to wonder why some people are so pathetic when it comes to their cars and the snow

[Ormirian]

I live 2 miles from work. So I walked. The office is half empty. I can understand that for some of the staff because they live in the back of beyond or miles away and the snow was really bad this morning. But the majority of people working here are locals who drove in against all advice on the radio and in the face of common sense, and then panicked and drove back home again in case they got stranded .

Why can they not get out of their bloody cars and walk! It's perfectly safe underfoot - I walked in OK with a good pair of boots and well-wrapped up.

The factory staff have to work their normal shifts but the office staff have all buggered off when most of them could have found a way of getting in to work safely. I feel ashamed TBH - it's feels as if there's one rule for us and another rule for them.

[BettyCash]

Good on you for getting in! Everyone has to make their own decisions about snow travel but frankly I think most people tend towards the lazy side! I'm sure your behaviour won't go unnoticed.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I can't drive in the snow - after doing a 180 degree spin on the M5 last year, it scares the bejesus out of me. DP drove me in this morning and will pick me up later. have the people who work here are owrking from home.

I work near the Gloucestershire police HQ, al the staff who work there have just been sent home . Wimps.

[AnyoneforTurps]

Oo Getorf, you are just round the corner from me

[RevoltingPeasant]

Yes we have just had an email round saying anyone who drove in can go home after lunch.

I took the bus [smug bitch emoticon]

[SantasENormaSnob]

I walk the 5 miles to work if I can't drive in.

It's not really safe underfoot here though so have forbidden my grandparents from going out.

[Ormirian]

I wouldn't drive either getorf - I have a healthy respect for cars and ice. But there is no reason for the majority of staff here not to walk.

[FunnyLittleFrog]

In the really bad snow a couple of weeks ago I had to have a little smug laugh at my colleagues who were stuck in traffic jams for 5 hours getting home when I just hopped on two trains to do the same journey.

[squirrel42]

I'm in Bristol. I usually cycle to work and this morning I pushed my bike to the nearest main gritted road and cycled from there, but the side streets were complete death traps. Snow is fine to walk on, but we're talking an inch or two of compacted ice - almost none of it has been cleared. Literally every few steps I would nearly slip, and I was wearing Doc Marten boots. If I'd been required to do a two mile walk on streets like that I would have been seriously worried.

I briefly ventured out in the car yesterday and again, ungritted side streets are the issue. I was in first or second gear and still slid a few metres at one junction. Bloody dangerous.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

tp anyone.

Look out the bloody window - it's really coming down. My dd is at the panto in Cheltenham, the buses have been cancelled and dd says she is getting the train home, but I don't hold out any hope. DP will have to go and collect her, it has just taking him and hour and a half to drive from Chetlenham to Gloucester

[Ormirian]

squirrel - it was like that here yesterday but right now it's just soft snow. The only time I nearly slipped was when crossing our ungritted road that cars had polished to a nice sheen yesterday morning

[violethill]

Yanbu- if you are within reasonable walking distance of course people should go in. You're probably statistically safer walking in the snow than driving on any normal day of the year anyway! I agree that some people just see it as an excuse not to go in

[thumbplumpuddingwitch]

Cars with rear-wheel drive (power to the back wheels) perform really badly in the snow compared with cars with front-wheel drive. I wouldn't go out in a rear-wheel drive car in the snow.

Some people have a terrible fear of falling in the snow/ice; older people (50+, not just OAPs) are more at risk of broken limbs if they do fall.

However, any young, fit, no-balance-problems-or-underlying-health-conditions-you-don't-necessarily-know-about people should jolly well put the effort in and WALK.

[Ormirian]

It's stopped snowing here now. We have loads though.

[GetOrfMoiLand]

My old car was a rear wheel drive.

I sold it about a month after the snow thawed last January. Bloody thing. I am a confident driver but that utterly terrified me, and after skidding round the back streets of Gloucester yesterday I just thought bollocks, not risking driving in rush hour in the ice.

Luckily DP is not working this week (lucky git)

[taffetazatyousantaclaus]

DH walked 5 miles this morning in agony ( back problems )to get to a train station that had trains running into London, as the one at the end of our road has none because of the snow.

He has to get into work, even just for 5 minutes, otherwise he doesn't get paid. Because some selfish fuckwits last year took the piss, my DH suffers. God knows how long it will take him to get home.

[MissAnthropy]

DH has gone to work today on the bus and taken a sleeping bag and a few changes of clothes/toiletries/food with him.

Now that's dedication.

[MissAnthropy]

Just in case like.

He isn't moving out or anything.

[LizzyLordsALeaping]

Hmm, I see your point but I have crashed into a wall and spun my car round in the snow in past years. I have no confidence in my snow driving now. I hate it when I have the boys in the car.

I will (and do walk) or catch the bus if need be. Last year I got stuck in snow at work and parked the car up and walked home, there were 4 buses stuck in the snow on my walk home.

We live at the bottom of a big, steep hill up the main road. Most people leave their cars up at the top walk to and from their cars. Imagine my delight to see a Father sledging down the only pavement with his kids yesterday. It's bloody dangerous getting down the hill at the best of times
Dick.

[Ormirian]

No, as I said I wouldn't have got in my car. DH wanted to drive me into work but I told him I'd hide the bloody keys if he didn't agree not to!

[TrillianAstra]

at "not moving out or anything"

[TrillianAstra]

I think the point was not "don't be a wimp just drive", it was "don't be a wimp there are other forms of transport apart from your car".

[MissAnthropy]

At least I don't think he's moving out.

[JaneS]

Hmm.

I see what you're saying, but bear in mind that it is still dangerous to walk in lots of places. Around here, for example, it is very icy. DH has a five minute walk to work and of course is there, but quite a lot of people are slipping and falling.

My mum is permanently disabled and has been since her late teens, because she slipped and twisted her knee. It's easily done. She was never able to run after us children and increasingly it looks as if she will eventually not be able to walk at all.

I know you have to be somewhat unlucky to slip and injure yourself, but the possibility is there, and if your work isn't essential, perhaps it's better to consider working from home/ catching up later? You only have to twist your knee badly once - those joints are vulnerable.

I don't mean to make people paranoid and I certainly don't think cars are safer (!!!), but of course I'm fairly aware of the dangers.

[Ormirian]

Exactly trillian. It was in fact 'step away from the car and use your legs for walking'.

[Ormirian]

I see what you mean totally littlered, but I doubt that many people are going to resist the temptation to go out for any reason over the next few days.