keep a lot of the minor roads moving and alows the council to concentrate on the major routes.

just one sugestion.

 

[thurrock bees]

there are other solutions.

farmers have tractors that already have the ability to spread salt and take a snow plough, buy these and contract the farmers to store the kit and keep his local minor roads clear, a network like this will keep a lot of the minor roads moving and alows the council to concentrate on the major routes.

just one sugestion.

may i say that aint the farmers got enough to do?? and also the way the supermarkets are behaving we wont have farmers in the future.

TB

 

[taff..]

our local farmers are parish councilors and from what I've been told, this has either been discussed or is actually happening somewhere in the country (or probably both).

the farmers seem to be spending time each day pulling people out of hedges, (which they own and are now damamged) as it is so it may be a win win situation for them, they get paid to keep the roads clear and they dont have to spend time and money pulling people out of hedges and repairing said hedges/fences.

 

[Somerford]

there are other solutions.

farmers have tractors that already have the ability to spread salt and take a snow plough, buy these and contract the farmers to store the kit and keep his local minor roads clear, a network like this will keep a lot of the minor roads moving and alows the council to concentrate on the major routes.

just one sugestion.

I suggested this to a couple of local farmers and their response was negative - they don't see the point in helping others out as no one helps them - pity as farming used to be the the centre of the community and they are missing the opportunity to make it so again.

Farmers will have plenty of time on their hands if they are arable farmers at this time of year anyway and they could easily afford a day off shooting !



To answer the few of the others who questioned 'why rant'....well because it is a free country and I personally am sick of the excuses that are fed our way. If you are happy with the status quo then join the rest of the ostriches !


We could afford more of these gritters and more salt if local councils didn't spend money on pointless other exercises and appointments.

regards

S

 

[hedgerow pete]

i like the german idea of main roads only and snow tyres for everyone

 

[thurrock bees]

QUOTE=Somerford;38719]a day off shooting !

We could afford more of these gritters and more salt if local councils didn't spend money on pointless other exercises and appointments.

regards

S[/QUOTE]

[

 

[peteinwilts]

I suggested this to a couple of local farmers and their response was negative - they don't see the point in helping others out as no one helps them - pity as farming used to be the the centre of the community and they are missing the opportunity to make it so again.

Farmers will have plenty of time on their hands if they are arable farmers at this time of year anyway and they could easily afford a day off shooting !



To answer the few of the others who questioned 'why rant'....well because it is a free country and I personally am sick of the excuses that are fed our way. If you are happy with the status quo then join the rest of the ostriches !


We could afford more of these gritters and more salt if local councils didn't spend money on pointless other exercises and appointments.

regards

S

Unfortunately most farmers are like most other people. If we had a large pile of grit, I am sure you and I would be out with shovels at 6pm tonight but I wonder, even in our small community, how many others would be out to help.... I am sure there would be lots of curtians twitching, but thats about it.

The claims that many places are running out of salt says a lot. Many places have run out, but swindons bins are 75% full... is that because many of Wiltshires bins has stocked more or has spread less?? ... Looking at the roads around here it is plain to see we were abandoned when the first flake fell regardless.