Been four hours stuck in snow in kent

[Stuckinsnowinkent]

We have been stuck in Chatham now for four hours. Got about 7 miles maybe? Think we will be stuck in the car overnight now.

It snowed about 3-4 inches in one hour.

If I had known I'd have stayed at mums but we had no idea. She lives by a major hospital so there was cars serenely driving past in the snow. But as soon as we reached a hill we realised the mistake. Dh wants to get to work in the morning. But really we're stuck now unless we head the wrong way down the m2

My mind still boggles that a couple of inches of snow can bring standstills. If we just required mandatory winterisation of vehicles and carriage of snow chains this gubbins would be no more. Whole countries deal with this easily every winter.

Sorry, that does not help you and you didn't do anything wrong. But aarrrgh. So frustrating.

What a horrible situation, but also, think how exciting the DC will find this when they're telling their friends they got stuck all night in the snow.
Find the positives and stay safe x

Same here, my colleague had a 3hr drive to get home, something that should have taken 15 mins. Also reported, and videoed, total carnage on the roads. She wasnt the driver btw!

Came earlier than expected and heavier.

Good luck OP

Such a good idea!

It feels like a major incident. These are major artery roads in Kent. Ambulance can't get through. We are trying the M2 now to turn around back towards London.

A friendly and I both left Cambridge at 4.30 today. Took me 2 hours to get home to SE London and her 7 HOURS to get home to Maidstone!

I hope you get home soon. X

It was forecast.

Where are you now OP?

Poor you. I went to mums on the other side of Maidstone at 4. By 7, we could have got home in our 4x4 but the roads were totally gridlocked. Went back to mums till 9 then made the journey.
Bluebell had a Jack knife lorry - reckon you got stuck there.

I'm such a loon. I follow a local weather forecaster on FB. He's never wrong with our local weather and he completely forecast this. I just didn't add up the snow will fall with my plans.

But we rarely ever get snow like this - it's a couple of days a year, if that.

It would be such a waste to spend all that money.

On the M2 now. Slushy but moving again! We abandoned trying to get on the M20

Our roads are not gritted. They didn't put the fritter drivers on standby for what was a 30% chance of snow.

Mark my words - all our schools will be shut tomorrow in mid Kent.

I live in Kent and definitely think a yellow warning underestimated how severe the weather was going to be ! The snow literally came down in bucket loads !

Seeing the impact, I'd have said a red warning would have been appropriate.

It was carnage everywhere in Chatham. Every road unpasable. Hundreds of abandoned cars on major A roads. The M2 is a river of slush. Bluebell hill is shut and we waited ove a hour there before taking the M2.

Glad you are moving now OP, hope you get home soon. Sorry that DD has wet herself, hope she’s not too uncomfortable.

Fingers crossed for you. Can you check local Facebook groups near home to see what you're facing that end? If it looks too bad, perhaps detour to a Premier Inn (if you can book them this late?).

I know! Kent, in December, what the frig is going on? I’ve been warning DDs - both at Uni in Northern cities - that they really need to prepare for how cold and wintery it’s going to be for them, and nothing like they’re used to in the SE, they’re both laughing at me tonight cos I’ve not got any food in or much petrol in the car 🙄. Sorry you’re having a rough time of it

I think she's happier now as was in pain but I think she has drifted off. Car will smell tomorrow that's for sure! So glad we packed food and water. We always have foil blankets too in the car.

Yes I'm in Kent and it's been chaos in and around our town. Cars abandoned, crashes, main roads impassable, people are stranded. Kind people with 4 x 4 's have offered to help on local fb sites but some roads just gridlocked with stationary cars. What would normally be a 10 minute journey on a main road taking 3 hours.

My ex left London at 3.30 to travel to Hastings. He's still not home yet. Never knew it was going to snow

There has been warnings for days though that snow will hit the south east and London on Sunday so its hardly out of nowhere 🤨🙄 my parents live in Kent near Chatham and have known for a few days and stocked up on milk and essentials yday.

Bit like when theybwarn about gale force winds or torrential rain and people still feel need to go out and drive or not plan around it

Yes I had no idea snow was predicted. Neither did my mum. I think this was quite unexpected. Plus it was really hard telling what roads was shut. No signs saying bluebell hill was blocked. Carnage!