Why does the UK grind to a halt with a little snow?

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Overlag said:
Comparing our snow to other countries with other climates is just daft. You know what? North America's snow is NOTHING compared to Antarctica, so its a bit dim to compare it.
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Don't be silly :) Nobody lives in Antarctica. People do live in North America and cope with MUCH worse weather than here, much better than we do.

The problem is how regular this happens. Most countries will have a stable climate so they get there heavy snow once every year or so. Last time it snowed like this the conservatives was still in power, 1991. And yes I still had to go to school.

Last snow fall near London was 2003? 2004? and 2007?. Those falls were less than 2cm and never settled on treated roads/pavements and trains ran fine. The foot of snow we have today and the extra foot we might get later is exceptional.
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We know it could happen any winter, and will definitely happen sooner or later. I just think we should be better prepared, and the national mindset should not be to so easily shrug, give in and stay at home. What would these people do if the weather went on for a week? A month? Stay at home all that time?
 
dirtydog said:
Don't be silly :) Nobody lives in Antarctica. People do live in North America and cope with MUCH worse weather than here, much better than we do.


We know it could happen any winter, and will definitely happen sooner or later. I just think we should be better prepared, and the national mindset should not be to so easily shrug, give in and stay at home. What would these people do if the weather went on for a week? A month? Stay at home all that time?
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The bottom line is that the cost of preparation (both individually and collectively) is much higher than the cost of the problem, given how often it occurs.

It actually is cheaper to allow, once in a while, the weather to impact attendance etc, than to spend money on the preparations required to prevent it.

We've not had snowfall like this for 18 years, the standby preparations required for 3 months a year or so to be ready to deal with such an issue cost much more than the cost of this 'freak' occurance.
 
I would have posted the reasons to answer the OP, but most replies already state what I would have wanted to state.

Also, this snow, will only last a few days at most, most likely anyway, so what's the point in being ultra prepared for a few days disruption, much easier and cheaper to let things grind to a halt for a day or two than spend loads of money to keep running those extra days.
 
dirtydog said:
Don't be silly :) Nobody lives in Antarctica. People do live in North America and cope with MUCH worse weather than here, much better than we do.


We know it could happen any winter, and will definitely happen sooner or later. I just think we should be better prepared, and the national mindset should not be to so easily shrug, give in and stay at home. What would these people do if the weather went on for a week? A month? Stay at home all that time?
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I'll vote you in so you can spend tens of millions just so everyone can get to work on the one day it might snow every decade? Cities like Chicago spend a vast proportion of their budget on things like this, I suppose you'd like tax to go up to fund the vast road clearance operations?
 
dirtydog said:
Don't be silly :) Nobody lives in Antarctica. People do live in North America and cope with MUCH worse weather than here, much better than we do.


We know it could happen any winter, and will definitely happen sooner or later. I just think we should be better prepared, and the national mindset should not be to so easily shrug, give in and stay at home. What would these people do if the weather went on for a week? A month? Stay at home all that time?
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people do live in Antarctica, but OK, lets compare north America to central Russia instead... ;)

so, you think I should buy winter driving aids when the last time it snowed enough to warrant it was 18 years ago? I wasn't old enough to drive back then, and probably wont have my current car in 5 years time, let alone 18years time. If I lived up in Scotland where it happens almost every year without fail then I would. Down here, what's the point? Its also the same reason why some people celebrate and go mad when it snows, because we rarely see it.

If the tube isn't running how would my sister get to work? There are no car parks for her to use, buses aren't running. The work will still be there tomorrow and in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter that its not done today.
 
Quite frankly, if you didn't drive to work sideways this am you should use public transport:-

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and if public transport isn't running - get thos snowmen pics up!

Westfield is coming out for a play when I get home this evening :-)
 
Overlag said:
people do live in Antarctica, but OK, lets compare north America to central Russia instead... ;)

so, you think I should buy winter driving aids when the last time it snowed enough to warrant it was 18 years ago? I wasn't old enough to drive back then, and probably wont have my current car in 5 years time, let alone 18years time. If I lived up in Scotland where it happens almost every year without fail then I would. Down here, what's the point? Its also the same reason why some people celebrate and go mad when it snows, because we rarely see it.

If the tube isn't running how would my sister get to work? There are no car parks for her to use, buses aren't running. The work will still be there tomorrow and in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter that its not done today.
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I started driving in 1990, I live in Essex and have driven in snow several times in that period.

As I asked above, what if the bad weather goes on for days or weeks, what then?
 
dirtydog said:
I started driving in 1990, I live in Essex and have driven in snow several times in that period.

As I asked above, what if the bad weather goes on for days or weeks, what then?
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yeah, snow that's about 3cm thick is a bit different to the foot we got now though isn't it?

2nd question I'm not so sure, id hope the transport/highways people would bring in proper rail/road clearing gear. But snow rarely lasts a few days in this country anyway. But that's part of the problem, they sold off all the "hardcore" gear needed to deal with this.

Only thing stopping my mum and sister is the failure of London transport to provide a service. But then when trains are getting stuck at stations unable to pull away, and buses are going sideways around roundabouts do you blame them? :D

simulatorman said:
Get some winter/snow tyres.
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yup, if its going to last more than a week i would, but since it will all be melted by friday i see no point.
 
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Overlag said:
yeah, snow that's about 3cm thick is a bit different to the foot we got now though isn't it?

2nd question I'm not so sure, id hope the transport/highways people would bring in proper rail/road clearing gear. But snow rarely lasts a few days in this country anyway. But that's part of the problem, they sold off all the "hardcore" gear needed to deal with this.
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What country, England or the UK? Because in other parts of the UK snow often lasts a lot longer.

Here in north Essex we haven't had a foot of snow, nowhere near and the main roads were fine today. Yet the schools are closed and I bet plenty here are off work, probably on full pay.
 
dirtydog said:
I started driving in 1990, I live in Essex and have driven in snow several times in that period.

As I asked above, what if the bad weather goes on for days or weeks, what then?
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Are you in Essex at the moment or in Poland as your profile suggests? Quite honestly i've not seen snow this bad since i was far too young to drive! That includes several years spent in t'north where a lot of my snow driving experience comes from. Quite certain this is the worst/deepest snow i've seen. Except when i was on top of a glacier, but that doesnt count.
 
dirtydog said:
Your feet? ;)
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I knew someone would come out with a smartass comment like that. :p Walking for miles in a thick carpet of snow to get anywhere of significance doesn't seem particularly appealing..

If I had a job to go to, I would do my best to get there depending on its location.
 
Pudney@work said:
Are you in Essex at the moment or in Poland as your profile suggests? Quite honestly i've not seen snow this bad since i was far too young to drive! That includes several years spent in t'north where a lot of my snow driving experience comes from. Quite certain this is the worst/deepest snow i've seen. Except when i was on top of a glacier, but that doesnt count.
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Essex all the time - my profile is meant to be a sarcastic observation on UK immigration.

Either snow is worse where you are than where I am, or you are very young, or your memory is bad. Because the snow I've seen today is nothing to write home about. A few inches, and temps above zero all night and all day - in February, who'd have thought it :confused:
 
sr4470 said:
I knew someone would come out with a smartass comment like that. :p Walking for miles in a thick carpet of snow to get anywhere of significance doesn't seem particularly appealing..
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Not getting paid isn't very appealing either. I guess we're too pampered in this country if we have the choice of staying home :)
 
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