the end of the world is nigh - think of the children!
Big Jon’s dad:
Dennisthemenace:
Found video on BBC: bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21810696T72 battle tanks! I don’t think so!
No, it’s a “PTSZ”, but there were T72’s too.
Saaamon:
The reason the UK struggle with the snow is we have it twice a year for a couple of days then its gone, why invest in hundreds of thousands of pounds for a few days! Also because we hardly get any snow people understandably dont know how to drive in it and most dont bother with winter tyres and chains.
…yet they feel competent enough to lecture others on it.
I was driving friday night Glasgow-Mansfield in my car. I have to say I haven’t had occasion to drive so far in Winter in Britain yet, and it was a fascinating experience. A66 was closed so went via Skipton. After this nice town, where there is roundabout next to Booths supermarket and then soon speed cameras and I don’t remember it’s name (Kirkby on something maybe?) it started to be more snow on the road. Every few miles I was encountering a column of cars doing 15mph or something. I have proper tyres, there was virtually no snow on the roads (by that I mean only thin layer that melted after the car drove over it), apart from some occasional drifts, so I did not see a reason to drive so slow, if you can drive much faster safely. So whenever it was safe to do, I was overtaking them - and that when it was usually starting. Horns, flashing lights, one idiot even tried to block my way by pulling in front of me (well, that for sure improved safety 
) At the beginning I was thinking that there is something wrong with my car and after few people flashing and honking horn on me I even stopped to check my tires, lights, and everything, but the walk around check showed no problems…
In Bradford there was quite a lot of snow, and the tanker truck was stuck on the slightly uphill filter lane with two cars behind him, so I went onto the roundabout, drove 270 degrees around it and that way went in the direction I needed. By doing this I allowed myself to drift a bit (it was 1am, the whole roundabout was mine). On the next traffic lights, I approached some poor sod in the BMW so I stopped on hazards on the left lane behind him and helped his wife to push the car up the hill. When I came back to the car there was one of the cars that I saw before stuck behind the struggling tanker standing side by side to main and as I was getting back to my car (it was bloody cold) the guy started to give me lecture about how danger my driving is (yeah, I barely had to move my steering wheel other way on that roundabout). So because he was going on and on, and did not wanted to stop I told him that we can continue on the next set of lights and drove off, living him struggling up that hill that BMW had problems before… 
Have to say seeing his face in my mirror when he realised that he just lectured me how to drive and he is not even able to pull off was fun. 
On the M1 it was a thin layer of snow, but the grip was OK, so I was doing between 50 and 60. When I overtook an Vauxhall Zafira doing maybe 30, he suddenly changed his mind and he decided to sit on my bumper, which was making me realli nervous. I soon left M1 hoping he will continue south, but he was going the same way, sitting maybe 10 metres behind me, and I was doing about 30-40 on the snowy road. It was making me nervous, so I slowed down and indicated left to let him pass, but he flashed lights at me and was not showing any will to overtake, and because there were further cars approaching from behind, I continued to drive, looking constantly in my rear view mirror. That got me off the thinking what’s ahead of me and as a result, I made a mistake and entered one of the bends too quickly and had to put my car sideways (luckily there was nobody going the other way, so I had the whole road for me). I managed to put my car back on the course, then lokked into the mirror to see that the other driver didn’t made the bend and he hit the kerb. I made an U-Turn in first safe place and went to check if everything was all right, and he obviously was, judging from his aggresive gestures and shouting (as if it was my fault that he was unable to keep with me), so I backed away and went on my way…
You know, I used to having a laugh at Britain how it copy with snow, but now I see how came that nobody here can drive - you have simply not enough snowy days. Now I laugh not at this, but at people who think they know everything about it, like the guy I met in the tyre shop recently who was explaining to his girlfriend that (quite expensive) rain tyres will be better than normal summer tyres on snow, because the thread is deeper 
But ok, I can laugh, but I have to admit, that what I really like here is that people are TOO careful. I seriously do, I really believe that it is much better to be too careful than to go into the ditch (altough if trucks were driving faster than 15 mph, they could use momentum to go up the hills and they would not get stuck at every slightest slope…). If there is anything up to British driving standards I really admire, it is that respect to one’s skills and politeness.
But I dont’t understand one thing: why when someone can’t drive, still feels to right to lecture others? I was thinking for the moment that it has something to do with that “great British driving standards” we hear so much on trucknet, but abandoned that though, as my car is British with not even a small sticker that could indicate that I am foreigner, so there is nothing with nationality into it…
And that last guy - I really did not understand him. He was pacing the motorway with the speed he considered safe, and suddenly he decided that it would be a good idea to go twice faster on someone’s bumper… I really really don’t get it.
And I just recalled some story from two years ago. It was one of that snowy days in UK and I was taking fuel somewhere in England in small village gas station and I noticed that from the house next to it one elderly gentleman struggles to get up his driveway (his house was below the street level). He had his snowchains on, the problem was that he was driving Vauxhall Omega and he put his snowchains on the front wheels. I felt sorry for him, so I approached him and I told “If I might make a suggestion, sir, you need to put snowchains on your drive wheels, not on your front wheels” His answer was “Young man, I propably drive for longer than you live on this world, so I don’t need to lecture me how to do it”. Well, I just turned away without any further word and get back to my van…
…and breathe !!..
And that reply was just a pre’cis.
I’m glad i don’t have to worry about snow
He must wonder what sort of people we are when he’s met drivers like these.
Actually orys does make a valid point.The general level of driving standards here seem to be falling apart compared to the 1960’s/70’s/80’s especially in the case of driving in bad conditions.Although you need to factor into that the level of immigration in which case many of them aren’t ‘British’ drivers at all and the obvious inability of modern tyres and light weight front wheel drive cars to cope with slippery conditions.
Added to which is the periods of relatively less severe winter weather over recent years compared to earlier ones in which many of the recent generations of drivers here have never experienced any really bad conditions,such as many of the winters of the 1980’s,in which case a few inches of snow,together with often exaggerated news reports,seems to cause some equally exaggerated behaviour by many drivers slowing up to a crawl when they find themselves driving in a little bit of snow.Until they eventually bring the whole road to a halt.The fact is orys it hasn’t always like that here it’s a relatively recent modern day issue.Having said that the type of weather we’re getting in mid Spring at the moment is taking the zb.
Surprised as I am that we oddly agree on something, I am fully aware that the lack of driving skills come with that you haven’t had a proper winters recently. Being from WrocÅ‚aw myself, where for several years in the row we barely had any snow (which was very strange anomaly), I also noticed that it was enough for young people to grow up and become a drivers who never drove on snow, and also for some others to abandon the idea of having proper tires fitted to their cars…
But of course you won’t be yourself if you won’t blame immigrants for something and here is where you fail: I go to bet that even migrants from countries as south as Slovenia or Bulgaria are more experienced in driving in snow then Britons. So let’s leave the nationality issue aside, at least this time, please
What I was shocked was not that people cannot drive - it is understandable why, and I prefer them to be overcareful than reckless - but with that they had balls to lecture ME, who was propably the only driver within few miles who does know a bit about how to drive in winter… Is as if they thought “if I cannot go faster than 15 mph, nobody can” and considering everyone driving faster as “crazy”.
And I am not claiming to be one of these guys who can save his arse from even the worse situation like that guy I just saw on Facebook: youtube.com/watch?v=Q6_G4uoB … r_embedded, in other words - I am not a scandinavian rally champion, but I dare to say I have enough experience in winter driving and trust to myself and my car to be able to judge what I can do safely…
And here endeth the 133rd lesson according to St. Orys 
raymundo:
And here endeth the 133rd lesson according to St. Orys
You may go in peace now
Dennisthemenace:
C-Kay:
Kent on Tuesday
So, we’ve got the answer. Yes, most likely Britain will faces snowstorms in the future more often…
it’s still like that here in the peak district, a 515 ashbourne to buxton just to name 1, the road is still no good for trucks some have been stuck south of buxton since friday afternoon!
orys:
Surprised as I am that we oddly agree on something,But of course you won’t be yourself if you won’t blame immigrants for something and here is where you fail: I go to bet that even migrants from countries as south as Slovenia or Bulgaria are more experienced in driving in snow then Britons. So let’s leave the nationality issue aside, at least this time, please
What I was shocked was not that people cannot drive - it is understandable why, and I prefer them to be overcareful than reckless - but with that they had balls to lecture ME, who was propably the only driver within few miles who does know a bit about how to drive in winter… Is as if they thought “if I cannot go faster than 15 mph, nobody can” and considering everyone driving faster as “crazy”. .
I was actually referring more to the immigrant groups from the warmer climates in Africa and Asia in which case good old fashioned Northern European winters probably aren’t programmed into their genes.Although having said that the northern parts of the Indian sub continent aren’t known for their warm winters either but most of them seem to prefer to stay there and only come out of hiding in the summer. 
But as for the situation concerning too many Brit drivers wanting to govern the roads to their own standards that also applies in the case of everything from the attitudes of cyclists towards motor vehicle users and to the 70 mph motorway limit for cars and the 40 mph limit on single carriageways for trucks.Compared to attitudes in Germany and France at least in regards to the latter two issues.As for your own views I’d bet that you’d probably have changed your mind if you’d have been driving around the lanes and highways of Surrey during the winter of 1981/2 while following at least one council wagon driven by at least one certain council driver.Let alone when I’d finished work and then done the same with my car.Bearing in mind that these were the type of nutters who taught me how to drive a truck.
Orys hit the nail on the head and I completly agree with what he has written. I too will get past people doing 15 to 20 mph when it is
safe and I get all the horns and flashing lights as well.
Moose:
Dennisthemenace:
C-Kay:
Kent on Tuesday
So, we’ve got the answer. Yes, most likely Britain will faces snowstorms in the future more often…
it’s still like that here in the peak district, a 515 ashbourne to buxton just to name 1, the road is still no good for trucks some have been stuck south of buxton since friday afternoon![/]
Yeap, gave up trying to get to Ashbourne this morning, wasnt to bad until the Monyash turn, then even the 4x4 with a/t tyres started to struggle quite a bit. Strange how the gaffer saw loads of Lomass going through Ashbourne though.
he may have done as some lomas trucks were stranded south of biggin at alsop moor, the 515 is still only ok if you have a landrover! the wind has been stong since friday and as a result most of the roads in the area are full level with walls and much deeper in places, the snow has been blowing back in faster than it could be cleared
a tv film crew were setting up about tea time on the top end of the via gellia road north of pikehall nr friden
orys:
Saaamon:
The reason the UK struggle with the snow is we have it twice a year for a couple of days then its gone, why invest in hundreds of thousands of pounds for a few days! Also because we hardly get any snow people understandably dont know how to drive in it and most dont bother with winter tyres and chains.…yet they feel competent enough to lecture others on it.
I was driving friday night Glasgow-Mansfield in my car. I have to say I haven’t had occasion to drive so far in Winter in Britain yet, and it was a fascinating experience. A66 was closed so went via Skipton. After this nice town, where there is roundabout next to Booths supermarket and then soon speed cameras and I don’t remember it’s name (Kirkby on something maybe?) it started to be more snow on the road. Every few miles I was encountering a column of cars doing 15mph or something. I have proper tyres, there was virtually no snow on the roads (by that I mean only thin layer that melted after the car drove over it), apart from some occasional drifts, so I did not see a reason to drive so slow, if you can drive much faster safely. So whenever it was safe to do, I was overtaking them - and that when it was usually starting. Horns, flashing lights, one idiot even tried to block my way by pulling in front of me (well, that for sure improved safety
In Bradford there was quite a lot of snow, and the tanker truck was stuck on the slightly uphill filter lane with two cars behind him, so I went onto the roundabout, drove 270 degrees around it and that way went in the direction I needed. By doing this I allowed myself to drift a bit (it was 1am, the whole roundabout was mine). On the next traffic lights, I approached some poor sod in the BMW so I stopped on hazards on the left lane behind him and helped his wife to push the car up the hill. When I came back to the car there was one of the cars that I saw before stuck behind the struggling tanker standing side by side to main and as I was getting back to my car (it was bloody cold) the guy started to give me lecture about how danger my driving is (yeah, I barely had to move my steering wheel other way on that roundabout). So because he was going on and on, and did not wanted to stop I told him that we can continue on the next set of lights and drove off, living him struggling up that hill that BMW had problems before…
On the M1 it was a thin layer of snow, but the grip was OK, so I was doing between 50 and 60. When I overtook an Vauxhall Zafira doing maybe 30, he suddenly changed his mind and he decided to sit on my bumper, which was making me realli nervous. I soon left M1 hoping he will continue south, but he was going the same way, sitting maybe 10 metres behind me, and I was doing about 30-40 on the snowy road. It was making me nervous, so I slowed down and indicated left to let him pass, but he flashed lights at me and was not showing any will to overtake, and because there were further cars approaching from behind, I continued to drive, looking constantly in my rear view mirror. That got me off the thinking what’s ahead of me and as a result, I made a mistake and entered one of the bends too quickly and had to put my car sideways (luckily there was nobody going the other way, so I had the whole road for me). I managed to put my car back on the course, then lokked into the mirror to see that the other driver didn’t made the bend and he hit the kerb. I made an U-Turn in first safe place and went to check if everything was all right, and he obviously was, judging from his aggresive gestures and shouting (as if it was my fault that he was unable to keep with me), so I backed away and went on my way…
You know, I used to having a laugh at Britain how it copy with snow, but now I see how came that nobody here can drive - you have simply not enough snowy days. Now I laugh not at this, but at people who think they know everything about it, like the guy I met in the tyre shop recently who was explaining to his girlfriend that (quite expensive) rain tyres will be better than normal summer tyres on snow, because the thread is deeper
But ok, I can laugh, but I have to admit, that what I really like here is that people are TOO careful. I seriously do, I really believe that it is much better to be too careful than to go into the ditch (altough if trucks were driving faster than 15 mph, they could use momentum to go up the hills and they would not get stuck at every slightest slope…). If there is anything up to British driving standards I really admire, it is that respect to one’s skills and politeness.
But I dont’t understand one thing: why when someone can’t drive, still feels to right to lecture others? I was thinking for the moment that it has something to do with that “great British driving standards” we hear so much on trucknet, but abandoned that though, as my car is British with not even a small sticker that could indicate that I am foreigner, so there is nothing with nationality into it…
And that last guy - I really did not understand him. He was pacing the motorway with the speed he considered safe, and suddenly he decided that it would be a good idea to go twice faster on someone’s bumper… I really really don’t get it.
And I just recalled some story from two years ago. It was one of that snowy days in UK and I was taking fuel somewhere in England in small village gas station and I noticed that from the house next to it one elderly gentleman struggles to get up his driveway (his house was below the street level). He had his snowchains on, the problem was that he was driving Vauxhall Omega and he put his snowchains on the front wheels. I felt sorry for him, so I approached him and I told “If I might make a suggestion, sir, you need to put snowchains on your drive wheels, not on your front wheels” His answer was “Young man, I propably drive for longer than you live on this world, so I don’t need to lecture me how to do it”. Well, I just turned away without any further word and get back to my van…
Hi Orys,
Don’t panic the nice town is Kirkby Lonsdale on th A65 i live 6 miles
from there and have to put up with the same drivers all year as it
is a main route for the Lake District tourists and not many passing
places.
Cheers Malc.
Carryfast:
I was actually referring more to the immigrant groups from the warmer climates in Africa and Asia in which case good old fashioned Northern European winters probably aren’t programmed into their genes.
Yeah, I keep forgetting about them. There seems to be not much people from Africa in Glasgow - mostly Eastern Europeans, Pakistani, Indian, Italian and Spanish
Malc: yeah, Kirkby Lonsdale, indeed. I am terrible with names, but I really like that little town, been there few times
No surprise the uk government and it’s bs propaganda machine running the news is now trying to blame the whole thing on ‘climate change’ caused by ‘global warming’.
Just found that interesting article, sadly is in Polish:
metromsn.gazeta.pl/Wydarzenia/1, … _.html#Cuk
They write there, that spring is becoming shorter due to climate changes and that late winter attacks will be more common occurence in the future. Polish Science Academy climatic station on Spitzbergen observed that in 70s the peak of the cold was on the December/January period, in 80s, the lowest temperatures were observed in January, in 90s in February, in 00s in March and snow its at the break of March and April. It is caused by melting the ice caps - the released water vapours to the atmosphere and in complicated chain of events creates that late winter attacks. In pessimistic prognoses by 2030 we will completely loose the spring, there will be late winters as far as to April (last time in Poland there was very harsh snowstorm in early days of May!) then instantly hot summer and then long, long autumn that would gradually become winter.
The climatologist from Polish meteorological office says that three years ago the spring lasted three days and it was enough for the average 24h temperature to rise from -1,4 to 11 degree…
The reason we struggle when we have a good snowfall is because the various councils laid most of their highway employees off over the years and haven’t many people left to clear the roads etc.
They used to hire contractors to help clear the roads with big tractors and blades,but now they can’t afford to hire
them.
They still raise the council tax every year.