Wish I’d done chains could have got involved in this discussion then …keep loading the bullets …
Why, oh why, do some people jump in feet first with a reply to a post before they have read it properly. The question was,
" Is it not about time to save accidents and hold ups that UK hauliers started using snow chains when necessary ? ".
This has been a topic with many middle east and european drivers for as long as i can remember, that we could travel through these snowy terrains out and back for weeks on end, to arrive back in the UK and be stuck with a few inches of snow, as we were not allowed to put on our snow chains.
I am quite sure that the photo of the arctic jack knifed in the ditch was as an example and not meant to be a specific incident, to spark off an argument.
Best regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the Valley’s.
Scotnat:
newmercman:
It was reasonable discussion, you said about snow in eastern Turkey and that you thought chains would’ve prevented that lorry jacknifing. I disagreed, stating that the snow in the picture you posted wasn’t deep enough for chains.You then said I’m just a driver or something along those lines and that you wouldn’t need chains.
I took this to mean that you thought you were better than anyone else and I called you a supertrucker, now you’re offended.
Did I miss anything out?
Yes you seem to have deliberately misread the line below or did not understand. It starts YOU not I
This line means YOU newmercman are in the driver category (always saying) I don’t need chains.
YOU are maybe in the driver category. I don’t need snow chains, That I have seen off the road in Turkey and elsewhere.
I have always used chains went appropriate and never waited till the snow was a certain depth by then it is 2 late.
From the pic I posted there was no way you could have judged the depth of snow. Plus you can use chains on any depth of snow
it is entirely up to the driver. The ones that make the wrong judgement end up off the road.I judge you by looking at some of your past posts a very argumentative and sarcastic member.
You call me argumentative, well my friend it takes two to have an argument. I disagreed with your post and I still do, for a number of reasons, the first being that the snow isn’t deep enough in the example you posted and secondly it would cause more accidents as people would think they were invincible and not drive to the conditions.
I have plenty of experience of driving in snow, from that I am able to judge whether snow chains are necessary, which I did regarding your picture, if I didn’t have this ability (i.e. a pair of eyes) I would be driving with chains fitted for 6 months of the year.
I think that chaining up in Britain is a bad idea and I said so, that’s my opinion, this is an Internet forum, a place that allows me to voice that opinion. Which may I remind you, does not have to agree with your opinion.
M&C Jamie:
Why, oh why, do some people jump in feet first with a reply to a post before they have read it properly. The question was,
" Is it not about time to save accidents and hold ups that UK hauliers started using snow chains when necessary ? ".
This has been a topic with many middle east and european drivers for as long as i can remember, that we could travel through these snowy terrains out and back for weeks on end, to arrive back in the UK and be stuck with a few inches of snow, as we were not allowed to put on our snow chains.
I am quite sure that the photo of the arctic jack knifed in the ditch was as an example and not meant to be a specific incident, to spark off an argument.
Best regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the Valley’s.
Thank goodness that Jamie has read the post and interpreted it the way it was meant,
it was not posted to start an argument along with sarcastic remarks.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank you again Jamie and the drivers who gave blood for my operation
for getting me released from the hospital in Mosul 2nd April 1984 after I had an ulcer operation
and checking over my truck so I could get down to Baghdad and fly home.
This was my last trip to the M/E by the way. 1984 completing 10 years that our company did it.
As well as refrigerated transport to Europe
You will know who I am Jamie lol
Best Regards Alex
M&C Jamie:
Why, oh why, do some people jump in feet first with a reply to a post before they have read it properly. The question was,
" Is it not about time to save accidents and hold ups that UK hauliers started using snow chains when necessary ? ".
This has been a topic with many middle east and european drivers for as long as i can remember, that we could travel through these snowy terrains out and back for weeks on end, to arrive back in the UK and be stuck with a few inches of snow, as we were not allowed to put on our snow chains.
I am quite sure that the photo of the arctic jack knifed in the ditch was as an example and not meant to be a specific incident, to spark off an argument.
Best regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the Valley’s.
Some posters on Trucknetuk don’t bother to read the posts properly before tapping their key boards as Jamie says. However others are just looking for an argument.
The UK has went along with the EU on Tacho’s, Drivers Hours, CPC’s and Speed Limiters. Which EU countries don’t control the same as the UK.
There is only one way that all traffic can keep on the move in severe winter conditions (Snow and Ice) in the UK.
That is to implement a law in the UK which european countries have in place and that is to make it compulsory to carry and use snow chains when road conditions such as snow and ice dictate the need.
Also, make Winter Tyres compulsory on all vehicles, Germany has recently made it compulsory.
If there was a law in place regarding snow chains. All vehicles would be able to keep on the move in snow and there would be fewer delays.
I dont think snow chains would make much difference here, it snowed yesterday and the roads were at a standstill and Im talking showers not heavy snow , there was barely a covering ,last month it came down quite heavy and everywhere was gridlocked ,it`s more a question of some drivers not being able to cope with the conditions 
ramone:
I dont think snow chains would make much difference here, it snowed yesterday and the roads were at a standstill and Im talking showers not heavy snow , there was barely a covering ,last month it came down quite heavy and everywhere was gridlocked ,it`s more a question of some drivers not being able to cope with the conditions
Seeing as though I apparently jump in feet first I will continue to jump in feet first (this is a metaphor for having a different opinion evidently) as I have an opinion on this subject based on personal experience of driving on snowy roads in Britain without chains and of using chains when conditions dictate their use on snowy mountain passes.
Snow chains are totally unnecessary in Britain, the snow rarely gets deep enough or compacted to make them useful and used in the wrong conditions they will tear up the road surface.
Then you have the safety aspects, where exactly would you chain up? In the middle lane of the M6?
As well as this there is the danger that people will fit chains and think they’re invincible, it will be carnage on the roads.
You have to remember that the type of driver that threw on a set of chains to get over Bolu or wherever is a different breed to the majority of those that run around in Britain.
newmercman:
ramone:
I dont think snow chains would make much difference here, it snowed yesterday and the roads were at a standstill and Im talking showers not heavy snow , there was barely a covering ,last month it came down quite heavy and everywhere was gridlocked ,it`s more a question of some drivers not being able to cope with the conditionsSeeing as though I apparently jump in feet first I will continue to jump in feet first (this is a metaphor for having a different opinion evidently) as I have an opinion on this subject based on personal experience of driving on snowy roads in Britain without chains and of using chains when conditions dictate their use on snowy mountain passes.
Snow chains are totally unnecessary in Britain, the snow rarely gets deep enough or compacted to make them useful and used in the wrong conditions they will tear up the road surface.
Then you have the safety aspects, where exactly would you chain up? In the middle lane of the M6?
As well as this there is the danger that people will fit chains and think they’re invincible, it will be carnage on the roads.
You have to remember that the type of driver that threw on a set of chains to get over Bolu or wherever is a different breed to the majority of those that run around in Britain.
I do lean towards Newmercman’s opinion that it’s more to do with drivers than it is to do with conditions. Yes, I’ve had to get myself out of trouble in Turkey with snow-chains; but nobody’s mentioned diff-locks yet! I’ve far more often got myself out of trouble with the judicious use of the diff-lock than I have with snow-chains. I’ve never had to use chains in the UK, but maybe that’s pure luck… Robert
Something else to consider over here is they rarely keep major roads open if heavy snow settles , we just cant cope with it due mainly because we dont get that much ,ok it comes every winter but not compareable with some countries, thats probably a major factor in why quite a few drivers are not able to drive in it.Its major news if we get a heavy dowsing but its not a regular thing and thats probably why the councils are never geared up for it. In my opinion snow chains would make no difference whatsoever because its the majority of car drivers that can`t drive in snow and you can only keep going if the vehicle in front does the same
lczjs:
M&C Jamie:
Why, oh why, do some people jump in feet first with a reply to a post before they have read it properly. The question was,
" Is it not about time to save accidents and hold ups that UK hauliers started using snow chains when necessary ? ".
This has been a topic with many middle east and european drivers for as long as i can remember, that we could travel through these snowy terrains out and back for weeks on end, to arrive back in the UK and be stuck with a few inches of snow, as we were not allowed to put on our snow chains.
I am quite sure that the photo of the arctic jack knifed in the ditch was as an example and not meant to be a specific incident, to spark off an argument.
Best regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the Valley’s.Some posters on Trucknetuk don’t bother to read the posts properly before tapping their key boards as Jamie says. However others are just looking for an argument.
The UK has went along with the EU on Tacho’s, Drivers Hours, CPC’s and Speed Limiters. Which EU countries don’t control the same as the UK.
There is only one way that all traffic can keep on the move in severe winter conditions (Snow and Ice) in the UK.
That is to implement a law in the UK which european countries have in place and that is to make it compulsory to carry and use snow chains when road conditions such as snow and ice dictate the need.
Also, make Winter Tyres compulsory on all vehicles, Germany has recently made it compulsory.
If there was a law in place regarding snow chains. All vehicles would be able to keep on the move in snow and there would be fewer delays.
As far as I’m aware snow chains are only legally required in Alpine regions, I don’t know that there is any legislation mandating their use in any other areas. Maybe you could post a link that proves otherwise, it would be useful for drivers that run in these regions to keep them legal.
Mont Blanc (one area that does insist on chains being carried) will be a familiar route to many drivers, but I’m confident that very few drivers have ever fitted snow chains to allow them to continue their journey, even though they have significantly more snow there during one storm than the UK gets during a whole winter.
Even the Swiss and Austrians, who are not known for their Leniency, will give you the choice to park or throw chains on and carry. I have experienced this in both countries and in both countries I parked in a big long line of lorries from all different nationalities that did the same.
The chain requirements were initialized in each case by lorries spinning out further up the hill, the decision to make lorries chain up only came about when the road was already blocked, so if you think about it like that then the authorities only view snow chain use as a method of getting out of trouble, rather than enforcing their use and making everybody put on the chains that they were legally required to carry.
newmercman:
lczjs:
M&C Jamie:
Why, oh why, do some people jump in feet first with a reply to a post before they have read it properly. The question was,
" Is it not about time to save accidents and hold ups that UK hauliers started using snow chains when necessary ? ".
This has been a topic with many middle east and european drivers for as long as i can remember, that we could travel through these snowy terrains out and back for weeks on end, to arrive back in the UK and be stuck with a few inches of snow, as we were not allowed to put on our snow chains.
I am quite sure that the photo of the arctic jack knifed in the ditch was as an example and not meant to be a specific incident, to spark off an argument.
Best regards Jamie.
A Scot Lost in the Valley’s.Some posters on Trucknetuk don’t bother to read the posts properly before tapping their key boards as Jamie says. However others are just looking for an argument.
The UK has went along with the EU on Tacho’s, Drivers Hours, CPC’s and Speed Limiters. Which EU countries don’t control the same as the UK.
There is only one way that all traffic can keep on the move in severe winter conditions (Snow and Ice) in the UK.
That is to implement a law in the UK which european countries have in place and that is to make it compulsory to carry and use snow chains when road conditions such as snow and ice dictate the need.
Also, make Winter Tyres compulsory on all vehicles, Germany has recently made it compulsory.
If there was a law in place regarding snow chains. All vehicles would be able to keep on the move in snow and there would be fewer delays.
As far as I’m aware snow chains are only legally required in Alpine regions, I don’t know that there is any legislation mandating their use in any other areas. Maybe you could post a link that proves otherwise, it would be useful for drivers that run in these regions to keep them legal.
Mont Blanc (one area that does insist on chains being carried) will be a familiar route to many drivers, but I’m confident that very few drivers have ever fitted snow chains to allow them to continue their journey, even though they have significantly more snow there during one storm than the UK gets during a whole winter.
Even the Swiss and Austrians, who are not known for their Leniency, will give you the choice to park or throw chains on and carry. I have experienced this in both countries and in both countries I parked in a big long line of lorries from all different nationalities that did the same.
The chain requirements were initialized in each case by lorries spinning out further up the hill, the decision to make lorries chain up only came about when the road was already blocked, so if you think about it like that then the authorities only view snow chain use as a method of getting out of trouble, rather than enforcing their use and making everybody put on the chains that they were legally required to carry.
Bulgaria springs to mind. I remember in 1995 they stopped lorries at the bottom of the mountain they called ‘Little Shipka’ heading for Turkey, to make sure that they had snow chains on. But again, I went up on the diff-lock, much to the annoyance of the Bulgy police.
Parts of France used to have snow-chain rules for the higher reaches of certain mountains but I can’t remember which now.
Turkey was the worst for snow. Robert
Even with chains on, mistakes still happen. If you can zoom in you can see that both these two had chains on both drive axle wheels, plus one on the N/S front wheel and one on the N/S rear trailer axle. Picture taken up in the mountains, somewhere in the back of beyond in what used to be Yugo.
.
You were not allowed into Austria during the winter unless you carried snow chains.
As for using the diff lock for hard packed snow all that would happen is the 2 wheels would spin
one truck I had was a 6 x 4 with a diff block and I still had to use chains in hard packed snow.
I asked the question should you be able to use snow chains in the UK.
Also should winter tyres be mandatory in the UK. Winter tyres are now mandatory in Germany.
I would have thought it was an easy question and did not need stupid answers like (would you put them on in the middle lane on the M6)
Showing pics of chained trucks off the road does not answer the question about the UK. as I can show pics of trucks off the road in Turkey where drivers did not fit chains.
Yes you could park up instead of chaining up but for how long till the snow disappeared. This did not deliver loads.
All our trucks all had Austrian Chains 1 set Doubles 2 sets of singles and the drivers had brains and used them result no accidents! No time lost either.
Which poses another question are all members on Trucknetuk truck drivers or wannabe truck driver…
I think we have had some tall tales on this thread about experiences when a simple Yes or No to the original question would have done.
I await another tale with bated breath.
Scotnat:
You were not allowed into Austria during the winter unless you carried snow chains.As for using the diff lock for hard packed snow all that would happen is the 2 wheels would spin
one truck I had was a 6 x 4 with a diff block and I still had to use chains in hard packed snow.I asked the question should you be able to use snow chains in the UK.
Also should winter tyres be mandatory in the UK. Winter tyres are now mandatory in Germany.I would have thought it was an easy question and did not need stupid answers like (would you put them on in the middle lane on the M6)
Showing pics of chained trucks off the road does not answer the question about the UK. as I can show pics of trucks off the road in Turkey where drivers did not fit chains.
Yes you could park up instead of chaining up but for how long till the snow disappeared. This did not deliver loads.
All our trucks all had Austrian Chains 1 set Doubles 2 sets of singles and the drivers had brains and used them result no accidents! No time lost either.
Which poses another question are all members on Trucknetuk truck drivers or wannabe truck driver…
I think we have had some tall tales on this thread about experiences when a simple Yes or No to the original question would have done.
I await another tale with bated breath.
I can totally understand your feelings at the way your post has been answered Scotnat and I totally agree with your sentiments in your latest post I have quoted above.
However you have as a relatively new member noticed that some members take great delight in trying to show how clever they are by posting tales in answer to posts that only require a simple answer in an attempt to show up a new member.
I would if I was you, not give them any more ammunition to try and run you down. As it is obvious to me who the main culprit is and he should know better.
Don’t let it put you off posting in the future. However as i say let this posting die the death.
Are you kidding me? All this being offended and playing the victim BS, grow up will you, it’s pathetic.
A question was asked and answered. It seems that it has been ignored, but the first response to the picture of the jacknifed Daf was along the lines of “no, snow chains wouldn’t be any good in this example as the snow isn’t deep enough to warrant use of tyre chains” I fail to see where the ambiguity lies in that response.
In response to that reference was made about me being a “type” of driver, I questioned this as I was intrigued as to what “type” of driver I was.
Since then we’ve had tales from various people, most of whom have real world experience of driving in bad conditions, scotnav included, some agree with chaining up in Britain and some don’t. Yet the “victim” is the one getting his knickers in a twist over it all, it’s a discussion forum and that means people will voice an opinion, if everyone agreed about everything it would be a very boring site and nobody would learn anything from a one sided post, you need balance to fully appreciate a subject.
Many posters on here have a lot of experience in the subjects that they get involved in and so far everyone who has posted fits that bill (with the exception of Iczjs who seems intent on stirring the pot) nobody is saying anybody else is wrong, just that their opinion differs.
We can all do pretty good in a ■■■■■■■ contest on this subject, scotnav, Bullitt, robert1952, Jamie and myself have all been about a bit and encountered snow up to the bottoms of the doors and we’ve all thrown a set of chains over the tyres, I still do it from time to time if I can’t avoid it and I also have a 6x4 tractor unit with locking diff and good winter tread tyres, I too have a set of doubles and two sets of singles, I own my lorry so I had to spend a small fortune for them and the mounts that they sit on when not in use and they’re not there for decoration or bragging rights.
So chill out and have your say on the subject, it is interesting and we could all learn a thing or two from the time honored tradition of drivers talking about a subject.
And for those that wish to carry on being offended, there’s a little upside down triangle in the top corner of each post, if you don’t like what you see then hit that triangle and report the post to the admin of the site, the rules apply to everyone here, nobody gets special treatment.
Scotnat:
You were not allowed into Austria during the winter unless you carried snow chains.As for using the diff lock for hard packed snow all that would happen is the 2 wheels would spin
one truck I had was a 6 x 4 with a diff block and I still had to use chains in hard packed snow.I asked the question should you be able to use snow chains in the UK.
Also should winter tyres be mandatory in the UK. Winter tyres are now mandatory in Germany.I would have thought it was an easy question and did not need stupid answers like (would you put them on in the middle lane on the M6)
Showing pics of chained trucks off the road does not answer the question about the UK. as I can show pics of trucks off the road in Turkey where drivers did not fit chains.
Yes you could park up instead of chaining up but for how long till the snow disappeared. This did not deliver loads.
All our trucks all had Austrian Chains 1 set Doubles 2 sets of singles and the drivers had brains and used them result no accidents! No time lost either.
Which poses another question are all members on Trucknetuk truck drivers or wannabe truck driver…
I think we have had some tall tales on this thread about experiences when a simple Yes or No to the original question would have done.
I await another tale with bated breath.
I personally don`t think they would be much use over here Scotnat but I could be wrong
Here’s a little reminder for those of you that miss them.
Thankfully they’re not in use. I carry 4 blocks of wood which I put in front of the inner tyres, then drive up onto which allows me to put a set of four singles on my outer tyres and get them really tight. Obviously assuming I’m not stuck and needing them because of that.
Once applied they do make a massive difference, with a full set on and diff locks engaged you can plow through snow this deep.
However I still don’t think Britain should enforce their use, maybe they could allow them if people wanted to use them, but even then I don’t think it would be any good, it would only take one spun out vehicle to stop everybody, chains or not.
Then there is the safety aspect, I was taking the ■■■■ when I said about putting them on in the middle lane of the M6. Where would you do it? Stopping anywhere other than in a service area could cause a pile up, also you could be at risk of being run over as you try to fit them, which happens and if the closest place to the snowy hill is not snow covered then you will damage both the road and the chains by driving on a bare surface.
Then there’s health and safety, trapped fingers, people putting their back out or even catching a cold would all be reasons why it would not be allowed.
Scotnat:
…Showing pics of chained trucks off the road does not answer the question about the UK. as I can show pics of trucks off the road in Turkey where drivers did not fit chains…
You used a picture to demonstrate your point about what can (possibly) happen to vehicles when they DO NOT use snow chains. I used a picture to demonstrate my point about what can (possibly) happen to vehicles even when they DO use snow chains!
Whats the matter with you anyway? 
Jesus!! 
Hi I have been browsing these pages for a while now. but there seems to be a shortage of Old Scottish Middle East Drivers telling any tales or reminiscing about there time on the road to the Middle East in 1970 to 1990. Or talking about what trucks they were driving then. Where are you all ■■?