Thick packed snow here on the roads. The winter tyres mean it is like driving on a rainy street.

Those who haven't put their winter tyres on (apart from breaking the law) were sliding all over the place.

Yes - it’s called The Public Sector. She’s a teacher. Anyway, back home safe and sound, which is good.

We had -12°C over night, high of -8°C today. Hannover has -20°C.

Packed, frozen snow on the roads today, so a good surface to drive on, apart from the idiots who didn't change their tyres - points and fines await them, if they are caught.

The GF has nipped to Finland, -20 at the mo, no disruptions. I'm jealous, I love -20....

Mind you, anything below -14 gets a bit too chilly to ski.

It's all very well saying "It's cold in Finland, and they don't suffer any disruption." It's always cold in Finland, they expect it, know how to deal with it, and they just get on with life. Same in the Fatherland.

Lots of snow in the south east of Blighty is not a regular occurrence, so when it arrives we're simply not prepared for it. Now, if we got this kind of weather every winter, regular like, we'd have the infrastructure (and legislation to insist on winter tyres and stuff) in place to deal with it.

If it stuck around more than a couple of days, it would be easier to cope with, too. But you can guarantee that this time next week, the daytime temperatures will be back to double figures again, and all this lovely white fluffy stuff will be all melted down the drain.

I quite enjoy the disruption - it forces the country to stop - rather like Christmas. Even the kids take a day off from petty crime and rudeness. If we were equipped to cope with it would just be like every other day, but cold and damp, with difficult driving conditions.

Shame it hasn't snowed here..

I seem to remember you saying that last year, and the year before...

And they have hot summers and know how to deal with them too.

The thing is it's just a cop out saying that HK. Winter isn't a new thing, we have disruptions around this time nearly every year, are we too stupid compared to our European cousins to learn to cope with it?

Edit: Just read your post after writing big_D. A belated +1

I disagree, actually. This cold spell will last about a week tops, then we're back to the usual damp and mild winter stuff with the odd frosty morning that we normally have between December and March. In most frozen parts, winter sets in, and the snow/ice stays around for a couple of months or more.

That's what I meant about if it happened every year over here. If it does happen it's a few days, not a month or more. It makes a big difference to the overall mindset and logistics when you know it will only be snowy and icy for a few days.

North Germany is much like the UK.

When I was in Bayern (Bavaria), we had "real" winters, over a metre of snow and months on end without seeing the temperature getting over zero. There, we lived with it, we had winter tyres and people just get on with life.

Here in Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), winter consists of a few days of snow each year, the odd frost and lots of rain. Here, we still put winter tyres on, we still get on with our lives for the few days of snow or bad weather we get.

Normal road tyres stop working effectively if the ambient temperature drops below 8°C. That covers a lot of time in a British winter, especially prime commuting times. Winter tyres are effective up until around 14°C, above 18°C they'll start to disintegrate rapidly (over a few thousand miles). Driving on wet, cold, icy or snowy roads makes a world of difference, winter tyres aren't "snow" tyres, which have studs built in, they are tyres which you use in winter.

+1

I agree totally with big_D here. HK, your sense of apathy about the situation, shared by many in the UK, means that there should be no whinging or moaning. For long periods of time we could be using winter, non-studded, tyres as big_D points out. That would sort out a majority of the road issues we have during the winter period.

As public we have a choice of whether to drive or not, if you only have summer tyres then I would suggest that you shouldn't if the roads are too bad. If you have winter tyres it's very easy to drive in the winter and their operational temperatures, as big-D mentions, are sufficient enough for large swathes of the UK winter period, not just for the odd week or two as you mention.

Slap winter tyres on your car, on buses and on lorries and we wouldn't see the wholesale shutdown of schools and other services which would also mean all the whinging sods would have to think about saying something useful.

But can you imagine the outcry if people over here had to switch to winter tyres? It's bad enough getting them replace worn out normal tyres in most cases.

Personally, I'd like it to be legislated for in the UK. If it makes the winter roads a safer place to be. Sadly, with most of the advanced muppetry I see on our roads, it would be a losing battle.

Adidan, did I come across as being apathetic? That wasn't my intention. My comment above about getting people to realise winter tyres would be a benefit and not another unnecessary expense still stands, though.

I hear what you're saying. Well, it's about time many in this country stopped acting like kids thinking that everything is too much trouble and someone should be responsible for them and their actions at all times. I'm surprised some don't want a Government led arse wiping scheme.


+1
I've just been for a walk and seen several cars slowly bumping into the curb at the side of the roundabout, they look more dangerous than drunk drivers and have absolutely no control over their vehicle. If you can be banged up for drink driving, fined for using a mobile, then I think you should be locked up for driving irresponsibly in these conditions with summer tyres. I don't see the difference.


Apologies for misinterpreting what you were getting at, I did think it was odd, especially from you... That's an indirect compliment BTW.

++1

I think our attitude is ridiculous. How many £millions are lost each winter through absenteeism and car accidents?

The problem is, a set of winter wheels probably costs more than a lot of people's cars are worth. What would a new set cost for a 15 year old Fiesta 1.8 Diesel, including annual storage and fitting fees?

Probably the same outcry that came from North Germany, when this was made law (winter tyres need 4mm minimum and have a different profile and composition). But points and fines for each tyre, plus, if you are involved in an accident in snowy or icy conditions and you still have summer tyres, you are automatically at fault - and most insurance companies will refuse to pay, if you don't have winter tyres fitted.

Visitors to Germany also have to winter tyres fitted.

If you cause a traffic jam, due to an accident or simply not being able to drive further, you are also liable for the costs of the emergency services for getting you out the way.


It was here, as well, until it was made law. Those that lived in real winter areas were also moaning about the traffic jams caused by idiots driving on the motorway without winter tyres and causing 40KM tailbacks, because they lost control in the snow. Now it is a legal requirement and the really bad jams and accidents are few and far between.